'All's well that ends well' in Sylvania

10/3/2012

My journey started in New Jersey.

I had friends, enemies and relatives. My family and I were going through the ups and downs of life when suddenly my husband announced to my family that we were all moving to North Carolina. Well! I was not ready. But we moved. 

The old quote goes: "All’s well that ends well." [This] was not the case with us.

My husband’s passionately started business failed miserably. But the good thing was that he found a job in Ohio. We moved from Charlotte, N.C. to Sylvania.

One of my friends commented, “Are you guys moving to a ghost town?” (No one had ever heard of Sylvania and frankly the infamous job conditions in Michigan and Ohio made it even more ominous.) My daughters being high school students and having the ever-present distress of their Asian background, searched frantically about the school system in the Toledo area for a small school so they could easily fit in. 

I have to admit, Sylvania welcomed us very well. My daughters made friends easily.

“Mom the kids at school aren’t racist. They are friendly,” one of my daughters commented.

“The teachers are decent,” another said.

They still miss their school, but they have adjusted well thanks to a friendly school environment. I am greatly relieved.

Another emotion that is coming out of my heart in praise of Sylvania is what I call real animal love.

I believe that walkers and joggers are not allowed to bring their dogs to Olander Park. When one of my daughters first saw Olander Park with so many of the beautiful ducks she called it ‘duck park’. I remember in North Carolina there were no restrictions in bringing dogs to the parks and the poor ducks used to fly away after seeing a dog running toward them. Moreover, I have not seen any unleashed dogs in Sylvania, which shows the people are considerate about the safety of people.

I am looking forward for more good things in the future.

Surraiya Mehdi