Potential job near Detroit. Is it worth it? (transplants, credit)

[animatedmartian]

Actually, back in the early days of Detroit, like early 1800s to 1900s, most residents moving to Detroit came from New England and New York mostly because of the Erie canal. Some of the older parts of Detroit do feel a little more eastern, though the heavy industrialization and urban decay tend to make this less apparent than it would be in probably Cleveland or Buffalo.

When I visited Chicago, the city felt a lot more sterilized than Detroit; not very gritty and hardly much evidence of an industrial past. I've only been through Chicago's suburbs by freeway, but it felt substantially flatter and less leafy than Detroit's freeways. Detroit has at least some elevation change whereas Chicago felt flatter than a ruler. I don't even think the Earth curves past Chicago.

I would agree that Detroit definitely feels more similar to Cleveland and Buffalo than it does Chicago. The only thing that feels similar to Chicago is the big city aspect; large downtown, spread out metro, etc.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by michigan83

It most definitely feels more "eastern" than Indianapolis. I think it might even feel slightly more "eastern" than Chicago, which has a lot of Iowa/Wisconsin influence.

Like a previous poster said, the Detroit area is VERY similar to Buffalo and Cleveland/Akron, only it is larger and more wealthy than both of those.

Well that's good to hear. Like I said, although I noticed some Midwestern flavor in Buffalo and Akron, I still felt rather comfortable and it wasn't too much of a shock.

When I was growing up in central CT, there was a family that relocated to the Hartford area from the Grand Rapids area and they lived in the same town as us for about 8 years. We made friends with them and still keep in touch with them through Facebook til this day. They were truly great people....very friendly, warm and felt like part of the family. We had many family dinner get togethers and spent hours and hours laughing and talking. It was sad to see them leave back to Grand Rapids.

I guess one major difference between MI people and CT people is that CT people are more pretentious, blunt and sophisticated, in some ways, without realizing it. I actually like that though.....because that's how I sort of am lol. But at the same time, I grew up in a rural smaller town and like simple people.

One thing I noticed about Midwestern fashion/style is the prevalence of thick black framed glasses these days. What's up with that!?!? Like everyone there wears them now.

[nep321]

Also, is the area transplant friendly? Do they dislike outsiders?

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by michigan83

It most definitely feels more "eastern" than Indianapolis. I think it might even feel slightly more "eastern" than Chicago, which has a lot of Iowa/Wisconsin influence.

Like a previous poster said, the Detroit area is VERY similar to Buffalo and Cleveland/Akron, only it is larger and more wealthy than both of those.

I feel that way about Chicago as well. I mean, they draw people from Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Western Michigan. I just feel out that way is more solidly 'cornfield' country.

Detroit/Cleveland/Buffalo seem to be more grit, clear industrial past, and decline. More centered on the Great Lakes. Well, Chicago has a very clear Great Lakes orientation as well. But, it's overall draw, seems to be more from cornfield country.

Chicago is a great city though.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by nep321

One thing I noticed about Midwestern fashion/style is the prevalence of thick black framed glasses these days. What's up with that!?!? Like everyone there wears them now.

That sounds more like a hipster from Chicago, possibly Minneapolis.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by nep321

Also, is the area transplant friendly? Do they dislike outsiders?

Metro Detroit is a large metro. At WORSE, they'd be completely indifferent. At worse.

Midwesterners are generally quite friendly, by nature. Michigan as well.

It's NOT like Oregon or Colorado, who are sick of the constant flux of out-of-staters. There are just so few, in general, coming to Michigan, that they'd generally be very welcoming, even a bit curious. Not 'in-your-business' though.

It's also not like 'The South' who are tired of 'Yankees' coming down and trying to 'change the culture'.

Detroit and Michigan is very wide-open, in that there is no large group of 'other' coming in, and therefore, they are very receptive, to very welcoming, to a bit curious as to why.

