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I have narrowed it down to two places to live and start my life anew. I have to decide where I want to move in the next 20 days!!
--Moving from KY. I will have a job at both places for about $47K in Tucson and $48K in Portland!
--I will be at either place for 3 years!!** So even if I absolutely hate it, I will grit my teeth and bear it. <-----I would like to avoid that and perhaps make lasting connections in either place.**
--I am 27, RECENTLY single, with an ex who is moving to Portland (a little awkward, but I have to look out for my career and don't care if she is moving there).
--I have friends in Tucson and have been there many times. Been to Tucson in the summer...was brutal, but my friends car did not have A/C neither did his house. I have only been to Portland once (Dec 2010) and stayed there for 4-5 days. I did get a pretty good idea of the town, but limited scope of the weather. I made it out to Mt. Hood and the gorge...was stunned at both.
--**I am starting my life after school, SINGLE, first time in a salaried position. I am prepared to have a good attitude and am very friendly and inviting. I am open to new experiences and new people. I am in the process of growing up and have been learning much. I am in no rush to get into a relationship, but signs of hope are appreciated...a city with educated women would be nice..lol **
(excuse the PDX shorthand for Portland )
PORTLAND:
I feel like Portland is a better city than Tucson. It seems to have more educated folks, more access to nature, great public transport, bigger population, and more access to cultural events such as the ballet, music in general, etc. It has nice pockets of neighborhoods. Incredibly lively downtown. Lush lush lush and perfect summers. Great restaurants and microbreweries. I think I could spend about $700-1000 there for a nice cozy apt. with great amenities (new appliances, washer/dryer/etc).
Things I could learn while in Portland - Hiking, camping, river stuff...white water rafting/fishing, etc.
Portland is also only 2-3 hours away from Seattle...a nice megapolis.
I would definitely move to Portland except for these concerns that I had and some are brought up/complained about on the boards.
====Concerns:====
- Weather - of course...I am a SAD sufferer for sure. This may be overcome by my love of vegetation and scenery. I was blown away by the gorge. I would definitely miss the sun outside of the summer. I think my ideal weather is San Diego (now that I think of it, SD weather in PDX would be great! lol but I digress) I like to play tennis and soccer. I would like to run outside. These activities seem like they would be inhibited.
- Homeless - Not an issue for me. I will be in health care and treating a lot of the homeless.
- Economy - Not an issue. I am guaranteed a job for the next 3 years.
- Crime - I think I can live in a decent part of town and not have to worry about crime with my salary
- Lack of diversity - would be missing out on the mexicano culture in Portland. Not much diversity there.
- Career Opportunities - Tucson would probably put me in a better place for career placement 3 years from now. However, I am not at a huge disadvantage with Portland and will have made many connections there for jobs. But Tucson would open up more doors like I mentioned.
TUCSON:
Though not as progressive and eclectic as PDX, Tucson has its own charm of cowboy culture meets resort town and snowbird mecca. Set in the craggily desert basin of the Catalinas, it has 300+ days of sunshine. I could play soccer, tennis, golf, and run outside pretty much everyday. It is primarily centered around UofA and not much cultural activities are abound. I can enjoy the warm weather/lack of snow, Sonoran food, and perhaps swimming. I feel like $700-1000 apt in Tucson would push me out of the "core" (being UofA/Sam Hughes/Downtown) area and would give me a bland suburbian apartment. Some character in the housing would be nice (modern/hip, rustic, etc)...A/C would be a must.
My future career prospects are a bit better coming from my job in Tucson are a bit better!
Tucson is only 2 hrs from Phoenix (a city I am not really fond of) but would be fun to go to a concert, Suns/Diamondbacks game.
Things I could learn in Tucson - Spanish, Horse back riding, golf, and indoor gardening (mentioned below)
====Concerns:====
- Water and Vegetation - I know I will miss both. Not that I would get on the river in my city...or ever have, but I like dew on grass, wet trees, and little lakes. I know Tucson lacks this as it is in the desert. I want to know how many have moved out just because they couldn't deal with the environment. As mentioned above, even if I don't fall in love with the desert surroundings, I could convince myself of the beauty otherwise. One of my biggest hobbies I suspect will be maintaining a house full of plants.
- Weather - I think I will be OK in tolerating the weather. I will be moving in late June and will be there for the brutal months of July and August. Things should get better after that and I think I will be just fine in the winter wearing a fleece in the morning and nothing in the afternoons. I will just have to adjust my schedule for things in the summer (late night tennis, running, soccer, etc.) Does anyone ever get bugged out by the extreme amount of sunshine here? Ever want a few cloudy days? Or does the monsoon season suffice?
