Thinking about moving to Maine

[Panurse]

Thank you forest beekeeper! I have been to Maine several times but honestly have not traveled as far inland as I have wanted to - too much to do and too little vacation time! My husband wants to finish his schooling so maybe I need to get him to look into which college he would be interested in... You are right, we will have to go up and visit again (always looking for an excuse to make an extra trip up!!)
Songbird1- I can not honestly tell you "the other side of the coin" because I have not yet experienced it! Every time I have been to Maine the locals we have meet have been very friendly and willing to help. I just meant that I've had to take a grain of salt with some of the things I have read ( I can't even think of specific examples off the top of my head). For every person who loves a place (any place) there will be the people who say negative things. And like forest beekeeper said above why do they stay if they hate it so much? Living in rural PA I have learned life is what YOU make of it. I for one, am looking forward to some isolation- my 6 year old daughter has already been "Hannah-Montan-ified" and I am hoping it is reversable!

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Panurse

I, too, would love to move to the Portland area- probably not until next summer, though. I have read different forums and it seems hard to tell fact from fiction sometimes... People either love it or have such awful things to say! I am from Pennsylvania but have loved Maine since I was 11 or 12. I am in my late 20s and have 3 children- 6, 5, and 1. I am a registered nurse and am wondering how the job situation is up there for us? Also, any suggestions on hospitals or place to work? The hospital I work for now is basically a monopoly around here and is cutting costs at the expense of patient care.

Hi!

I'll add my two cents to the conversation.

I've bumped into my fair share of people who both love it or hate it on the internet (and in person). This forum tends to be a relatively close-knit community for those who do enjoy it with the exception of an occasional "spammer" who will "boldly" (and I say that with complete sarcasm) proclaim that Maine is a terrible place with no reason or evidence as to why it's so terrible. So the perspective here will be tilted in the "positive" column.

That being said, I do have my own theories on why the reviews are so extreme on either end. In short, it's because Maine isn't for everyone. Mainers mostly know this (in fact, their attitude towards someone they know doesn't "fit" is comical). It's a state that, while physically diverse (Mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, ocean, flatland, etc), is not demographically diverse. It's a rural state.

The problems arise in the publicity. Maine is lesser known nationally; it's a mystery to most people. What people do hear on the outside is relatively positive (i.e. good public schools, mostly friendly people, low crime, relatively low cost of living, etc... it sounds utopian and it's really mostly all true). Then they hear the rave reviews from those that DO love living in Maine and get even more excited. Furthermore, many of them spend a weekend and fall in love with the natural beauty of the place.

Then they pack up and make the move... and reality eventually sets in. While the other stuff is true (good public schools, mostly friendly people, low crime, relatively low cost of living, etc...), they realize what they weren't prepared for; The cold (it's rough), the bugs, the relative isolation from the rest of the U.S., the laid back attitudes (some can't stand this), etc. That stuff can make people REALLY resentful of Maine.

I lived in Maine for over 4 years. It wasn't for me. I expected things that I shouldn't have and even got resentful for a while. Then I thought it through a little further, and realized that it's incredibly unfair to resent some place because I had unrealistic expectations. After I made that realization, I still needed to leave to pursue my preference (I'm more of a city boy... should have realized that earlier), but I value my experience in Maine and can't imagine hating the place or the people.

The best way to get a feel for how well you will like the place (aside from spending an extended period of time here) is to try and relate to the posts you read. There are a significant number of posts here and in other threads that really get into detail about what people like/dislike about the Portland area and Maine in general. If you find the ones by people who you feel have similar interests/goals/objectives in Maine to you, then you may be able to get a better idea. Maybe many of the "haters" are looking for incredibly different things than you.

To end this post (it's getting rather long-winded), I'll tell you what I felt were pros and cons of the Portland area to me and you can see if you relate/don't relate.

