To Those Considering Moving to Portland (buying a house, buying, good schools)
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To the people who are considering moving to Portland what do you hope to find in Portland that you can't find in your own city? Are you concerned about finding a good job, the right community and fitting in to Portland's culture? What will you do if things don't work out? Thanks......
I'm craving a change in scenery and Oregon looks simply beautiful! I've lived in Kansas my entire, young life and though I have found beauty in some local state parks and lakes, I'm looking for something a little more adventurous. I'm a beginning yogi, and am anxious to expand my horizons by moving to a new environment, like Portland. I'm not too concerned with finding the perfect job right away... anything to get me by. (Which is nothing like the lifestyle I'm living at the moment....my job has unfortunately become all I know lately). Music is my guiding light, and was the first thing I investigated when it came to moving away from my little musical haven of Lawrence, KS... Portland seems to always have some great shows coming through and the music festivals are plentiful on the west coast in the summertime. After some way-too-in-depth financial planning, I've set a goal to live in Portland by next June!
And if things don't work out... at least I can say that I tried
I'm craving a change in scenery and Oregon looks simply beautiful! I've lived in Kansas my entire, young life and though I have found beauty in some local state parks and lakes, I'm looking for something a little more adventurous. I'm a beginning yogi, and am anxious to expand my horizons by moving to a new environment, like Portland. I'm not too concerned with finding the perfect job right away... anything to get me by. (Which is nothing like the lifestyle I'm living at the moment....my job has unfortunately become all I know lately). Music is my guiding light, and was the first thing I investigated when it came to moving away from my little musical haven of Lawrence, KS... Portland seems to always have some great shows coming through and the music festivals are plentiful on the west coast in the summertime. After some way-too-in-depth financial planning, I've set a goal to live in Portland by next June!
And if things don't work out... at least I can say that I tried
I don't know how old you are but I would like to kindly suggest that your financially prepared prior to relocating to a new city. You sound like you have some inspiring views with regard to music/tranquility. I sincerely hope that you find what you're looking for in Portland. It's a city, based on my research, which offers a strong and diverse music scene plus much scenic beauty. A lot will depend on how you plan to apply your music. Have you investigated other cities as well or are your strictly focused on Portland?
I understand, it's a different picture when other people are involved and you have to compromise on a location. I think you would be VERY HAPPY in Chicago. I have been all across the U.S. trying to get a feel for different cities, culture, arts, dining etc... and was very pleased with Chicago. Specifically because it's one of the few cities left where the cost of living hasn't bolstered through the roof. In fact Chicago appears to be on par if not slightly cheaper than Portland. Seattle is approximately 20% more expensive than both cities. I'm an URBAN person so I look for big cities with character. The only drawback to big city life is masses of people which I'm not to fond off but the trade-off is more than worth it given the resources at your disposal. I noticed that you highlighted restaurants as being very important, you must love to eat I understand Portland has a diverse selection of little mom and pop restaurants that cater to select cuisines. It just might have what you're looking for. Have you ever been there before?
Haha, yes I do love to eat. But I like to eat good food, not McDonalds or Applebee's, and I try to eat as much organic and fresh food as possible. I also love ethnic food. Sadly, Indy is a chain-restaurant mecca...yuk!
I have never been to Portland, but am visiting the first week of November. I am very excited about it.
Haha, yes I do love to eat. But I like to eat good food, not McDonalds or Applebee's, and I try to eat as much organic and fresh food as possible. I also love ethnic food. Sadly, Indy is a chain-restaurant mecca...yuk!
I have never been to Portland, but am visiting the first week of November. I am very excited about it.
Most people enjoy eating Some prefer fast food and others prefer to eat healthier. I'm like you and try to eat as healthy as possible. I'm a big advocate of organic produce and don't care to much for processed foods with artificial additives. Ethnic food offers good variety and a fantastic experience in culture. Eating McDonalds or Burger King is something that I would do as a last resort What type of ethnic food do you enjoy?
I want to live and work in a city with good public transportation, independent businesses, lots of stuff to do, and an actual sense of place...the suburbs in Delaware are really not all that different from the suburbs of anywhere else. I would love for my wife and I to sell one (or maybe even both) of our cars and not even miss it.
I also l like that the city is at least trying to curtail sprawl which for me is the most depressing thing about not living in an urban center. Think about it....an entire nation of track housing and traffic jams. Yuck.
