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I do think different parts of the country have different mind-sets and if you are really used to one part of the country, any other part could be difficult or you may feel you don't "fit in". I can't see the close-mindedness of my Portland friends (though maybe that is b/c we have similar political bents), but I do feel that people from the urban N.W. (Seattle, Portland, Olympia, etc.) seem very "down to earth" to me. I went to a college with people from all over the country and I could instantly tell who was from the urban Pacific Northwest vs. NY, mid-west, south, D.C., etc. But reading these negative posts about people from other parts of the country not liking Portland, it makes me wonder if what one person thinks is "down to earth" may make another person think "not cosmopolitan enough" or something else that could be negative. All I know is, when I was in Germany with some folks from North Carolina, it really blew my mind how different my culture was from the North Carolinans (much more different than my culture was different from the Germans!). The things that came out of their mouths blew me away. Our own U.S. is sooo divided and varied that you could easily feel more at home in a different country than you would in a different part of our country.
I also felt that when I lived in Germany with the air force and was exposed to so many people from so many areas of the USA, as well as Europe. I also felt more in tune with many germans and other europeans than I did with many that were americans. As I look back I felt more comfortable living in Germany than I do in Portland, your description is right on target.
we moved to clermont fl from miami. the crime in miami was bad and we wanted a better place to raise our son. the hills in clermont sold us. but now, its sooo boring!! theres no movie theatre, no department store, no toys r us or chuck e cheese. what the hell do people do here? oh thats right.. go to church.
the grass is always greener.
I've lived in Portland, Oregon, for a long time, but the only reason I'm still here is that, well. . . . I hooked up wth a native. LOL!!!! But I never adapted to the climate. Too gloomy for too long, and I suffer from severe SAD. Also, the political climate here is a bit too liberal for me. But I lived in Texas for three years before I moved here, and no way in Hell would I want to go back there!
Although I did regret moving to Salt Lake City 10 years ago, I was only 16 when I moved so I didnt have much of a choice. But hated every minute of it.
In 2006 I moved to Houston first, and then Miami. I regreted these moves since if I woulda moved to Miami first, I wouldnt have had to put up living in Houston. Miami was definitely a step up.
I had a choice of moving to different places after Miami (after the acceptance letters started rolling in). I could have chosen Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Seattle --> I chose San Diego and love ever minute I live here now. It was definitely a step up from Miami, which was a step up from Houston, which was a step up from Salt Lake. Though Im probably moving to Los Angeles in a couple of years.
Other than a good job opportunity, I would not have chosen Orlando, FL at all. The humidity and my hair type is a complete disaster. Sounds like a small thing, but it is really annoying. The roads are quite congested. It would also be more helpful if I were bilingual. I guess the biggest problem is that it just isn't 'home' and I'm not sure if time will change the feeling.
Originally from NJ. I married in 1998, and we moved to MD. I had a good job and yes I complained, but I did well there. I overexcelled in my profession and was well known throughout the community. My wife said she did not like it there. I think she was told that, Well She wanted to move to .,NV.
It is nice here, but different. I now am lucky to have a low paying part time job! I had a new home and was very active in the area where I was. I have no intentions of returning, it would never be the same. But now I am lower than I have been since before I met my wife. I went with her and she has a decent job here, but I am not doing well here at all. I am almost to the point of not wanting to be around anymore. She does NOT get it. I received awards for what I have accompolished in MD. Here, I cannot even get a decent job! I understand that I could have let her go alone, But I am married to her, I do love her, but this is killing me, I am in pain each day physically and mentally. Whats even worse? I do not know what to do, I recently started a part time unemployment claim, I hope that goes through for a while at least. I have another open job offer, I am waiting on that decision,which would be a dollar more and stil part time. My body and mind are deteriorating and I am getting close to not caring for life at all, I know my life is not mine to take, or I would have done away with myself a few months ago. I am NOT feeling sorry for myself, I am trying to do this and just see no future since we left. I have no one to talk to and I think I am very smart and have been through a LOT worse than this, BUT where I was, Not the place, but mostly the position, Why did I leave??? I guess I will give it more time, I left MD in Sept 12 and now It is 2-13 and I am regretting my life everyday, Sorry, and thanks.
Well I moved here when I was 12 so it definitely wasn't my choice to move here (I'm 20 now). I used to vacation down here in Southern California all the time as kid growing up in Oregon and Texas. I remember when my dad got an offer to move out here I was pretty excited at first, but then I realised that I would be leaving so many friends behind and what not. But I was still optimistic knowing that I would probably like the weather and atmosphere much better than East Texas.
I was wrong. The weather was fine for awhile, but the constant sun got old fast. I needed to see rain and clouds, the sun actually began to make me feel nauseous. Granted I would take SoCal over Houston any day in terms of weather, but I belong where it's cooler, like Oregon. I had very few close friends until the past 3 years of living here, and it seems difficult to make any real, long lasting relationships here with anyone.
While I can't say I regret moving here, for I didn't move here voluntarily, I can say I regret that thinking my life would be better here. I understand that living and vacationing in a location are two different experiences, and I miss my true home. Thankfully I'm finishing up community college and looking to move somewhere else by this summer.
I regret moving to Portland, OR from Philadelphia, PA. I moved for a job, more money. I was open when I first got here but after a month or two realized I made a hugh mistake. It's not Portland I dislike it's most of the people. There is almost no diversity. They want you to submit to their ideas or not say anything and if you do they get all salty. They are the most closed minded people I have every met. I have actually lived with my apartment packed for two years but finally I am getting out of this place in two weeks. I can't believe a town and I mean town because Portland is no city center no matter how hard they try, that claims to be so accepting and open minded have gotten away with the lie for so long. These people seem to dislike anyone who isn't "born and raised" in Oregon as if that's some claim to fame. However in being honest it's a beautiful place to visit for two weeks in the summer, just don't let them suck you into moving there.
The whole lack of diversity thing is BS. Sure Portland is nowhere near as ethnically diverse as LA or New York, but it's fine for a city of its size. People tend to count diversity as "how many non-whites live in a location", which is dumb because they don't realise how many ethnic groups there are within "white" alone. There are plenty of European immigrants in Oregon, and Asian and Latino immigrants are becoming more common. And I'm not sure what people mean when they say Portland has no black people, because there are neighbourhoods where more than half the population is black.
And if someone in this thread is going to compare the ethnic diversity of Philly to Portland, keep in mind they are like apples and oranges. And why do white people have a problem being around too many white people nowadays? Everyone is diverse, no two people are alike, regardless of ethnicity and what not. And if you think people in Portland are closed minded, then you must be closed minded because those are the people you met. Sorry that you fell into the wrong crowd. And sorry that we're "too small" for you, last time I checked we like being a big-small town, and would prefer it to stay that way.
But we also regretted moving to western MA (lack of diversity, lack of community, weather) and to England (hard to find work) so, we're running out of options. Glad to read about Portland, OR, here, that helps me rule that one out. Seattle is our last bet.
Sorry to hear that you'd let a few discontented people (out of the whole 2.3 million people who live in the area) color your opinion of the city's livability.
But, that's your decision ... and maybe your loss.
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What will I do?
