Family values / culture in Bend

[monalisssa]

I don't live in Bend (yet) but live in the Willamette Valley (other side of the mountains, towards the Coast), aka the rainy side of Oregon.

There are drugs and depression everywhere but I think it is fairly easy to raise decent kids in Oregon. I like what Snownut said "keep them busy and broke", funny but too true. Our kids were raised with 4H and FFA, it's hard to find hardworking farm kids raising animals getting too crazy.

Oregon is mostly rural, even our cities like Portland are pretty rural within a short drive. The diversity you speak of, not really found here, we have a few things, in the entire State, and honestly not much cultural diversity at all. I'm not sure if this will be a problem with you.

My husband and I have always lived in Oregon. My husband did a Consulting job about an hour from Chicago and flew into the airport in Chicago. Honestly, just on the drive from the airport he probably saw more diversity then he has ever seen in his entire life. The guy driving him laughed and told him he took him through the "good" side of town, my husband had never seen things like that. I remember driving through San Francisco and outside of Philadelphia as a child and was thoroughly shocked. I'm sure we sound like country bumpkins to you and in a way I suppose we are but here we are pretty much the norm (at least for rural Oregon). My husband did another job in LaGrande Oregon (towards Idaho, Eastern Oregon) and they think we are a "liberal diverse city" here outside of Eugene (Willamette Valley), and frankly for Oregon we are.

Also something to consider with Bend, you are in the "city" for Eastern Oregon, there isn't anything to drive too besides mountains and desert, until you get to Portland which is not the easiest drive. On the Western side of the mountains there is a lot more access to "city life" because everything is connected on the I-5 (Portland, Salem, Eugene) with pretty easy driving year round.

Hope this helps some.

[familyoffour!!]

Originally Posted by goatgirl

I don't live in Bend (yet) but live in the Willamette Valley (other side of the mountains, towards the Coast), aka the rainy side of Oregon.

There are drugs and depression everywhere but I think it is fairly easy to raise decent kids in Oregon. I like what Snownut said "keep them busy and broke", funny but too true. Our kids were raised with 4H and FFA, it's hard to find hardworking farm kids raising animals getting too crazy.

Oregon is mostly rural, even our cities like Portland are pretty rural within a short drive. The diversity you speak of, not really found here, we have a few things, in the entire State, and honestly not much cultural diversity at all. I'm not sure if this will be a problem with you.

My husband and I have always lived in Oregon. My husband did a Consulting job about an hour from Chicago and flew into the airport in Chicago. Honestly, just on the drive from the airport he probably saw more diversity then he has ever seen in his entire life. The guy driving him laughed and told him he took him through the "good" side of town, my husband had never seen things like that. I remember driving through San Francisco and outside of Philadelphia as a child and was thoroughly shocked. I'm sure we sound like country bumpkins to you and in a way I suppose we are but here we are pretty much the norm (at least for rural Oregon). My husband did another job in LaGrande Oregon (towards Idaho, Eastern Oregon) and they think we are a "liberal diverse city" here outside of Eugene (Willamette Valley), and frankly for Oregon we are.

Also something to consider with Bend, you are in the "city" for Eastern Oregon, there isn't anything to drive too besides mountains and desert, until you get to Portland which is not the easiest drive. On the Western side of the mountains there is a lot more access to "city life" because everything is connected on the I-5 (Portland, Salem, Eugene) with pretty easy driving year round.

Hope this helps some.

Here is our perspective. We were born and raised in the midwest, near you alvanos, and recently wanted to try raising our family in an outdoor culture. We decided to look into Bend. After about a year of researching then visiting Bend the idea to move here was decided and we were very optimistic and excited. We arrived about 2 years ago and the result is that we are leaving this summer and moving back to the midwest. We are not angry but not willing to stay without being fulfilled.

Goatgirl has touched on many of our main concerns as to why we are leaving. First off there is very little diversity in Bend. Oregon has a large Hispanic community but not in Bend. The acceptance of diversity is also very low. The community is very conservative and with that you get all the beliefs and values that are associated with those ideals. The school system is not that grand. We are having issues that are very frustrating and difficult to side step. Bend is the only "city" in this region but with a population of 80k and geographically about 10 square miles it is relatively quite small. If you leave the city there is nothing as Goatgirl has mentioned. We feel almost stranded. With a small tourist town like this the opportunities are limited. What do you do besides oudoor activities? In our case after a couple of years you have been there done that and then what is there to do? We do utilize the outdoors. We ski, camp, hike, mtn bike but those are all extra and if you dont make that extra effort to get there it is all for nothing. Yes a lot of people utilize the outdoors but we have kids and what we have experienced is that as with most communities today the kids dont go outdoors. In town it is packed so tight that kids dont have a lot to do and need to be taken to the outdoors.

