Any Western NY transplants? (Michigan City, Rochester: trip , sick, house)

[skbs]

We are moving from the Rochester NY area and am wondering if you can offer any useful information... Education- is it much different from the East Side Suburban schools? Test scores, extra curricular activities, sports... I think that is a big one... shopping- how does it compare? I have a feeling I am going to miss Wegmans... Entertainment and dining- as well as the affordability of these things. I am a bit nervous about this move and want to be someplace similar to Fairport, Pittsford, Penfield... can you help me out?

[skbs]

Seriously? Nobody in NW Indiana has moved from W NY? I am going to be the only one living there huh?

[domergurl]

Settle down sk. You won't be the only Western NY'er in NW Indiana. You'll find many many more midwestern transplants. Weatherwise, you may or may not see as much snow. There's heavy industry. You'll encounter the Chicago regional accent, and Kentuckyiana accents thrown in as well.

You will have culture shock. You just will. I liked living in NWI. We lived in Valpo. It's very Chicago oriented, and since my heart will always be in that fabulous city, I'm partial. The Indiana Department of Education has an excellent website. Google it and you'll get all the test score information you'll need. Indiana has a 4 star school rating for the top schools. If you need help navigating, let me know.

I don't want you to think that we at CD are ignoring you. We're happy to help .. just with the holiday, some of us may be out and about.

[skbs]

Originally Posted by domergurl

Settle down sk. You won't be the only Western NY'er in NW Indiana. You'll find many many more midwestern transplants. Weatherwise, you may or may not see as much snow. There's heavy industry. You'll encounter the Chicago regional accent, and Kentuckyiana accents thrown in as well.

You will have culture shock. You just will. I liked living in NWI. We lived in Valpo. It's very Chicago oriented, and since my heart will always be in that fabulous city, I'm partial. The Indiana Department of Education has an excellent website. Google it and you'll get all the test score information you'll need. Indiana has a 4 star school rating for the top schools. If you need help navigating, let me know.

I don't want you to think that we at CD are ignoring you. We're happy to help .. just with the holiday, some of us may be out and about.

I used to live in Oklahoma, and my family WAS the only W NY group of individuals living there.... That is my only concern....

[domergurl]

Well ... I can say that you probably won't be the only folks from your current area, but they may not be your neighbors ... why does it concern you? I don't mean to put you on the spot, but Indiana has a plethora (love that word) of transplants from all over. You probably sound more like region people than you did in OK, if that's a concern. You won't be made fun of or anything. You'll be fine.

[skbs]

I know there will be a shock to our systems... but I am taking my kids away from family and a great life here. I have lived here for twenty years, with family, friends, and familiarity...and love it here. It isn't like I am overjoyed and choosing to move to Indiana for my own personal want or need. My husband is our bread winner, this choice has been made for us. I want our transition to be as easy as possible and for me that is activites to continue as they always have.... I am looking for a W NY perspective on life in Indiana... which I am sure is vastly different.

[domergurl]

I know what you mean .. my husband is the breadwinner too. Not sure what perspective you are talking about, maybe you can enlighten me a little. I have friends from the Syracuse NY area who moved to Indiana .. all her family is back in NY. I know Syracuse isn't W NY, but she loves living in Indiana now .. she said it's more settled down and the cost of living is much better. She has 2 young kids too who are much more relaxed now.

My grad school housemate was from Rochester. She loved it in Indiana and stayed here until Elliot Spitzer (I'm not kidding!) lured her back to NYC.

Have you made a visit yet? I'm really trying to assuage your stress level.

[skbs]

We are planning a trip next month. I live in the Rochester area now, everything is here. I have museums and galleries 15 minute drive from my home, outside dining in summer, great shopping, antiques, an afternoons worth of wine tasting in finger lakes (too many wineries to list), great day trips every weekend, affordable dance and karate for my kids (which is very hard to come by here- the price tag)... Side bar- Elliot Spitzer... did she ever bet on the wrong man!

[domergurl]

You'll immediately notice that the cost of living is cheaper. You won't have any problems finding activities for the kids ... the parks systems are also treasures. Ok, we don't have the beautiful fingers lakes, but Lake Michigan is grand. Museums ... sorry, you'll have to hoof it into Chicago, but it's well worth the trip. Some of the best museums in the WORLD are there and are easily accessible via train.

Not too many wineries. But you also have great places to go for daytrips in Indiana.

Here's my blunt statement. If you come to Indiana with the preconceived notion that you will be miserable because you don't have all the amenities you currently have, you will be miserable. We've moved so many times with our kids now. Had to start over again meeting new people, being futher and futher away from family. Give yourself time. But get out and start meeting people and going places right away or you'll find yourself in a rut. Fortunately, you'll be moving here when the weather is perking up. As hard as this sounds, when you come to visit, forget about Rochester please. It will only make you homesick. How long will you be staying. Do you have a realtor?

I forgot to mention that there is a fantastic outlet mall (Hanna Andersen clothes!) in Michigan City. Love that place!

I am really trying to help.

[Chuckity]

Chicago has some of the best museums in the country - and not far at all. I can get from my home in Valpo to the Museum of Science & Industry parking garage in less that an hour.

Have you settled on an area yet? The very best place to look at homes is through gniarmls.com. It's the Greater Northwest Indiana Association of Realtors MLS - the same one Realtors use just without professional info.