Moving to Ivins.Ut from WIsconsin (Salt Lake City, St. George: transplants, houses, neighborhood)

[fatkid1266]

We are a family living in Wisconsin for many years. We want to move to Ivins,Ut. We have been there a few times and love the area. The weather and scenery are very nice. We are tired of the crazy winters that we have in Wisconsin. I was just wondering about the area? How are the schools and the community. We are non-LDS and hoping there are others there also. We don't have anything against them. My two girls 6 and 10 are worried about meeting new friends. I tell them it will be fine. I'm hoping that it will be. I don't want them to be singled out because we are not LDS. I don't want them to be treated any different. If anyone has any information for me I would love to here from you. We really want to move but don't want it to be bad for the kids when we get there.

Thanks, DEBBIE/Concered Parent

[markg91359]

I'll wish you luck. The area is not as diverse at it should be. My advice to you is join some kind of church or youth group and immerse your children in activities with it as much as you can. If you don't attend the LDS Church, your children won't be involved with the other kids in your neighborhood much. They will see them in school and probably not alot more than that. Its not that the people are deliberately hostile or will shun you. The reality is that the other children will be so involved in family and church functions that they will have little time left over to play with your children.

[Freeml]

(The following is MY PERSONAL experience. I realize it doesn't apply to everyone!)I moved to Ivins from Wisconsin (Wausau) last May. I love the weather, and the mountains, but that's about it. I'm in my early 20s, and I feel like I am constantly being judged by people here. Whenever I tell people that I moved here from WI (most people ask because of my accent!), one of the first questions I ALWAYS get asked is whether or not I am LDS. When they find out I'm not, they aren't openly hostile or rude or anything, but you can tell the tone of the conversation has changed. I've experienced that alot. Also, women my age are expected/encouraged to be married and pregnant/have kids so I get asked about that alot too (I'm only 22!). Ivins/St. George isn't as diverse as I would like it to be. My family lived in Salt Lake City when I was 6-9yrs old. I remember being in school and having kids tell me I was a liar because I said I was baptized when I was a baby (I was raised Lutheran....LDS kids are baptized when they are around 8). I also had families that wouldn't let me play with their children because I wasn't LDS. Now, this happened over 10 years ago, and in a completely different part of the state, so I'm not saying it will happen to your children. There will be a lot of talk about missions and church and such (in school and everywhere else). In 4th grade the students learn about the state history, which includes a lot about Mormonism (not doctrine or anything like that, but just referencing the historical figures). You WILL see people dressed in traditional polygamist/fundamentalist clothing, so your kids might ask about that. The great thing about kids is that unless they are taught to discriminate, they generally don't. Your daughters should be just fine (and there really shouldn't be any reason for other kids to know that your daughters aren't LDS). There are a lot of people here who moved from out-of-state, but they're kind of hard to find! I'd recommend trying to get involved with some kind of volunteer work, or getting your kids in a sports league. We do have places of worship for other denominations (Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, etc) so if that applies to your family that would be a good place to start meeting people as well. You're going to love the "winters" here!

[stycotl]

i'd like to reiterate a lot of what freeml was saying here, and add some of the local perspective on the cultural buances below.

Originally Posted by Freeml

(The following is MY PERSONAL experience. I realize it doesn't apply to everyone!)I moved to Ivins from Wisconsin (Wausau) last May. I love the weather, and the mountains, but that's about it. I'm in my early 20s, and I feel like I am constantly being judged by people here. Whenever I tell people that I moved here from WI (most people ask because of my accent!), one of the first questions I ALWAYS get asked is whether or not I am LDS. When they find out I'm not, they aren't openly hostile or rude or anything, but you can tell the tone of the conversation has changed.

you will notice this sometimes. usually there is no problem, but occasionally you'll get the hesitation that speaks of either confusion, prejudice, or just quiet consideration. yes, there are some people that won't associate with you once they find out that you aren't like them. their loss; good riddance is all that i can say. most of us mormons don't like hanging out with them either, so i wouldn't feel to bad.

i know that my direction of conversation changes sometimes when i realize that the person to whom i am speaking isn't a church member. usually i can continue without even missing a beat, but occasionally i have to rewind to make sure i'm not jamming my foot down my throat–or worse, their throat–and then i can continue the conversation on a plane that i think is more appropriate to the situation.

mormons have the annoying habit of talking about the church in any and every situation (i do it too occasionally). i'll be sitting on the bus listening to some girl chattering on and on over her cell about the guy she just met and how cool he is, and how he is a returned missionary, and how he faithfully completes his home teaching every month...

...and i usually end up wanting to throw something at her. or laugh, sometimes i want to laugh, depending on how ridiculous the conversation is. either way, it is not usually a rude gesture, so much as it is an oblivious one, and sometimes when people abruptly change the conversation it is because they don't want you to feel that they are pushing religion down your throat.

I've experienced that alot. Also, women my age are expected/encouraged to be married and pregnant/have kids so I get asked about that alot too (I'm only 22!). Ivins/St. George isn't as diverse as I would like it to be. My family lived in Salt Lake City when I was 6-9yrs old. I remember being in school and having kids tell me I was a liar because I said I was baptized when I was a baby (I was raised Lutheran....LDS kids are baptized when they are around 8).

that's too funny! it is embarrassing for me to think of how dumb i sounded as a kid–my wife thinks i sound kinda dumb nowadays at times...