Pros:
1)Friendly: The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. They really do prove to be the opposite of the stuffy, cold New Englander stereotype.
2)Crime: There's really very little of it in Portland and its surrounds. Incredibly low. I really never worried about any crime anywhere in or around town.
3)Public schools: This may be important as you have kids. The schools in the area are quite good. Even in the city itself they're not bad (which is unusual for public school in New England's cities).
4)Lots of restaurants: There are a LOT of restaurants for a small city. Many options.
5)Local pride: Everyone takes pride in Portland (sometimes to a fault, see Cons). The minor league sports teams are well attended and there's great community involvement. People emphasize local products and services over big names and chains.
6)Traffic: Driving in the area is very easy. Sometimes tourist traffic can be slow, but rarely ever is there a "jam." I don't even think Portland Maine news stations have a specific "traffic" segment which is nice for those who want to avoid the clutter of an urban area.
7) Natural Beauty: Nuff Said. It's a pretty area as you already know.
8) Access to other natural features: The coast is right there obviously, but the lakes, rivers, and Mountains (you can see Mt. Washington, NH from points in Portland) is nearby.
9) Outdoor activity: If you have an imagination (and even if you don't), there are unlimited options abound. Some excellent parks and trails make it that much easier to get outside.
10) Tolerance: Portland and vicinity may not be the most diverse area (it's lilly-white, really) but the people are incredibly welcoming and tolerant of other races or sexual orientations. It's impressive considering the demographics.
11) Cost of Living: Mainers can complain about the cost of living near Portland but rents and housing costs really aren't that bad given the location on the coast. Find me a city in the Northeast (or anywhere on either coast for that matter) that offers what Portland does for less.

Cons (to give you an idea of what one may "hate" or at least not love about Portland):
1) Size: To me, a city with 63,000 (230,000 metro) is too small. Portland felt like a mid-size town. It was charming, but I never got the feeling of being in an urban area in Portland. This is obviously highly subjective and many prefer the small size.
2) Local pride: Yep, in both Pros and Cons. Above I illustrated why I enjoyed it, but there were some aspects that bothered me. I'll take a local restaurant over a chain anyday, but people in Portland chose local products even if the product wasn't better than a product from elsewhere. There was a real mentality that "what's in/from Portland is best" regardless of validity of that statement (sometimes it was true). Furthermore, there were people who really had a problem if you didn't agree that the Maine/Portland product or "thing" (could be anything, really) was wonderful. People got mad at me because I didn't care for Shipyard (pumpkin head can make a garbage can gag), L.L. Bean, some local bands, etc. You'll notice that with the exception of broad-reaching politics, news is VERY local-oriented. Often times they put a strange local twist on international news (I was outraged at an article during last years Olympics proclaiming that a Maine swimmer was the "last chance at knocking off Phelps"... I felt it was terrible to root for a guy to upset national history/pride just because he's local).
3) Nightlife: At 23, this is important to me and it may not be for everyone else. However, Portland's nightlife is VERY small and not too varied (even for such a small city... Portsmouth NH, Newport RI, Burlington NH do better even though they're each about 1/3 the size of Portland). The "nightlife" is limited to a small pub-scene along wharf street (literally 7 or so bars) and a few other outliers that don't offer too much in the way of variety (some local bands and an occasional jazz or 80s night in addition to local DJs, but who doesn't have that?). I know it doesn't matter to many, but for someone in their early/mid 20s, that's important.
4) Fine Dining: Portland has a TON of restaurants but only a few that could truly be considered "fine dining" (though many others will advertise as "fine dining"). The ones that ARE fine dining don't really rival the better restaurants in larger cities as many claim (We're not talking Boston here, but even New Haven or Providence). In fact, they're mostly casual themed with good food (sometimes great, but rarely excellent) and hardly creative. Mostly bland, generic menus (VERY little to offer besided Continental American). I'm not wealthy by any stretch, but I enjoy great food and Portland's dining scene gets old and fast.
5) Proximity to other cities: I grew up in Southeastern MA and RI. I loved having Boston within an hour, Providence within a half hour, New York City within 3 hours, etc. Portland is 2+ hours from Boston and even further from anyplace else. This is a GOOD thing to some, but not for me.
6) Money Consciousness: This was one of the most frustrating things to me. Many Mainers claim that Maine is a great place to go and escape the money-conscious metro areas like Boston, NYC, SF, etc. They're right. However, there is a real presence of money-conscious people, it's just the opposite of what you find in larger, more affluent metros. Many (certainly not all) take extreme issue with any display of financial comfort. I had never heard the term "rich" used in a condescending/ insulting way until I lived in Maine. What makes it worse is that often times the people who are accused of being "rich" aren't at all. It seems a typical suburban home (2,500 sq feet or so) on a cul-de-sac and a mid-level sedan (say, Cadillac CTS) is "rich" to many Mainers. The perception of money certainly exists and is skewed. To me, it's not better than the snobs in the larger metro areas.

