I want to get out of the UP! (travel, job)

[tjay]

i would not recommend moving away until you get more of an education. i think it would take alot for you to make it without much experience, unless you are extremely tough. i have moved 3 times in the past year and its VERY EXPENSIVE!!! you should have at least a couple thousand saved and have been to the places you are considering.

i thought moving away was the answer to all my problems at one point. and although it has helped because i moved where i could actually get a job (couldn't get one in michigan), i miss my family like crazy. its a huge adjustment and its hard as hell sometimes. but when i first got the idea i didn't think of anything like missing home, or even the great lakes.....i just thought how great it would be for a change of scenery. but once you get to a place and you're all alone its not quite as easy! i am not discouraging you, because i think if you want something you should go for it. but the best thing to do is be prepared, because it will try you emotionally and financially.

also i'm beginning to think there is no happy medium with the weather!? you go north you freeze, you go south you melt!

[One Thousand]

It's a big, dangerous world. Be careful.

There's no shame in living with your parents if it works for the parties involved.

It's not how much you make, but how much you keep.

The service is an option to proud of if you're eligible.

It's like Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption: Get busy living or get busy dying. The longer you jerk around deciding on where and if, the more of your life you're wasting. Either start making the necessary choices and actions to do it, or start making the ones necessary to build a life where you are.

That's my .02

[deslok]

Just go. As someone mentioned, you have posted for over a year researching. Just go. If a place is more expensive, you will make more money and it mostly evens out. Why are you staying now anyways? Do you own a house here? There is nothing for you as a young person in Northern Michigan. You are wasting time. Go someplace fun and warm, get a roomate, do something. I'd be careful of doing something military based unless you really want to do something of that nature. You are young and really shouldn't get into something that is a long commitment unless you are sure that is what you want to do. Stop focusing on what makes you squirm and start focusing on what you like and are passionate about. Find if that is also something you could do as a job to get paid for. If not, get a substitute in something you don't mind doing, in an area of the country where you are happy to call you're home.

[UpperPeninsulaRon]

Originally Posted by deslok

Just go. As someone mentioned, you have posted for over a year researching. Just go.

As Yoda said "Do or do not, there is no such thing as try."

[malamute]

Originally Posted by music83lover2001

I appreciate the replies. I can definitely see a need in the medical field that would be lucrative, but I would not be able to handle a job in that area. I can barely watch medical shows without squirming.

Also, I know I could make a good living working for the army, navy, coast guard, etc., but I prefer not to get involved in that field either.

I know that will limit my already limited options, but I can't stand the thought of being stuck in a job that I hate all of my life. I already am in that position and the work week is a never ending eternity that is not worth my while since it doesn't pay me enough to support myself, but I have to accept what they offer because I cannot afford not to.

I keep waiting for a state job that I am qualified for to open. When it does I either do not get an interview or if I do, which has only happend once, I don't get the job. I just keep trucking along, hoping that eventually things will get better, sooner before later hopefully. I really am quite domestic. I really enjoy cleaning and taking care of a home, even if it is my parents' home right now. Usually, though, that doesn't pay much, at least around here.

I really appreciate the advice and ideas. I would love to hear more.

My advice would be -- throw away the fears and what-ifs, do what you want to do. If you're 25 and still living with your parents, if you don't make some kind of move or decision, you'll be living with them for a long long time. That's fine if it's what you want but not so fine if you want something else.

A lot of times fears are just that, you can't wait for things to happen, you have to make them happen. A good question to ask yourself is "What would I do if I were not afraid?" and then go from there.

If you allow yourself to stay in a state of indecision then you won't make much progress but once you make a decision then the next step is getting it done. It's not that hard -- once you absolutely make up your mind, the rest will begin to fall into place.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by malamute

...once you absolutely make up your mind, the rest will begin to fall into place.

That hasn't been my experience since leaving MI. I had the same sort of attitude prior to really risking anything, but now that I have, I see how reckless my attitude was... how dangerous and self-destructive.

Everything hasn't fallen into place. I still make half of what I made in MI; I still don't like the states I've lived in as much as I liked MI; my bank account still hasn't recovered over three years later; and I still don't have access to the services and products I had in MI (suppliers.)

The world's a dangerous place. You don't really realize it until you're against the wall. Without close friends and family nearby, when tough times start to develop, you have nothing to fall back on.

