Considering a move from Anchorage,AK (St. Paul: appointed, fit in, transplants)

[Justme91]

I am a 28 single male and have never lived a big city or any of the contiguous US and I am looking for a change from my hometown. I keep seeing that the winters are super long but in terms of where I'm from Alaskans always think they have the longest winters. I really am not honestly looking for a dramatic climate difference so that doesn't bother me but I am concerned about how a larger city functions with snow.

I am in the hospitality field of work and found several nice large hotels in the area which eases my worries in getting a job. Everything looks great from what I have read and seen so far but I may be moving without visiting the area first. I'm not sure if this would be a wise decision or not as I would hate to have to call it quits and move back to Anchorage.

Also I keep seeing this "Minnesota Nice" thing which several people on here disagree about. In Anchorage specifically(other parts of AK are different) people rarely say hi to one another in public and its difficult to make friends unless you are bought to a social group. I have countless acquaintances here but I really feel like I have never really made strong friendships likes others have. I'm sure being homeschooled didn't help but that's a different topic. Anyway I just want to be able to make and friends and have stronger social connections than in Anchorage. I never felt like I fit in with many of the Alaskan stereotypes.

I there is anything else I should consider please let me know. Moving out of Alaska seems very difficult compared to other states so I really want to think this through.

[riffle]

Winter
The Twin Cities can get as cold or colder than Anchorage, but the winter is shorter and less snowy. More wind (but not big storms like Chinooks) and also more direct sun. In general, the Cities function well with snow. Two differences you may notice:
- MN treats the roads heavily with salt, so unlike AK you won't find many roads snow- and ice-covered all winter (less snowfall and more warm days play a role too).
- Big city traffic can be nasty if bad weather hits during rush hour. The only comparable traffic in Anchorage would be on the Glenn Highway.

Planning
Not sure whether it's realistic to find a job in your field before moving. If not, do you have enough savings to hold out until you find work? What did you think of the feedback on rent in your other thread?

Culture
To the extent that there are differences: they are subtle, not dramatic. The best way I can explain it is to say that the Midwest has more social expectations and norms, while Alaska is more independent. You are more likely to meet your neighbors in MN, whether they actually want to meet you or just feel obligated to be superficially friendly. Another difference is that Asian and Pacific Islander influences are much greater in Anchorage, along with Alaska Native. The Twin Cities have very distinct urban and suburban areas, surrounded by farmland and small towns. Anchorage is a mix of pockets of urban, suburban, and country surrounded by wilderness.

Long story short, your social life may improve if you have more activities you enjoy or generally present yourself differently. Otherwise, probably not.

I'll send you a PM too.

[Astron1000]

Take the plunge, my friend!
You are too young to realize how short life is. Live an adventurous life! Explore, be disappointed, be enthralled. See things you've never seen before. Stop worrying about "whether you'd like it." Who cares? Try it first. Then you'll discover if it satisfies your desires and fits in with who you are.

I never wanted to go to Hawaii when I was young. My cynical nature thought it was "too cheesy." And when I went there I discovered a whole new world that I imagined I wouldn't like. But instead I fell in love with it.

You are right to be pragmatic. But given that the Hospitality industry exists, well, everywhere on this world, take advantage of your advantage to find a job anywhere hospitality exists! Take a chance and move to the Twin Cities! But if you don't like it, that doesn't mean you'll have to retreat back to Anchorage.

Move on to Reykjavik. Move on to Amsterdam. Move on to Barcelona. And who knows? Maybe you'll find your passion in Casablanca, or Budapest, or Tulsa, or Baku, or Santiago, or Des Moines!

Be brave! Don't let your own limited idea of who you are prevent you from discovering who you really are. The world is so big that our insecurities don't really matter.

Go!

[Justme91]

Thanks I think I'm overthinking things a little bit. And your right if it doesn't work out I can try something different besides my hometown.

[Glenfield]

Native Minnesotans, and we long term residents, put great stock in politeness. This willingness to be conversational and helpful to strangers is the root of the term “Minnesota Nice.”

At the same time, many of us do not take friendship lightly. I have found friendships to be more difficult to establish but deeper and longer lasting. This is very much a remanent of our Scandinavian culture. If this appeals to you, fine. If not, just move to a suburb with plenty of transplants.

[dnkw]

One plus for the Twin Cities, I think, is that there are a tremendous number of Meetup groups. It was a huge help getting to know people with common interests when I moved here. Might be something you can peruse from afar when you’re evaluating a future move.

[Isaysos]

Originally Posted by riffle

Winter
The Twin Cities can get as cold or colder than Anchorage, but the winter is shorter and less snowy. More wind (but not big storms like Chinooks) and also more direct sun. In general, the Cities function well with snow. Two differences you may notice:
- MN treats the roads heavily with salt, so unlike AK you won't find many roads snow- and ice-covered all winter (less snowfall and more warm days play a role too).
- Big city traffic can be nasty if bad weather hits during rush hour. The only comparable traffic in Anchorage would be on the Glenn Highway.

Planning
Not sure whether it's realistic to find a job in your field before moving. If not, do you have enough savings to hold out until you find work? What did you think of the feedback on rent in your other thread?

Culture
To the extent that there are differences: they are subtle, not dramatic. The best way I can explain it is to say that the Midwest has more social expectations and norms, while Alaska is more independent. You are more likely to meet your neighbors in MN, whether they actually want to meet you or just feel obligated to be superficially friendly. Another difference is that Asian and Pacific Islander influences are much greater in Anchorage, along with Alaska Native. The Twin Cities have very distinct urban and suburban areas, surrounded by farmland and small towns. Anchorage is a mix of pockets of urban, suburban, and country surrounded by wilderness.

Long story short, your social life may improve if you have more activities you enjoy or generally present yourself differently. Otherwise, probably not.

I'll send you a PM too.

I’m not so sure Anchorage has a stronger Asian influence just based on the sheer number of Asian people in the Twin Cities. Have you been to University Ave in St. Paul, Dinkeytown, Eat Street? Great Asian food galore. To be fair, I’m not up to speed on what Asian neighborhoods are in Anchorage.

[Isaysos]

To the OP. Find a neighborhood in the city to move to. Not some edge suburb and you will be fine. Plenty of transplants to meet and mass transit options to help with the snow days. I also think you will like how the seasons in Minnesota feature more sunshine than coastal Alaska.