I don't know what you'll be able to take out of that (hopefully something!), but that was what I weighed before leaving. I'm in Boston now and FAR happier. That doesn't mean I resent or dislike Maine, it just wasn't for me. I feel that in order to be happy in Maine or Portland you have to fill sort of a niche. If you like the beauty of Maine and can deal with cold (I'm assuming you can coming from PA) AND enjoy the isolation, the Portland area sounds like it would be perfect for you. I'd look at places like Buxton, Gray, Gorham, West Scarborough, etc. They're far enough away to give you some piece and quiet, but close enough to put you near work (at hospitals in Portland or Biddeford and even smaller medical facilites).

Anyway, I believe that it comes down to different strokes for different folks. Best of luck!

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by Panurse

Thank you forest beekeeper!

You are welcome

... Every time I have been to Maine the locals we have meet have been very friendly and willing to help.

Same here.

... my 6 year old daughter has already been "Hannah-Montan-ified" and I am hoping it is reversable!

She can be healed. It is not too late.

I prescribe living in Maine as a healing formula for your daughter's "Hannah-Montan-ification".

[SongBird1]

Originally Posted by lrfox

Hi!

I'll add my two cents to the conversation.

I've bumped into my fair share of people who both love it or hate it on the internet (and in person). This forum tends to be a relatively close-knit community for those who do enjoy it with the exception of an occasional "spammer" who will "boldly" (and I say that with complete sarcasm) proclaim that Maine is a terrible place with no reason or evidence as to why it's so terrible. So the perspective here will be tilted in the "positive" column.

That being said, I do have my own theories on why the reviews are so extreme on either end. In short, it's because Maine isn't for everyone. Mainers mostly know this (in fact, their attitude towards someone they know doesn't "fit" is comical). It's a state that, while physically diverse (Mountains, lakes, rivers, streams, ocean, flatland, etc), is not demographically diverse. It's a rural state.

The problems arise in the publicity. Maine is lesser known nationally; it's a mystery to most people. What people do hear on the outside is relatively positive (i.e. good public schools, mostly friendly people, low crime, relatively low cost of living, etc... it sounds utopian and it's really mostly all true). Then they hear the rave reviews from those that DO love living in Maine and get even more excited. Furthermore, many of them spend a weekend and fall in love with the natural beauty of the place.

Then they pack up and make the move... and reality eventually sets in. While the other stuff is true (good public schools, mostly friendly people, low crime, relatively low cost of living, etc...), they realize what they weren't prepared for; The cold (it's rough), the bugs, the relative isolation from the rest of the U.S., the laid back attitudes (some can't stand this), etc. That stuff can make people REALLY resentful of Maine.

I lived in Maine for over 4 years. It wasn't for me. I expected things that I shouldn't have and even got resentful for a while. Then I thought it through a little further, and realized that it's incredibly unfair to resent some place because I had unrealistic expectations. After I made that realization, I still needed to leave to pursue my preference (I'm more of a city boy... should have realized that earlier), but I value my experience in Maine and can't imagine hating the place or the people.

The best way to get a feel for how well you will like the place (aside from spending an extended period of time here) is to try and relate to the posts you read. There are a significant number of posts here and in other threads that really get into detail about what people like/dislike about the Portland area and Maine in general. If you find the ones by people who you feel have similar interests/goals/objectives in Maine to you, then you may be able to get a better idea. Maybe many of the "haters" are looking for incredibly different things than you.

To end this post (it's getting rather long-winded), I'll tell you what I felt were pros and cons of the Portland area to me and you can see if you relate/don't relate.

