My experience in Maine (Portland, Bangor: neighborhood, buying, construction)

[NortheasternBound]

Originally Posted by EmK999

Once again, it should be noted that most people from the ME/NH border to about Old Town or so who are under 50 will NOT sound like a Marden's ad. "Door yahd" and such is usually used as a joke.



Where do you guys find people like this? I can't imagine anyone I know being so rude. Unless, of course, they commented on it because it provided some context for the situation and "transplants" are a little sensitive to being "outed".



You know, Mainers will recognize the wink there, but other people might assume you're serious. And, Kennebunk is just barely Maine.



There you go. THIS is Maine. And, I'd guess you'd get offers of help in Northern Maine just as quickly as you did in Rockland.

Moral of the story: Be nice to Mainers and they'll be nice to you. But, they will not suffer fools.

Thanks, EmK999! We want to live in Maine and will be nice! Being a native Oregonian, I know what it is like to have transplants come into our state, complain and be rude! No sense in it.

[NortheasternBound]

quote=EmK999;41192083]This is false/a gross exaggeration. The poster asking about weather can easily google it for themselves and see that 80 degrees is not at all unusual in Maine, neither is pretty oppressive humidity (but that's really more of a personal tolerance issue).[ quote]

Actually, EmK999, I have been checking out a weather thread, Autumn/Fall 2015 Thread, Northern Hemisphere, Sept-Nov, and it appears as if you folks are having a little more hot and humid late summer than normal. I can stand the heat/humidity, just prefer cooler weather and more of a four season climate!

[NortheasternBound]

quote=IHeartMaine;41195226]The next 5 days are forecast to be in the 80s.[ quote]

Thanks IHeartMaine for the heads-up! That's what I saw too. It will be interesting to see how the weather will fair by the time we arrive in about a week! Perhaps we can bring some of our cool weather (at least it's temporarily cooling down, for a few days), across the US!

We know how to drive in snow, but would hope to find a place to live before it arrives. Is your snow more powdery than wet?

[NortheasternBound]

Originally Posted by EmK999

Once again, it should be noted that most people from the ME/NH border to about Old Town or so who are under 50 will NOT sound like a Marden's ad. "Door yahd" and such is usually used as a joke.



Where do you guys find people like this? I can't imagine anyone I know being so rude. Unless, of course, they commented on it because it provided some context for the situation and "transplants" are a little sensitive to being "outed".



You know, Mainers will recognize the wink there, but other people might assume you're serious. And, Kennebunk is just barely Maine.



There you go. THIS is Maine. And, I'd guess you'd get offers of help in Northern Maine just as quickly as you did in Rockland.

Moral of the story: Be nice to Mainers and they'll be nice to you. But, they will not suffer fools.

Perhaps packing up all our belongings, placing them in storage, and setting off across the US to live in Maine might be considered foolish, however, I've desired to live in Maine since I was a girl and so has my husband. This kind of desire and determination (often called a Pioneer Spirit), is not easily quenched nor too sensitive!

[Hollytree]

Originally Posted by FlowerPower00

I Share that experience, but this is Aroostook County. The Native Mainahs in Bangor are friendly too. I think OP is thinking of places like Rhode Island and Connecticut, where I am, originally, from. Nasty place...I will take the folks in Maine ANY day over people from Connecticut or Rhode Island, Hands down.

Wow! You must have lived in some really bad places in CT and RI!!!!

[ben young]

Originally Posted by lostoros34

Hi all,
I've been a reader here for various cities for a while and I've typically used these forums as a part of my research for a lot of the moving I've done in the last few years. I find them really helpful, usually and maybe I can start contributing a little bit to those who are moving to new places that I have lived before.
I'm from New York City originally, but I've lived in New Jersey, Buffalo, NY, Florida and Maine now.
I came to Maine to go to school here, but also because I was excited to experience small-town, New England life. I got an offer for a lot of money for the University of Maine and moved here in January 2013.
This is partially venting frustration, but also partially an F.Y.I. for anyone interested in moving here...

