How many Californians have moved to Oregon? (Portland, Salem: environment, loans)

[Imperial1904]

Originally Posted by zagyzebra

2) SECOND HUGE: lack of sophistication, education, world perspective...(many "Americans and proud to be one with W '04 stickers still!)

Sounds more like a lack of keeping up with the rest of the country.

[zagyzebra]

Well, it's just reflective of the lack of progressive attitudes that exist here compared with so many other areas of the world. I, too, feel very comfortable in big cities and am always going back and forth to Los Angeles. It is for this reason that I never sold my primary home in the Hollywood Hills!

[tasmtairy]

From Salem to Lincoln City on the Coast is exactly 1 hour, great drive... The first thing I was told was to get rid of my California plates. That was in 92. I lived on the coast for 6 months, then moved to Salem/Keizer and ran an Adult Foster Care Home for 5 years. Didn't get out much but when I did, It was beautiful. I really miss the coast with the crashing waves and the mountains behind you. The rain *the Oregon Drizzle) didn't bother me. I loved every minute of it. Shopping, eating, driving, people. I've been south to eugene and beyond and North to Portland and Hood River and east to Bend. If I had it all I would definitely hae a house on the Oregon Coast.

[Waterlily]

I just need to remind people that this is the Oregon forum. We're getting way too much stuff about California. Now if you want to write about California that's fine but please do it on the California forum.
Thanks.

[curiouserncuriouser]

Originally Posted by zagyzebra

Hi - I moved from L.A. (heart of it in the Hollywood Hills/Bev Hills area) where I had worked in the enterainment industry to Southern Oregon about six years ago, and have not regretted my decision. The drawbacks from my perspective:
1) HUGE: lack of culture
2) SECOND HUGE: lack of sophistication, education, world perspective...(many "Americans and proud to be one with W '04 stickers still!)
3) Lack of convenient access to the coast

Pluses:
1) East to get about, to drive here and there
2) Beautiful country roads everywhere! Great for convertible sports cars.
3) Easy going and laid back
4) Natural beauty is awesome
5) Fewer temptations to spend money, therefore lower cost of living.
6) Rural, yet not completely in the boonies
7) Quaint

Hope this helps.

Hi Zagyzebra,
I live in the San Fernando Valley and I'm contemplating a move to Oregon. I think different cities will have different environments regarding culture, sophistication, world view, etc. Would you mind saying which city you moved to? I'm considering Eugene.
Thanks.

[zagyzebra]

Hi Curiouser - First I started off in Ashland. Very crowded place with extremely inflated property values. So I headed closer to a quaint little town called Jacksonville, about 15 minutes or so from Ash. Actually, I'm not really in a city. I'm in an unincorporated area in the county between Jacksonville and Medford near an area known as Griffin Creek. FYI.

[curiouserncuriouser]

Zagyzebra, thanks for the info.

[Educatorspeakingtruth]

Here
are a few reasons why I'm moving back to Oregon.............!
& Why I'm leaving Southern California:

What I remember from growing up and being raised in Oregon was that people are people. For the most part most people could care less what brand of clothes you wear, the kind of car you drive or even the house you live in. In Oregon ones Character was what mattered. How you treated the people around you, mattered. How you contributed to your community mattered. Being friendly mattered. How you raised a family mattered. Were you a good father/mother, a good husband/wife? Many places have a "blue collar" hardwork approach. People are fairly practical. You could drive a mercedes or a bmw (or any kind of luxary auto maker), live in a large house, be rich, and if you were an inconsiderate, arrogant jerk? You were still a jerk even if you had money! Here it seems like you can treat people anyway (as poorly) you want, and as long as you have money or are in a position of power, or look really attractive. People will want to kiss up, get as close as they can and be your best friend based on what you can do for them! In Oregon, that won't get you very far. Now, just like most places if you want to find that lifestyle and or those kinds of people,you can find them. I'm speaking about the norm, the way the majority think. Oregon is a liberal state in terms of government, but many of its values are conservative and traditional. In terms of having a childhood and growing up: It was SAFE to play and there was a lot of room in my yard or neighbors yards to play in. We didn't have to drive to a park to play ball, we just went to each others back yards, they were actual yards to play in. Also there were so many opprotunities to be in the outdoors. We were just minutes away from camping, fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, bird watching etc. Instead of being hours away. It was easy to get away from it all and relax with nature and be with your family. I never rememberd crowds anywhere, except, airports, state fairs, malls, easter egg hunts, competitions, sporting events (Beaver Games!) or concerts. Never at the beach, lakes, rivers, mountains etc. Unlike So Cal, where you go to get away from it all to go the mountains, beaches, lakes, and rivers only to be met by 1,000's of people all with the same idea and you have to wait in traffic to and from! Oregon seems more relaxing, even when you try to relax in So Cal it is a challenge. I never really saw pollution until I moved to California. The air is so clean in Oregon because of all of the trees! I never thought of buying bottled water (a big waste of money in Oreogn!)? The tap water was clean enough! Not in So Cal! I only drink bottled water here, the tap water in So Cal is disgusting! Also recycling is occuring in most homes in Oregon and many grow their own produce, and have compost piles. Oregon is fairly tolerant just like California on many issues; and that is both good and bad depending on how you look at it. Sometimes traditions get taken away, and also sometimes change slowly occurs. Shopping is not huge in Oregon like it is here, which surprises me because of no sales tax in Oregon! I'm sure with teens in every city, shopping is a must! I'm talking about the norm here, the majority of people are not going in droves to the malls everyday. Also, I've never heard or seen any of the rich people hiring nannys to raise their children so the Dads can work (or play golf) and so the Moms can go shopping with all of her girlfriends for new jimmy choos, or dooney and burkes! In the OC that is a rare occasion I'm sure. (I hope) But it does happen, I have witnessed it with my own eyes. Plastic surgery is also more hidden and occuring less frequently in Oregon compared to So Cal. Hollywood and "the other Hollywood" (Adult Entertainment Industry or PORN) doesn't have such a large grip on the culture of Oregon (or even the rest of the U.S.) like it does in So Cal. Here it seems like those industries have such a strong grip on the culture, especially with the youth, that people can't even recognize it! Almost like they have blinders on their eyes. The Red Hot Chili Peppers even wrote a song about this called "Californication". Anyways, I'm not bitter towards my experiences here or the people I've encountered here. I feel so blessed to have the experiences from living in California, it helped me grow into the person and into the man that I am! I feel now is the time for me to be a MAN and to make a grown, wise decision. That means moving to a place where I can be a successful future husband, future father and a successful professional teacher. A place that is affordable, and safe to start a family even though I don't have a family of my own yet. This is how I see some of the differences between living in Oregon and living in California.

Is there Anyone else who shares the same or different experiences?

[Educatorspeakingtruth]

From the way things look so far..... Most of us are moving to Oregon from California! Share your stories and your reasons for moving!

[zagyzebra]

I think you pretty much sized up all the +s going for Oregon. Yet still, take a coastal environment like San Diego, or Marin County, or central coast in Cali, and nothing quite beats the sunny, warm playground the Pacific offers in a Mediterranean climate zone. Sure, people may have smaller backyards, maybe no backyards at all, but they have miles and miles of coastline to romp on teaming with sailboats and waves cresting on a shimmering sea set against glorious sunsets and sun-soaked days. And the crime thing is way over-stated. When was the last time you felt in danger walking on the beach in the middle of the day? I realize not everyone in the urban areas take advantage of this incredibly huge advantage Cali offers over Oregon, but rest assured, from all the ex-Calis I have spoken who re-located to Oregon, this is what they miss the most.