Pros:
1)Friendly: The people are incredibly friendly and welcoming. They really do prove to be the opposite of the stuffy, cold New Englander stereotype.
2)Crime: There's really very little of it in Portland and its surrounds. Incredibly low. I really never worried about any crime anywhere in or around town.
3)Public schools: This may be important as you have kids. The schools in the area are quite good. Even in the city itself they're not bad (which is unusual for public school in New England's cities).
4)Lots of restaurants: There are a LOT of restaurants for a small city. Many options.
5)Local pride: Everyone takes pride in Portland (sometimes to a fault, see Cons). The minor league sports teams are well attended and there's great community involvement. People emphasize local products and services over big names and chains.
6)Traffic: Driving in the area is very easy. Sometimes tourist traffic can be slow, but rarely ever is there a "jam." I don't even think Portland Maine news stations have a specific "traffic" segment which is nice for those who want to avoid the clutter of an urban area.
7) Natural Beauty: Nuff Said. It's a pretty area as you already know.
8) Access to other natural features: The coast is right there obviously, but the lakes, rivers, and Mountains (you can see Mt. Washington, NH from points in Portland) is nearby.
9) Outdoor activity: If you have an imagination (and even if you don't), there are unlimited options abound. Some excellent parks and trails make it that much easier to get outside.
10) Tolerance: Portland and vicinity may not be the most diverse area (it's lilly-white, really) but the people are incredibly welcoming and tolerant of other races or sexual orientations. It's impressive considering the demographics.
11) Cost of Living: Mainers can complain about the cost of living near Portland but rents and housing costs really aren't that bad given the location on the coast. Find me a city in the Northeast (or anywhere on either coast for that matter) that offers what Portland does for less.

Cons (to give you an idea of what one may "hate" or at least not love about Portland):
1) Size: To me, a city with 63,000 (230,000 metro) is too small. Portland felt like a mid-size town. It was charming, but I never got the feeling of being in an urban area in Portland. This is obviously highly subjective and many prefer the small size.
2) Local pride: Yep, in both Pros and Cons. Above I illustrated why I enjoyed it, but there were some aspects that bothered me. I'll take a local restaurant over a chain anyday, but people in Portland chose local products even if the product wasn't better than a product from elsewhere. There was a real mentality that "what's in/from Portland is best" regardless of validity of that statement (sometimes it was true). Furthermore, there were people who really had a problem if you didn't agree that the Maine/Portland product or "thing" (could be anything, really) was wonderful. People got mad at me because I didn't care for Shipyard (pumpkin head can make a garbage can gag), L.L. Bean, some local bands, etc. You'll notice that with the exception of broad-reaching politics, news is VERY local-oriented. Often times they put a strange local twist on international news (I was outraged at an article during last years Olympics proclaiming that a Maine swimmer was the "last chance at knocking off Phelps"... I felt it was terrible to root for a guy to upset national history/pride just because he's local).
3) Nightlife: At 23, this is important to me and it may not be for everyone else. However, Portland's nightlife is VERY small and not too varied (even for such a small city... Portsmouth NH, Newport RI, Burlington NH do better even though they're each about 1/3 the size of Portland). The "nightlife" is limited to a small pub-scene along wharf street (literally 7 or so bars) and a few other outliers that don't offer too much in the way of variety (some local bands and an occasional jazz or 80s night in addition to local DJs, but who doesn't have that?). I know it doesn't matter to many, but for someone in their early/mid 20s, that's important.
4) Fine Dining: Portland has a TON of restaurants but only a few that could truly be considered "fine dining" (though many others will advertise as "fine dining"). The ones that ARE fine dining don't really rival the better restaurants in larger cities as many claim (We're not talking Boston here, but even New Haven or Providence). In fact, they're mostly casual themed with good food (sometimes great, but rarely excellent) and hardly creative. Mostly bland, generic menus (VERY little to offer besided Continental American). I'm not wealthy by any stretch, but I enjoy great food and Portland's dining scene gets old and fast.
5) Proximity to other cities: I grew up in Southeastern MA and RI. I loved having Boston within an hour, Providence within a half hour, New York City within 3 hours, etc. Portland is 2+ hours from Boston and even further from anyplace else. This is a GOOD thing to some, but not for me.
6) Money Consciousness: This was one of the most frustrating things to me. Many Mainers claim that Maine is a great place to go and escape the money-conscious metro areas like Boston, NYC, SF, etc. They're right. However, there is a real presence of money-conscious people, it's just the opposite of what you find in larger, more affluent metros. Many (certainly not all) take extreme issue with any display of financial comfort. I had never heard the term "rich" used in a condescending/ insulting way until I lived in Maine. What makes it worse is that often times the people who are accused of being "rich" aren't at all. It seems a typical suburban home (2,500 sq feet or so) on a cul-de-sac and a mid-level sedan (say, Cadillac CTS) is "rich" to many Mainers. The perception of money certainly exists and is skewed. To me, it's not better than the snobs in the larger metro areas.

