Goodbye Virginia Hello Michigan

Originally written by James Richardson on 8/16/2023

Changing locations and establishing yourself in a new town is always a challenge. After 2 years of a Pandemic and sending my children on their way to live on their own, I finally have the time to focus on my own goals in life. It goes without saying that the Pandemic was detrimental to everyones life. This was especially true for gig and freelance workers. The Pandemic caused an incredible loss in my freelance clientele. Ironically, prior to the Pandemic, my son was offered an incredible opportunity in Michigan. These are some examples of events that led to my departure from Virginia.

Leaving Virginia Beach

As beautiful as Virginia Beach is, it is a city of approximately 450,000 people. When I first moved to Virginia Beach, it was much smaller and less developed. Since then, Virginia has encroached housing development near the military bases and in areas where there should be no housing. This caused a boom in traffic congestion and unemployment. The city is building Casinos in all the surrounding cities. This type of development has caused crime to skyrocket. Living in Virginia Beach, like living in any big city, has become a series of unfortunate events for my family.

Arriving to Holt Michigan

After twelve years of rocky roads and unfortunate events in Virginia Beach, I have finally broke away from the toxic life of a densely populated city to arrive at the beautiful state of Michigan. After my son moved to Michigan to obtain his PhD in Nuclear Physics at MSU, I saw Michigan as a great place to live. The city of Holt exudes the comforts of a smaller city and the cozy reminiscence of the greatness of family life in the United States of America once popular across the entire country.

A new horizon

I love Michigan. Holt is now my new permanent home. Making good honorable friends is very easy here. The area here in Holt Michigan is a safe environment that takes me away from big city problems. Corn fields surround the entire area and wildlife roam freely across the land. It is truly an escape away from big city drama. I am looking forward to enjoying my time here in Holt and hope the people of Michigan can use my skills to better their community.

Valhalla Park – Holt, Michigan