I think you should consider Portland or the Seattle Puget Sound Area. Portland may be a better fit. An area has to offer career opportunity to match your capability and ambition. You do not state yours other than alternative health care provider.
I'm strongly biased against Spokompton for anyone that wishes to relocate here, so, with that in mind ...
How anyone can advocate relocating to Skumkane to anyone with at least a high school education much less a graduate or better degree is utterly ridiculous.
Consider dog-awful Texas as one giant Spokane. Truly sorry you live in Texas. Not even Austin raises an interest.
This blog, while new, perfect captures why Spookylou is a deleterious bung hole:
Spokane Area Economic Data
Review the articles on employment, education, and failing business community here. The rise of dental caries all of the illiterate white trash drink pop (soda) by the gallon and practice poor hygiene. See how the high school drop out rates have risen.
You don't discuss your career standing or professional field. Spokane is the town of the minimum wage hourly job that may end next hour. In nearly all instances, working at WAL*MART means you may get the best health benefits of any Spokanistan-based company save for the hospitals and health care provider networks like dog-awful Rockwood.
The Puget Sound area from Olympia to Everett is a mixed bag. South Puget Sound is cheap, usually. Again, I can't speak for what career opportunity awaits you there as you don't state career ambitions. Lacey and Olympia are pretty cheap in which to live and you can find employment, usually in government on contracting organization serving WA-state gov. South Tacoma is sketchy yet on a decades long quest to improve itself. It gets pricier and prettier the further North you go culminating in the Redmond-Bellevue-Issaquah nexus of expensive rentals and homes and the hope for that high paying position from which you can build savings.
And the home-grown employers here are just crap. They treat employees like crap as they know when you turn over or you are asked to resign or they threaten you with a firing by cause, some other slack-jaw yocal shows up.
Just like Spokompton, the Seattle area has lost tens of thousands of jobs sent to India (if high tech) or China (if manufacturing). Spokane used to possess hearty manufacturing commerce using the cheap, uneducated labor here. When the corrupt great american uni-party (demos and repubs) furthered corporate welfare so they could gain campaign funds. U.S jobs are lost. Not so that we pay less for the product or service at retail, so that the shareholder value grows and grows.
The only advantage you indicate is family here. Are these people willing to assist you in relocation, establishment, connection for job opportunities?
You'll find Trashkane socially inaccessible, whether you are some Christian variation of a human secularist.
To answer your questions.
1. is there a healthy lifestyle vibe (i.e. is there a Wholefoods etc - silly question I know but it gives me an overall feeling of what the people in an area find important. One reason I want to leave this area now!!!!).
No, no, no, no and no. Smokers abound. Obesity rate is 25% - in line with the state (see blog or CDC.gov). People drink. Hard drugs are common.
You have Huckleberry's, (
Huckleberry's Natural Market - Spokane, Washington) on the South Hill and located in the locally owned Roseaur's grocers as the closest thing to WholeFoods or the like. Very expensive. The town is full of all manner of grocers yet all the grocery stores are not very good. In the last few years, two big box Winco Foods opened.
No Trader Joe's and no hopes for one here.
2. Why do (some) people say it is "hick" or "white-trash" - in what way exactly?
Spokane is the whitest town I'd seen in North America. Primarily, of the two classes in Skumkane.
The educated whites. People with university education, bachelor's or higher, comprise less than 20%. I can't cite that stat here - please verify it.
Most people barely have high school diplomas (usually don't) and come from a socio-economic standing, realization, or acceptance that colors their perspective to not better themselves, not exhibit personal or career ambition, and not plan properly; instead satiating a need or want, perceived or actual, thus the prevalence of hard drugs, daylight drug deals in a Safeway parking lot, and unmarried or non-committed folks creating children yet not following through in that supreme human responsibility - raising children to be the best they can be.
The white trash are the fabric in this town by sheer bulk. They don't say “ain't know way” and the like, but it shows. All of the PacNW is sort of oakie, anyhoo. Even Portland, OR, but people are nicer there and are generally more cosmopolitan.
Everyone in this town is on the make as there is such limited opportunity. Whether it is petty crime stealing the stereo from your car, selling drugs, or a coworker trying to get rid of you, well, that's Krapkane!
I've been hit on by so many women in this town looking for a desperate way out. Oh, and good luck finding quality men to date. It's very Texas here in that regard. Very sad.
Classicism abounds (I'm wealthier than you by appearance or in truth, so I'm better). Prejudice, also.
3. What is there to do for outdoors types?
Plenty, but not close if seeking natural open space.
