Leaving Seattle (Burlington, Brattleboro, Montpelier: loan, jobs, house)

[veggiecook]

Local new englander, newly married. I've lived in Seattle for the past 4 years and love the proximity to the mountains, water and general liberal attitude. I feel like Seattle is too big for me now and am seeking that quaint small town without the ignorance and lack of jobs, which I'm sure is rare...I'm a vegetarian cook, he's in IT and we want to open a B&B one day...but my main goal is finding a liberal, supportive community that isn't all standoffish like the folks in Seattle. 4 years here, and I've been an active friend and it's so hard to get people to just make time for you in this city,even when you know they are not busy...
that's my biggest issue with seattle, and i've learned it's a distinct seattle thing. i also need more days of sunlight out of the year. my brother lives in vermont and we've considered moving there, but obviously the job market isn't fabulous and the bugs....we've also looked at outside of portland but i've heard it's not much sunnier there in the winter than seattle? i've decided i don't mind the cold in the winter if i can have a little sunshine.
we are both rock climbers and like a little bit of a social scene...we plan on having kids in a few years and i just don't want to settle down somewhere and not be able to make any friends like in seattle...
my dream place: sunshine! access to swimming holes, hiking, rock climbing, farmer's markets, food co-op. supportive of vegetarian food/lifestyle. humidity is rough on my husband (he lived in ct for a summer and that was it!) i am flexible to either coast. i'd like to have a few acres but be somewhat close to a liberal town with some diversity (i get scared of the high percentage of old white people in vermont, no offense...it was never apparent until i moved to the west coast)
anyways, let's discuss and i welcome all advice. i need to leave this city before i get sucked in and regret not taking action...

[flu189]

Wow! Alert, Vt is very cloudy, humid, and infested with middle and older "white" people like me.

[caravaners]

......ask a lot. You might learn something from the "old white people" in Vermont. You want but cant find friends that want you hanging out and that could be because their lives are full or they don't buy into your left leaning slant. By the way it appears black folks in ever larger numbers are turning away from the plantation politics of Hillary and Al Sharpton. You would be suprised to discover that it is in fact the REPUBLICAN party that is totally inclusive and doesn't see fellow Americans as a collection of needy parts with various minority lables attached. Just a thought.

[ab8mi]

Not good, my family and I will soon be increasing the number of "white" people in Vermont. You say that like it's a bad thing. The real problem is that I consider myself an American without an other moniker attached. In Vermont you will find all forms of political affiliation from Green Party to Republican, living together in more harmony than any state in the union that I can think of. On some issues people would probably think of me as a true liberal and on others very conservative. But I will be the first to stand up and fight for your right to an opinion, this after all is America.

I hope I am wrong, but your lack of ability to make friends may be because of your narrow viewpoint on the world. You want to make everyone like you or perhaps associate with others of the same viewpoint, but it is a diverse world with diverse opinions, none of which are necessarily right or wrong, just different. Open your mind to new people and experiences and you just might be surprised. I love NASCAR, but I also love the symphony. I love to eat meat, others don't and that is great as long as they don't try to impose their values on me, it all works out. I will sit and listen to their arguments all the same, like I said earlier being open minded broadens one's horizons.

If you come to Vermont with an open mind you will do well, the people run a very diverse range of views and political affiliations. All that said Vermont has much to offer someone who enjoys the outdoors, from rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, power boating, mountain biking, ATV trails, skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, shooting, ice climbing and many other outdoor type activities. In addition you are not that far major centers like Montreal or Boston if you get a big city yearning and need a break.

Take care and good luck finding what you are looking for.

Wayne

- without the second amendment none of the others matter -

[vter]

yup..definately cloudy & humid here. I believe the Burlington NWS station is actually either the 1st or 2nd cloudiest reporting station in the country. The other one? Seattle.

[KoZmiC NinJa]

Originally Posted by veggiecook

and like a little bit of a social scene...i'd like to have a few acres but be somewhat close to a liberal town with some diversity (i get scared of the high percentage of old white people in vermont, no offense...it was never apparent until i moved to the west coast)
.

