I think I want to move here, but need alot of information! (Portland: rent, credit)

[MapleSyrupBasketRide]

Hi
I'm 18 years old and live in Tennessee, and it is NOT the place for me.
I think I would love oregon..but I don't know what parts!!
I love rainy and gloomy, and mountains.
I like cute small towns with little shops and boutiques but still
close to bigger cities, and shopping.
Please help, I plan on coming to visit sometime this next year,
Where should I visit!? What cities will I most likely fall in love with?
What do I need to know about oregon in general?

[Juxtaposition109]

Come visit sometime January through March to get a handle on what the winter's are like. As far as cute towns I'm not sure but you will find lots of neighborhoods that you may like. My ex girlfriend loved Sellwood b/c she always said it was Cute and had lots of cute shops LOL. If your going to be in Portland make sure you visit Washington Park, hopefully you will be able to get a view of Mt Hood from there. The DMV in Oregon can seem really strange to someone from another state. You have to take a computer test and get I believe 28 out of 32 questions correct to get your Oregon DL. Yes you even have to take the test if you already have a DL from another state. Also the Oregon DMV will give you a paper temporary DL and you will get your real official Oregon DL in the mail a couple of weeks later. You also have to have a piece of mail from certain sources to prove your mailing address at the DMV. In Oregon and New Jersey you are not allowed to pump your own gas. This will seem strange to you coming from somewhere that you grew up doing it but you get used to it. You don't need to tip the attendants who pump the gas although they love it when you do and having worked for tips for most of my life I always threw them at least a buck b/c I figured it may brighten their day. Search the Portland, Or Craigslist to get an idea of the rent prices around the city and surrounding towns. Also most jobs that are open for hire are posted on CL. Good luck.

[Nell Plotts]

Let me rain on your parade Maple: if your research of Oregon (or any place for that matter) reflects your questions you aren't ready to leave home on a bicycle. You are too immature to move, you will be taken advantage of by evil people before you cross our state border.

I am a mom and a grandmother and have many years of work experience. You have a lot more growing up to do.

[kapetrich]

Don't listen to the naysayers. Sounds like Tennesse isn't the right place for you. You aught to try something different and see if is something you might like.....and, hey, if you don't you'll be 20 and know what you like and dislike more than ever before.

My suggestion would be to enrolling in school out here - that may keep you focused.

Cities to visit: Portland, Eugene (larger than a college town, but still has a large college atmosphere in parts - large alternative/hippy area, great town), Corvallis (college town), Ashland (small art community in the mountains-ish) and Bend (outdoor adventure area with mountains, skiing, etc.). There a ton other great and interesting towns, these are just the ones with the most notoriety and the biggest populations (some at least), but by no means are ANY of them very big......Portland is the largest city in Oregon, BY FAR.

[MapleSyrupBasketRide]

jux and kape: thanks so much for the responses!
Hopefully I can get out there sometime soon!
You guys helped out so much, and who knows,
I could get out there and hate Oregon,
But its worth a visit right?

Nell: thank you for the advice, (if that's what it was)
But I think I am mature and smart enough to tell
If someone is trying to take advantage of me.
I also believe I know if I'm ready to leave home or not. I'll visit soon!

[Nell Plotts]

Best of luck to you.

[philwithbeard]

I recommend at your stage in looking to move-- you should examine both Seattle, and Portland. More jobs are reported to exist in Seattle. Seattle is rumored, and considered, a town with more Type-A business personalities while Portland is more relaxed and less stressful. YMMV on that. Seattle is, however, a bit further north than Portland.

But you should know, that Portland, and Oregon, is very harsh on unemployed with no money. Period. Everyone has run out of any sympathy due to the large hordes of homeless on the West Coast. In Portland, the hardest jobs to find are the low-skill bottom of the wage scale type jobs. Lots and Lots of other people are looking for those few jobs (part-time and full-time) that do open up.

Oh, and as a side note: Have you ever heard of the Portland Freeze? That is a situation where newbies come to Portland, and discover that many people are friendly for short conversations, but freeze you out from getting to know them as a close friend. Way too many people come to Oregon and the PNW end up leaving after 5,7, 10 years due to the long gray overcast winters. Seems people want to see if you are going to hang around before making you a close friend. This includes people you are romantically attracted to-- friendly, but maybe not be interested in a relationship. Long threads on this forum about singles not finding eligible partners. If you are 18, you have a glimpse of what your biology will crave for a romantic partner when you are 20, 21, 22 etc. Biology urges only get stronger. Not trying to discourage you, .... just saying...

[Minervah]

Could you tell us a bit more about yourself? What are your job skills for example. Will you be going to school? I don't think anyone wants to be mean but you have to realize you have picked a difficult town to survive in because there is so much competition for work. The minimum wage jobs are the toughest to get. So many people come here without a plan and find they are out in the streets.

What is your plan for relocating? Visiting first is a good idea. If you can give more information about yourself and what you are looking for it will be easier for people to recommend a town or city.

One more thing, don't ask if you will "fall in love" with Orgeon. No one can tell you whether or not that will happen. Some things some people love about this state and some things they don't. It's no different from any other place in that respect. You have to decide for yourself.

[MapleSyrupBasketRide]

Ok well like I said I am 18 , female.
I'm looking into relocating because I have lived in tennessee all my life,
Not only am I bored with it here, I really don't think its the right place for me.
The summers are sooo long and hot and humid.
I really don't want to live somewhere 9 months out of the year the temp avgs above 50.
I'm much more of a cold weather kind of person.
I love music, photography, art of any kind.

I am attending a community college right now,
My major is K-6 education but I also plan on getting a business degree, I want to open up a small business.
I think I will probably try to finish up schooling down here
Then if I do decide to move to oregon try to find a job there if work permits..
I don't know what jobs are in demand or whatever there.

Hope this makes it easier

[aroseinrain]

I think the hardest part will be in getting a job, unless you can live on student loans.... ? The hardest jobs to get are the minimum wage restaurant/grocery store/coffee shop type of jobs - and the cost of living is high enough that you really will need a couple of those jobs (unless you favor a few roommates) so that can tend to put a damper on taking full credits at college too. So, unfortunately, it's a hard town to try to start yourself in unless you have connections here to help you out, but it's wonderful to live in if you can pull it off somehow.

One idea is to get a job with a big chain store there (one that's national, like Starbucks) where you are now and then try to get a transfer later. Voila!