Spookylou is not bicycle friendly. You can't ride on roads. As is misrepresented in some Spokane literature and opinion in sites like city-data, you'll find few bike lanes. Everyone rally's around the woo-dee-doo Centennial Trail, a narrow asphalt path paralleling the sometime smelly Skumkane river from West of Spokane into Idaho. Some spectacular Centennial Trail sections exist well East. Biking north or south to get there is a real problem. You'll see cyclists riding on sidewalk and the Spokane motorists can't be bothered to yield right of way. At traffic intersections, if a bike lane exists, you'll compete if motorists are turning and the auto exhaust is severely choking.
I'd bike around San Francisco and Portland during rush hour in the Summer months, and while biking with traffic requires perpetual vigilance, I did not ever fear or feel immediately threatened by motorist in those large and truly crowded cities. Spokane motorist will force there perceived, yet illegal right of way when ever possible. I've about stopped biking in this town for that reason.
About an hour out of town, you'll find some pristine nature to the north and east. State and U.S. Federal parks abound with coniferous forests and sometimes clean rivers. To the east of Spokane on the U.S. I-90 is the overrated Lake Coeur d'Alene resort. The lake is artificial; formed by damming the Spokane River. The Spokane River is wrought with toxic, usually metallic, compounds as run off from mining operations further east, closer to the continental divide. Oh, and what really lovely, reflecting Idaho's lax environmental controls, boats and some communities flush waste directly in Lake Coeur d'Alene. E-coli blooms year round are ever more common.
Walking and riding in some areas of Spokane and Spokane Valley are hit and miss. Few sidewalks, or sidewalks end, or the gravel shoulder ends, or what have you.
Spokane city is sprinkled with many parks offering outdoor pools, baseball, soccer, and some tennis courts. No racket ball courts. In some instance gang-related vandalism closes bathrooms on occasion and gang related activity can collect at some parks not well monitored by residence or police.
You have the downtown Centennial Park, site of the woop dee doo Expo '74 (the 1974 World's Fair). Like living in Pittsburgh and not ever hearing of the winning 1970s for the NFL Steelers. The park is sort of nice yet nothing spectacular. It is part of the downtown Gonzaga U. college student booze fest every Thursday through Saturday evenings, usually. Walk maybe ten blocks East or so, and it is urban blight.
4. What types of entertainment do the city offer for the public? i.e. concerts etc?
Symphony, opera (occasional traditional and some light opera from small production companies), and stops by various traveling entertainment. I'd rate the Spokane symphony as trying really hard. You'll find shows at the Bing Crosby and Fox Theatres of all sorts. Search for these venues and discover their schedules.
Perhaps the two best media outlets in Spokane are:
The Magic Lantern, Spokane, Washington - The only cinema hosting independent film in town.
KYRS - Thin Air Community Radio in Spokane, WA - Home Page - The only independent radio station in the Pacific Radio Network style (no affiliation). They do air Amy Goodman's Democracy Now! twice daily.
KYRS-LP - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NPR airs on three frequencies at the left end of the FM dial. Gonzaga U hosts an all Classical station with usually knowledgeable hosts and well-managed programming. Eastern Washington (state) University Spokane Branch airs a primarily jazz format and it does, well, okay.
What I call the cultural zenith and annual pinnacle for this one-trick pony heck hole is Hoopfest each June. The "world's largest" three on three basketball tournament. An utterly low brow affair. The bars make out really well. The local corporate commercial media outlets start hyping Shloopfest about six months before the events occurs. During the event, corporate booze manufacturers have tents everywhere. Utterly stupid.
You have the primary newspaper, owned by the Cowles Family and Publishing company the Spokeman-Review. The weekly alternative is the insipid NW Inlander. Other publications abound usually reflecting small alternative communities.
You will not find any sort of Irish, Scottish, English, or Bretton traditional music here. Only recently did Skumkane's “BIG” Irish Pub, O'doherty's start playing traditional music over the PA. They host it, of course, for St. Patrick's, and it is a giant Gonzaga University student booze and barf fest, complete with green beer. Again, low brow and stupid.
5. How far is it to the ocean?
Depends where you want to meet owld salty.
Puget Sound in Seattle is maybe 5.5 to 6.5 hours by auto on the I-90 and WA-state, thankfully, patrols the highway for speeders and safety. Four hours is a pipe dream at nearly a sustained speed of 95 and you will be pulled over and ticketed now more than ever. Obey the posted speed limits in WA-state. The I-90 is accessible and reveals gorgeous vistas starting about 45 minutes West of Spokane that open up into the misty forests of Cascadia as you rise and fall on the Cascades. You erupt at Issaquah, WA with Seattle some 20 miles in front of you. Highway surface is a little rough but a decent well maintained highway. WA-state does a damn good job.
The other direction is through the Northern Cascades. Truly awe inspiring and a WA-state treasure. The Cascades are a young mountain range and scrapes the Pacific Ocean moisture forming clouds the Cascades scrape (orographic precipitation) forming the lush coniferous rain forests and the various mighty watersheds on which WA-state is an ecologically primary producer of cheap electricity from hydro power.