I also had families that wouldn't let me play with their children because I wasn't LDS.

like i said, their loss. too bad they're screwing their kids over in the process though.

for the record, i know of situations where one family won't let their kids play with another family (whether or not they are mormon) because they didn't grow up in the same town, and anyone that grew up in salt lake city (the great and spacious building) is probably a criminal. yeah, i know, it is sad.

also, for the record, i have experienced that in other states; the baptists that i knew in virginia weren't too keen on letting their kids play with our friends' children because they were mormon.

it comes down to ignorant people, and you shouldn't lose too much sleep over being deprived of their influence on your children...

[/quote]Now, this happened over 10 years ago, and in a completely different part of the state, so I'm not saying it will happen to your children. There will be a lot of talk about missions and church and such (in school and everywhere else). In 4th grade the students learn about the state history, which includes a lot about Mormonism (not doctrine or anything like that, but just referencing the historical figures). You WILL see people dressed in traditional polygamist/fundamentalist clothing, so your kids might ask about that. The great thing about kids is that unless they are taught to discriminate, they generally don't.[/quote]

very true. however, it is easy to confuse ignorance or hesitation with discrimination. especially where kids are concerned. kids have almost no tact, and aren't self aware enough or socially aware enough yet to realize when they are acting like they are uncomfortable, or when they are staring stupidly at the newcomers, and their innocent intentions are often obfuscated behind social clumsiness, and attributed to rude behavior. heck, i still end up in that ditch sometimes, and i'm almost thirty!

Your daughters should be just fine (and there really shouldn't be any reason for other kids to know that your daughters aren't LDS).

though, realisitically, they will find out. usually that doesn't mean anything to them though. most of my best friends growing up in slc were not mormon; in fact, with the numbers of recent asian immigrants back then, a good number were not even christian.

i dated a girl in high school for months before i found out he wasn't mormon, and she is still a good friend of mine and one of the coolest girls that i ever had the honor of getting to know.

There are a lot of people here who moved from out-of-state, but they're kind of hard to find! I'd recommend trying to get involved with some kind of volunteer work, or getting your kids in a sports league. We do have places of worship for other denominations (Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopal, Baptist, etc) so if that applies to your family that would be a good place to start meeting people as well. You're going to love the "winters" here!

definitely, definitely. get involved in the community and all kinds of people will come out of the woodwork, and you will have the pleasant surprise to learn that a lot of the families that you thought were mormon, aren't, and you'll find that a lot of the mormon families will accept you as openly as they would anyone in their own ward. getting involved, going out of your comfort zone and meeting people will be the best thing you can do; it will tell people that you are strong, have your own beliefs, but still want to get to know them. most of them will drop whatever hesitations they might have had.

if they don't, tell me and i'll go egg their houses–i'm always looking for an excuse.

aaron out.

[stycotl]

yeah, so i meant to say cultural nuances, not cultural buances. that sounds like a subatomic particle of some kind.

[drwexploring]

Response to original post: Moving to Irvins from Wisconsin

Don't be put off by the "naysayers". Your question is repeatedly asked in this forum, go back in the forum history, you'll see what I mean - and you'll also find as much, possibly even more positive responses than those from closed minded individuals who lay claim to non LDS persons living in UT have a tougher "go of it"! Heck, half the population are transplants anyway! As for your daughters, they would feel same way about making new friends regardless of where you were moving to, really it hasn't anything to do with UT - and besides, keep in mind, if religion is an "issue" with any "new friends" you probably don't want them exposed to that way of thinking/living in the first place!

[drwexploring]

wow!!

this response really "struck a chord" !!!!

[stycotl]

Originally Posted by drwexploring

wow!!

this response really "struck a chord" !!!!

which response?

[perticusrex]

My husband is considering a job offer in the SLC area. We are both native Texans of Mexican descent and we are not familiar with UT in any way. Our biggest concern obviously is assimiliating into the culture. Based what we have seen on tv, UT appears to be a beautiful place to live. Based solely on what we have heard/read, it seems as though nearly everyone is affiliated with the Mormon faith. My family and I do not know much (dont know anything actually) about the faith and how it intertwines into society in UT. We are concerned that not only will we as 20 something adults but our children (we have two) will have difficulty relating to others and making friends. I read on another thread about gang violence in SLC and someone mentioned that it was all the "illegals," that has me concerned that being Latino will cause us to stick out like sore thumbs. Does anyone have any advice they can share? Thanks in advance!

[stycotl]

biggest piece of advice that i can offer is to come here with a positive attitude and a lot of patience.

utah is a foreign country as far as state cultures are concerned, and it is a country that takes some getting used to, even for locals like me. but there are a number of awesome things about this state that make me want to come back every time i move away.

there are definitely small-minded people here though, as is true for everywhere else. so don't expect heaven. just expect a pretty area with some decent places to raise kids. then get out and enjoy the outdoors, cuz we have 'em in spades.

good luck. aaron out.