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Attending an HBCU was a culture shock for me. It was somewhat of a culture shock to come down here to Salisbury. It's much more laid back and chill down here than over in Baltimore or even in Calvert County.
And please do NOT insisst that they say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I live in Baltimore County even and many people here are offended when people say Happy Holidays. Also do not be bothered by the Confederate flag, or complain about food, or look down on Walmart, or lectrue people on how great Obama is. Most of Maryland is actaully quite rural and conservative. Its a shame our state government is run by the freak show known as Montgomery County.
Because in Tom's mind: Liberals are evil and mentally retarded and Conservatives are America's saviors and smarter than the average bear.
as some one from salisbury, who has spent quite a bit of my time in cambridge, I would recommend easton or even salisbury. salisbury may have alot of ghetto's, but we're not cambridge ghetto. that said there might be some nice neighborhoods in cambridge, but I grew up poor and black so I never got to see thjem.
And please do NOT insisst that they say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I live in Baltimore County even and many people here are offended when people say Happy Holidays. Also do not be bothered by the Confederate flag, or complain about food, or look down on Walmart, or lectrue people on how great Obama is. Most of Maryland is actaully quite rural and conservative. Its a shame our state government is run by the freak show known as Montgomery County.
My husband has a potential job offer at Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge. If the funding works out, it won't be a question of whether or not to move there, we will be moving there.
I am born and raised in Portland, Oregon and went to college in Los Angeles. I have never been to the east coast at all. I love the west coast but married a guy from Milwaukee, Wisconsin knowing that when he finished his PhD, that we would have to move wherever he found a job. He has been to visit Cambridge, but I have not. He seems to think that it will be a huge culture shock to me. Since I haven't been anywhere on the east coast I have no frame of reference (except for movies!).
I have a lot of anxiety about moving anywhere completely new and starting over, but Cambridge is about as far away from home as we could possibly go. We are in our early 30's with a 2 year old daughter. We (or at least I) probably fit a lot of Portland (have you seen Portlandia) stereotypes. Very into eating organic, farmer's markets, gardening, doing outdoor activities like camping and hiking, yoga, coffee, thrift shops/vintage stores and Waldorf/Montessori education for our daughter. I work full-time now, but when we move I will probably stay at home, since we would like to have more kids. I worry that I won't find a niche of people or other moms so I don't feel isolated and alone. All of my family is in Oregon. I guess some of my questions are:.....
I lived in columbia, MD for a while but I wasn't born or raised here. And I can't stand it here. But then, I have an a lot more fun, laid back, open, aggressive personality than most marylanders do. If you're more into the family scene then you might be able to mix in with these boring people better. The most I can say is that they're (fake) nice but boring. If you dont look or act like another typical southerner (church going) (overly respectful) they say yes ma'a yes sir and no ma'am no sir a lot around here. Too much. To the point where it's corny. Or family oriented boxed up personality then they won't be able to relate. Your typical slow witted southerners. Nothing special.
But you are family oriented and reserved so that's 2 out of 10
If I had a place to pick on the east coast I'd pick Florida or D.C and the Northeast. Northern jersey / eastern Pennslyvania up to Connecticut. Maryland is mid atlantic.
By experience, I know, a lot of the people in those states are a lot more well rounded, smarter, fun, laid back, progressive people. People who have been places in their life and are going somewhere. I swear marylanders are stuck in the slave days. Not because they're racsist. Well... the further into the farm country (like western maryland) you might find that. But because the people down here are just so a$$ backwards. Haven't moved on or up. Just old fashioned southerners. And I get the feeling that some of the people still act like they did in the slave days
Now that's the people... that's just the one's born here or maybe not from the city. I find people from baltimore are more laid back than the ones in the counties. And if you meet someone not born here that's even better. There's enough of those around.
But in the end I'm pretty sure any state on the east coast is a lot more friendlier than west coat. We're more laid back out here. Not hollywood types. Real people. Even the fakest marylander is probably realer than your average west coaster. They're not fake mean like they probably are out there. It's a different kind of fake. Like church going fake. I didn't find this out until I had something happen last year that showed how fake they were. (Thats in another post). Before that I just thought they were annoying. But if you say you're reserved and family oriented you'll fit in fine.
