Is it weird to move to Chicago if you don't have any friends there? (Paris: home, live in)

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

People in Chicago are friendly and down to earth. The only thing I would say is don't expect them to come to you, but if you reach out to them most of the time I think you will get a positive response.

Although I wasn't born here, I was raised here for most of my life, but I never willingly talk to a stranger (unless maybe I am drunk) but if a stranger approaches me and is friendly I certainly will go with it and interact with them. From my experience, that is how most Chicagoans are.

I'd agree with this for most people here..

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by AriannaB

Great! This is good to know.

Sure.

Just keep in mind, while Chicago is a global city at the very same time it can be provincial a bit (not in a bad way). I feel like most people in Chicago were born and raised in the city and metro, from other parts of the Midwest or immigrants. You don't run into many people who are from California, Oregon, Louisana, Florida, etc (although lately I am seeing a lot more of people from Florida coming to Chicago for work. We just hired five people from Florida in the past year who moved up to Chicago to work with us).

The number of people that you find from other parts of the countries is much smaller when you compare it to places like LA, SF, DC. In Chicago most people are from the Midwest or another country, so people really aren't seeking friends out as much.

That doesn't mean that people from those parts of the country don't exist here, it just means don't expect to find people from other parts of the country like you find in NYC, LA or SF where transplants are a dime a dozen. Chicago is more like Boston in that regard.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

You don't run into many people who are from California, Oregon, Louisana, Florida, etc (although lately I am seeing a lot more of people from Florida coming to Chicago for work. We just hired five people from Florida in the past year who moved up to Chicago to work with us).


The number of people that you find from other parts of the countries is much smaller when you compare it to places like LA, SF, DC. In Chicago most people are from the Midwest or another country, so people really aren't seeking friends out as much.

I've been seeing it more and more every year since I've been here. I have a small handful of friends from the Miami area who live here, and have some more that are from either LA or the bay area, or NY/Philadelphia area. You're seeing it more and more that Chicago is becoming a destination for "young professionals" but obviously it's still behind the likes of NYC and the bay area, and probably LA, I agree. But really, I've been seeing it more and more where people from outside of the midwest, within the US, are moving here.

Maybe I'm "lucky" though, but many of my friends here are not originally from the midwest. Trying to think here, but let's see. I have friends here from Bulgaria, Malaysia, Scotland, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Vancouver, Delhi (India), Paris, Romania, Miami, LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Phoenix, NYC area, Atlanta, Morocco, Iraq, North Carolina, Argentina, China, Taiwan, Poland, Japan, etc...so perhaps I'm just lucky?

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I've been seeing it more and more every year since I've been here. I have a small handful of friends from the Miami area who live here, and have some more that are from either LA or the bay area, or NY/Philadelphia area. You're seeing it more and more that Chicago is becoming a destination for "young professionals" but obviously it's still behind the likes of NYC and the bay area, and probably LA, I agree. But really, I've been seeing it more and more where people from outside of the midwest, within the US, are moving here.

Maybe I'm "lucky" though, but many of my friends here are not originally from the midwest. Trying to think here, but let's see. I have friends here from Bulgaria, Malaysia, Scotland, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Vancouver, Delhi (India), Paris, Romania, Miami, LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Phoenix, NYC area, Atlanta, Morocco, Iraq, North Carolina, Argentina, China, Taiwan, Poland, Japan, etc...so perhaps I'm just lucky?

I agree, it's definitely on a rise. I think so much focus was put on LA, NYC and SF as the place to move after college and build a career. But in the past decade Chicago has really done well in promoting itself, and people are "discovering" that they can make a really great career in Chicago and also at a very affordable price. I would love to live in LA and SF, but COL is what keeps me away, and I am thinking many people are feeling the same way.

Internationally I am seeing a big jump too. the other day from the Damen Blue Line stop to Grand there were some French guys on the train. You are seeing this more and more often.

Chicago is defintiely becoming more international and sophisticated.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

Sure.

Just keep in mind, while Chicago is a global city at the very same time it can be provincial a bit (not in a bad way). I feel like most people in Chicago were born and raised in the city and metro, from other parts of the Midwest or immigrants. You don't run into many people who are from California, Oregon, Louisana, Florida, etc (although lately I am seeing a lot more of people from Florida coming to Chicago for work. We just hired five people from Florida in the past year who moved up to Chicago to work with us).

The number of people that you find from other parts of the countries is much smaller when you compare it to places like LA, SF, DC. In Chicago most people are from the Midwest or another country, so people really aren't seeking friends out as much.

