UK moving to UTAH (South Layton) (Salt Lake City, Sandy: appointed, ski resorts, amusement park)

[Tonymce]

Hi all I am new to this forum, after reading some of the posts I have decided to seek advice.
I am based in the UK (Blackpool), my father is in South Layton Utah.
I have not seen him for 30 years (I am 33 now)
He has given me an offer to live with him.

Now here is my situation. I am a christian, none-lds,Single
I am very young at heart (and body :P), and love people and company.
I am an IT professional by trade.


What I have read on these forums has well scared me.

Can someone please clarify what it is actually like for someone like me to live in Utah?

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by Tonymce

What I have read on these forums has well scared me.

Can someone please clarify what it is actually like for someone like me to live in Utah?

What exactly is it that scares you? My guess is that you'll like it here, but when you ask what it's like for someone like you to live in Utah, it sounds like you've read things about people like you who do live here and don't like it. Could you maybe be a little bit more specific?

[irman]

I am just amazed why people are drawn to move here (Utah),
especially those who ask questions about the (seemingly) *strange habits* Utahns have.
Strange habits, like
- having more than 2.3 kids, (all from the same wife ?)
- not drinking, (what ?? How can you have fun without a drinking ?)
- not smoking, (Whoa .... My grandfather smoked 20 cigarettes a day and he lived to the ripe age of 90 !!)
- Not knowing how to drive civilly ... (dang ... where did you learn to drive ? A parking lot ?)
- asking everybody if they are LDS or not .... (who cares anyway ??)

(I am only repeating all the questions fielded before)

Then all those who continuously write how bad is it here.
I wonder, what keeps them here ?
I always assumed that the USA was a land of freedom.
Free to move anywhere, but here !!!

Then even after they have read all about the *negative things written here*,
probably most of them still come here ....
So, the *positive* still must win over the *negative*.

In the end, I remember bumper stickers in the 60's ...
America, ... Love it or Leave it ....

Maybe the same for Utah ?
Get used to it, or stay away ?
Once here ...
You get used to everything, sooner or later.
even hanging ....

When we moved here from California a very long time ago,
friends warned me about the sign down south, which stated:
- Welcome to Utah
- Caution
- Time change
- Set your clock 30 years back.

You know what, I did, and I love it here !!!

So ...
Get rid of your *fears*
Stop *pretending* you are a bigot.
Become more tolerant of everybody besides yourself.
Get rid of your low opinion of other people's habits or beliefs.
Move here, work hard, play hard.

The ONLY thing I would be worried about is:
where do I find a good job ?
Unless you are really good at what you do, hard to find decent jobs today.

[markg91359]

Hi all I am new to this forum, after reading some of the posts I have decided to seek advice.
I am based in the UK (Blackpool), my father is in South Layton Utah.
I have not seen him for 30 years (I am 33 now)
He has given me an offer to live with him.

Now here is my situation. I am a christian, none-lds,Single
I am very young at heart (and body :P), and love people and company.
I am an IT professional by trade.


What I have read on these forums has well scared me.

Can someone please clarify what it is actually like for someone like me to live in Utah?

.................................................. .............................................

Tony,

I think you'd do just fine in Layton. Layton is a city of about 60,000 that is between Salt Lake City and Ogden. It sits in north Davis County. There really is nothing for you to be afraid of. Plenty of non-LDS people live in the Layton area because it is adjacent to Hill Air Force Base which attracts people from all over the country with all sorts of faiths. If you took a drive along Highway 193 along the southside of this big airforce base, you'd see about five Christian churches between Highway 89 and Interstate 15. The weather is moderate. We have four distinct seasons. Some people that the drive from Weber Canyon South to Farmington along Highway 89 is a particularly scenic route. I'm not totally sure I agree. However, in the autumn when the leaves start to turn red and gold it is beautiful for sure.

The job market is down like most areas of the country right now. However, Utah is in better shape than many states are. There certainly is a demand for qualified IT people.

There are plenty of single people in the area. Although, I'd be incorrect if I didn't acknowledge that much social life in Utah centers on family. You'll find liquor laws are a bit stricter than in Britain. There are fewer establishments that serve liquor and bottles of hard liquor are obtainable only at state run liquor stores.

I don't know if sports like snowboarding or skiing get your attention. However, if you live in Layton you'll live relatively close to three ski resorts up Ogden Canyon. One of them, Snowbasin, hosted parts of the 2002 Winter Olympics. You can hike in the Wasatch Mountains in East Layton during the Spring, Summer, and Fall. If hiking appeals to you at all, I'd be happy to tell you more about it.

Layton has just about every chain restaurant you could wish for in the USA. We have good grocery stores, many "big box stores", and even some specialty stores. There are golf courses, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and a big amusement park known as "Lagoon" just down the freeway a few miles in Farmington.

Don't let some of the things written here scare you away. We do occasionally encounter people who talk about moving here who have an "attitude". If you come to Utah with the attitude that Mormons are bad people you probably won't like it here. If you come here expecting the local culture to change to fit your needs, you will be disappointed. If you expect a big "party scene" than other cities would be more to your liking. If you simply want a nice place to live with a low crime rate and plenty of stuff to do outdoors, than Utah is the place for you!

Good luck and we'd happy to answer any other questions you might have.

[Tonymce]

Thank you for all your responses.
markg91359 you hit the nail right on the head.
I am a kite surfer, and would love to learn to snowboard.
I love any outdoor activity, of all sorts, I am always hiking in the lake district, I just enjoy life, and I would like to make a new one.

The only fear was that I would be an outcast, but that does not seem to be the case, and I know that I would be welcomed by my family.

The only reason I am moving over is to see my dad, But now I think I would just love it.

I am getting excited now
I think I need to buy a snowboard ....

Once again thank you all for your posts and information.
Look forward to arriving soon xx

[sp2007]

Well if you like soccer/football, we have Real Salt Lake, defending MLS Champs and their very nice and brand new Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy.

Good luck with your decision.