Moving to KC area and nervous - advice please? (Kansas City: rental, home)

[RadioSilence]

Kansas City is middle-of-the-road politically, as far as I'm concerned. It leans liberal in the urban areas, and conservative in the suburbs, but broadly speaking, not too far in either direction. Lawrence is the most left-leaning town in Kansas.

On the other hand, if you travel into the rural areas of either Kansas or Missouri, you might be shocked at what you encounter, in terms of socio-political views.

You may have trouble finding the wide selection of multi-ethnic restaurants you would otherwise have in Boston. If you're accustomed to fresh seafood, you'll certainly be disappointed. Just consider the distance from any coastline. But if you've ever been curious about barbecue, then your wildest dreams will be satisfied. As mentioned above, we have both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. There are a number of regional grocery store chains as well. I've lived here since 2003 and I have not once shopped at WalMart, even though I live close to one. Whether it's a record store or an ice cream shop or a place that makes soap, most every city/suburb has its own little boutique shops.

We have a number of animal rescue organizations. I suspect Kansas City Pet Project, Wayside Waifs, Great Plains SPCA and others need more donations than volunteers, but those would be the first places to look if you want to get involved.

I don't know if there is an organized Atheist group. You will probably be asked which church you attend at some point. Just politely say you don't attend one, but thank them for asking. Inner city/older suburbs are more Catholic and moderate Protestant. Outer suburbs/exurbs are more Methodist and Evangelical.

You didn't mention whether you wanted to buy or rent. You will get more bang for your buck here, especially compared to Boston.

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by RadioSilence

If you're accustomed to fresh seafood, you'll certainly be disappointed. Just consider the distance from any coastline.

That's pretty much irrelevant now, given the processes of modern commercial fishing and shipping.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by ThinkOutsideTheBox

Thank you! I like your username.

I appreciate your feedback and I understand what you're saying. I certainly do not expect a NYC/Boston kind of vibe and am prepared to embrace and adjust to a new lifestyle. Actually, I'm looking forward to a more casual pace. I want to slow down because I've been so Type A and I'm tired of everything being so stressful! Just getting TO work is stressful! My fear is not so much about me adjusting to the city but more because I don't want to go somewhere new and accidentally offend someone.

It's kind of like when I would watch foreigners come to Korea and do really offensive things without realizing it just because they didn't understand the culture. As such, I want to make sure where I do live is somewhere I can adapt and a place that I don't have to be overly mindful of offending someone.

My favorite thing about KC is its non-stressful pace. It's just easy living, for me...about as easy as it gets while remaining urban.

[pacificwhim]

I relocated to KC from Seattle—and before that, Los Angeles—in 2012. I have had zero problems fitting in. I've never been asked about my religion once. I've found a community of writers and musicians to feed my vocation and avocation, respectively. I've found the city to be quite liberal, creative, and vibrant. I think the key is living IN the city, rather than in the burbs on either side of the state line. And while it's no Boston, the food scene here is fantastic. You'll like it.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

My favorite thing about KC is its non-stressful pace. It's just easy living, for me...about as easy as it gets while remaining urban.

Too laid back... Not enough energy to get things accomplished quickly and efficiently compared to other places I've lived. Your mileage may differ.

[TabulaRasa]

I would agree that it's really not a difficult place to "fit in" (which is not the same as feeling comfortable, or liking it, I acknowledge). But it's generally a welcoming place, not one that's suspicious of outsiders, has a generous amount of amenities for a city its size, and is overall really a pleasant place. I can't promise it's everyone's taste, but I can't think of a whole lot of reasons to be nervous about making the move, apart from "Well, I might not like it there." But that's a risk anytime you move "for" somebody else, so it's the kind of thing you have to just go in knowing. I'm a KC transplant who is gone from the metro for the time being due to my husband's military career, so I know what I speak, in this regard.

For perspective, I lived in the city itself (Plaza neighborhood, two different buildings, one of them much more "ON" the actual bustling part of the Plaza, the other more verging on West Plaza; and the charming Waldo neighborhood), and I also lived in the suburbs on both sides...Lee's Summit, near the historic downtown, and briefly in downtown Mission, where my husband is from, and where our address of record remains. To me, the vitality of KC and its surrounding communities is really what you make of it. You can live in the suburbs and live a bland, dull existence, or you can live in the suburbs and make a point to be active and participative...again, you're never very far from the city center, and there are suburban communities that have done a really great job with their downtowns on either side of the state line. There is loads to do, people from all walks of life, a solid arts and music scene for both appreciators and performers, it's a strong community for volunteering, etc. The food scene will like surprise you in regard to how decent it is, and the KC Yelp! community is actually a really vibrant, active, and fun group.

Taste is very personal, obviously, but you might be surprised at what a hidden gem KC can be. I'm back in Chicago for the time being, but KC is definitely not a place that's past tense, for me.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

Too laid back... Not enough energy to get things accomplished quickly and efficiently compared to other places I've lived. Your mileage may differ.

To be fair, I strongly suspect that our personal criteria for judgment is vastly different.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by ThinkOutsideTheBox

Thank you! I like your username.

I appreciate your feedback and I understand what you're saying. I certainly do not expect a NYC/Boston kind of vibe and am prepared to embrace and adjust to a new lifestyle. Actually, I'm looking forward to a more casual pace. I want to slow down because I've been so Type A and I'm tired of everything being so stressful! Just getting TO work is stressful! My fear is not so much about me adjusting to the city but more because I don't want to go somewhere new and accidentally offend someone.

It's kind of like when I would watch foreigners come to Korea and do really offensive things without realizing it just because they didn't understand the culture. As such, I want to make sure where I do live is somewhere I can adapt and a place that I don't have to be overly mindful of offending someone.

I grew up in KC and am similar to you (well, I'm not Asian), and if I had to move back to KC, I'd have to live somewhere between downtown and Brookside, or near the Plaza. Commuting to a job in Overland Park from urban KCMO might take a half hour, but it's not a half hour of stop and go traffic.

Anyway, it depends on if you want a house, condo, townhome or apartment. All can be found in those areas. But this is where you'll be close to artsy, liberal people, non-chain restaurants and stores, walkable areas, etc. Far northeast Johnson County (cities of Fairway, Westwood, Roeland Park, Prairie Village) are near the Plaza and the most liberal part of Johnson County, if you're looking for a single family home. Very quaint neighborhoods in that area, and it might be easier for tax purposes if you live in the same state where you work.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

To be fair, I strongly suspect that our personal criteria for judgment is vastly different.

My experiences to compare to include a number of expensive cities with plenty of type A people- so KC is just not a magnet for those demographic types in very high percentage terms. I'm used to living in innovative high energy places, and I work in a highly specialized tech field now. No, I don't find Madison to be expensive compared to many coastal metropolitan areas because the closest demographic match in terms of educational attainment and median household income overall is either Boston or Seattle- both more expensive overall.

[thriftylefty]

I would take advantage of something the Midwest has that the east coast doesn't have and that is space. Since it will be hard to easily find people who you will get on with like in Boston, find a place where you can keep people at arms length. This way you can slowly " collect " your friends based on something other than proximity.

I don't think you will offend anyone in many parts of Overland Park. My impression of it is everyone there is from somewhere else. They may have had to make adjustments also. The biggest disadvantage is it is an island. I was traveling for work from Baltimore to Boston recently. I was only there for two or three weeks but I realized it would take years to explore that corridor of culture. Kansas City will not take you very long before you will traveling in the same circles of people.