[tkln]

I think you'll be okay...it definitely is a huge change, of course, but as you said, it's not like you live in Manhattan. THAT'S a huge change. I live in NYC, but also have to drive 1/2 hour to get into the 'city' and where I live is much more suburbs than city like.

Plus you know what you are getting into - you, of everyone on this board, have done more than your share of research. I was telling my fiancé that you sold your house and he was surprised. And impressed that you are going for it.

[arel]

Well, I'll learn soon enough how things work out.

I like the sense of community of a small town, but at the same time I have concerns about seeing the same people all the time.

I like the idea of being known in a small town, but I have concerns about feeling on display.

I don't normally use New York's world class arts and shopping, but I like knowing I have easy access to them if I want to.

Will I miss the diversity?

Yes, I know what I am getting into, but researching and visiting a place do not give the same picture as actually living there.

But, from my research, Brattleboro is the best fit for me. It may be a better fit than NYC has been.

But I will rent first, as people have urged me to do. And if I don't like it in where I'm going, I can pick up states and move elsewhere. Thankfully, I have options. I am not being forced by circumstances, e.g. family needs, to move to a place I would not choose.

I'll keep you posted. You have all been so helpful and supportive during the difficult process of making the decision and taking action. Also, my culture shock experiences will be helpful to others who use this board.

[quickdraw]

I've lived in big cities, small towns and suburbs. If you asked me to list five things I loved about each place and five things that drove me nuts about each place I could do it instantly. I liked some places better than others but was happy everywhere I lived not because of the location, but because basically I'm a happy person (although I've had my moments).

I'm not talking about anyone here, but there are some people who are not going to be happy anywhere. They're like "grass is always greener people".
They think that moving somewhere is going to solve their problems. These people won't be happy anywhere. I'm not saying we shouldn't try to move to places we love, afterall I did and do. But I think we should remember that when we move to a new place we're bringing ourselves along, with all of our baggage.

[arel]

That's very true. In my business, we call that fantasy "the geographic cure".

But some people thrive in specific environments. There was a woman on this board, from a big Asian city, who moved to Burlington, and then discovered she needed to be in a big city. So she moved to New York. Other people, on and off this board, have moved from New York to Vermont and never looked back.

I'm moving from Brooklyn to Brattleboro. Only time will tell the extent to which I will thrive or or wither.

Packing up my house, though, is emotionally rough. Habit, familiarity, separation anxiety. Not fun.

I'll keep people posted. Once I move, I'm wondering how my posts will change.

[flu189]

I have to chime in concerning "diversity" which appears in many inquires. If it is critically important to any prospective Vt transplants to have multicultural and racial diversity to sustain a happy lifestyle then you perhaps had better look elsewhere or at least visit and spend time here to see if your desires can be met. I have ethnic and fluent foreign language "diversity" myself, but apparently not of the kind that many are yearning for when seeking places to live, at least here. The USA is a big country with much to offer and Vt represents only a very small fraction both in population and land. It seems very unlikely considering current trends that this will change in the next few decades, that is population makeup, so this is something that folks who are selective in criteria need to keep in mind.

[arel]

One thing I like about Brattleboro is that it has the School for International Training, which brings in students from all over the world. So there is an international presence there. I have already met people from Korea, Indonesia and Africa (I think Liberia, but I'm not sure).

No, I haven't seen the ethnic enclaves or neighborhoods like we have in NYC and in lots of other places, but at least this is something.

[GypsySoul22]

Hang in there, Arel. It is going to be fine. There is a transition to any move.

There will always be 'negative' people. Some people would rather 'scare' others because they are afraid themselves to actually TRY.

Choosing 'safety' all the time, as one of my professors said, 'is like choosing death!"

It's been a year for us and we like it here.

We also just moved from "retirement/tourist land" to a more family friendly/working people town.

What a difference. So you may have to try a few towns or areas to get a better fit.

We've had to make adjustments but that is life anywhere.

Good luck. I am here to help you through!
PS They love to go on about the 'diversity thing' here in VT/NH--this area is actually pretty diverse (I am near Dartmouth). Drive to Lebanon and Hanover and there is plenty of diversity.

[canyontothesky]

I live in the Upper East Side and we're considering moving to Vermont, too. My DBF is from rural Georgia, and I am from a Boston suburb of 100,000, and we've been living here for 2 years.
I'm actually the one gung ho about the rural life. It doesn't matter to me if we stay forever, but just like moving to Manhattan, I have to at least try it and see if it's for me. Manhattan wasn't for me, I've been wanting out for months. I'm so desperate now I'll go anywhere.
The only problem with Vermont is that it's not close to the ocean at all, and that Southern Vermont is less accessible to Montpelier and Burlington, and that area is not as accessible to as many colleges for further education, either.
But we're considering it, too, as early as next year. We'll see.