Anyone in here from NY/NJ that lives in Seattle now?

[pwright1]

Originally Posted by goldengrain

PWright, I have read so many comments about the typical Seattle personality being akin to members of high school cliques, that it's beginning to seem like an issue. I have always been involved in one activity or another and, seeing people on this regular basis, naturally made friends. Did you find Seattlites to have a peculiar attitude when you first arrived? I don't like being 'buddies' with someone until I have been with them for a bit and can observe what I'm dealing with, but I think that's a normal, human reaction.

I can understand that the weather may make people more introspective, bringing out the best in creative people (look at all those authors from the area, and your positively inspired photography!), but maybe others, when they look inside, don't like what they see there and so get peculiar personality traits for some reason?

Do you think there is a particular 'Seattle' personality that makes people hard to relate to?

What I find interesting is most of my friends here in Seattle are from somewhere else. Some born Washingtonians still can't except the fact that Seattle is growing into a large worldly metropolitan area with people moving here from all over the world. I have neighbors from Tokyo, Boston, L.A. and Kingston Jamaica who are all very cool. My one native neighbor across the street constantly complains about how aweful Seattle is now. She is very anti-social. We tried inviting her to social gatherings to no avail. How on earth can people expect things to stay the same? I still find the coldness of people more prevalent back in Jersey and D.C. Its like night and day imo.

[violetbeauregarde]

No, I wasn't expecting NYC. In fact, I was looking for a much simpler way of life, a slower pace, etc. I just don't think I was prepared for just how different it was going to be. Finding a job was exceedingly difficult (and I'm willing to do just about anything! And I have good administrative experience). For my partner, the job search has been horrid--and he's in education. Another friend of ours moved here and hasn't been able to get a job either, and she is a Registered Nurse.

I think we mainly thought that it would be a little more urban than it is. Like I said, we weren't expecting NYC, but we weren't quite prepared.

[41Willys]

Originally Posted by violetbeauregarde

No, I wasn't expecting NYC. In fact, I was looking for a much simpler way of life, a slower pace, etc. I just don't think I was prepared for just how different it was going to be. Finding a job was exceedingly difficult (and I'm willing to do just about anything! And I have good administrative experience). For my partner, the job search has been horrid--and he's in education. Another friend of ours moved here and hasn't been able to get a job either, and she is a Registered Nurse.

I think we mainly thought that it would be a little more urban than it is. Like I said, we weren't expecting NYC, but we weren't quite prepared.

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm not sure I understand when you say " I just don't think I was prepared for just how different it was going to be".
How so?

[goldengrain]

Originally Posted by pwright1

What I find interesting is most of my friends here in Seattle are from somewhere else. Some born Washingtonians still can't except the fact that Seattle is growing into a large worldly metropolitan area with people moving here from all over the world. I have neighbors from Tokyo, Boston, L.A. and Kingston Jamaica who are all very cool. My one native neighbor across the street constantly complains about how aweful Seattle is now. She is very anti-social. We tried inviting her to social gatherings to no avail. How on earth can people expect things to stay the same? I still find the coldness of people more prevalent back in Jersey and D.C. Its like night and day imo.

Ok. It makes sense that many of the 'transplants' would find each other. I was hoping for that. Although we will miss the peace outside of our house, and all the trees, it seems as though home repair and garden work are major topics of conversation out here. It appears that city life offers more activities and more interesting people. I know anti-social. My mom was that way. Set in her ways of thinking and not wanting to be exposed to people who she might like who thought differently than her.

I think life is a moving thing. You cannot really stay the same. Either you adapt to new circumstances, are willing to change, or you end up going backwards.

Thanks for the response, and though you just have to be tired of it, thanks for the pictures.