Who's moving back to Illinois? Where from and why? (Chicago: 2013, how much)

[Maintainschaos]

Originally Posted by linicx

So how do you manage jobs 200+ miles apart? Do you live downstate part time?

Sorry I think you just misread. I wrote "a job at a university in Illinois" not the University of Illinois. My job is at Northwestern.

[debbie at bouontiful]

I lived in the Northwest corner of IL and loved it. I'd move back if their property taxes were not so darn high.

[linicx]

Yes I did and congrats to both of you!

Originally Posted by Maintainschaos

Sorry I think you just misread. I wrote "a job at a university in Illinois" not the University of Illinois. My job is at Northwestern.

[illini1959]

I grew up in central IL as well. I lived in NC for 20 years, moved there for a job about 30 years ago. I really understand what North4life means! It took me a looooonnngg time to make friends down there, but once I did, they are friends for life. It was a complete culture shock for me, and yes, the civil war is NOT over - in some places anyway. I've been asked many times too, "where are you FROM?"...I can totally still hear that!! Or, "you're not from here, are you?" I guess I went from being a damn yankee to just a yankee and that was a compliment At least that's what they told me.....

Then, I moved to Malibu and lived there only about 5 years. Moved there to marry a "boy" I'd met here (IL) in the 7th grade many years before. He lived there for about 15 years, we moved back to IL last August. We bought my parents house in the country. My husband retired, is gardening to his heart's content, and I got a job at a university.

I missed IL more than I can say. I missed the seasons when I was in Malibu. Who doesn't love IL in the fall? I missed the leaves turning colors, seeing the stars at night, and all the familiar places I grew up with.

Every place I've lived has been beautiful in it's own way. But home is home and I am so glad to be back. I learned a lot living in other places. The main thing is there is good and bad everywhere. There are very good people everywhere.

I am so blessed to be back home and don't plan to ever leave it (permanently) again.

[mayhem_223]

I am originally from Poland and came to Chicagoland in 2004. I got to use to this place and graduated DePaul in 2010. After that I had a little bit problem finding a job for various reasons. An opportunity opened up from IBM but had to move to Dubuque in Iowa. Within a few weeks I started to miss a lot of activities and higher standard of living the new place lacked. Within a year I found a new job in Chicago suburbs and couldn't be happier. The job pays more, I can drive to watch a baseball game within 1 hour or less instead 4 hours, people are nicer and more open to foreign immigrants, I have access to better groceries, fast food (Bueno Beef), restaurants and gyms (Dubuque as of now does not have any modern full service gym open 24h that includes a swimming pool). Not too mention now I am closer to a larger airport, can finally avoid rough one-lane Galena-Freeport corridor.

However, if I was rich, I could have my second home in California, in San Francisco Bay area. I have been there recently for one week and this place was amazing. Plus the weather was nice, only 60F so I escaped for a few days from excessive heating that is now in Midwest.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

Certainly am Proud to be an Illinoisan.

It is a wonderful place to call home.
Fall like another poster mentioned is absolutely the best in Illinois.

I am just hoping these hot spells do not become part of the norm.


Shhhhhh ... it's supposed to be cooler the rest of the week ~ Mod

[ajolote]

I'm still contemplating moving back to Illinois after over 20 years in Arizona, but I'm still not wholly ready to make the move. I'm not used to Midwestern concepts of time, formality, and association!

[linicx]

Originally Posted by ajolote

I'm not used to Midwestern concepts of time, formality, and association!

How so?

[summer22]

I just moved back to Illinois, from Indiana. I grew up in Chicago.

When I moved to Indiana in 1996, things were on the rise there - I moved for college and went to Ball State which had some very progressive programs and friendly people. It was a good choice for me at the time. I also landed an Indiana teaching job right out of college.

After about three years the depression started to sink in -- I had a nice workplace, but outside of work there was nothing. No park programs, adult education, nothing for singles, and not a lot of neighborliness. Lots of rural poverty and not much pride. I was very worried that Indiana was losing intelligent young graduates to 'brain drain', and no one seemed to do anything about it. Very weak leadership with no vision for a better future, is how I would describe the political system. Every political decision centered around frugality.

I agree with the other posters who said that people in some states don't even realize what they are missing as far as amenities, education, culture, infrastructure, decent roads, parks, health care, and professionalism. Also the pay for my profession was very, very low compared to salaries in Illinois. I am not currently teaching, but I do have the option to in the future.

I also really missed being around people who are upfront. It is so much better than the passive-aggressive way of living that is so common in other states.

In short, everything worked out well back in Illinois -- apartment, full-time job, and closer to family too. I feel comfortable and welcome, and being gay I know that my rights and opportunities are safeguarded here.

I also lived for about four years in Ohio at some point. I love Ohio and find the people warm and friendly, but it is so hard to get anything done in Ohio. I had so much difficulty getting through the red tape with landlords and employers. The social life was great, but the business world there moves at a turtle's pace, much too slow and frustrating for my liking. I found tons of politically liberal friends in Ohio, and never felt alone there with my views, but again the pace of change in their legal system is slow. They have very few protections written into law for workers or for GLBT individuals.

[summer22]

Originally Posted by mayhem_223

I am originally from Poland and came to Chicagoland in 2004. I got to use to this place and graduated DePaul in 2010. After that I had a little bit problem finding a job for various reasons. An opportunity opened up from IBM but had to move to Dubuque in Iowa. Within a few weeks I started to miss a lot of activities and higher standard of living the new place lacked. Within a year I found a new job in Chicago suburbs and couldn't be happier. The job pays more, I can drive to watch a baseball game within 1 hour or less instead 4 hours, people are nicer and more open to foreign immigrants, I have access to better groceries, fast food (Bueno Beef), restaurants and gyms (Dubuque as of now does not have any modern full service gym open 24h that includes a swimming pool). Not too mention now I am closer to a larger airport, can finally avoid rough one-lane Galena-Freeport corridor.

However, if I was rich, I could have my second home in California, in San Francisco Bay area. I have been there recently for one week and this place was amazing. Plus the weather was nice, only 60F so I escaped for a few days from excessive heating that is now in Midwest.

Great post. I like all the plusses you mentioned; baseball, the openness, the friendliness.
I'd love to find a place to vacation every year or have a second home.
Don't know where yet. Don't even know if it would be on this continent