Having a hard time in Utah (Lehi, Park City: crimes, job transfer, live)

[dziunia]

I saw your post, and I had to respond because I can definitely relate. I moved to SLC from Rochester, NY just about 2 years ago. Although the people in this city are nice, it's really hard to befriend them, especially if you are not LDS (which i'm not). Most of the time I feel judged because I occasionally have a drink, am very liberal, and am not married (eventhough i live with my longtime b/f).

Adjusting to Utah and finding friends has been quite a feat, so i totally know where you are coming from. Maybe we should start a support group for transplanted New Yorkers..lol!

[cinnabon]

Originally Posted by It's Me Trish

I too am a transplant and I'm having similar problems as described. Where can I find the other Transplants?

Also, if anyone wants to meet up and make new friends, I would love to meet some new people.

Originally Posted by PINAYPIE

Having the same problem as the OP. I'm Asian and non-mormon. It really IS hard to make friends here. Can't wait to move to our next station base and hopefully have better luck there

Originally Posted by Ambi

I absolutely empathize with the OP, and I wish I had some good advice. I'll be relocating to the Ogden area soon for work, and I think friends may be easier to come by there. If anyone lives in the Ogden valley, I'd love to meet some fellow transplants (or Utah natives, I'm not picky!)

I think the OP is long gone, but for everyone else check out: Salt Lake City, UT Meetup Groups - Meetup.com
They have tons of groups for all different interests. I have only been here 9 months, and it is hard to meet people, but I have gone to some of these groups' events and there are some nice people. Everyone is looking for the same thing - new friends!

[LAFrench]

It seems that as time goes on, more and more people are moving to UT.
The move newcomers, the better the diversity, IMHO.

Originally Posted by cinnabon

I think the OP is long gone, but for everyone else check out: Salt Lake City, UT Meetup Groups - Meetup.com
They have tons of groups for all different interests. I have only been here 9 months, and it is hard to meet people, but I have gone to some of these groups' events and there are some nice people. Everyone is looking for the same thing - new friends!

[dcisive]

Yeah except for one primary thing.....more people more congestion. Longer wait times everywhere you go and worse traffic nightmares. Ahhh I long for the days here back in the late 70's when we had all of the conveniences without the hassles. There was NO rush hour or traffic jams. There were NO gangs or graffiti, next to NO crime to speak of, No waits in restaurants, Park City was an hour away on a 2 lane road (the perfect Sunday drive getaway). I could go up Millcreek canyon, pull off the road just a tiny ways and hear nothing but the clean stream, birds and fresh air and not another human in sight. The "country" started at Redwood Road west. Draper was nothing but open fields, South Jordan had a few horse properties and nothing more. When I lived up in East Millcreek in a one level apartment, in my back bedroom window I always got the sweet smell of the canyon breeze at night instead of car exhaust you get now. Ahhhh the memories.....I guess that's all they are now.........

[LAFrench]

Everything was better in the past. But progress comes with a small price.
Try and look at the brighter side of things. It was only until my early 30s that I started to think on the positive side. The negative side will only make you unhappy.
I have never lived there, but I think you still can get that fresh breathe of air, just may to go a bit further. Stay positive!!

[markg91359]

Yeah except for one primary thing.....more people more congestion. Longer wait times everywhere you go and worse traffic nightmares. Ahhh I long for the days here back in the late 70's when we had all of the conveniences without the hassles. There was NO rush hour or traffic jams. There were NO gangs or graffiti, next to NO crime to speak of, No waits in restaurants, Park City was an hour away on a 2 lane road (the perfect Sunday drive getaway). I could go up Millcreek canyon, pull off the road just a tiny ways and hear nothing but the clean stream, birds and fresh air and not another human in sight. The "country" started at Redwood Road west. Draper was nothing but open fields, South Jordan had a few horse properties and nothing more. When I lived up in East Millcreek in a one level apartment, in my back bedroom window I always got the sweet smell of the canyon breeze at night instead of car exhaust you get now. Ahhhh the memories.....I guess that's all they are now........

I hear you. This is the "downside" to living in Utah that few are willing to acknowledge. We've grown from 1,000,000 people in 1970 to almost 3,000,000 currently. That's almost a 300% increase in population.

I still feel that on the balance Utah is a great place to live and I'm a native. My biggest concern is that almost no thought is being given to population growth. Instead there is a sort of "magical thinking" where everyone just imagines that population growth will never be an issue and we won't run out of resources. I feel much better if I felt the majority of Utahns were giving any real thought to this issue at all.

Yeah, Utah is a great state with lots of fun things to do. Because of its size 3,000,000 people can fit here. Yeah, we've built mass transit, the Legacy Highway etc. And you know what? In twenty years, if current growth rates continue it won't matter. We'll be overwhelmed and our air quality will be among the worst in the country.

Its time to talk about a long range solution to the problem of growth.

[irman]

Originally Posted by markg91359

We've grown from 1,000,000 people in 1970 to almost 3,000,000 currently. That's almost a 300% increase in population.

Never gave it a thought until you mentioned it.
When we returned finally after many years of living *all over*, I remember that the population numbers were just under 2M. That was 1991.

[dcisive]

I think this may well have been the first year where the "reality check" of how poor our air quality actually is here came to roost. This last winter we were among the areas with the most deadly air quality in the entire country (far worse than good ole' Los Angeles). I had 2 friends succumb to significant health problems resulting directly from this increase in the intensity of how poor our air became this last winter. So you can tell me to look on the bright side, but until people start keeping their cars parked in their garages, and with the increase in commuting/population growth I don't see it being directly addressed, and if it isn't I for one will most definetly be one of those departing for somewhere I can still breath real air..........

[LAFrench]

Since the economy "took a dump", do you notice if the number of newcomers has increased, decreased, or remained the same?
Also, I have noticed that the newer generation(s) do not care for things as we did when I was a kid. Is it just me??

[eggalegga]

It seems like more people are considering moving here as our unemployment rates are lower than most areas. I think people seem to think that we have more jobs available here which might be true relative to where they are coming from, but might not be per capita.

I would say the younger generation doesn't care how much effort it took to acquire certain things and they want it all RIGHT NOW without making sacrifices or taking time to acquire things. They are the immediate gratification generation. I feel they view a lot of things as replaceable/disposable. But they grew up with so many time savings gadgets/opportunities most of which are technology based: Internet, faster home computers, IM, cell phones, MP3 players, cd players, DVD players, cable tv, microwaves, etc. Again, this is just my opinion and I am aware I am making a sweeping generalization.