My fondest experience of realizing that I wasn't home any longer was missing three days of work and spending $700 on a car repair that should of cost $200 because I had to try three different mechanics until I became fed up and figured it out and fixed it myself... Thankfully I had a garage.

When I first moved, all the old-timers would ask "You're moving? You get a job or something there?" I'd answer,"Nope, I'm just going." Their expressions would turn to surprise with a hint of shock.

It took me a couple years to figure out what that look was saying. They already understood that I was taking a big risk.

Be careful.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by One Thousand

That hasn't been my experience since leaving MI. I had the same sort of attitude prior to really risking anything, but now that I have, I see how reckless my attitude was... how dangerous and self-destructive.

Everything hasn't fallen into place. I still make half of what I made in MI; I still don't like the states I've lived in as much as I liked MI; my bank account still hasn't recovered over three years later; and I still don't have access to the services and products I had in MI (suppliers.)

The world's a dangerous place. You don't really realize it until you're against the wall. Without close friends and family nearby, when tough times start to develop, you have nothing to fall back on.

My fondest experience of realizing that I wasn't home any longer was missing three days of work and spending $700 on a car repair that should of cost $200 because I had to try three different mechanics until I became fed up and figured it out and fixed it myself... Thankfully I had a garage.

When I first moved, all the old-timers would ask "You're moving? You get a job or something there?" I'd answer,"Nope, I'm just going." Their expressions would turn to surprise with a hint of shock.

It took me a couple years to figure out what that look was saying. They already understood that I was taking a big risk.

Be careful.

I've moved around a few times and I always had good luck but I wasn't into self-destructive or dangerous things, I just never saw the point of being afraid of the world, or afraid to try new places. I've never been ripped off by a mechanic, I think though that can happen even in Michigan.

If it's not working out for you where you are, then why don't you head on back to Michigan? I even did that at one point in my life but I soon ended up leaving again (I couldn't really get satisfied with long winters after not having them)

Not that one has to leave, they just have to decide what they want to do, if they decide to stay, then make staying work, if they leave, make leaving work, if they decide it's better to move on again, then do that, or go back and make that work.

I have a belief that I can make it whereever I go, job-wise I was fine in Michigan and I'm just as fine here but I prefer lots of sun and warm weather. It sounds like you might need to relocate back and double your income again instead of staying where you're not happy. I think you have a valid point though -- if one absolutely cannot be happy unless they're physically very close to family and all their old friends then leaving isn't for them. Everyone is different, not all families are the same when it comes to providing a lot of assistence either. Mine's fine for moral support but falling back on them isn't really part of the deal.

[One Thousand]

Originally Posted by malamute

I've moved around a few times and I always had good luck but I wasn't into self-destructive or dangerous things, I just never saw the point of being afraid of the world, or afraid to try new places. I've never been ripped off by a mechanic, I think though that can happen even in Michigan.

I think jumping around without a safety-net is self-destructive. I wasn't afraid of the world until I had a few experiences that demonstrated that there was something to be concerned about.

Regarding the mechanic, of course. However, I'm assuming that if you have a family, there's probably a mechanic or two that you already know. I guess I was making the point, you have a regular mechanic, dentist, doctor, barber, plumber, etc. when you're home.

You're going to spend a few years rebuilding a network of trustworthy, competent people when you leave home. That takes work and it's, in my opinion, not something to be taken lightly.

In the end, you're right. I need to go back home... I'm waiting for the political climate to change before I do.

Good luck.

[Tunky]

I've lived in California and it's wonderful...BUT...you better earn enough money because poor in California is unlike poor anywhere else. You need A LOT of money.
I've lived in Tennessee and other places in the south...be prepared for culture shock. The customs, people, attitudes are very different than what you are used to ( I was born and raised in the U.P. and left in 1983).

I've lived overseas as well....all places have their good and bad points. As much as you think you hate the U.P. now..you WILL miss it someday.

But yeah...go...move....all young people should do it. Even if you decide to go back someday, you'll have had the experience.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Tunky

But yeah...go...move....all young people should do it. Even if you decide to go back someday, you'll have had the experience.

I think that's good advice, it's good to try new places when you're young and the experience is valuable. You also don't always know what you've got until you don't have it, and if you go somewhere and decide you don't like it there then you can move back or move somewhere else. You might end up appreciating where you're from more and decide there's no place like home, or you may decide you prefer the new place.