Down East magazine (Mexico, Eastport, Danforth: neighborhood, buy, wages)

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by 7th generation

For the most part the poor who live in Maine are rich and the rich who live in Maine are poor.The poor live their lives in a truly honest, non-judgmental way and those that look down upon them are deploreable.
This population is easily discerned, shunned and ignored by us.

Well said. Someone who would be considered "poor" stopped here (bakery on my property) hoping to find Anadama bread last week. I didn't have it so he ordered it for today. While he was here today he said his mom used to make it for him 30 years ago...when she lived in what's now my home. He's able to come "home" to get the kind of bread his mom used to make for him. That's rich.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

I have definitely run into such people. They are around. But they are few and far between. They don't represent the typical Maineah. They're the bad apples giving the rest a bad name.

That said, even kind, generous, warm-hearted Maineahs do like Maine to be Maine. If you move here because you love it and want to be a part of it, 99% of Maineahs are going to welcome you with open arms. If you move here and want to change it to be more like where you left in New York, Massachusetts, etc., you're going to rub even good people the wrong way. Never start sentence, "Where I'm from, we did it this way..."

Been here 5 years now, and while it's probable there are a few of those types around they haven't made themselves known to me yet.

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by massnative71

Been here 5 years now, and while it's probable there are a few of those types around they haven't made themselves known to me yet.

I have only met a few in my 12+ years here. Two were in Lewiston. The other was in a rural area west of Farmington.

[OpinionExperience]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

I have definitely run into such people. They are around. But they are few and far between. They don't represent the typical Maineah. They're the bad apples giving the rest a bad name.

That said, even kind, generous, warm-hearted Maineahs do like Maine to be Maine. If you move here because you love it and want to be a part of it, 99% of Maineahs are going to welcome you with open arms. If you move here and want to change it to be more like where you left in New York, Massachusetts, etc., you're going to rub even good people the wrong way. Never start sentence, "Where I'm from, we did it this way..."

I NEVER put down Maine the 14 years I lived there. I moved to Maine for just the way it is, I did not want to bring what I was leaving with me. People that moved there and put down Maine, thinking I was of the same mindset since I was from NJ, I defended it, I asked them "then why did you move here?"

I had friends from Maine that would boast how they were on their fourth pair of LL Bean boots since they had a no question return policy, why are you abusing it.

I was taken back by the drug use and infidelity. A friend would talk about his pot plant operation in his attic. And there's everything else.

Or there is the LGBTQ community that would look at me sideways when I put my American flag out.

None of this is a shocker for someone from Jersey who has seen it all and then some. Just wasn't expecting that in Maine.

I still like Maine just look at things differently, never thought I would have too. So their perception of Down East Magazine is pretty accurate, it's just advertising.

Congratulations to Lee Nelsen on his retirement, still like channel 6 News.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Over 92% of our kids get free and reduced lunch at school. so under federal guidelines we feed everybody breakfast and lunch. This situation has been in effect for decades. With the Chinese flu here there are few families with take-home income that would disqualify then from free and reduced lunch. Get beyond the suburbs and you will find newcomers welcome. We are reaching out to the travel trailer rfugees who came this year to escape very dangerous situations.We are telling them that their 3 season travel trailer will not suffice through the winter and finding them homes that are vacant from the departure of the snowbirds. We tend to be accommodating and do not demean people who have never experienced Maine winters. Many of these "refugees" are very properous by Maine standards and are surprised to learn that they are welcome. Maine needs people and these newcomers who are unprepared for winter have valuable skills in other fields.

[mainebrokerman]

I still believe if anyone has ambition
To work you can find jobs
Look in indeed.com thousands of jobs

I see woman posting 20-25$ House cleaning
Houses and getting it... babysitting is 15$ hr

I’m seeing handyman and painters jobs for 26-30$hr
All on Facebook

I’m seeing lobsterman posting for sternman
For 150-200 a day

Here’s also what’s happening in small town Maine
Unfortunately the poor uses drugs.., smokes cigarettes and weed
And drinks a lot ... not to mention scratch lottery tickets some poor is self inflicted

After high school I lived in my car and worked at a slaughterhouse
On the weekends my friends ( poor Mainers) partied and smoked weed
I saved my money... i finally got a foot in the door in a major company
And gave it my all - kept my nose clean

Biw is advertising for employees good benefits and good pay

I know many businesses looking for local help
But this spring and summer the government paid
People to stay home

I know Mainers who are wealthy but you’d never
Know it ... most Mainers despise arrogance
And don’t put on heirs

As far as the magazine goes ... it’s more sizzle
Than steak

I travel all over the state and most places the real estate market
Is on fire !! It’s good to have more people coming to Maine

[svband76]

The magazine is more of a marketing tool for the mid coast real estate market. They do have the occasional every-day Mainer type stories, but it's glossy and full of ads for hipsters and retirees-to-be from away with cash $$. I'm thankful for the magazine and subscribe to it though. Their articles on Mainers age 100 and over was well done.

[YorktownGal]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Many of these "refugees" are very properous by Maine standards and are surprised to learn that they are welcome. Maine needs people and these newcomers who are unprepared for winter have valuable skills in other fields.

Why have they left their homes? Covid? Riots? Adventure? Lost wages?

To live in a trailer in the most northern state without any family/work ties to the area is a HUGE decision. What happened?

[PAhippo]

Originally Posted by YorktownGal

Why have they left their homes? Covid? Riots? Adventure? Lost wages?

To live in a trailer in the most northern state without any family/work ties to the area is a HUGE decision. What happened?

why does anything have to have happened? I've done that a few times although regrettably not to Maine.



Sometimes you just have to be a bear and see what's on the other side of the mountain.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"Why have they left their homes? Covid? Riots? Adventure? Lost wages?"

All of the above. The adventurers are usually very well prepared, both in wisdom and supplies. They are not refugees.

The "Covid, Riots and Lost wages" people were unable to stay where they were. They are distraught because of what happened to their neighborhoods and the grave danger they faced. MS-13 is real. The safety refugees are welcome in Maine. They arenot lazy deadbeats. They are simply defeated like the Armenians who came after WWII and the honest hard working Cubans who escaped from Cuba under great danger so they could be free. Good people.

Not since the "dust bowl" in the 1930s have we seen refugees from within the USA. It is truely sad. We have some hard working families from Mexico who are establishing small businesses in Maine and these folks can cook! They are supporting themselves. Culturally, they are very different from our Amish families, but economically they are similar.

The Amish have large families and they exceed the capacity of their farms in PA, MD and OH. They must move if they are to have a family. They are welcome in Maine and they have strong skills. Some work in traditional manufacturing companies.