Now the place...
I only eat natural and organic and I could tell you every natural organic store in and around columbia. I don't know that many outside of my area. But Columbia has about 5 good ones. Roots Market in Clarksville is the best one. Everythings local just like in a farmers market. But a lot of big supermarkets like Giant ( the main one out here) have their own natural/organic sections. There's pretty much a natural or organic product for everything at Giant. All Nature's Promise products, which are Giant store brand of products, are organic or natural. That goes for meat and produce also. Safeway is the other main store out here and their natural section is catching up. I think this state is actually one of the best when it comes to organic and natural foods. That's what someone from California said when they compared cali to here. They do have farmers markets out here. But I don't go to those, so couldn't tell you about the ones in Cambridge.
I actually had to check where cambridge was on the map, even though I've lived here long enough, so could'nt tell you about the best spots to live over there. But you're about 20 /25/ 30 minutes away from me so you're not that far.
The whole natural disaster thing that's been going on in maryland, the past couple years, is actually something new. They're calling it the "new norm". The only thing we used to have to worry about was the crazy humidity every summer. That was it. Thunderstorms too. But that's nothing. And snowstorms. I live more inland, so the past couple hurricanes we had were really more like really bad tropical storms. A lot of wind and rain not that much damage except for small broken trees. But it looks like Cambridge is right on the Atlantic coast line. So depending on what happens in the future. You'd might have to evacuate. Even though a lot of people don't. Hurricane Sandy was actually the first hurricane that did that much damage. And the damage we had was NOTHING compared to NYC. I don't even think there was a whole lot of bad flooding. I did see some bad flooding but I think it was in more low level areas. Maryland is hilly country. But no you wouldnt have to worry about dying in a hurricane in maryland. Unless you're stupid enough to drive out in it or maybe some freak acccident with a tree. That happens maybe 1 out of million.
AND OHH YEAAH :hand: the summers are CRAZY HUMMID HOT. We have code red days. Where they urge people not to go out in it. But I'm so used to them I go out in it with all the car windows down. No a/c. Not because I have to but I'm just used to it. But yea you'll hate the summers. Everybody does around here. Especially out of towners.
YEP BUGS TOO. Just like any other humid hot southern state. They're worse in the summer. And you'll be on the coast so there's probably more over there. They'll come in the house. Ants, spiders (small- med harmless ones) not huge or deadly, and other bugs. I actually had a huge centipede crawl up my wall this summer. freaked the shzz out of me. 2 in the same night! But I think those came out of a box I got delivered from amazon. Every year it gets worse. Something new. But nothing that's gonna kill you. Annoy the hell out of you though. Yea mosquitos like crazy. Whenever I got out of my car, around any woods, or trees, and stood there for more than 10 minutes in june/july, I got bite everytime. I started putting on tea tree oil and that finally quit.
Pro's.... it's a nice area to live if you want to live in the suburbs but like going into the city on the weekends. Baltimore and D.C. They have more going on. Especially D.C. That used to be one of my favorite places to party and hang out. I'd probably have more good things to tell you when I first got stuck down here but now I'm just tired of it. Just not my thing. If you have a family and are looking for good schooling, organic food, quiet place, nice to look at (it's pretty out here), safe (depending what part). Then marylands fine.
Sounds like probably about 50/50 on what you want. Maybe 40/60.
Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70
And please do NOT insisst that they say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. I live in Baltimore County even and many people here are offended when people say Happy Holidays. Also do not be bothered by the Confederate flag, or complain about food, or look down on Walmart, or lectrue people on how great Obama is. Most of Maryland is actaully quite rural and conservative. Its a shame our state government is run by the freak show known as Montgomery County.
L3XX doesn't have the beginning of a clue when he makes the statement "Hurrican Sandy was was the first hurricane to do much damage". Last year was Irene which whipped up the Shore. Lee a few weeks later caused major flooding all up and down the east Coast. About 6 years ago was Ernesto, then Isabel in 2003 devastated both sides of the Bay. Those are just the tropical storms since 2000 that I remember. The Shore will get ice when the rest of the State gets snow.
As far as Columbia being "about" 30 minutes from Cambridge I have to ask what's he driving?