I don't know what you'll be able to take out of that (hopefully something!), but that was what I weighed before leaving. I'm in Boston now and FAR happier. That doesn't mean I resent or dislike Maine, it just wasn't for me. I feel that in order to be happy in Maine or Portland you have to fill sort of a niche. If you like the beauty of Maine and can deal with cold (I'm assuming you can coming from PA) AND enjoy the isolation, the Portland area sounds like it would be perfect for you. I'd look at places like Buxton, Gray, Gorham, West Scarborough, etc. They're far enough away to give you some piece and quiet, but close enough to put you near work (at hospitals in Portland or Biddeford and even smaller medical facilites).

Anyway, I believe that it comes down to different strokes for different folks. Best of luck!

Hey there Irfox! It's SongBird1! I just wanted to let you know that my daughters and I are having a WONDERFUL time here in S. Portland. We arrived yesterday afternoon. First of all, the views in any direction are simply breath-taking! Last night we ate in; a delicious lobster (or should I say lobstah) dinnah that my friend prepared. Today we took the ferry to Pike's Island as per your suggestion. It was very relaxing. We at at a restaurant that overlooked Casco Bay, and went to the little beach and had ice-cream. It was really fun! Tonight we'll probably go to Old Port. We drove thru it and my 14 yr. old said, "we HAVE to go shopping!" We'll hit Freeport tomorrow! I have to say I totally agree with you. This is a quite dirverse area. The people, however, have all been very kind and open. I have felt very comfortable here. I have met a lot of people from NJ (believe it or not!) who moved to Maine and would "never go back". I just wanted to thank you again for the tips on what to see/expect. You were spot-on!

[nene70]

Songbird1,
I am envious! My husband and I are both from Maine (me central, him Portland area) and we would LOVE to get back there with our children! Both of our families are still there. We moved to VA 6 1/2 years ago and due to the lack of federal jobs, we are having a hard time getting back there (without my husband taking a very large pay cut!). I am a nurse and worked at MMC for years...great hospital! All of the above mentioned activities you are doing with your daughters really brings back a yearning! Maine is a totally different way of life...probably boring to some, but it truly is a place to get back to the basics of life and away from all the huge population garbage :-) Good luck!

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by SongBird1

Hey there Irfox! It's SongBird1! I just wanted to let you know that my daughters and I are having a WONDERFUL time here in S. Portland. We arrived yesterday afternoon. First of all, the views in any direction are simply breath-taking! Last night we ate in; a delicious lobster (or should I say lobstah) dinnah that my friend prepared. Today we took the ferry to Pike's Island as per your suggestion. It was very relaxing. We at at a restaurant that overlooked Casco Bay, and went to the little beach and had ice-cream. It was really fun! Tonight we'll probably go to Old Port. We drove thru it and my 14 yr. old said, "we HAVE to go shopping!" We'll hit Freeport tomorrow! I have to say I totally agree with you. This is a quite dirverse area. The people, however, have all been very kind and open. I have felt very comfortable here. I have met a lot of people from NJ (believe it or not!) who moved to Maine and would "never go back". I just wanted to thank you again for the tips on what to see/expect. You were spot-on!

Hey! Glad you and you're daughters are enjoying it! It is a charming area and I'm glad you like what you've seen so far. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay. You're absolutely welcome.