Does anyone else not like living in Indiana? (Fort Wayne, Bloomington: transplants, stores)

[bluebelt1234]

Originally Posted by cleoT

I find the this thread interesting. I grew up in IN and now live in TX, and we've been trying to move back for a while now. I think most of the comments have to do with small town more than the state itself, and believe me, small towns and small town mentalities are EVERYWHERE. We live about two hours away from Dallas, and we're constantly called Damn Yankee (we grew up in SW IN) I've been told I'm going to hell twice because I'm not a certain denomination, I've had my life threatened and my property damaged twice, and no one around here wants to think about life outside of their small world. In fact, the only friends I have here are those who moved here like we did and are also ostracized for that fact alone. Now, I love Dallas and visit as often as I can, but I am a small town girl at heart, and this small town won't give me a chance, so this state doesn't work for me.

I had my qualms about IN before moving out, but that grass really isn't greener down here. I see IN in a whole new light and am glad for it. Everywhere has econmoic woes, so don't think you'll get away from that. Every state has simple minded ninnies, unfriendly cliques, and all small towns lack the culture of the big city. I think it's great that those of you who are able to move are planning to move to a city that fits you best. I've learned the hard way that it doens't matter where you live, but you have to love it, or at least like it, to be happy. I know IN isn't the best place for everyone, but with all my family and friends who care about me still living there, and the prettiness of the hills and forests vs. NE Texas piney, thick, flat woods (which is so not pretty in my opinion), I can't wait to move back.

For those of you thinking of moving to Dallas, it really is a nice city, and it's going to continue on it's economic boom for a while. Austin is also a very nice city.

Best of luck to all of you!

Excellent post! I have been trying to move back to Indiana since last year. I can't wait until I finally can!! I moved to Yuma, AZ from Indiana in 04. I too have learned that the grass isn't greener on the other side. After first moving here, I had a stalker when I was living in the middle of the desert. I am also finding that the only friends I have here are from either the Midwest or California and they are planning on leaving Yuma too. I also miss the pretty hills and trees of Indiana. I am growing a little tired of the brown desert that is full of dead plants. I can't wait to move back to Indiana.

[06Hemi]

I grew up in Mooresville. Moved to Indy at 19. I just moved back at 30. I am happy to be back where as before I hated it here. I also work downtown Indy.

With that said..... I like Indiana other than the cold. I really want to move somewhere warm all year and have plans to do so in the next 10 yrs. I long to be near the ocean and my body tells me the cold is bad for me.

I really wish I could up and move now but it just isn't possible.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by 06Hemi

I grew up in Mooresville. Moved to Indy at 19. I just moved back at 30. I am happy to be back where as before I hated it here. I also work downtown Indy.

With that said..... I like Indiana other than the cold. I really want to move somewhere warm all year and have plans to do so in the next 10 yrs. I long to be near the ocean and my body tells me the cold is bad for me.

I really wish I could up and move now but it just isn't possible.

Have ya thought about which ocean?

[cleoT]

bluebelt1234, I hope you are able to move back soon!

As for me, well, we're moving back home!!!!!!!!!!!! Last night hubby accepted a wonderful job offer and we'll be moving home, him in a couple weeks and me and the kids (hopefully) at the beginning of summer break.

I hate that I'll be leaving here with such a negative experience, but I do realize that there are many great things about Texas. It's just not for me. when I moved away I never thought I'd move back. I thought the grass really was greener on the other side. What I've been able to realize is what I really truly value in life, and for that alone, my 7 year stay in Texas has been well worth it.

Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!

[tallguy924]

personaly i dont like it here that much at all. ya ya columbus is pretty, but its boring. they need to bring in some good stores downtown or a bigger mall for sure...

[domergurl]

Originally Posted by tallguy924

personaly i dont like it here that much at all. ya ya columbus is pretty, but its boring. they need to bring in some good stores downtown or a bigger mall for sure...

Columbus is as boring as you want it to be.

[Davachka]

Originally Posted by tallguy924

personaly i dont like it here that much at all. ya ya columbus is pretty, but its boring. they need to bring in some good stores downtown or a bigger mall for sure...

I agree, Columbus is boring, except I would say that most of Indiana is boring! So little culture for a city as large as Indianapolis! I have been to many towns half the size with twice as many museums, festivals and cultural events.

