Living in the PA suburbs

I have lived northwest of the city, in Upper Dublin township, for the past 12 years and love it. The schools are excellent, the township services are efficient and friendly, and there is an international mix of cultures. I loved the city (lived in the Roxborough neighborhood for 10 years) but wanted out once my children entered school. We are still close enough to get to the city for cultural events, restaurants, and parades.

Commuting

My commute is on regional rail, the R5 Landsdale line, which is approximately 40 minutes to Philadelphia. There are some express trains which make local stops to Fort Washington then travel non-stop to Market East, which then takes only 30 minutes. The new rule of the quiet car (no talking on the first train car) makes for a relaxing ride home after lecturing. Train travel should be looked into under Drexel HR benefits as it is worth checking into for the ease and cost. The center city stations are convenient to main campus and the center city campus.

Character of Suburbs

The PA suburbs each have their own community culture. There are well established areas like Glenside which have old homes, walk-able streets, and restaurants. There are also newly built homes on tracts of land which require one to drive everywhere with the advantage that stores are convenient and the construction is new. Several schools are expanding and rebuilding to accommodate the increased number of new families or are updating their facilities to have better auditoriums, labs, and other facilities. Taxes cover these expenses and can take a slice of your home budget. There are fun things to do, camps for the kids, pumpkin farms, outdoor music concerts.

Living near a SEPTA train station makes living out of the city an enjoyable experience for the whole family.

Jeannine Uribe

uribe@drexel.edu