- Crime - I think I will live in an OK neighborhood with my budget and don't mess with drugs/criminal activity, so I suspect I will be ok.
- Isolation - I think I will be ok with flying to SD once in a while and going to Puerto Penasco a few times. I would not be adversed to that. I think I will be OK with that.
Given my situation with career, a failed romance, need for something new, get away from parents, establishing independence, need for an adventure, passion to learn <---------NEED FOR A NEW LIFE.
I am leaning towards Tucson....but feel as though I am going to waste my late SINGLE 20s in a slow paced conservative desert town instead of a more well established green liberal city. But then again my career opportunities may be more viable through Tucson due to the University.
I am lucky to even have a job in this economic climate, and very lucky to even have the option of moving. I know this is just a forum, but it is good to get perspectives from everyone!
I would appreciate the perspectives on what will set my trajectory for a while!
Do you want to live in the desert? Are you liberal? You mentioned SAD, how do you know?
To try and be helpful, I could mention I tried living in the desert for awhile. It wasn't for me. People seemed to move slower, there didn't seem to be much energy in anyone. Their faces looked like leather(to me) and even I got chapped lips. I didn't like the straight drives and roads at all either. But if you suffer from SAD, well..
Do you want to live in the desert? Are you liberal? You mentioned SAD, how do you know?
To try and be helpful, I could mention I tried living in the desert for awhile. It wasn't for me. People seemed to move slower, there didn't seem to be much energy in anyone. Their faces looked like leather(to me) and even I got chapped lips. I didn't like the straight drives and roads at all either. But if you suffer from SAD, well..
I guess I had to try both.
I don't want to live in the desert per say, but can appreciate the beauty of the desert. I will be avoiding the midwest snow...that is important to me. I am just wondering if it is worth "trying" it...it will definitely be for 3 years though at the least.
I do not like dark dreary days here in the midwest. I do tend to get a little down in the winter. I would love to get some fresh air everyday...hard to motivate oneself in the winter here in the midwest. But as I mentioned, I can see how the constant sunshine could get annoying also...
I feel like I am 27...young? and living in Tucson, even if I end up having a horrible time, it will just be a "blip" in my life?
So confused.
Thanks ryant....I am worried about the same things you did not enjoy.
Well, today is topping out at 40 degrees and overcast in downtown Portland. A little windy, but not raining. Sunset is at 5:15 today (5:56 in Tucson, 5:59 in Lexington, KY).
Would you run in the dark after work at 5:45pm? How about if it's raining? 35-40 degrees? Would you consider going to a gym? Will you be able to run on your lunch hour (if you're working a standard 8 to 5)? It's easier to run as the sun is setting behind the saguaro in Tucson this time of year. How about in August when it's still 103 at 6pm? In Portland it might be 83 degrees.
In a way you couldn't have picked two more different places. Just about the only thing they have in common is they share the same time zone 7 months out of the year.
I can tell you there are a lot of outdoorspeople here in Portland. I would venture to say there are more here than in Tucson. We figure out a way to do it even with the weather and short days.
Well, today is topping out at 40 degrees and overcast in downtown Portland. A little windy, but not raining. Sunset is at 5:15 today (5:56 in Tucson, 5:59 in Lexington, KY).
Would you run in the dark after work at 5:45pm? How about if it's raining? 35-40 degrees? Would you consider going to a gym? Will you be able to run on your lunch hour (if you're working a standard 8 to 5)? It's easier to run as the sun is setting behind the saguaro in Tucson this time of year. How about in August when it's still 103 at 6pm? In Portland it might be 83 degrees.
In a way you couldn't have picked two more different places. Just about the only thing they have in common is they share the same time zone 7 months out of the year.
I can tell you there are a lot of outdoorspeople here in Portland. I would venture to say there are more here than in Tucson. We figure out a way to do it even with the weather and short days.
Thanks for the perspective! It helps!
I would not run in 35-40 degree weather...especially if dark and raining. I would go to the gym instead.
It is freezing in KY today and am headed to the gym soon.
So what do people do in Tucson in August "when its still 103 at 6 pm" ? Do they go to the gym to run or do they run late in the eve/early in the morning?
I know I couldn't have picked two more different places...it sucks...lol
I guess there isn't much camping in the desert.
I am so confused....keep the ideas flowing! Big decisions to be made!
I like the look of the desert but even when we went to Bend for the weekend my eyes start wandering west to the cascades.
I initially moved from Minnesota when I was 28(4 years ago) after being married to and with a girl for 10 years so kind of the same situation. I'm never going back to Minnesota. I knew that after the first summer here when me and my cousin had the time of our lives. Parties, outdoors, camping, the people here, I love it. When I got laid off I thought I'd move, excited again about seeing a new place. A sinking feeling crept in when I staying at a friends place that last night here, hearing the rain a little it came to mind what a comfortable city, and what a great and wild ride it had been. I knew it was a mistake even when driving away. I'm just glad I was able to come back to Oregon.
