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So I've been tossing ideas around about where I've wanted to live. Basically I've made it into this.
Locations
Eastern Tennessee
Western North Carolina
New Hampshire
Vermont
Now your probably wondering why I've chosen two different regions, well one of my criterias are to have mountains. Both regions offer that. I love to hike and fish etc. I also love taking photography of landscapes. Both regions offer that. I think that Vermont & New Hampshire will offer me the high qaulity of life like most experience in Wisconsin. Also I know New Hampshire is expensive. Wisconsin is expensive as well so that's nothing new. I almost feel that New Hampshire/Vermont will have somewhat same cultural values as does Wisconsin. I know that I would be in for a culture shock with the south. I do feel as though Tennessee could open up some opportunities. Both regions are in the mountains and within a couple hours of the Atlantic. I don't have any sort of extravagant degree, just a High School Diploma. Can anyone tell me what region maybe be better for regular labor jobs. I do have experience in the electrical field and snow plowing. I've always pictured New Hampshire to have some Aspens and Birch trees against the mountain backdrop with a moose. I know Tennessee has black bears.
I'm a born and raised Wisconsin boy. I'm 19 and want to experience different cultures. I've been raised with good values. For the most part of my life I've had a high qaulity of living. Wisconsin does have alot going for it, but you only live once and I want to try living somewhere else for once. I truly think that living in different locales will not only give me experience. It will also help me gain a different perspective on life. I think it would also make one more wise.
I would go for Vermont. It has similar culture to Wisc., but has wonderful natural amenities, vibrant towns and cities, progressive politics and is within a few hours of alot of the East Coast cities (Montreal, New York, Boston). It is a prosperous state that will give you an even better quality of life than you are used to even in Wisconsin (and Wisc. is hard to beat). Judging that you are 19 and live in Portage, I assume you want a more lively city. Something like Burlington will have all the amenities of somewhere like Iowa City. It is noted for its quality of live and the number of young people there.
What Minnehahapolitan said. Southern NH is a Boston suburb and has become congested and expensive. Central and northern NH is still rural but job opportunities are hard to come by.
You may also want to consider Maine. Plenty of forests, mountains and the ocean. You can find work in the Bangor area and possibly in the Augusta-Waterville area. The Portland area SW to the NH border is also a possibility though that too is becoming an extension of Boston.
So I've been tossing ideas around about where I've wanted to live. Basically I've made it into this.
Locations
Eastern Tennessee
Western North Carolina
New Hampshire
Vermont
Now your probably wondering why I've chosen two different regions, well one of my criterias are to have mountains. Both regions offer that. I love to hike and fish etc. I also love taking photography of landscapes. Both regions offer that. I think that Vermont & New Hampshire will offer me the high qaulity of life like most experience in Wisconsin. Also I know New Hampshire is expensive. Wisconsin is expensive as well so that's nothing new. I almost feel that New Hampshire/Vermont will have somewhat same cultural values as does Wisconsin. I know that I would be in for a culture shock with the south. I do feel as though Tennessee could open up some opportunities. Both regions are in the mountains and within a couple hours of the Atlantic. I don't have any sort of extravagant degree, just a High School Diploma. Can anyone tell me what region maybe be better for regular labor jobs. I do have experience in the electrical field and snow plowing. I've always pictured New Hampshire to have some Aspens and Birch trees against the mountain backdrop with a moose. I know Tennessee has black bears.
I'm a born and raised Wisconsin boy. I'm 19 and want to experience different cultures. I've been raised with good values. For the most part of my life I've had a high qaulity of living. Wisconsin does have alot going for it, but you only live once and I want to try living somewhere else for once. I truly think that living in different locales will not only give me experience. It will also help me gain a different perspective on life. I think it would also make one more wise.
What to do????
Josh, you sound an awful lot like me. I actually did what you're considering doing. I chose eastern Tennessee (Knoxville) and I'm glad I did. You're in the corner of the state and within driving distance to several other states to visit.
I even extended my desire to experience other cultures by moving to several different cultures. (No, I'm not rich but anyone can do it as long as they stay debt-free.)
One site that will help you a lot is Best Places to Live: Compare the Best Cities & Small Towns for You!
Take their quiz about what you're looking for in another place to live: climate, size, population, jobs, ethnicity, recreation, geography, taxes, schools, etc., When you're done, they'll ask you for your information (name, addresss, etc.,) Just put in fake information because you don't have to verify your e-mail address by clicking on a link. They give you the information right away. (I'm currently registered as Winnie the Pooh.)
