Ugh I am sooo sad (Detroit, Sterling Heights: spring break, apartment complex, house)

[aidanmouse]

My husband and I lived in Michigan (Clinton Township) for a couple of years due to his job. It was total culture shock for me moving from Seattle to find litter on the side of the streets and shopping carts all over the place etc. When we left there I vowed I would never ever go back because I hated it soooo much. Now much to my dismay my husband has to go back to Michigan for an assignment in Farmington Hills area. I cannot believe it. I dont mean to offend anyone here so please, please help me. Where can we move where people are cool (I mean laid back - not too conservative, not too liberal and definately not too snobby like I found in certain locals like birmingham which by the way I really didn't understand). Independant shops and good schools etc etc. Cost of housing isn't really an issue, I just want some land with a big yard and house (we have 4 kids) where I dont feel like I am in a glass box. Any suggestions? And again I hope I didn't offend any of you, I just didn't like it too much, but maybe I was too young and judgemental.

[Nearborn]

Franklin, Farmington Hills, Farmington, Superior Township, Plymouth, Brighton, Howell, Highland Township, White Lake, Pinckney. Take your pick....

[windfarmer]

Ann Arbor, if your hubby doesn't mind driving 30 minutes to get to work.. It's fairly liberal, and there are quite a few things to do there..very good museums.. a couple are free and very much worth it. not terribly expensive.. excellent school district.

Nearborn also said Plymouth, which is a good idea too.

[kimba01]

Moved to Henderson, NV from Sterling Heights, MI which is right next to CT. Having lived in MI my whole life, the garbage and such in the streets was the norm for me. I thought that SH was much better than the Ferndale, Royal Oak area but now after being out here, I can definitely see the difference. I just commented to my husband the other day about how clean the streets are. Anywhere I have been here, is an improvement over the way MI takes care of it's state. And I have been all over MI. Maybe it is that MI gets snow and more rain so MI gets more debris, but I see workers cleaning the streets here and I never did there.

I feel for you having to make a move you are not happy about. I really don't know what city you would be comfy in. Did you look into Livonia? There are some very nice areas there and good schools.

Good luck.

[ErikU19]

So I'm not the only one who thinks "what a dump" when driving down the freeway?

The uncut grass, overgrown weeds/trees, trash, unkept asphault...

My favorite part is the wood on the underside of bridges holding the concrete from falling onto cars on the freeways. That's all you see if you go down into Detroit...

I can't wait ot move to Texas...

Best of luck with the move sweetheart!

[GinaJ]

Hi. I have lived in West Bloomfield area most of my life. My mom still lives there and I live a few miles away in Farmington Hills. Growing up I went to Birmingham schools and though I am not a fan of Mi if I had kids I would love them to go there. I think it is a very good school district. I lived in West Bloomfield so high school was far but really I thought so highly of my middle and elementary. If I were you I would look in the Birmingham,Bloomfield Hills,West Bloomfield area. The homes are very nice. You do get a lot of snobby people. I have never gotten used to it. I try to not let it bother me and focus on the more positive people.

[kimba01]

Originally Posted by ErikU19

So I'm not the only one who thinks "what a dump" when driving down the freeway?

The uncut grass, overgrown weeds/trees, trash, unkept asphault...

My favorite part is the wood on the underside of bridges holding the concrete from falling onto cars on the freeways. That's all you see if you go down into Detroit...

I can't wait ot move to Texas...

Best of luck with the move sweetheart!

Really! Put the stinkin' criminals that are sucking our tax dollars away sitting on their a**es all day, to work cleaning the roads-geesh. I think the government would be better run by less educated people. They don't screw around with redtape!

[snoopygirlmi]

I would totally have the same reaction that you are having if I finally got out of this area and then was told that we had to move back.

That being said, maybe Rochester Hills/Rochester would be to your liking. We moved up here in Feb and absolutely love it. Doesn't seem as snobbish as B'ham, but has small shops in the downtown area and it seems like every couple of weeks or so there is another festival going on down there. In a few weeks - it is octoberfest - last weekend it was apples/art. There's a farmers market every saturday and there's a hospital in the city.

