Anyone move to portland to find themselves... (how much, living)

[Minervah]

I don't think someone can "find" themsleves in a place in which they were never lost to begin with.

But they can make a fresh start meeting new people and doing new things. Sometimes a new place will bring out new aspects of their
personality they may not have even known they had.

I was kind of introverted when I first moved here but learned quickly that no one was going to welcome me as a newcomer without my making the first move. I learned how to be more outgoing and friendly with very good consequences: new and good friends in a good place.

A new location in itself won't necessarily change someone's life but it will give them a different stage in which to set it up.

[soonmoving1]

Originally Posted by SyraBrian

I agree with you. There's always time for a "do-over".

For the last six months, I've been using the internet to lead a "one foot in Syracuse, one foot in Portland" existence. Eventually, both feet are going to have to stand in the same city.

haha! good luck man.

[soonmoving1]

Originally Posted by Minervah

I don't think someone can "find" themsleves in a place in which they were never lost to begin with.

But they can make a fresh start meeting new people and doing new things. Sometimes a new place will bring out new aspects of their
personality they may not have even known they had.

I was kind of introverted when I first moved here but learned quickly that no one was going to welcome me as a newcomer without my making the first move. I learned how to be more outgoing and friendly with very good consequences: new and good friends in a good place.

A new location in itself won't necessarily change someone's life but it will give them a different stage in which to set it up.

Thanks for this wonderful advice.

[Fiddlehead]

A small edit: Has anyone NOT moved to Portland to find themselves?

[soonmoving1]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

A small edit: Has anyone NOT moved to Portland to find themselves?

where else are you going to find yourself? I thought Portland IS the place for that!

[cosmicjoke]

Originally Posted by UrbanAdventurer

True, but you can never totally discount the effects of time and place. They do have the ability to alter your attitudes and behaviors.

Agreed. I suspect all places and cultures reveal some truths and hide others, relocating or traveling presents an excellent opportunity to rearrange your reality tunnel.

[cosmicjoke]

Originally Posted by karlsch

It's been a while since I posted this link to America's Finest News Source:

Moving To New City To Solve All Of Area Man's Problems | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

Bwahaha, gotta love zee onion...

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

A small edit: Has anyone NOT moved to Portland to find themselves?

Ha, ha. Me. I received a job offer involving a transfer from the Chicago company I was working for I could not refuse. I had visited Portland, Eugene and Seattle previously and liked the PNW a lot.

I really wasn't running away from something but towards something new and different.

I think it was for the adventure more than anything else. Of course, it didn't hurt to be able to put 2000 miles between myself and my pest of an ex-husband.

[imphouse]

Originally Posted by HonuMan

The ostensible reasons that I left Atlanta after 25 years were that it had become too big, sprawling, and congested. Traffic was a nightmare, air pollution had become a problem, and I never liked the hot, humid summers. Also, Atlanta had always seemed to me to lack a recognizable character -- unlike, say, Charleston or Savannah. Too much of Atlanta had been bulldozed during the 1960s and replaced with office towers. Finally, I've always loved spectacular scenery, and I've always loved the ocean and wanted to be near it. North Georgia to me is pretty but not spectacular, and the ocean is almost five hours away.

Seattle had the spectacular scenery, and was on a large body of water if not an ocean, but the size, sprawl, congestion, traffic, and "office tower" feeling reminded me too much of Atlanta. Little things, like finding a place to park, could be a pain, and the city was difficult to navigate, especially in heavy traffic. Finally, it was more expensive than Atlanta. I was at the point in my life when I wanted to buy a house, and housing prices were just above my budget range.

Several people suggested I check out Portland. I made a couple of scouting trips, and it immediately felt right. It was definitely a city, which I wanted because I like the cultural diversity that you can only find in a city. But it was a small city, easy to navigate, and it didn't feel frenetic or claustrophobic to me. While Seattle was in a more spectacular setting, on Elliot Bay, and with mountain ranges to the east and west, I liked how all the old buildings in Portland had been preserved, and I liked the bridges on the Willamette River. I still think it's a beautiful city, especially at night. It has character to spare, at least for my tastes. I liked how everything was less expensive than in Seattle, and I was able to afford a house. I liked the fact that, due to the urban growth boundary, it was easy and fast to get out into the country. I liked all the parks and urban art, something that Atlanta didn't have much of when I left. I liked how walkable the city is, thanks in part to the half-size city blocks. (Atlanta is one of the least-walkable major cities.) I liked the green/liberal/funky vibe, even though it's easy to make fun of and can be obnoxious when it's extreme. The longer I lived here, the more I knew that Portland indeed had all the "city things" I wanted: a wide variety of ethnic restaurants, a good local music scene, art galleries, events, special-interest organizations and activities, shopping, etc.

As I mentioned, I also worked through the personal issues that had made me restless and increasingly unhappy as I approached middle age. They centered on wanting the perfect job, the perfect place to live, the perfect wife, and wanting to be happy and fulfilled 24/7 -- and always being disappointed that nothing was ever perfect. I realized that I'd been putting my life on hold, because I was always waiting for something better to come along. Once I learned to accept that nothing is perfect (including myself), and that everything involves trade-offs, I was able to relax and be grateful for the good things in my life. In retrospect, the catalyst for me was that Portland was indeed better suited to my particular tastes than Atlanta or Seattle. The "Portland honeymoon" never wore off for me. Sometimes I'd like to live elsewhere, for a change of scenery -- Hawaii, Europe, SE Asia -- but with the idea that it would be different, not better.

To answer your original question: Yes, I do like Seattle more now. But I never disliked it -- it was just, well, disappointing to me when I moved there, and I quickly fell into my old pattern of wanting something better. I sometimes wish I'd given Seattle more of a chance than I did, but moving to Portland was the right choice for me.

Are we twins separated at birth?? This is exactly (exactly) why I chose Portland, and although I've only been here a short time (about a month, after five separate 8-day visits over the past year), I feel it's already helping me heal and get over some of my neuroses. The city is GREAT for all the reasons you mention.

[AT-AT28]

Born and raised in Montana, im just farking sick of it. I want more of everything and sick of everything here. I'll be there in two weeks to visit and take in the sights and hopefully, I won't be dissapointed. Portland is just always something i've dreamed about the last 11 years and now its time to find out wether thats the truth of reality or not.

I aint moving to Mexifornia, thats for damn sure