moving to colorado springs from maine and very very scared (Denver: college, salary)

[enrgzrbnny77]

Can someone please give me a word or two of advice? I just had to make a flash decision between a job in Hagerstown, MD and another job in Colorado Springs. I was only given a matter of hours to choose and am worried that I may have made a mistake picking Colorado Springs. I've never been there (except when I was too small to remember) and have no friends or family in the area. I made the decision based on a drastic difference in salary and am getting cold feet. I grew up in New England and went to college in Washington DC, so the Maryland job would have been much closer to the people who love and support me. I'm also nervous because I'm politically liberal and have heard that the Springs area is very right-wing conservative. I get along with everyone (my parents are Republicans!), but I've heard from people here on the east coast that the "fundies" are somewhat of a closed-minded group and don't really accept outsiders. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm scared out of my mind about this move. Am I going to be OK out there? What's the city like? Are the people nice? I love the artsy scene of Portland, ME (home) with its fine dining, galleries, picturesque coast, and small-town vibe. In Washington, I loved the politically charged atmosphere, quaint Georgetown shopping area, restaurants, monuments, and museums. I love to cook, shop, and do yoga. Will I find anything like that out there?? Somebody please help, I've been in tears every night worrying that I'll be miserable out there

[Juliemac]

Picuresque, artsy, good shopping and dining.. left-leaning vibe = Manitou

[captain_hug99]

You'll be fine. Just because there is a right-wing attitude here it isn't in your face. We do have our share of liberals out here.

We are picturesque in a very different way than Maine. As I woke up this morning, I saw the mountains out of my bedroom window. Just like the ocean, they look different every day. We have many mountain towns that are similar to the small shopping areas in Maine. Manitou Springs is similar in feel to Rockland, ME (at least I think so).

If there was a drastic difference in salary between Maryland and COS, you'll do very well here. Your dollars will go much farther, especially when it comes to taxes.

[Matt314159]

Yeah, there are some real extremists in these parts and that can be a bit uncomfortable to the more open-minded folks. Ignore the local newspaper and keep a more West-COS focus (Manitou Springs, etc) and liberals can get along fine. This issue still comes up in local politics, with an almost tea-party-like agenda at times, but again, this is really just COS...Denver and communities up that way are much more balanced, and their balance rubs off on this area to some extent. In this area, even those with extreme views (on either side) are usually very friendly and not trying to directly influence individuals, so it's pretty easy to get along with.

[frankie fern]

You will love it . I have lived all over from P.A to H.I and made live long friends its a big world out there grab it and use it and most of all enjoy it.

[proveick]

Very bad decision, you will die instantly upon arrival.
You will be happy or miserable, it's totally up to you! RP

[Katarina Witt]

There are plenty of liberals in COS, although the general tone of the city is conservative. You will meet people at work and through meet-up groups. Good luck!

[SYS]

It's really all in your attitude. If you're willing to open up to new experiences, you'll be fine. If you're the type that constantly compares the new with the old and prefers the comfort zone of familiarity, then Colorado Springs is not for you or anywhere else, for that matter. I've lived in and traveled all over New England (loved Maine!), and I'm going to tell you that it'd be a radical change in environment even if you take out people's political leanings. Whenever you put yourself in a very different environment, you'll feel the need of your family, relatives, and friends' support even more so. I have the impression from your post that your primary motive in moving to CS is a bigger paycheck. If such motive is just about all there is and not the openness to the new, then you'd be better off not moving here and stay within the boundaries of your comfort zone. Even if you're open to the new, uprooting is never easy. So think carefully.

Having said that, there are abundance of new experiences waiting for you here. Forget the political leanings. Most folks that I've encountered here are anti-intellectuals brought up on short media soundbites with nothing more than visceral reactions to important issues, but I just ignore them. As other posts have already pointed out, it depends on where in CS you choose to live in and, more importantly, seeking out new liberal friends and your support network.

[MtnLion512]

Originally Posted by enrgzrbnny77

Can someone please give me a word or two of advice? I just had to make a flash decision between a job in Hagerstown, MD and another job in Colorado Springs. I was only given a matter of hours to choose and am worried that I may have made a mistake picking Colorado Springs. I've never been there (except when I was too small to remember) and have no friends or family in the area. I made the decision based on a drastic difference in salary and am getting cold feet. I grew up in New England and went to college in Washington DC, so the Maryland job would have been much closer to the people who love and support me. I'm also nervous because I'm politically liberal and have heard that the Springs area is very right-wing conservative. I get along with everyone (my parents are Republicans!), but I've heard from people here on the east coast that the "fundies" are somewhat of a closed-minded group and don't really accept outsiders. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm scared out of my mind about this move. Am I going to be OK out there? What's the city like? Are the people nice? I love the artsy scene of Portland, ME (home) with its fine dining, galleries, picturesque coast, and small-town vibe. In Washington, I loved the politically charged atmosphere, quaint Georgetown shopping area, restaurants, monuments, and museums. I love to cook, shop, and do yoga. Will I find anything like that out there?? Somebody please help, I've been in tears every night worrying that I'll be miserable out there

Yes, that's true of the "fundies"...they're around but there are many more conservatives who are wonderful people who will let you have your views and let you live your life. As Katiana said, there are also plenty of liberals around too, and lots in the middle (I'm middle-liberal and thrived in COS for years!) As for your questions:

Yes, you are going to be OK out here.

The city is pretty quiet, laid-back, with lots of active people doing outdoor activities. Not "vibrant", but there are fun things to do, especially if you love the great outdoors. On nice days, hiking trails are always busy. There are some decent places to eat. On Tuesday nights go downtown and you'll see hundreds of people taking part in a community 5K run and drinking copious amounts of beer afterwards In my mind the most unique thing about COS is its affinity for the outdoors.

Yes, for the most part people are nice.

COS is definitely not particularly similar to either coastal Maine or DC....but many of the things you like you can find here in some fashion...good food, an art scene, quaint shopping areas, a small-town vibe, and picturesque mountains that rival your coast Take a deep breath. You will do great. Best of luck!

[proveick]

Mr Wag, about the "drinking copious amounts of beer afterwards" I think that's a real bad decision.
The DUI laws here are Nazi. Get caught and you're looking at $5K-$7k in most cases and the year long classes. I have a freind out in the high country that's still trying to get his license back from 1997.
One beer rule. RP