Buffalo is known as the city of good neighbors.
One of the things I have always loved about the city of Buffalo is the sense of community.
As someone who grew up in Long Island, one of the first things I noticed about Buffalo (aside from the cold) was the overwhelming feeling of pride and unity among the community.
Buffalo isn’t nick-named the City of Good Neighbors for nothing.
Buffalonians are a proud, warm, generous people.
Having a sense of community pride is something that was completely foreign to me until moving to Buffalo.
People in Long Island aren’t really proud of their Long Island heritage; Long Islanders, for the most part, aren’t overwhelmingly friendly, generous, or engaging people.
Buffalonians, on the other hand, are engaging, thoughtful, friendly people who light up when you tell them that you’re a Long Island native turned Buffalover.
When I made the decision to stay in Buffalo upon graduation, I was overwhelmed by the warm response I got from friends, professionals, peers, and even strangers!
People who I had never even met before were excited to learn that I was staying in the city to start my career at The Buffalo News. The positive response I received from making the decision to stay only served to reinforce my decision.
Regardless of where I end up in the future, I will always think of Buffalo as home.
Buffalo will always hold a special place in my heart for being the city which welcomed me with open, loving arms.
I love this post! I don’t even live in Buffalo yet, but that sense of community you speak of is exactly what I’m looking for. 🙂
Long Island is not a town or a city; it’s a region, and you can’t really compare the two. There are small towns on LI and suburban communities. Some are friendly, like in PW, others not, like in your general experience in GN. And, to borrow a phrase, home is where the heart is.