I joined expat.com on 03 May 2012.
I have been a student for the past six years - B.A. and Masters from UNH (University of New Hampshire)
The ocean, mountains, peaceful rural living but city life is also close. Hour to Boston, 4 1/2 hours to NYC. The fall foliage in the mountains is world class. Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts are all close. Good skiing.
Not a lot of people have experienced other parts of the United States or the world (almost everybody was born here, raised here, and will stay here). Some people claim that Boston or NYC are the "best cities in the world" but they have not been anywhere else.