People party in Tucson right? lol
Some outdoor activities here...mountain hiking...
No camping in the desert?
Your future career should absolutely be foremost in your decision. If Tucson gives you better long term career possibilities then go to Tucson. Same for Portland if that career path is better.
Both areas have the same weather. Portland has 3 months of terrible weather, 3 months of poor weather and 6 months of nice weather. So does Tucson. How do you want the misery served to you? (hot or cold/wet/gloomy)
If you have SAD then you'll hate Portland from Nov. - May.
Actually, when I was in the desert it was out here in the high desert in Redmond. I still counted it as living here(for about 3 years now). The drive I mentioned is when I was going to DC. I'm not sure about Tucson, but people don't party in Redmond like they do here : )
Well, coming from a Tucson native (but currently in the PHX Metro) my vote is for Portland. I do have to point out a few areas in which I think you may have a skewed idea of Tucson. The downtown/4th Street/University areas are quite artsy and bohemian, just not on a par with Portland's weirdness from what I understand. I think you might be pleasantly surprised with the many cultural activities in Tucson, though most of them are Native or Hispanic heritage centered. UoA does have a really great theater venue (Wicked is playing there, now) and there are many places to go hear live music. As for bland suburban housing...what part of Tucson was your stay limited to??! Check out Broadway or Speedway and any of the older areas of town and you never know what you will find. A pink house with metal sculpture out front? A shop with a completely mosaic covered front entrance? Quirky front yards with off-beat statuary? You never know! Having said all that...
You mention being able to do your outdoor activities all year round. Tucson may not get quite as hot as Phoenix, but allow me to suggest that you probably won't want to be doing anything very physically engaging out of doors from about May to September (unless you get up really early to do it). Those months are excellent for swimming, however!
While you might be under the impression that Portland does not have as much to offer in terms of things to do, I would just throw out there that it seems like there are more options if you live in Portland. For example, Seattle is not too far to drive to for a day trip, there is the close proximity of the ocean to consider, there are excellent parks (including the largest urban wilderness in America, I believe) and an abundance of winter activities. In Tucson, your only real option for travel is to go up to Phoenix. Sure, there are little towns to visit, such as Tombstone, Bisbee, Clifton, and many others. There are also some wineries down in the Southern part of the state, as well as pick-your-own orchards and farms, but I suspect those can also be found in Oregon to a much greater degree. Mt Lemon to the north of Tucson is beautiful, but cannot always be counted on for great skiing. You will have to drive a minimum of 4 hours to get to any decent ski areas in the north and central portions of Arizona. Of course, I don't know how far from Portland the nearest good skiing can be found.
I know I have rambled a bit and I'm sorry about that! I'm a desert native desperate to get out of the heat and away from the scorpions.
From what I have been told, Portland sounds like a friendlier place. Years ago, before the ridiculous influx of out-of-staters, my city had a much slower pace of life. There are laws that prevent a freeway ever going through town. This was fine, before all the Californians and Illinois folks started showing up. Now they all want Tucson to look jacked-up, just like where they come from, with roads ripped up and neighborhoods bisected in order to construct another freeway that will be just as congested as the roads they are currently forced to travel. Be aware, 'rush-hour' and driving around in general can be a real pain in the butt. Anyhow, these days people are in too much of a hurry to get to know each other. The city is friendlier than where I live now (and by this I don't mean to imply that people are jerks, just that they look at you like a weird-o if you start talking to them at the store or waiting for a table at a restaurant. People just seem more reclusive out here.) but it has it's troubles. Oh, and did I mention that meth and smuggling are pretty big problems?
If you choose Tucson, I am sure you will find it a fine place to live. But, like everywhere, it has it's pluses and minuses. Personally, I vote for Portland! Even though it may be cold and rainy, you can still go for a run without succumbing to heat stroke!
Your future career should absolutely be foremost in your decision. If Tucson gives you better long term career possibilities then go to Tucson. Same for Portland if that career path is better.
Both areas have the same weather. Portland has 3 months of terrible weather, 3 months of poor weather and 6 months of nice weather. So does Tucson. How do you want the misery served to you? (hot or cold/wet/gloomy)
If you have SAD then you'll hate Portland from Nov. - May.
I was thinking the same thing davefr....guess I should look out for my future career right?
I would open more doors from Tucson.
I think I do have some mild SAD.
But what else in PDX sucks? LOL...I need to do 3 years in AZ.
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