I'm originally from Puerto Rico and have been in the United States for the past 23 years. Before coming here, I lived all over -- I went to school in Boston, then moved to New York, and then Texas while I worked in Mexico. I also lived in Ohio, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

I came to West Michigan looking for a better work/life balance. I wanted a community that was family oriented, and I found that place in Holland.

 

 

I would never have thought I would enjoy Michigan, coming from the little island of Puerto Rico where it doesn’t snow, and most recently from North Carolina where a snowfall of 3 inches is considered a “state of emergency”. I'm nervous to see what my first winter here will bring, but I can tell you now that I am here to stay. I can see how my career can grow, and how I'll also be able to have time with my family. I have extra time now because there is almost no commute time, and I have such easy accessibility to childcare. I'm in a community environment where I feel that if I'm in a bind, people will pitch in and help.

 

For me the education system was the number one thing I looked at before I considered a community. The great thing is that the choices available are excellent. I decided to rent for the first year while I get familiar with the area. The school system will have significant weight in on my final decision of where to buy. One great thing the school system has is the “School of Choice” program which allows you to enroll your kid(s) where you want, regardless of where you live, as long as you are within the same county. I did a lot of research on the area and I read various testimonials on the HelloWestMichigan website and they convinced me to give West Michigan a try.

 

I love spending time with my kids. We do a lot of bike riding, hiking and swimming. We like to be outside and enjoy nature. The summer weather was wonderful and we took advantage of every opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and all the activities the area has to offer. We've been to the Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival; we've been to Kirk Park and the beach there and to the Venetian Festival in Saugatuck. The Holland Farmers Market is wonderful and we go there almost every weekend. Grand Rapids is just a short drive away, and, in our second month of being here, we went there to see the Ringling Brothers circus.

 

I would like to tell people who are thinking about moving here that West Michigan has a great combination of economic growth and health.  It’s not just about the location but what’s more important is to have the right attitude to look at the great things it has to offer and the potential for even more.