It gives you a list of cities and towns that best match your answers, in the order of how they think you'd be happiest. The results they give you are in a beautiful, four page, color format complete with photos. The information is current as of 2006, which is great. If you want to print out any of the reports, pull it up as a PDF (it gives you that option) and then print it, or it prints it lightly and cuts off the right side.
I found this quiz to be really helpful and accurate. 75% find it fun and helpful and 25% didn't.
Id go with VT. Its arguably the most gorgeous of the 4, not crowded, lowest crime, and all the snow you could dream of to plow and earn some good $$$. If you like hiking, TN's mountains become a tourist magnet in summer, which sucks for those who want to feel like theyre alone. I think VT offers the most beautiful wilderness, with the least visitors (until the fall color watchers come in). Speaking of fall colors, VT is a dream world in fall, beyond gorgeous. The Smokies get some decent color, but VT? Wow. A photographers wet dream come true. Plus you get the solid 4 seasons in VT, unlike places in TN and NC, which have mild winters (read: MUD) and steaming summers.
Id go with VT. Its arguably the most gorgeous of the 4, not crowded, lowest crime, and all the snow you could dream of to plow and earn some good $$$. If you like hiking, TN's mountains become a tourist magnet in summer, which sucks for those who want to feel like theyre alone. I think VT offers the most beautiful wilderness, with the least visitors (until the fall color watchers come in). Speaking of fall colors, VT is a dream world in fall, beyond gorgeous. The Smokies get some decent color, but VT? Wow. A photographers wet dream come true. Plus you get the solid 4 seasons in VT, unlike places in TN and NC, which have mild winters (read: MUD) and steaming summers.
Thanks Steve-o, Yea It's a toss up between New Hampshire and Vermont. I don't know which would be more for me. They both seem relatively similar.
Obviously, climate is a huge difference. Steve-o said that VT has 4 seasons but the mountains of NC and TN don't. I disagree. The southern Aappalachians have much more evenly divided seasons. NH and VT have LONG winters and cold, rainy damp springs follow by a short summer and a beautiful fall.
Both regions are really beautiful though. It just depends on what you want. The fall color is better up north, but the spring wildflowers are gorgeous down south as well. If you want winter sports, you better stay north. Hiking and outdoor recreation opportunities are abundant in either region. Asheville, NC sounds like the kind of place you are looking for if you are intersted in the southern Appalachians. There is more growth in the east TN (Knoxville and Tri-Cities) and western NC areas for good and bad. However, that would mean generally better opportunities for laborers. However, there are more illegal immigrants in construction down south as well, so it may be a toss up.
FYI, there are no shortages of black bears in NH or VT, they are everywhere in the mountains. I've had a couple close encounters of my own in the White Mountains.
VT and NH are not all that similar other than the terrain climate. NH is much more conservative politically while Vermont is much more left leaning. NH has more Boston yuppie transplants while VT has more NY transplants. Taxes are much lower in NH and higher in VT. Southern NH is a bedroom community for Boston while most of Vermont is rural in nature. VT has the best maple syrup and best cheddar cheese in the country.
Josh, you sound an awful lot like me. I actually did what you're considering doing. I chose eastern Tennessee (Knoxville) and I'm glad I did. You're in the corner of the state and within driving distance to several other states to visit.
I even extended my desire to experience other cultures by moving to several different cultures. (No, I'm not rich but anyone can do it as long as they stay debt-free.)
One site that will help you a lot is Best Places to Live: Compare the Best Cities & Small Towns for You!
Take their quiz about what you're looking for in another place to live: climate, size, population, jobs, ethnicity, recreation, geography, taxes, schools, etc., When you're done, they'll ask you for your information (name, addresss, etc.,) Just put in fake information because you don't have to verify your e-mail address by clicking on a link. They give you the information right away. (I'm currently registered as Winnie the Pooh.)
It gives you a list of cities and towns that best match your answers, in the order of how they think you'd be happiest. The results they give you are in a beautiful, four page, color format complete with photos. The information is current as of 2006, which is great. If you want to print out any of the reports, pull it up as a PDF (it gives you that option) and then print it, or it prints it lightly and cuts off the right side.
I found this quiz to be really helpful and accurate. 75% find it fun and helpful and 25% didn't.
CORRECTION:
I meant to type "countries" in the bolded spot above, not "cultures."
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