Most people I know that moved here from another country or city, end up moving back. The people who stay just talk about how affordable it is. They say, just live here and travel to get away! I don't want to live somewhere just to leave in order to live! We do travel frequently- every 6-8 weeks or so we go on a vacation- but we decided we'd rather spend more money to live somewhere and actually...live!

But it all depends on a person's priorities and background...us personally we need culture, sophistication, diversity...not the blandness (for a cheap orice) that this place offers!

[jamh13]

Indiana might get a bad name overall, but downtown indianapolis is one of the best downtowns ever. Its so laid back compared to other large cities.

[Coffee Mate]

Culture sophistication and diversity are all very relative terms.
I used to live in Oakland California....and before that near East Palo Alto California.
People could not blabber enough about how great the Bay Area was....how 'progressive'....but the numbers just don't add up...
What you find in such places is an ever increasing 'balkanization' and 'brazilification'....The exceedingly wealthy people live in enclaves....gated communities and 'special' towns where the police are directed to keep non-locals out.... and the increasing hoards of poor people...people not making it.....scrambling to eek out a living off the crumbs....
The left coast suffers from multi-cultural overload.... for example...Fremont California has one of...if not THE largest Afghan community outside of Kabul.....and there are thousands of such communities, thousands of languages cultural orientations habits likes and very strong dislikes...and because people are all thrown together you interact with people in these conditions....and now with the rate of "assimilation" being so low....the common connection that people in this country USED to have....that of 'being' "American" is no longer there...Now it's just a titanic confusing multi-ethnic mess.......In the Bay Area it is not at all rare that people get into fender-benders with other people and neither side can communicate with the other....Go in to the DMV and you'd think you were in the bar scene from Star Wars....or in a bazaar in Istanbul....There are people who are born and raised in their various 'ethnic' neighborhoods....and never learn English....never learn to relate to all the myriad of other cultures around them....because they do not have the common language of communication.....because it is simply impossible for everyone to speak all languages....and they've given up on American Standard English....so ultimately they live in ghettos their whole life....
Then....there is the crime...
Many cities in the more "progressive" areas have serious crime problems....Look at the top 100 most crime plagued cities....These same cities are frequently described as being 'exciting'. Hummmmm. To my way of thinking....crime is NOT exciting....and does NOT make a city less boring....If your little town is too quiet...take a closer look...Try to look at your town in it's "own light" so to speak....with out constantly comparing it to New York or Los Angeles....Sure...your 'little' town does not have all the "bars and clubs" that seem to make NY and LA sOooooOOooo...irresistible.....but at least your little town can get through the year with out a murder....or two....or three....

I hear this line too....all the time...."The big cities have all the cultural venues and 'goings on...'...
To which I retort...."how often do you go to one of these 'events'???"
"How often do you go to the opera or the symphony? How many galleries do you visit.....say....each week?"
"each month???"

How many times per YEAR do you go?

O.K.

So, you live in a sketchy city...for 365 days per year....year in...year out....and you go to a cultural event say.....four or five times per year? So....does that 5 days per year justify the other 360 spent dealing with the crime...congestion....insane housing, gas and food prices....traffic....pollution...noise....lousy public schools....ghetto "tagging"....and all the rest of it?.....Why not just go VISIT the city....[like most people]...attend the event....and then LEAVE....going back to someplace NICE.......You might even see the opera say TEN times per year....[which is a lot of trips to the opera...]....so the other 355 days....you just deal with the nasty city for the sake of the occasional trip to the third mezzanine.......Nope....makes no sense....Again...take another more open minded look at your town...you might just see more than what at first glance meets the eye....
Oh...and by the way...ignore what one oh so "presidential" candidate said about rural people in Pennsylvania and the Midwest being bitter.........
By far the most bitter aggressive judgmental angry and cranked-up people you will ever see....are city dwellers......bar none.....

[Hokieed]

Well Said Coffee Mate!!! Living in West Lafayette, between Chicago and Indianapolis is sounding better all the time.

One thing about living near "culture" amd all. I used to live in Manassas, VA... only about 50 minutes to Washington, DC. I always said, "Well, DC is only so and so far away, I can visit the museums and parks and all." I think I might have gone there 1-2 times a year. Some people live in Northern VA and never even visit DC. So, your viewpoint is totally valid. why live in the city for the "culture" when you rarely use it all? Anyway, good post.