ME'rs and MA's people (Portland, Springfield: university, living in, restaurant)

[overleaf]

Hey All,
I am currently living in Boston and am disheartened by how stand-offish people are. I know it is the culture here to have tunnel vision while you go on your merry way to advancing in your job and conquering some higher degree, but I am sick of it. I feel very out of place. I feel like my husband and get up to Maine whenever we have the chance. Both my husband and I are from the west coast and adjusting to the Boston culture has been hard. He is here to finish medical residency

I guess in short I would like some reassurance that it is just not in our imagination that people are much friendlier in Maine and that is that way the culture is.

Both my husband and I are non-pretenious, friendly and just want a simple life with an active community and to be around people that enjoy the outdoors, good company and that are family oriented. All of our family is on the west coast and we are willing to take the plunge to move to ME because the state seems welcoming and that we could make a social life that is family-like since we would be away from family. We are looking at the suburbs of Portland. I am hoping there will be enough out of staters to understand what is it like to be new and I hope it also has a warmth that is so characteristic of Maine that I have seen.

What do people think?

[Acadianlion]

Having grown up in a suburb of Boston and having graduated from university there, and after living in a lot of different places including the Portland area, I think that you haven't really tried to get accustomed to what greater Boston has to offer.

The greater Portland area all the way down to the Mystic River Bridge is considered by a lot of people who live in Maine as being merely "North Boston". If you want to live in an urban environment there are a lot of choices to make inside a circle that includes area all the way to Portland. Expecting to find things friendlier in Portland than somewhere else near Boston may not happen, any more than moving to Providence or Springfield will.

It seems at least possible that what you are searching for lies within yourself, and perhaps you should intensify your search there before looking to a community to identify it for you.

[mainebrokerman]

i do travel most of the state,(in my work) all along the coast,,,from so .maine to ft kent,
im trying to remember when a stranger was rude to me.. or if i asked a question (for directions) and got a rude answer,,, im sure it has happened,,but i cant think of any instances off the top of my head,,

now,,for friendliness??? i can give you a thousand examples,,,,,from my car breaking down,,to some mainers inviting me to go fishing, come see thier gardens, orchards,,
to just stopping by to say hi,,if i was eating alone in a restaurant.. and again,,they dont know me from anyone,,

even on weekends,,,ive taken my son to breakfast somewhere,,,and have had a few folks pay for my breakfast,,that again,,dont know me,,(thru the yrs ive been surprised by this,,,but in every instance,,if i find out who pays,,its usually an older man,,,that simply says,,"keep being good to your son" i wished i still had the chance"

ive slid off the road in many towns,,,or got stuck,,,run out of gas,,got flats,,and before triple a can arrive,,,i usually get 10-15 folks slow down to ask,,if everything is ok,,,and beyond that,,ive had some ..that just stop get out,,and without a word,,start pushing,,or will hook up a chain and pull me out,,and they wouldnt take a dollar,,

and i make sure i do the same,,if i see anyone else in distress..

many times i drove in mass/boston even thru new york/jersey,,,and i thought it was a whole different world,,,,
i was soooo glad to get back to maine,,,

[Abbymoulton]

I live in Southern Maine and find that the friendliness here is much more than the Boston area. A smile from you will envoke at smile from most people and that leads to conversations and friendships. From what I know of Boston, most people just seem too busy to even be bothered to return the smile. Maine is the BEST.

[WhoFanMe]

I used to think it was pent up frustration from the Red Sox not winning the World Series since 1918, but they've won twice in the last 4 years, although their Patriots have performed two of the bigger post-season choke jobs in 2007 and 2008, so perhaps that's it.

[Valley Living]

We're really nice up here in the Valley. We also need more Dr.'s in the Valley. You should check out our community and hospital. This is the Hospital I work at. wink! wink! Here is the website to our wonderful area and hospital.

Thanks for taking the time to check it out.

Home Page - Cary Medical Center - Home

Our AWESOME video!!! - Cary Medical Center - Employment

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by WhoFanMe

I used to think it was pent up frustration from the Red Sox not winning the World Series since 1918, but they've won twice in the last 4 years, although their Patriots have performed two of the bigger post-season choke jobs in 2007 and 2008, so perhaps that's it.

That's it for sure . It's the damned Patriots!

[abatardi]

Dude, Boston and (most of) Maine will be two different WORLDS as far as the people are concerned. I have lived and worked in both. And on the west coast. I really love the west coast, but constantly missed the northeast.. I moved to Colorado thinking it would be closer to what "home" feels like (it doesn't). Remember though it's very easy to be considered 'not-pretentious' in Massachusetts, comparatively. The scale is a bit lower in Maine (and California). ;-)

- aba

[abatardi]

Originally Posted by Maineah

That's it for sure . It's the damned Patriots!

I'm sorry... but I was never a real big Patriots fan, at least with this franchise. I think what happened that Sunday was karma, pure and simple. I even bet big against them and won. Beli and Brady deserved it. There, I said it. Flame on.

- aba

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by abatardi

I'm sorry... but I was never a real big Patriots fan, at least with this franchise. I think what happened that Sunday was karma, pure and simple. I even bet big against them and won. Beli and Brady deserved it. There, I said it. Flame on.

- aba

You won't get an argument from me on that take!