In no particular order, here are reasons Oakland will continue to be our home...
- The ability to drive 15 minutes from our house and be on a beautiful beach or in a amazing redwood forest. An hour drive gets us to numerous camping options in either of these environments. And a 3 hour drive gets us to the Sierra Nevada mountains and a chance to expore Yosemite during all seasons
- A wonderful inter-generational community of FMCSF east bayers who eat together weekly and help share in the raising of our family. We get to learn from those who have raised kids, commiserate with those who are in the trying times of having a two-year old and provide support for those thinking of getting into the parenting challenge
- A growing community of neighbors who we can identify with and share the ups and downs of living in Maxwell Park where the crime can be intense but is tempered by supportive neighbors and other families working to make it a better place for all
- The daily reminder that there are many vulnerable people who live a life on the edge of just getting by --driving by the day laborers who wait on the corner for work, the mother with several kids waiting for the bus to get her kids to school and herself to work, the woman who sifts through our garbage picking out cans to recycle for money--they are all reminders of how our policies impact the least among us
- The way that Oakland can provide a place for so many different people from so many different backgrounds to live together in relative peace
- An amazing church community where we are free to question, challenge and learn new ways of understanding our own faith and where we are challenged to live simpler lives that respect ourselves, our community and our earth
- The fact that Samuel (and eventually Oliver) will enroll in a public school that will prepare him to be bilingual, bi literate and culturally competent--something we thought was only possible if we left the US
- Living in a city that will help teach our kids that inequalities exist, that life is not always smooth and easy and that we have a role to play in helping make our community better for everyone. (OK, maybe this is a big concept for a 2 and 5 year old but it does plant the seed...)
- Having parents close enough to participate in our kid's lives--and offer weekends of babysitting so we remain relatively sane
- Working in jobs that provide meaningful work while also making our communities safer, healthier places to live
- Great weather that means cold weather only lasts a few days in the winter and summer is tempered by the great environmental air-conditioning called fog.
