[vvolin]

Moved from South Florida (Ft Lauderdale) a year ago, with two children 11 and 4. he relocation was driven by a good job opportunity at UConn. While we have never really liked the roughness of South Florida, we weren't running from it either. We thought we would find the Northeast more civilized, peaceful, with more cultural opportunities, better (public) schools. We now live in Glastonbury. The move was quite rougher than we thought. The schools are probably good, but we did not get lucky last year. People are not particularly friendly and maybe the lack of diversity makes them a little less likely to take a chance with newcomers.

Overall, we are ok. We still fly down to FL every time we can take some days off, so that we can be near our friends. And we hope the second year in CT will be a little easier in terms of friendship, especially for my 4 year old daughter, who has been begging us to go back to FL since she has not been able to get a single friend yet (and she has been in preschool the entire year...) I found that mothers at our preschool are friend with each other and do not give us a chance. We have probably selected the wrong preschool. Still, it breaks my heart to see our difficult this has been on our little 4 year old girl.

As for other issues, like life style and weather, we will get used to the change: it is just a question of time.

[mewith3]

Originally Posted by vvolin

Moved from South Florida (Ft Lauderdale) a year ago, with two children 11 and 4. he relocation was driven by a good job opportunity at UConn. While we have never really liked the roughness of South Florida, we weren't running from it either. We thought we would find the Northeast more civilized, peaceful, with more cultural opportunities, better (public) schools. We now live in Glastonbury. The move was quite rougher than we thought. The schools are probably good, but we did not get lucky last year. People are not particularly friendly and maybe the lack of diversity makes them a little less likely to take a chance with newcomers.

Overall, we are ok. We still fly down to FL every time we can take some days off, so that we can be near our friends. And we hope the second year in CT will be a little easier in terms of friendship, especially for my 4 year old daughter, who has been begging us to go back to FL since she has not been able to get a single friend yet (and she has been in preschool the entire year...) I found that mothers at our preschool are friend with each other and do not give us a chance. We have probably selected the wrong preschool. Still, it breaks my heart to see our difficult this has been on our little 4 year old girl.

As for other issues, like life style and weather, we will get used to the change: it is just a question of time.

vvolin,
While no move is easy, was it a little easier on your 11 year old...I am assuming that child was entering 6th grade?

I feel for your 4 year old.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by vvolin

I found that mothers at our preschool are friend with each other and do not give us a chance.

There seems to be a running thread of outcomes like this for people moving to Connecticut. I would tend to describe my family's experience here in similar terms.

[rajmelk]

Moved here last fall, after 2 yrs in upstate NY, and mostly Midwest prior to that. Would agree with the general sentiment that people are extremely reserved here. I moved here for a much better professional opportunity, and have invested in establishing myself in the new job, so I can't say I've made much of an effort to take the initiative.

On the other hand, our daughter made friends at school very quickly...not so when it comes to our neighborhood. We know there are kids around, but we don't see them playing outdoors much, even in the middle of summer. A stark contrast vs. our previous neighborhood (Albany NY area)...fortunately close enough for my daughter to still keep in touch with them.

But what is sometimes discomforting is we never see handwaving or even eye contact as a neighbor walks/drives by! Must be more of a Midwestern/Southern trait...

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Cruikshl

What I meant by isolation was that the people keep to themselves
.

People in Ct. are reserved and respectful of others' privacy. Also, given the C-O-L in our state, some people are too busy working to pay the bills and don't have the time to just shoot the breeze. Generally speaking, many don't have the time to explore your personality, so first impressions do carry a bit more significance here, than in slower-paced regions.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

given the C-O-L in our state, some people are too busy working to pay the bills and don't have the time to just shoot the breeze.

That's kind of sad, actually.

[Cruikshl]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

People in Ct. are reserved and respectful of others' privacy. Also, given the C-O-L in our state, some people are too busy working to pay the bills and don't have the time to just shoot the breeze. Generally speaking, many don't have the time to explore your personality, so first impressions do carry a bit more significance here, than in slower-paced regions.

So then I ask.....is that the quality of life everyone in CT talks about?

[jojofree]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Well, I relocated here to marry my partner and we bought a house in May of '06. I just came up from Brooklyn, though, so not too far. Originally, I'm from Tennessee.
I love Stamford, and Fairfield County. It's an amazing quality of life. We've been fortunate with the economy as it is, my partner just started a great teaching job, and I found a great job right in Stamford this past spring. All's going well.
The people here are much more educated, more cultural aware, more political, and in general not as "judgemental" as my southern experience.

I agree with JJ I grew up in the south and I am so Glad to be here now.
Ct. so far has been wonderful for me. The quality of my life has improved.

[seymourct]

Sorry to those coming to CT we natives may seem standoffish, but we aren't. We are just keep to yourselfers. Mind your business types socially.

Yes~ regardless of what the text books for manners bought at Borders will tell you~YOU have to keep doing the reach out. I don't think there is any Welcome Wagon clubs in CT anymore.

By the way it is the same for us natives even if we just move across town or to a new town.

We've been here almost 3 years, and have just now started to really talk to the neighbors with kids our age. One of our neighbors was surprised that I've never called her, but she forgot she had an unlisted phone number. She was very sweet when she realized our digit dilema.

[Cruikshl]

All these posts bring to mind an email I recieved from a friend the other day about death. In your obituary is the date you were born and the date you died, they are seperated by a dash. Your life is the dash. What do you want your dash to say about you when you die? Life is short ....be friendly!