You take various biways East until you access (WA-State Route) SR-20 and erupt some 40 or 50 miles South of beautiful, beautiful Bellingham at Burlington/Mt. Vernon. Maybe 8 hours.
These to routes take you to the sheltered side of Pacific ocean east of Vancouver Island (part of Beautiful British Columbia, Canada).
If you want to get the open ocean, you have to go to the west coast of WA-state by taking the I-90 West to the:
A. Mighty I-5 South and then turn right (west) to your WA-state coastal destination.
B. U.S. 101, which is easier and more direct and gives you several choices. Take the 101 right (north) and circumnavigate the Olympic Peninsula. You go from bays of of West Puget Sound to the Straight of Juan de Fuca to the north and finally destination points to the Pacific coast ocean beaches. Maybe 8 or 12 hours. Or, go directly to Aberdeen/Hoquim on Grays Harbor maybe 8 to 10 hours.
6. What is the spiritual climate like? I don't mean "organized religion" - I mean spiritual?
This town is Christian, christian, christian, and christian and I despise it for that. Some 100,000 Catholics and the rest are some variation of protestant. There seem a massive number of christian evangelicals of the "end times" or "prosperity" variety. You'll find what you want more so in Portland and less so in the Seattle Puget Sound Area.
As was told to me, it helps to be a christian in Spokane to meet people and to have some kind of social access. While in the work-spaces, like Midwestern cities, I was asked my religious persuasion in very many words. I was asked would I go to church services during Christmas or Easter. People would leave fliers for the various churches they attended at the desk I used repeatedly. As with the greater american culture, there exist a good deal of intolerance of those not christian in Spokane.
7. Are there any public schools that cater to arts for children (elementary age)
No. Spokane city and Spokane Valley schools are struggling to deliver quality curricula on ever diminishing funding. Some of the schools in Spokane Valley look like very large and expensive corporate facilities. I guess that masks the drop out rate and poor academics of public schools in the area.
Looking forward for your son, we have Spokane Community College should he fall short or need to get prerequisite classes out of the way before enrolling in a four year Bachelor program.
Eastern Washington offers some programs - whether they are inline with your son's aptitudes and ambitions, I can't say yet the curricula selection is very limited. Whitworth and Gonzaga are private. I'll say that Gonzaga is known only for its men's basketball program and other athletics and in no way its academics. Catholics attend Gonzaga as they are not scholarly ambitious or have not achieved very well. Versus, say, St. Louis University - a Catholic University well known for academic contribution, research, partnering with the private sector to develop business, as well as athletics
Whitworth university is also private, yet perhaps the most forward of the Universities in town offering strong academics. It is a teaching university with some tenure research publication.
None of these universities have any involvement with developing business or creating economies or communities. Each is segregated from each other and from the greater Spokane, so called, community.
8. What are jobs like for alternative health (thinking of going into this field possibly)?
For certifications, maybe Spokane Community Colleges offers something. Alternative health practitioners are a long time in establishing clientele. As with your #1 question, without insurance, few can afford one hour of masseuse time. Few would even seek it out of they did. Search online for the number of alternative health, herbalist, and healing centers here. You may have to depend on what is already here to get established but renting clinic space is very expensive.
In Portland or Seattle, it may be easier to gain alternative health care provider certification, but you face stiff competition.
9. What is the best way for me find out more apart from this forum and website?
On this form, go to:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/spokane-area/
And scroll down the article listings.
Also, Wikipedia:
Spokane, Washington - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spokane Valley, Washington - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Spokane Craigslist
craigslist: spokane / coeur d'alene classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events
Urban Dictionary
Urban Dictionary: spokane
At the left are various, perhaps cultural references following such as Spokane Gangster and Spokane, WA.
And, again:
Spokane Area Economic Data
I'll admit, I despise Spokane entirely. The tap water is great, the air is usually clean. But what makes a city, the people, whom are all white (and I'm white), are quite awful. Small towns yield small minded people. Anything that is a product or creation of this town appears tainted. While Portland, OR suffers a bit, you get a better sense of community for the interests you express there. There is no sense of soul in Spokangeles.
Travel around Spokane. Drive west out Trent and see huge swaths of bare earth and urban sprawl left to desiccate by commercial and industrial concerns that have abandoned Spokane.
Each and every four lane road, like Sprague Avenue from downtown out to the east end of Spokane Valley is an ugly mix of perpetuating strip malls, auto dealerships, and storefronts. Many are vacant. Whole malls and big box retailers are vacant. Spokane Valley Mall and the North Town Mall continue to hang in there. The pride of the city and the Cowles is River Park Square Mall at 808 West Main.
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Nah, try Portland ... England and the UK RULES!