I'm mostly shocked at how unfriendly Maine is in general and it's to the point where it still angers me whenever I interact with people around here. I consider myself a friendly person, but I realize I'm not exactly a Midwesterner and probably still have some New Yorker tendencies (talk fast, blunt, etc.) but I'm always polite and respectful because I've worked in the service industry for years and enjoy talking to people. When I moved here (with a very positive attitude) I was so taken back by how cold people were to me! One word answers, never looked me in the eye, no basic manners like thank you, how are you or anything. I walked into many stores in Bangor, Orono and on the coast and tried to talk to people and I would either be ignored or basically grunted at. I still can't believe how rude people are-- and I realize this is a huge generalization, but that has been the vast majority of my two years here. Obviously, there are nice and mean people everywhere, but after two years I can't wait to leave. Customer service is atrocious 75% of the time and nobody would talk to me for months at all the jobs I've worked. I started making friends eventually at my workplaces, but only after I was ignored for months.

I put a large importance on the friendliness of a place and Maine just doesn't have it.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

Well I don't live in Maine. That said I live in the northern most part of New Hampshire. If a Blow In complained about how bad things are here, compared to somewhere else, I guess I would say " Don't let the door hit you on the ass on the way out ".

[EmK999]

Originally Posted by NortheasternBound

Actually, EmK999, I have been checking out a weather thread, Autumn/Fall 2015 Thread, Northern Hemisphere, Sept-Nov, and it appears as if you folks are having a little more hot and humid late summer than normal. I can stand the heat/humidity, just prefer cooler weather and more of a four season climate!

I'm not sure what you mean by this. ladyshasta said it only gets to 80 once during the summer and that's definitely wrong and that's what I responded with. Maine summers (generally counted as June through at least early-September) have numerous 80+ degree days. Most would consider mid-September through November to be fall and, during that time frame, 80 degree days are much less common and progress to non-existent, but that's the fall. Totally different ballgame than summer! You'll love Maine falls if you like it cooler. September is full of cool mornings with warm, sunny afternoons and cool nights.

Originally Posted by NortheasternBound

Perhaps packing up all our belongings, placing them in storage, and setting off across the US to live in Maine might be considered foolish, however, I've desired to live in Maine since I was a girl and so has my husband. This kind of desire and determination (often called a Pioneer Spirit), is not easily quenched nor too sensitive!

Not at all! I think it's great to finally go where you've always wanted to! When I said that Mainers don't suffer fools, I meant it in the way the expression is traditionally used, which is to mean that Mainers will find a way to let you know if it's obvious that you're being a willful idiot (doing something that an reasonable person would consider ludicrous), they won't just smile and take it. Some will let you know bluntly, most find a more subtle and socially acceptable way of letting you know.

Originally Posted by NortheasternBound

Thanks, EmK999! We want to live in Maine and will be nice! Being a native Oregonian, I know what it is like to have transplants come into our state, complain and be rude! No sense in it.

Then you'll do great! Good luck. Let us know what you think after you're settled in.

[NortheasternBound]

Originally Posted by EmK999

I'm not sure what you mean by this. ladyshasta said it only gets to 80 once during the summer and that's definitely wrong and that's what I responded with. Maine summers (generally counted as June through at least early-September) have numerous 80+ degree days. Most would consider mid-September through November to be fall and, during that time frame, 80 degree days are much less common and progress to non-existent, but that's the fall. Totally different ballgame than summer! You'll love Maine falls if you like it cooler. September is full of cool mornings with warm, sunny afternoons and cool nights.




Not at all! I think it's great to finally go where you've always wanted to! When I said that Mainers don't suffer fools, I meant it in the way the expression is traditionally used, which is to mean that Mainers will find a way to let you know if it's obvious that you're being a willful idiot (doing something that an reasonable person would consider ludicrous), they won't just smile and take it. Some will let you know bluntly, most find a more subtle and socially acceptable way of letting you know.



Then you'll do great! Good luck. Let us know what you think after you're settled in.

Thanks EmK999 for clarifying the Summer/Autumn timeline and weather! Who would tolerate a willful idiot - Bhahaha! That's good! Finally, thanks for the encouragement - will keep you you up to date!

[DLW007]

Originally Posted by ladyshasta2

forget hot/humid you get one day out of the entire summer that reaches 80 degrees.

This is incorrect. I'm in the Rockland area. This summer has been very humid along the coast but without a lot of rain. Just within the last few weeks heat records have been broken. Last summer we definitely had some heat waves as well with high humidity but the fall/winter weather started a lot sooner than expected.

[ladyshasta2]

i never found it warm in Maine