There is soooooooooo much written about all of this stuff,
just start reading. As I read this post though, you have fallen
for the idylic Vermont Vermont wants you to. Living here is much
different than the Yankee Times or Vermont magazine make it
appear. Obviously you will get absolutely breathtaking countryside
and views that are on the postcards you get at Christmas time
but you need to be advised that, #1} the social scene you are
looking for isnt anywhere but Burlington and maybe Brattleboro...
a little in Montpelier...Forget a 'scene' of any type anywhere unless
you meant at the bullet counter of the local gun store. Also....
A whole lot of Vermont is very gung-ho "Bu$h / AMERICA, F*** YEAH !!"
which Im sure is diametrically opposed to your vision. Some 'real'
Vermonters are very provincial and small minded when it comes
to change and differences in people so you just need to be aware that
the uber liberal, 'hippy' type you might might want to surround
yourself with (me too) wont be found in many places despite
what you might have heard.....Again, just read. All this stuff has
been covered here many times over. Best wishes in whatever
decision you make !!

[j1n]

I'll throw my voice into this thread...
We're also considering a possible move to VT, providing a job comes through. I have family in New England and have spent some time there, and A LOT of time east in the Adirondacks.
Contrary to much of what I see all over this forum, I don't think that anywhere is ever "full of this type" or "full of that type" of person. Most places have certain enclaves and diversity of people. Before I went to Burlington, I would have thought it to be a complete hippie nirvana...based on what a friend of mine (and ex-Burlington hippie resident!) told me. When I visited, I found it to be not entirely true. We rubbed shoulders with kids and soccer moms at the museum down by the water, with professors near Church street, with craftsmen, older folks, hippies, and a houseful of guys into working, living, biking, rock climbing, etc. A very diverse town...great for ANYONE, I would say! And I fall into that outdoorsy, younger with kids, camping, climbing, eco-caring, veggie-respecting crowd too. Most places are what we make of them or find in them. I have found Vermonters to be friendly...again, contrary to many posts here. As far as older folks? Respect them and learn from them. You get what you give. My .02.

[christoforest]

Veggiecook,

You are spot on about the Seattle social scene, don't let them blame the victim! My wife and I just moved back to New England for similar reasons as you mention. This board seems to be quite conservative compared to the general Vt scene. Vermont voted over 66% against King George so that should say someltlhing. We are in Northampton MA for now, looking for jobs here and Burlington. Both are very open minded places. Northampton has more sun and is warmer, but Burlington has a much more spectacular setting. Looking across Lake Champlain toward the Adirondacks, watching the sunset will remind you of looking across the sound ( a good thing about Seattle).

here is the har numbers on the Sunshine:

Seattle: http://www.city-data.com/city/Seattle-Washington.html (scroll down to climate section)

Burlington: http://www.city-data.com/city/Burlington-Vermont.html

Northampton, MA: http://www.city-data.com/city/Northa...achusetts.html

There is humidity and bugs here though. You might like Santa Cruz California or Mendocino County California. From what I have heard Portland people are similar to Seattle, but I dont know from experience. The clouds are the same in portland as Seattle in the winter. Ashloand Oregon is a nice place too. Ashland is liberal, but the surrounding area is very red.

good luck!

[joer]

Move to Woodstock, NY. You'll love the diversity, plenty of hippies and vegan cuisine is well recieved!

[scirocco22]

Originally Posted by veggiecook

... that's my biggest issue with seattle, and i've learned it's a distinct seattle thing. ...

You've "learned" it is a distictive Seattle thing?????

If you've read my comments in some of the threads in the Seattle and Washington forums, you know how I feel about this subject.

I still contend that it's absurd to make such a statement!

I tend to agree with j1n comments. I urge you to think about what j1n has said.

Personally, I don't think you'll gain much by moving from Seattle to Vermont. You do "get what you give." And I'm stickin' by that sentiment!


Thanks.

--'rocco