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Old 08-30-2017, 02:36 PM
 
14 posts, read 23,749 times
Reputation: 61

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I am so, so glad to have come across this feed.. some of the responses were so comforting and validating of my own experience:

My partner and I are both from MI - we grew up in MI, went to college at CMU (where we met) and began working in MI, but then had difficulty finding jobs in the same place, so we re-located to Southern Florida.

My experience in Southern FL has not been a pleasant one - I've found the attitudes and actions of those around me difficult to deal with, as it often feels like the mindset here is self-centered, self-defensive, self-propelling, often at the cost of someone or something else; I've found the focus on material things and lavish lifestyles extremely difficult to get used to, and I have very much struggled with the image of women that is valued here - an emphasis on makeup and plastic surgeries and over-sexualization seems to be the norm. I miss the Midwest culture of caring for others, of doing the right thing because it's right and of enjoying the simpler things.

I was struck by the comments in this thread about the weather - most of our family members in Michigan complain about the winters and make comments about the weather in FL being "so much better"! ...It is so much better, if you love hot and hotter. I have found that I miss the seasons, I miss the chilly fall and wearing a sweatshirt (currently, I would literally settle for just being able to wear pants instead of shorts, ha!), I miss the quiet of snow and the blooming of spring. Of course, loving seasons is a personal preference, but I agree with all of the statements about the "boring weather" - hot isn't super fun anymore if it's always hot. As far as getting outside, I've found that my enjoyment of being outdoors is dwindling because the only option is to go to the beach - even if you can find a place to hike (usually we go to the Everglades), it's often muggy and buggy. This lack of being outdoors (and lack of exercise) has no doubt contributed to my low mood.

I wanted to scream "YES!!!" when I read other comments about the transient culture of other places, as compared to the "stayer" culture of the Midwest.. I've never been a minority in the place I lived (actually this was a very good learning opportunity for me) and I've never been in a place where most people are from somewhere else. What's more is that most people I've met here have not been to where I'm from.. most people have no clue about the lifestyle of the place I'm from (someone asked if I knew what "Krispy Kreme" was and if Michigan had "Target"). While this has been an eye-opener for me and I'm thankful for the experience, I know now that I don't want to live in a place with such transience. For me, it has equaled a lack of community.

We're currently in the process of figuring out what's next - we love the Midwest and plan to end up there, but having only lived one other place, we want to explore a little more first. We are considering VA and CO - both places that appear to have high levels of satisfaction for outdoor explorers, have seasons and, while there will likely still be some transience, perhaps the culture shock won't be so much for us.

-m
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Old 09-03-2017, 12:04 PM
 
Location: Albuquerque, NM
78 posts, read 87,033 times
Reputation: 191
I left SW Michigan in 2003 in my late 30's for Portland, Oregon. In Michigan, I could afford to own a home as a single income teacher, in a nice area within a 20 minute drive to Lake Michigan. I liked the seasons & the weather. I left because small town life felt stifling...conservative, everyone was married and spent their free time at church. My friends were all 10 years younger.

Oregon was green, with lots of water and I loved the culture. I made good friends, but never found a life partner. Eventually, even though i loved it, I couldn't afford to live there, not with student debt from grad school and if I wanted to save a penny towards retirement. And I could never afford to own a home on one income there. After 11 years in Portland, I moved to Mexico for two years. Then to Albuquerque, NM, where I had spent some time in the past but never lived as an adult.

The lack of water and green here in NM gets to me. And the property values might look great if you are coming from the West coast, but again, what I could afford to own here, compared to SW Michigan is strikingly different. Here, a small adobe box in a small lot with not a tree and all sand/clay soil for the price of a 5 acre lot with huge trees less than 30 minutes from the big lake in Michigan. No comparison. New Mexico is a stunningly beautiful state -for a vacation! But salaries, esp for educators are awful (literally our yearly "cost of living" increase is $1!!!) healthcare is very difficult/poor quality (shortage of docs & nurses) and the property crime rate is alarming to say the least. I am really, really tired of being a renter...14 years now.

I've been here a year now and everyday I think about moving back to Michigan, which surprised me at first-I never thought I would move back! My mom is getting older, my friends still remember me and I'd like to grow a big garden. Now I'm 50 and still single. I'm not looking for the same things I was when I left. I want to live more connected to nature and things that are familiar, even small things like the kind of wildflowers that bloom in the woods each spring.

Moving back will be an adjustment, I am sure. However I imagine that some things have improved in my absence and I feel I know what I'm getting with the things I don't like. I'm hoping to be in a position to do so in 5-7 years.

This thread has been food for thought, thank-you to all for posting their impressions and experiences.
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Old 09-12-2017, 01:12 PM
 
Location: Crowderado
51 posts, read 48,199 times
Reputation: 150
Quote:
Originally Posted by MS313 View Post
This is surprising. I thought Colorado was a friendly place.
I know this is going off-topic, as this is supposed to be about returning to Michigan, so I'll try to give a brief response: It probably depends on where you come from. If you're a Midwesterner, Colorado will have a cold, somewhat rude feel. Again, my barometer for friendliness is smiles, waves, and "hello's" on the trails and bike paths, along with a less-guarded and more open, tolerant stance towards strangers. Sure, I've met friendly people in Colorado, but the percentages favor the cold and rude. Exactly the opposite of (my own personal experience) the Midwest.

A lot of Coloradans are really interested in getting in your face about politics. And, again, personal experience, it's always the angry, Fox News types who do this. Just yesterday, I was walking back from the supermarket, and a couple driving by in an SUV stop and inquire if I was getting ready for the upcoming Broncos game. Pleasant enough conversation, and I started to walk away, but then they spotted a "Bernie" sticker on a parked SUV that I had just walked past. They were SO offended by this sticker! Then they wanted to know if that was MY vehicle.

What the hell? It wasn't my SUV, but what business would it have been of theirs if it had been? I don't even know those people. What is in the air (or, maybe it's the lack of air) here in Nut-orado that makes people want to stir up trouble where it doesn't previously exist? Does this happen frequently in Michigan, Wisconsin, or Minnesota? I think I doubt it, based on my own experiences in Michigan, but since I want to move back there, I'd be interested in hearing other's observations.

Peace, everyone, I don't care who you voted for, or if you worship at the church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, just stay out of my face with your attitude! A smile and a gentle hello goes a lot further in advancing your cause than accusing someone of something you don't personally like.
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