All my family lives in Michigan. My last two driver's license have been New York and California. When I'd go back to Michigan, I'd use those licenses for ID. The mass majority of the time I flashed one of those licenses, I'd get a, "wow, what are you doing here?" To be fair, when I grew up in Michigan before having left, I often felt that same way about Out-of-Staters. "Wow, you're from Alaska. Wow!" Even more amazing was if someone had a foreign accent, like French of British or Irish or something. Almost mind-blowing.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Metro Detroit is a large metro. At WORSE, they'd be completely indifferent. At worse.

Midwesterners are generally quite friendly, by nature. Michigan as well.

It's NOT like Oregon or Colorado, who are sick of the constant flux of out-of-staters. There are just so few, in general, coming to Michigan, that they'd generally be very welcoming, even a bit curious. Not 'in-your-business' though.

It's also not like 'The South' who are tired of 'Yankees' coming down and trying to 'change the culture'.

Detroit and Michigan is very wide-open, in that there is no large group of 'other' coming in, and therefore, they are very receptive, to very welcoming, to a bit curious as to why.

All my family lives in Michigan. My last two driver's license have been New York and California. When I'd go back to Michigan, I'd use those licenses for ID. The mass majority of the time I flashed one of those licenses, I'd get a, "wow, what are you doing here?" To be fair, when I grew up in Michigan before having left, I often felt that same way about Out-of-Staters. "Wow, you're from Alaska. Wow!" Even more amazing was if someone had a foreign accent, like French of British or Irish or something. Almost mind-blowing.

Then what should I do? I want to be able to live somewhere where I feel comfortable and people are not "curious" about me.

I guess the fact that this particular employer is looking outside of MI for potential new hires shows that they're open to taking in a transplant, however.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

I think you've gotten about all the information that you can through a message board. The only way you'll be able to answer most of your questions is if you spend some time out here. Take a few days before or after the interview to get out and explore the region.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by nep321

I guess one major difference between MI people and CT people is that CT people are more pretentious, blunt and sophisticated, in some ways, without realizing it. I actually like that though.....because that's how I sort of am lol. But at the same time, I grew up in a rural smaller town and like simple people.

Well, people in Metro Detroit won't be 'simple-minded people'. You have to get a bit more rural for that.

CT people being 'pretentious, blunt, and sophisticated'. Hmm...maybe CT is a bit more yuppie than the rest of New England than. I usually associate New England with a very 'down-to-earth' nature. Which is what I think of Michiganders as well.

Pretensiousness is generally looked down upon by down-to-earth people. That being said, you get around the Yuppie areas of Metro Detroit, and that element is certainly there. I think it's a universal among yuppies.

You definitely wouldn't get that element from your Mechanics and Blue Collar Michigan folk at all though.

Blunt. Well, I think New York and Boston would have a lot of that. But, okay, I'm going to look for a Detroit Reporter....Charlie LeDuff...whenever I hear is accent and 'way', he feels very NYC to me, but he's a native Detroiter. LeDuff also worked in NYC after college for about a decade, so maybe some influence there. But, it kind of goes back to what another poster said, that Detroit did attract plenty of New Englanders and New Yorkers back in the day. You can hear that accent in there as well. Listen to all the people he talks to as well.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiqCtzAScxc

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by nep321

Then what should I do? I want to be able to live somewhere where I feel comfortable and people are not "curious" about me.

I guess the fact that this particular employer is looking outside of MI for potential new hires shows that they're open to taking in a transplant, however.

Well, if you flash around a Connecticut Driver's License, people MIGHT be curious. It's not like everyone you meet is going to be stopping you every two seconds. If you aren't flashing it around, and you probably never will unless you are asking to show ID, people wouldn't assume anything at all.

Michigan/Detroit, you'll most often be in your car anyways. I wouldn't worry about 'excessive inquisitiveness'. It's not like that, and it's still a large Metro. Plenty of people will be busy just doing the things they need to do.

The real message there is that people won't be, "Get the Hell out of Here," not at all.