Since my wife and I are both teachers obviously a big part of our concern is employment and despite the fact that nobody responded to my post(ahem), I still have recieved good advice from teachers in Portland just by sending out emails...a good sign that people can be helpful.
Most people enjoy eating Some prefer fast food and others prefer to eat healthier. I'm like you and try to eat as healthy as possible. I'm a big advocate of organic produce and don't care to much for processed foods with artificial additives. Ethnic food offers good variety and a fantastic experience in culture. Eating McDonalds or Burger King is something that I would do as a last resort What type of ethnic food do you enjoy?
Like you I dislike processed food and avoid it as much as possible (which can be difficult sometimes, and much more expensive...although I think my body will thank me later).
I like all types of ethnic food. I love Thai food. It uses very light and fresh sauces compared to Chinese and Indian cuisine. Although, I also love my Indian cuisine as well. I could eat Chicken Tikka Masala everyday. I lke Chinese food, although I feel though I have never actually had "real" chinese food. And if I did, I wouldn't like it. I very much enjoy the freshness of Japanese food and I like sushi a lot.
Besides East Asian cuisine, I love Italian (who doesn't?). But its not the pasta that I enjoy (Italian food is so much more than just pasta), its the fresh herbs and vegetables that Italians use in their dishes. They also have such wonderful combinations of flavors that everything is delicious.
I also love Mediterranean food, encompassing Greek, Egyptian, a little Italian, and a little Middle Eastern influences.
The don't get into French food as much because a lot of it is cream based (although I love their vino). I haven't had a lot of Spanish food, although it seems very pork-based, which I am not as much into. But I would like to try more.
I guess the moral of the story is that I like food, all food, a lot!
I want to live and work in a city with good public transportation, independent businesses, lots of stuff to do, and an actual sense of place...the suburbs in Delaware are really not all that different from the suburbs of anywhere else. I would love for my wife and I to sell one (or maybe even both) of our cars and not even miss it.
I also l like that the city is at least trying to curtail sprawl which for me is the most depressing thing about not living in an urban center. Think about it....an entire nation of track housing and traffic jams. Yuck.
Since my wife and I are both teachers obviously a big part of our concern is employment and despite the fact that nobody responded to my post(ahem), I still have recieved good advice from teachers in Portland just by sending out emails...a good sign that people can be helpful.
Well, you can certainly get rid of your cars if you're planning on moving to Portland. The MAX/Streetcar/Bus are very realible, especially if you're downtown and not way out in the suburbs. To me, from my research, Portland doesn't appear to be a city, some would agree and many have disagreed but I still find it to be a small town. When I think city I think LA, NY or Chicago, granted it doesn't have to be that size but should have similar elements in it (on a smaller scale.) I searched long and hard for this and while Portland has some of those things it's still very much a developing city.
I'm in complete agreement and know (from experience) how tedious life in the suburban sprawl can be. It's good to get away from people/masses which is the main reason people move to the burbs, but at the same time long commutes in to town, work, traffice hassles and having no resources at your disposal can be frustrating. You'll be a stranger living in both the city or the suburbs but at least the city offers you far greater opportunities to connect with the right people, have resources, variety, parks, entertainment, clubs etc... Cities have something for everyone regardless of age
You have a right to be concerned about employment and it certainly is a major concern in Portland. Jobs don't come easy and the competition is fierce. Teacher demand varies from city to city and some are retiring but also keep in mind that many recent graduates are ready to step up to the plate.....
I don't know how old you are but I would like to kindly suggest that your financially prepared prior to relocating to a new city. You sound like you have some inspiring views with regard to music/tranquility. I sincerely hope that you find what you're looking for in Portland. It's a city, based on my research, which offers a strong and diverse music scene plus much scenic beauty. A lot will depend on how you plan to apply your music. Have you investigated other cities as well or are your strictly focused on Portland?
I'm almost 22, with a nice little salaried position that has made the thought of relocating possible. I've been planning for a long while I've looked at a few other places... spent a week in Austin, a week in Denver... though those are great cities, I know some folks from Portland and it really sounds like my type of place. I'm spending some time there in November to see if it's my cup of tea, but I'm quite optimistic! Though I dabble in music on the side, it is not what I do for a living. I'm just an adament follower of bands, festivals... with an office job on the side Thanks for the kind words!
To me , it's a perfect sized city. It has everything and that small villages feel. Who wants a bunch of tall buildings when you can have tall trees surrounding you?
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I understand Portland has a diverse selection of little mom and pop restaurants that cater to select cuisines. It just might have what you're looking for. Have you ever been there before?
