Pretty sure I want to move to Portland but... (little help?) (Phoenix: fit in, how much) - Oregon (OR) - City-Data Forum

Oldtimer1985 · 08-11-2009, 09:33 AM

Hello, hello,

Just joined city-data for the explicit purpose of making this thread so hopefully it will be productive!

My wife and I are in our mid-twenties (24 and 25 respectively) and after 20-some-odd years of being born and raised in Phoenix we are absolutely fed-up with it and looking to re-locate (seriously, if you are thinking about moving here DON'T, it's terrible in every conceivable way -- it's the Wal-Mart of cities).

We've narrowed our search down to either Portland, Seattle, or Montreal -- going to get out of the desert once and for all! After a little research I'm pretty sure Portland is the town for us but before we go and scope it out in Oct. I want to hear, both the good and the bad, from people with experience.

But first, a little background info on us. First and foremost the job situation isn't of real concern to us; I have an e-business and I do free-lance consulting work all-over the place which keeps us pretty independent of the local economy. We're more concerned with the social scene -- we're two fiercely liberal artistic/creative types, she music I film. We want to be in a place with that mind-set but we also want to avoid a place that's self-righteous about it (i.e. San Fran), we just want to fit in and be ourselves without making a big hoopla about it. We want to get away from the big-box stores and chains that choke Phoenix and find a real community where the dollar I spend goes to my neighbor. We want to get away from this car culture and find a walkable city where we can bike and rely on public transit. We want activities at night besides going to the multiplex and eating at the Olive-garden

But most of all, we want a place were we can find friends! Here in Phoenix if you aren't meeting friends through work or church then you are pretty much out of the cities "social-scene" since I'm self-employed and we aren't exactly church-goers we've gotten pretty lonely over the years. How hard is it to meet new people and make new friends in Portland? Some people tell me, among other things, it's pretty closed off, is this true?

So given all the above, would Portland be a good home for us? And if so what areas would you recommend looking in for homes (we'd like to keep it pretty urban)?

Sorry for the long post, again, we've both lived in Phoenix so this move is a pretty big deal and we want to make sure we do it right. Thank you so much for reading and I can't wait to hear from all of you! Any info is much appreciated!

P.S. We do want to have a child in the next few years so I'm curious what the scene might be like for that. Schools good? What about private schools? My main concern is safety, I want our kid to be able to walk around and explore the city freely without having to worry that they'll get stabbed the way it is here.

Lilly12103 · 08-11-2009, 10:51 AM

I'll speak to the only thing I'm qualified to answer in your post- making friends. There is an article in the Oregonian today about co-rec sports in Portland, and how about 50% of the population here is from somewhere else. My husband and I moved out here with a similar situation, and have had no issues making friends. I think it's the same as any place you go to, if you are friendly and make a reasonable effort- join a club/sports team/volunteer/whatever you will find like minded people to hang out with beyond church or work. I rarely ever drive because the public transit system is great, and there are so many options that you don't have to eat or drink at a chain restaurant again if you don't want to.

As for cons, it rains, A LOT here. Seriously, I'm from the midwest and I'm used to extremes in weather, but come June when it is still raining every day... yeah, it gets old. You'll like the break from the desert, but it might be a shock to your system when you don't see the sun for a few months.

Rob Allen · 08-11-2009, 12:35 PM

You belong in Portland. Look in Southeast first, then Northeast and Northwest.

Élan vital · 08-11-2009, 03:23 PM

seems like the area would be a good fit for you.
As for all the rain mentioned...........I guess my neighborhood has a built in umbrella somewhere in the sky because I haven't seen a drop of rain in many,many,many weeks.

Lilly12103 · 08-11-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamWeavin

seems like the area would be a good fit for you.
As for all the rain mentioned...........I guess my neighborhood has a built in umbrella somewhere in the sky because I haven't seen a drop of rain in many,many,many weeks.

Uh, yeah, because it's summer.

Osprey2 · 08-11-2009, 04:36 PM

My wife and I moved to Portland 3 years ago from Zurich (2yrs) and Colorado (5+). We both work and live downtown and love Portland. You don't need a car to get around the city, the coast or skiing are 1.5 hrs away, great wine country, tons of art and culture, nice folks. I know what you mean about Phoenix - I did a stint there for 2 months.

PhxNative09 · 08-11-2009, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldtimer1985

Hello, hello,

Just joined city-data for the explicit purpose of making this thread so hopefully it will be productive!

My wife and I are in our mid-twenties (24 and 25 respectively) and after 20-some-odd years of being born and raised in Phoenix we are absolutely fed-up with it and looking to re-locate (seriously, if you are thinking about moving here DON'T, it's terrible in every conceivable way -- it's the Wal-Mart of cities).

(snip snip to shorten the length here)

I cannot express how much I relate to your situation. Our personal descriptions closely match, with the exception of what we do for a living. We'll be up in the PNW within a month or two. Yes, it's the right place for you as long as you don't have any fondness for the amount of sun you get in Phx.

Go for it!

PhxNative09 · 08-11-2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Osprey2

My wife and I moved to Portland 3 years ago from Zurich (2yrs) and Colorado (5+). We both work and live downtown and love Portland. You don't need a car to get around the city, the coast or skiing are 1.5 hrs away, great wine country, tons of art and culture, nice folks. I know what you mean about Phoenix - I did a stint there for 2 months.

Not to hijack the thread, but...

Zurich is an absolutely wonderful city if you can afford it. Having lived there and now living in Portland, how would compare and contrast the two?

Does Mt. Hood even begin to compare to the alps?

Élan vital · 08-11-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lilly12103

Uh, yeah, because it's summer.

LOL---you said,"As for cons, it rains, A LOT here. Seriously, I'm from the midwest and I'm used to extremes in weather, but come June when it is still raining every day... yeah, it gets old. You'll like the break from the desert, but it might be a shock to your system when you don't see the sun for a few months.
Rained today for the first time since the first of June and it's not a hard rain.....very nice

why do people complain about rain anyway? It's the friggen sunshine that annoys me

Oldtimer1985 · 08-12-2009, 10:08 AM

Thank you so much for the responses! Glad to here there are plenty of activities to get involved with! REALLY getting excited now!!!!