That doesn't mean that people from those parts of the country don't exist here, it just means don't expect to find people from other parts of the country like you find in NYC, LA or SF where transplants are a dime a dozen. Chicago is more like Boston in that regard.

Boston has loads of transplants, domestic and from overseas. Ever been on the campuses of Harvard and MIT? Ever been on the T (subway)? Sorry, I don't think that your knowledge of Boston is adequate.

[UrbanCheetah]

Originally Posted by MassVt

Boston has loads of transplants, domestic and from overseas. Ever been on the campuses of Harvard and MIT? Ever been on the T (subway)? Sorry, I don't think that your knowledge of Boston is adequate.

I didn't say it didn't have any. Where did I say that? I am sorry but Boston nor Chicago has the same amount of domestic transplants as cities like NYC, LA or SF do. Boston is not on that level, just as Chicago is not at that level either.

Also I don't consider students transplants either.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

Chicago is defintiely becoming more international and sophisticated.

Well, I think Chicago has almost always had a lot of immigrants from all over the place (afterall, there's 600,000 Mexicans in Chicago alone, and another few hundred thousand Puerto Ricans, and when you go back far enough, a lot of Italians and Irish were in fact from Italy and Ireland). I think the difference though is the fact that Chicago is an old (for US standards) more segregated than some other cities...city. So you may have a huge enclave of Polish people somewhere, but they didn't necessarily always live in certain areas. It seems like the city is slowly becoming more integrated in certain areas (of course, the far north side is amongst the most integrated in the city big time).

I have noticed lately that in some areas that you see more cultures living there now. For example, I live in Gold Coast (the portion near the Loyola campus) and my building is easily under 40% white. Out of 8 neighbors, I maybe have 3 who is white and the rest are from another culture or from another country. I have also noticed this year alone that there's more Asians, Indians, and Arabs in my general area living. It's pretty good to see, especially for an area that everyone stereotypes as extremely white.

[MoItaly]

Originally Posted by AriannaB

I am in the interview process for a position located in downtown Chicago. I currently live in Dallas where I've lived all my life. So far in the process, anytime the relocation conversation comes up, everyone has asked me if I have friends in Chicago. I've lied and said yes because I really want this job and I don't want them to know that I actually don't know anyone there. I have visited Chicago before though and loved it.

I've never relocated anywhere and I want this to be my big move. But is it weird to move to a city where you don't have any friends living currently? I'm 28, single, professional, and I am generally an outgoing person, not really shy, and I would have no problem joining groups/organizations or attending events to meet people. But it seems like everyone assumes I should know people there to relocate. Should I?? Has anyone else relocated to a city where you don't know anyone and how did it go?

I am not sure I get why you felt you had to lie about not having friends in Chicago...if you've never been there, of course you know nobody. Anyway, I came from Italy to the USA without having friends and 15 years later I am doing fine.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I have friends here from Bulgaria, Malaysia, Scotland, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Vancouver, Delhi (India), Paris, Romania, Miami, LA, San Diego, San Francisco, Boston, Phoenix, NYC area, Atlanta, Morocco, Iraq, North Carolina, Argentina, China, Taiwan, Poland, Japan, etc...so perhaps I'm just lucky?

Friends or pals? A friend is someone who'll show up with $500 and bail you out at 2 in the morning.

[thefallensrvnge]

Originally Posted by UrbanCheetah

Sure.

Just keep in mind, while Chicago is a global city at the very same time it can be provincial a bit (not in a bad way). I feel like most people in Chicago were born and raised in the city and metro, from other parts of the Midwest or immigrants. You don't run into many people who are from California, Oregon, Louisana, Florida, etc (although lately I am seeing a lot more of people from Florida coming to Chicago for work. We just hired five people from Florida in the past year who moved up to Chicago to work with us).

The number of people that you find from other parts of the countries is much smaller when you compare it to places like LA, SF, DC. In Chicago most people are from the Midwest or another country, so people really aren't seeking friends out as much.

That doesn't mean that people from those parts of the country don't exist here, it just means don't expect to find people from other parts of the country like you find in NYC, LA or SF where transplants are a dime a dozen. Chicago is more like Boston in that regard.

^^ This is probably true, but I wonder how much of this is actually Chicago's fault. I feel a lot of East & West coast transplants don't often consider the Midwest when looking for new opportunity. Even a global city like Chicago gets the "fly-over country" sweep sometimes. The Midwestern transplant is a vital animal in the Windy City.

To the OP, I say do it. Mary Tyler Moore the hell out of it. It could be the start of a great adventure.