Hi there from Pittsburgh, PA! Some of you may remember me, some may not, but I was a North Kingstown transplant for about a year until I moved to Pittsburgh, PA.

Our stay in North Kingstown was unexpectedly short lived; an opportunity arose for my husband that was just too good to pass up. He’s finishing up the last semester of his MBA and has accepted a job located in Chicago, IL after he’s finished school.

While it’s been a whirlwind adventure here in Pittsburgh, I haven’t forgotten about my exceptional experience with the community of North Kingstown. Now that I’m about to move again, I thought it would be fun to compare my two most recent locations. (You’ll like the results!)  So, the gloves come off as I compare the city of Pittsburgh to the coastal town of North Kingstown up for a standoff! 

So nothing really beats the community of North Kingstown. With its small town feel for a moderately populated area, North Kingstown is a wonderful place to live, especially for those with families. It was easy to instantly connect with both the community and the people of North Kingstown. The community atmosphere in Pittsburgh all depends on which area you’re living in. The school where my husband is finishing up his MBA is supportive and friendly. However, it’s not hard to get lost in the many surrounding boroughs of the greater Pittsburgh area.

You just can’t get that instant community connect like you can in North Kingstown. Plus, the habits I picked up in northern Maine are well appreciated in North Kingstown, while in Pittsburgh they tend to scratch their heads. For example, “It's wicked cold out there in the dooryard” could possibly be a foreign language here in Pittsburgh.

If you’ve never been to Pittsburgh, there are two words I have to say about the area: “bricks” and “hills”! No huffing and puffing from any wolf or hurricane could knock these houses down, even if they are partially slanted on the hillside. Not much room for a backyard unless your kids intend to only play “Jack and Jill Go up the Hill.” Even though Rhode Island is a small state with a large population, you stand a better chance of having a back yard with your home or at least a flat back yard.

The stores in Pittsburgh are the bigger name brands, but you can still find farmer’s stands with fresh produce close by. Dave’s Marketplace in North Kingstown still is and always will be my favorite grocery store. They’ve really done it right as far as providing a place to purchase food. Nothing beats their ready to go dinners and cheesecake. I have yet to find a cheesecake in Pittsburgh that I like!

No standoff is complete without a comparison of the surrounding bodies of water. Ok, so North Kingstown wins this one hands down. Pittsburgh doesn’t have the ocean and boy do I love the ocean! My whole family misses the trips to the North Kingstown Town Beach and the other surrounding Rhode Island beaches.  The only water experience we’ve had here in Pittsburgh is flooding in the basement!

So while my family and I are very appreciative of the opportunity Pittsburgh has opened up for us, we miss you North Kingstown! You just can’t beat the community, the people and the oceanside fun that this area of the Northeast has to offer. We’ve met some amazing people in both areas, had some remarkable experiences and have definitely learned a trick or two on what it takes to join a new community. While we will be packing our bags and moving to the thriving metropolis of Chicago in the next few months, I certainly haven’t forgotten about North Kingstown, RI. While I can’t say I’ll ever come back to Pittsburgh to live or to visit, I will certainly be making my way back to North Kingstown, whether it’s just a short family vacation or relocation!

From the woods of Maine to the beaches of Rhode Island and then on to the hills of Pennsylvania, Danielle and her family have experienced many adventures. Danielle is a freelance writer working from home in Pittsburgh, PA. Check out Danielle’s blog at http://mommyoccupied.com.