Looking for a place to start over after domestic violence. Is Bath the place for us? (Portland: apartment complexes, new home)

[camanchaca]

Originally Posted by jennei

OH i have no worry about the weather. I am looking forward to REAL winter again! I grew up on the boarder of Canada up in Washington. I am ready to leave this SW weather behind!

Which side? (Whatcom county (Everson) expat here)

[atrixwolfe]

You'll love Bath!
You'll have to focus on the jobs 1st i assume, most places you land you'll find what I think your looking for.
Consider renting first till you find the right fit.
For jobs, Idexx is a Huge Animal Health Lab and one of the biggest businesses in Maine. Most of the human labs are associated with the Maine medical system, and are referred to as Nordex. Consider focusing on Portland two hospitals Maine Med (including barbra bush childrens hospital) & mercy ( plenty of rural communities near by and bath is only 30 mins up I-95, Agusta and central maine med, Bangor is eastern Maine Med. They will be your three biggest. look at Jobs in Maine - search for jobs in Maine
And get up here and out of that heat you'll be glad you did!!

[jennei]

Originally Posted by camanchaca

Which side? (Whatcom county (Everson) expat here)

so sorry this is so late!!!
Im from Island County, out in the puget sound area!

[Hockeygirl063]

Jennei I love Puget Sound spent a few years in Seattle area. Now live in Oregon. But I have always wanted to live in Maine and almost went there. But the ex wanted to come west as he was from Montana.

I don't blame you at all for wanting to move. I am pretty sure that Phoenix and Portland OR are similar in size. Actually just checked and Phoenix is bigger. I don't know how people can stand that heat. My mom lives in Vegas. I like 4 seasons.

Good Luck and maybe check out Portland, Maine area there are some smaller towns in the area and even Portland is small as far as a city goes.

[Submariner]

Two boats that I served on were homeported in the Puget Sound. We lived there about 5 years.

I love the Olympic Penn, we would have retired there if land prices and the taxes were not as high as they are. My small pension just did not make it possible for us to retire there.

After serving on a boat at Subase Bangor [BANG-her], now we live near the other Bangor [bang-GOR]

[Hockeygirl063]

Originally Posted by Submariner

Two boats that I served on were homeported in the Puget Sound. We lived there about 5 years.

I love the Olympic Penn, we would have retired there if land prices and the taxes were not as high as they are. My small pension just did not make it possible for us to retire there.

After serving on a boat at Subase Bangor [BANG-her], now we live near the other Bangor [bang-GOR]

Which boat were you on and what years? My hubby also served in the USN at Sub base Bangor and was a wire biter on the USS Ohio SSBN 726. He lived in Paulsbo. After he got out he moved down to PDX, And that's where we met.
At that same time my cousin was also stationed there he was a Priest and a graduate of the Naval Academy.

[Submariner]

I was on the USS Casimir Pulaski SSBN 633 from 92 to 94 [Decommed in Bremerton]. Then the USS Alaska SSBN 732 until 97.

Hmm maybe it was only 4 years, seemed like longer.

[Hockeygirl063]

Thank you for your service Submariner. My husband was there from around 1990- 1995. Then he got out. He has bad knees, It doesn't help he was very tall.

[Alicia64]

I know it's not a popular thing to say, but I'm nervous for you exchanging one extreme weather (high temps in AZ) for freezing temps in Maine.

We were in Virginia and there was a job in Portland Maine. I sooo wanted to move there, but my husband didn't get the job. And thank goodness. Our heating bill for the winter would have been high.

Please don't throw things at me Maine-folks. I love your state: it's stunning.

You've been through so much that I think going for mild weather would be a good first start. Virginia is mild. I would avoid Maryland (friends didn't like it). Atlanta is great, but has terrible, terrible, terrible traffic. It's hot in the summer, but not nowhere near 114. (My sister lives in Tucson and I don't get it. I'd leave in a heartbeat.)

I'd look into Richmond, VA. Also use the cost of living calculators that you can find online. Just Google it. Use three or four to get an idea of how far your dollars will go in each community. Also, look at weather online. Heating bills matter.

Richmond has a large health group called Bon Secours. Go to their site and see if they have jobs for you. They often are looking for people. (They're really looking for nurses.) They span five states, but are HQ'd in Richmond.

Richmond has no traffic, is small(ish), and the weather is mild. Light snow in the winter, some heat in the summer. Very nice. I would recommend that you live in Henrico Co. and look at crime stats of wherever you decide to settle.

Good luck to you. Give your move a lot of thought. Don't just go with your heart and gut (which is my style) -- do the math too. You won't regret looking at cost of living calculators, healthcare websites, and crime stats. Also, Richmond has an autism center now too. (So does Charlottesville, VA and they have a big hospital too.)

Again, all the best to you.

Alley

[OpinionExperience]

Brunswick is the best on your list.

Westbrook is the next best thing for your needs and your child. Not the greatest town but next to Portland which has Mercy and Maine Medical Center and countless other medical facilities for work and child care. 20 min to the beach in Cape Elizabeth. Plus the winters aren't as harsh in the south and along the coast. Also the snow removal is much better around Portland. Coming from AZ will be a huge change. I moved a friend of mine from Portland to Tuscon in 03. She was just flat out sick of the winters.

Hope you find what you need and glad you got out of that relationship. Don't trust the veil of Maine "the way life should be".