The Eastern Shore is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain so it's the opposite of hilly.
L3XX doesn't have the beginning of a clue when he makes the statement "Hurrican Sandy was was the first hurricane to do much damage". Last year was Irene which whipped up the Shore. Lee a few weeks later caused major flooding all up and down the east Coast. About 6 years ago was Ernesto, then Isabel in 2003 devastated both sides of the Bay. Those are just the tropical storms since 2000 that I remember. The Shore will get ice when the rest of the State gets snow.
As far as Columbia being "about" 30 minutes from Cambridge I have to ask what's he driving?
The Eastern Shore is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain so it's the opposite of hilly.
Yup. So add to the list you started of posters to ignore, L3XX.
L3XX doesn't have the beginning of a clue when he makes the statement "Hurrican Sandy was was the first hurricane to do much damage". Last year was Irene which whipped up the Shore. Lee a few weeks later caused major flooding all up and down the east Coast. About 6 years ago was Ernesto, then Isabel in 2003 devastated both sides of the Bay. Those are just the tropical storms since 2000 that I remember. The Shore will get ice when the rest of the State gets snow.
As far as Columbia being "about" 30 minutes from Cambridge I have to ask what's he driving?
The Eastern Shore is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain so it's the opposite of hilly.
Lol Thanks.... Another good visual of how slow witted these people are.
Like I said for the slower witted people in the class (which would be anybody holding a MD birth certficate). Read it slow now dont hurt yourself. Hurricane - Sandy - was -the - first - hurricane - to - do (that) MUCH- DAMAGE. She didn't ask for a list of harmless tropical storms and 1 or 2 weaker hurricanes. She's worried about the ones the media has hyped up as the worst. Or a state with a hurricane history that could be dangerous. Like Florida or New Orleans.
And the numbers 20 and 25 before that little number 30 up there were what you call the "first estimates". Or the other choices in the list. A smarter person knows that's whats called common sense. And truthfully, as bad as the traffic is around here, if you left Columbia during rush hour, it probably would take you 30 minutes to get to the eastern shore. That's why you see 20/25/30 minutes and not just 30
LOL You see what I gotta deal with everytime I walk out the door.
If you give em a day or two they might actually get it. But dont count on it. LOl seriously. I actually had one of the maintenance men at my place, who was supposed to fix my smoke detector, tell me "UHHH! A LOT UH TIMES I GOTTA GO HOME AND SLEEP AWN IT BEFORE i CAN FIGGER IT OUT". (im trying to do that nauseating sounding maryland accent. the one with all the " Ewwwoooo's" supposed to be o's ). But it's too half retarded. It can't even be shown in words. As long as I've been down here you'd think I could get used to it. UGHH! I cant. Lol can't stand that accent. I swear it sounds just like a person with down syndrome. That smoke detector stayed broken, until finally a year or 2 later, after a new maintenance man who obviously was not a marylander, came and did a routine maintenance check and said in less than 2 minutes after noticing it, that it wasn't working. He said I'll be right back. Another 2 minutes later that thing was finally fixed and he was gone in 5 minutes. I could've fixed it myself but thats not what I pay over $1800 in rent for. For me to fix my own shzz. lol
This is the type of crap you gotta deal with around here. And don't get me started on any maryland customer service. Seriously these people are like apes. I'm not even trying to be mean.
You can tell by their responses and posts on here how menial they are. Nothing special. Like I said just slow witted country bumpkins.
Ofcourse the other slow witted fool wants you to be me on ignore. His feelings get hurt everytime he reads my post. It hits home. And hits hard. Too bad she doesn't have the same problem you have and have a need to ignore the truth. She's actually looking for it.
lol. whatever. im out. One thing I don't do is give these people any of my attention as much as they beggggg and begggg for it. And trust me they do. Everytime I walk out the door. I just make fun of them and laugh at them. Hard not too. That's as far as it goes.
But any non marylander is cool. Any more questions. Just ask ;O)
Last edited by L3XX; 11-01-2012 at 11:15 AM..
Reason: typos
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Girl dont do it
THUMBS UP to the thickheaded lol
Lol Thanks.... Another good visual of how slow witted these people are. 