Also doesn't seem to lean one way or another politically. This morning when I was driving through the neighborhood next to my apartment complex there was 1 McCain sign out on the lawn - 2 Obama's, but mostly, there weren't any yard signs at all.

Also, the area is really walkable - except for the areas that decided not to put in sidewalks/paths.

I moved to Detroit Metro from the Kalamazoo area and Detroit area roads are awful. When there were weeds in Eastern Kalamazoo county, it means you are driving by someone's undeveloped land by a cornfield - weeds/overgrown trees are kind of expected....

Everytime we go out of state - we always comment on how wonderful the roads are...it doesn't really matter where we go - Canada, OH, PA, NY, IN, FL, GA - pick a state or nearby country- the roads are much better than they are in Metro Detroit.

No ErikU19, you aren't the only one who thinks "what a dump" when driving down the freeway. I think that all the time.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by aidanmouse

My husband and I lived in Michigan (Clinton Township) for a couple of years due to his job. It was total culture shock for me moving from Seattle to find litter on the side of the streets and shopping carts all over the place etc. When we left there I vowed I would never ever go back because I hated it soooo much. Now much to my dismay my husband has to go back to Michigan for an assignment in Farmington Hills area. I cannot believe it. I dont mean to offend anyone here so please, please help me. Where can we move where people are cool (I mean laid back - not too conservative, not too liberal and definately not too snobby like I found in certain locals like birmingham which by the way I really didn't understand). Independant shops and good schools etc etc. Cost of housing isn't really an issue, I just want some land with a big yard and house (we have 4 kids) where I dont feel like I am in a glass box. Any suggestions? And again I hope I didn't offend any of you, I just didn't like it too much, but maybe I was too young and judgemental.

With all due respect, although MI might suck, I think your issue wasn't the people being snobby because of a sense of superiority, but your West Coast culture that shines through. You say things that most people would be totally offended by (not me, but I'm peculiar) and seem to have a belief that they would overlook their hurt feelings and help you. That's a pure West Coast patented thing.

As a Michigander on the left coast for a time, I hated it... I hate the people and their naive beliefs (no offense, but talking trash and then expecting help is naive) and their sneaky ways. When I lived in MI and met West Coasters, I didn't know at the time I disliked them because of their culture, but, now that I've encountered masses of them, I know that was the problem.

Chances are, you're not going to find any place you like in MI. The respectable people will be courteous but distant. The less respectable people will be somewhat rude...

Like me on the West Coast, your choice may be limited to grin and bear it until your time passes or change who you are.

Ann Arbor might be the best bet for you. You'll get a higher, yet low, percentage of like-minded people.

Good luck, and may you return ASAP. I know how difficult it is living amongst people you don't approve of.

[michsnowlvr]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

With all due respect, although MI might suck, I think your issue wasn't the people being snobby because of a sense of superiority, but your West Coast culture that shines through. You say things that most people would be totally offended by (not me, but I'm peculiar) and seem to have a belief that they would overlook their hurt feelings and help you. That's a pure West Coast patented thing.

As a Michigander on the left coast for a time, I hated it... I hate the people and their naive beliefs (no offense, but talking trash and then expecting help is naive) and their sneaky ways. When I lived in MI and met West Coasters, I didn't know at the time I disliked them because of their culture, but, now that I've encountered masses of them, I know that was the problem.

Chances are, you're not going to find any place you like in MI. The respectable people will be courteous but distant. The less respectable people will be somewhat rude...

Like me on the West Coast, your choice may be limited to grin and bear it until your time passes or change who you are.

Ann Arbor might be the best bet for you. You'll get a higher, yet low, percentage of like-minded people.

Good luck, and may you return ASAP. I know how difficult it is living amongst people you don't approve of.

That was indeed a RUDE post. And friends and I went to SoCal for spring break a few years ago, and we were all like "WOW the sterotypes are true". People are so rude and snobby I could not wait to get back home.