Bend does have great outdoor opportunities and we will miss that the most but there is much more to life than recreation. We are not willing to sacrifice our families values for a great day of skiing.

[Snownut]

Enjoyed reading your 2 year experience of living in Bend.

No surprise on the diversity, quite surprise that you describe Bend as "very conservative". The stereo type of the red state midwest being conservative and OR cities being blue certainly doesn't hold up from your perspective. I am wondering if you moved to Bend from a large midwest city? Data I have seen show Bend being pretty 50/50 politically.

Anyway we are very serious about moving to OR and Bend is our top pick. I would not grow tired of outdoor options, love being outside year round but doesn't work well here. Bend's climate would be a welcome change from the humid, buggy, hot summers cold wet winters here.

3 of our 4 children are older so the remaining younger daughter would be my concern if we move to Bend?

I would like to hear more about what is "very conservative" in Bend? PM me if you like to as it is a bit off topic and may open a "can of worms" in this thread.

Also very interested in where you live in Bend and how that may affect schools? East side, west side, down town south west? Thank you again for your perspective and good luck with your move.

Originally Posted by familyoffour!!

Here is our perspective. We were born and raised in the midwest, near you alvanos, and recently wanted to try raising our family in an outdoor culture. We decided to look into Bend. After about a year of researching then visiting Bend the idea to move here was decided and we were very optimistic and excited. We arrived about 2 years ago and the result is that we are leaving this summer and moving back to the midwest. We are not angry but not willing to stay without being fulfilled.

Goatgirl has touched on many of our main concerns as to why we are leaving. First off there is very little diversity in Bend. Oregon has a large Hispanic community but not in Bend. The acceptance of diversity is also very low. The community is very conservative and with that you get all the beliefs and values that are associated with those ideals. The school system is not that grand. We are having issues that are very frustrating and difficult to side step. Bend is the only "city" in this region but with a population of 80k and geographically about 10 square miles it is relatively quite small. If you leave the city there is nothing as Goatgirl has mentioned. We feel almost stranded. With a small tourist town like this the opportunities are limited. What do you do besides oudoor activities? In our case after a couple of years you have been there done that and then what is there to do? We do utilize the outdoors. We ski, camp, hike, mtn bike but those are all extra and if you dont make that extra effort to get there it is all for nothing. Yes a lot of people utilize the outdoors but we have kids and what we have experienced is that as with most communities today the kids dont go outdoors. In town it is packed so tight that kids dont have a lot to do and need to be taken to the outdoors.

Bend does have great outdoor opportunities and we will miss that the most but there is much more to life than recreation. We are not willing to sacrifice our families values for a great day of skiing.

[kapetrich]

I thought that post was amazingly interesting, too. Very interesting perspective and I think they're MORE than valid qualm for sure, especially if moving from a giant metro with children. I'd also love to know where they moved from...(unless its Chicago I think it'd be a little on the funny side - to be honest) Also, Bend is 50/50 politically, but the right fringe just isn't what it is in the Midwest/south east. It's VERY tame here.

And yeah, Bend isn't diverse at all. But does anyone actually expect it to be? The acceptance of diversity things doesn't really make much sense given that fact...no one really talks about race here because its not a thing....maybe they were refering to acceptance of diversity of thought(?), but, personally, I've never felt this way in alllll of Oregon, but again, I don't have children. If anything, I get a 'live and let live' vibe which seems overly tolerant and none judgemental from what I'm use to.

[pkooistra]

Ill throw in my 2 cents... I have lived in L.A., Phoenix, and Port Angeles Wa. We moved here 2 years ago and could not be happier! We LOVE the school our kids are in (Lava Ridge). We love the community! and our kids are so thankful that we made the move to Bend. Our kids are still young (6, 8, and 11), but we have friends with teens and they feel the same way. Bend is filled with young families and is filled with activities. I have a hard time thinking anyone could be "bored" here.

I think moving here you would find what so many other young families have found... its a great place to raise a family.