The Montanan's problem with outsiders moving in.. (Helena: 2009, rent)

[GLS]

Originally Posted by shylosmommy

I moved here last June, Yes!, from CA. No, not from the big city. A small town surrounded by farm land.

Almost everyone assumes that because I am from CA I should not be here.

I moved here to help care for my aging father and to provide my daughter with a safe place to grow up. We spent every cent we had moving here, we are broke.

No one will give me a job, why? "Oh, you're from CA", and "You'll never survive the winter". Yes I'm from CA, and I did survive the winter, even without the heater working in my truck. Oh, and I did have to drive in blizzard conditions. It only got cold here a couple of times.

No my street is never plowed, didn't expect it to be done, I live on a side street.

We make less than $30,000 a year. We can not afford to buy property or a home.

I find most people pleasant, but gave up trying to make friends here, because I'm from CA and an outcast.

I don't miss CA, but I think moving to MT was a mistake.

Anybody with the heart to uproot themselves and spend every penny they had to move across country to take care of their aging father will eventually get respect. Don't get discouraged, but do fix the heater in your truck. Friends will eventually find you.

[patmem]

Look, I'm basically pretty shy, but everyone needs friends so what I would do personally is look into some neighborhood churches. With a little girl to bring up that sounds like a pretty healthy activity and you both could get out and meet some local families. Not your proclivity? Walk dogs with her at the animal shelter. Deliver Meals-on-Wheels. In fact, here is a website for lots of volunteer activities in Billings: Billings Volunteer And Volunteering Opportunities Billings MT - AmericanTowns.com . I know you are taking care of your father, and probably working as well, but you have to have some kind of life besides that-participating in something that you enjoy doing. You never know what window might open for you...what's around the next corner.

[cedew]

California is to other states what the US is to the world, fingernails on a chalk board. If only we could stop hating each other and live our lives. Unfortunately it's not in our nature, it's not in nature anywhere actually. The universe is at war with itself down the subatomic level. If we ever truly found peace, we would probably self combust.

I wonder if all the office secretaries in Montana get along, or do several of them gang up and talk trash about one "less perfect" than themselves? They do? It's the same thing on a smaller scale. If people from other states didn't hate Californians, they would just find something else to hate.

Did you know?

California is the world's fifth largest supplier of food and agriculture commodities.

If California were its own country, it would be in the top ten of world economies.

There are 15 professional sports teams in California, and I'm talking about good ones, really there are a lot more. This is covering mens football, baseball, basketball, and hockey.

California is possibly the most culturally and ethnically diverse state. I personally don't think we as humans are quite ready to mix this much, but hey it's a start.


I could go on and on, finding great things about this state, and the people who make it what it is. I could spend my time finding bad things too. I tell you though, when I'm watching the Rivercats on a hot summers night, drinking a beer and eating a dog, I swear California feels like the best place on earth. When I catch a sunset at Wright's Lake, I would swear California is the best place on earth. When I go to Arden mall, I thank god I don't have a Browning M2 mounted to my truck, because I swear I would use it. I meet great people all along my way around here, many douchebags too. Still, we would welcome someone from Montana without thinking twice about it. You might think of us as money grubbing real estate whores, and we might think of you as low intellect hay chewing hillbillies, but the vast majority of us would give you an honest shot at anything you wanted to do here.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by shylosmommy

I moved here last June, Yes!, from CA. No, not from the big city. A small town surrounded by farm land.

Almost everyone assumes that because I am from CA I should not be here.

I moved here to help care for my aging father and to provide my daughter with a safe place to grow up. We spent every cent we had moving here, we are broke.

No one will give me a job, why? "Oh, you're from CA", and "You'll never survive the winter". Yes I'm from CA, and I did survive the winter, even without the heater working in my truck. Oh, and I did have to drive in blizzard conditions. It only got cold here a couple of times.

No my street is never plowed, didn't expect it to be done, I live on a side street.

We make less than $30,000 a year. We can not afford to buy property or a home.

I find most people pleasant, but gave up trying to make friends here, because I'm from CA and an outcast.

I don't miss CA, but I think moving to MT was a mistake.

If it's any consolation over time this too will end and you'll have friends. It took us about a year to get "friendly" with people and about 2-3 years to get friends. As has been stated many times on the forum people here are used to newbies moving in and then leaving within a year or so and for that reason don't bother to make friends with newbies. Also many people can "put on a face" for months but over time will show who they really are and then it will be judged if they are friend material or not. Part of leaving CA or any other big city is realizing you don't need the hustle and bustle of constant socializing with friends, that just being with immediate family or becoming happy with being alone is key.
In the begining we got flack for being from CA but now everyone knows and doesn't care because we showed we left that behind. All I can say is give it time, don't stop trying and learn to be happy with just your family until more "family" are added.

[Aurora616]

Once again , I am amused(not) at how you all wish the "outsiders " would stay away.. now maybe you can understand how the Native Americans have suffered us all for so long??? It is all of us who are "outsiders" except the Native Americans!!!

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Aurora616

Once again , I am amused(not) at how you all wish the "outsiders " would stay away.. now maybe you can understand how the Native Americans have suffered us all for so long??? It is all of us who are "outsiders" except the Native Americans!!!

Here we go, off on the Indian thing again.... They came from someplace else as well you do realize that right?

[robertjohnson]

Originally Posted by Debee

Nope. My great grandfather homesteaded in Big Sandy Montana and raised his family.All of my moms side is buried or still lives here(in Missoula) she married and moved to Washington.We used to come back and visit all the time.Two of us kids have moved back here and we are treated like outsiders too. All they have to hear is you moved here from Washington and thats it. My ancestors are rolling over in their graves im sure.Im really sick of the "Native Montana" thing.

Hi Deb, I'm reading 'bad lands'. About early montana homesteading. What a tough life. I'd like to see todays people try that. Sorry to hear you were not treated well. Sounds like your being punished for others sins. If your family made it then, I'm sure you will too. Best luck, Bob

[jimj]

I wonder if Tester will be treated as an outsider when he comes back from D.C.?

[shadowwalker]

I totally agree with the OP. I see the same sad thing happening here in Wyoming. The western life we all enjoyed, slowly strangled to death.
The out of staters have changed our way of life here forever. I wish there were some other place to go and regain that lifestyle. But then, maybe I'd be a out-a-stater wouldn't I? And they'd be talking about me real bad......

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by jimj

I wonder if Tester will be treated as an outsider when he comes back from D.C.?

I suppose it depends on whether he can get all the D.C. cooties washed off.