The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
My fiancé and I live in Schertz, just northeast of San Antonio. We absolutely love the community and, as we plan to grow our family, I can’t think of a better place to be.
I am originally from San Marcos and moved to San Antonio to study accounting at the University of the Incarnate Word. When I found a job in the area after graduating, I decided to stay in San Antonio for a while and moved into the Thousand Oaks area.
When some of my friends and co-workers moved to the Schertz and Cibolo area, I decided to search for a new place to live nearby. That’s when I found my current neighborhood, six and a half years ago. The house I bought was brand new, and as the subdivision has grown, it has become a very comfortable neighborhood to live in.
It is the perfect location. I’m near friends who I consider as close as family, and it’s midway between my job in San Antonio and my parents’ house in San Marcos. It’s important to me that I’m within a driveable distance from the people vital in my life.
For the first few years, it was just me and my dog, Callie, in the house. I met Gilbert in 2020 and we got engaged earlier this year. Born in San Antonio, Gilbert was raised in the small town of Atascosa, and apart from living in Austin for a brief time, he prefers the countryside to the city. He says he enjoys the quiet atmosphere of our neighborhood and likes Schertz’s proximity to downtown San Antonio, where he works.
We enjoy spending time at the community park in the center of our neighborhood. There’s a playground, a soccer field and a walking trail. The park is also a meeting ground for the community to celebrate holidays, special occasions and homeowners association-sponsored events.
At the End of School Bash the neighborhood kids get snow cones and play games, and during National Night Out there are food trucks and local vendors, and the neighbors get a chance to get to know each other.
We enjoy festivities like the annual Fourth of July parade and Easter Egg hunt. Halloween is always a fun time in the neighborhood. Lots of people dress their houses with family-friendly decorations and give out candy. Everyone seems to come out to celebrate the night in a safe way.
Christmastime is even better. The houses are covered in lights and decorations, and a neighborhood Santa comes around to take pictures and pass out candy canes. It’s a wonderful time.
Around Schertz, we like to go swimming in the pool at Pickrell Park in the summer. And for a sweet treat, we go for ice cream either at Scoop at The Mill Boutique in Cibolo or The Ice Cream House on Pat Booker Road. Gilbert and his daughter love movies, and go to the nearby Santikos theater in Cibolo, which also offers bowling and an arcade. And best of all, there are great coffee shops in the area, with On The Grind being our daily favorite.
My niece and Gilbert’s daughter are both involved in Catholic Youth Organization sports through Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church and take dance lessons at Mary Lou’s School of Dance. They are wonderful communities where we get to connect with local families while our children learn valuable lessons.
We have made many memories hosting family and friends in our home. Just recently, I prepared Father’s Day dinner and we had my parents and his parents over. It was a perfect time for us to connect.
Looking into our near future, we know we want to expand our family. Though we know that means we will have to move into a bigger house at some point, we can’t see leaving this neighborhood anytime soon. With new constructions expanding the neighborhood, we know we’ll find a home to perfectly accommodate us.
Gilbert Aguilar is a Next Generation News and Nonprofit Editorial Fellow at the San Antonio Report.
