What was your experience moving to the Minneapolis? (St. Paul: fit in, 2014)

[jaygrant]

I recently read an article online about how the population of Minneapolis is growing so I just wondering what other newcomers experience was like here. Here's the questions,
1. Did you move from another large city or a smaller town?(you don't have to say where)

2. How long ago did you move here?

3.What reasons did you come here? Was it for work, family, college, a change of scenery or any combination of reasons.

4. Was it a culture for you or did you feel right at home.

[Citykid3785]

1. small town, big cities prior to the small town though
2. 1997
3. Father got a new job and moved with the family.
4. Moving as a kid, I was somewhat oblivious to some of the things one might judge as an adult. As hard as it can be to make new friends in a new location, I had school as a vehicle to help me do that. I got plugged in to sports teams and the like. I think if I moved there as an adult, it would have been a vastly different experience. But given my age at the time of the move, it's home to me.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

OP, can you clarify if you mean Minneapolis city limits or the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area? I’ve lived in the metropolitan area for most of my life. I was raised by baby boomers in the suburbs and after college decided I wanted to live in the city so I bought a house within Minneapolis city limits and have lived here since 2008.

[jaygrant]

The questions I'm asking on the thread are for the entire Minneapolis/St Paul metropolitan area. Sorry for any confusion I forget there's two cities.

[Justabitoff]

1. Did you move from another large city or a smaller town?(you don't have to say where)

Well, sort of a larger city. We were in the suburbs of New York City so our city itself is smaller than Minneapolis, but the overall area was much larger.

2. How long ago did you move here?

We moved here in 2014.

3.What reasons did you come here? Was it for work, family, college, a change of scenery or any combination of reasons.

We were having a hard time affording a house in Westchester and decided to move where we could be near family, and my husband grew up here.

4. Was it a culture for you or did you feel right at home.

It reminded me of where I grew up (Portland, OR) but overall very different. It's nice, but I'm still not at the point where Minneapolis is home. That being said, I have a hard time thinking of where else to move to, especially right now.

[vladlensky]

Originally Posted by Justabitoff

1. Did you move from another large city or a smaller town?(you don't have to say where)

Well, sort of a larger city. We were in the suburbs of New York City so our city itself is smaller than Minneapolis, but the overall area was much larger.

2. How long ago did you move here?

We moved here in 2014.

3.What reasons did you come here? Was it for work, family, college, a change of scenery or any combination of reasons.

We were having a hard time affording a house in Westchester and decided to move where we could be near family, and my husband grew up here.

4. Was it a culture for you or did you feel right at home.

It reminded me of where I grew up (Portland, OR) but overall very different. It's nice, but I'm still not at the point where Minneapolis is home. That being said, I have a hard time thinking of where else to move to, especially right now.

I was struck that you guys are basically the mirror image of us, I grew up in Minneapolis and am now living in Westchester. My family moved to the Twin Cities suburbs in the early 1990's from down south so the area has always felt like "home" to me. I also took some time to adjust after moving to NY but now it's been several years and starting to feel more like home. There are great things about both places, I miss the urban lakes and general cleanliness of Minneapolis sometimes.

[Isaysos]

Originally Posted by acrobat612

I recently read an article online about how the population of Minneapolis is growing so I just wondering what other newcomers experience was like here. Here's the questions,
1. Did you move from another large city or a smaller town?(you don't have to say where)

Moved here from a smaller city.

2. How long ago did you move here?

2 years and 3 months ago.

3.What reasons did you come here? Was it for work, family, college, a change of scenery or any combination of reasons.

Got a great offer for work and salary.

4. Was it a culture for you or did you feel right at home.

Honestly, its been a bit tough. My wife left me about 8 months after we moved here. I barely know anybody here. I feel like I don't really fit in. Great little Italian restaurants are few and far between. The pizza seems too thin . There's far fewer Mexican restaurants than I am used to. I am not sure people are very receptive to me when I try and strike up conversations, which sort of fills me with self-doubt. The one friend I thought I had made tried to take advantage of me. And now a global pandemic forcing us to isolate even further. I am struggling but every day I'm gonna keep fighting. I am working on bettering myself any way I can. I don't blame Minneapolis for this of course...just a sequence of rotten events and it's hard not to get a little pain in the heart when unpacking these things.

I go to mass at the Basilica and was hoping to engage with the community there because it's such a beautiful place to spend a Sunday. I am looking for other ways to meet people as well once the s-a-h order is lifted. I get out on my bicycle quite a bit and that helps (I live in condo right next to Bde Maka Ska - still trying to learn how to spell that ).

Sorry to hear you are going through such a rough patch. I have friends and family here and these times are even difficult for me, I can't imagine doing this alone like that. This sucks big time for everyone. I have been biking and hiking a lot as well. I hope things get better and stay strong. If you want suggestions on our favorite restaurants and things to do or good trails, let me know. Glad to hear you are staying positive. That is all we can do during this. Things will get better.

[UMN2BE]

Originally Posted by jaygrant

I recently read an article online about how the population of Minneapolis is growing so I just wondering what other newcomers experience was like here. Here's the questions,
1. Did you move from another large city or a smaller town?(you don't have to say where)

Moved here from Chicago in 2009 for graduate school.

2. How long ago did you move here?

Came here summer of 2009.

3.What reasons did you come here? Was it for work, family, college, a change of scenery or any combination of reasons.

Came here for graduate school

4. Was it a culture for you or did you feel right at home.

I like it. Weather is pretty similar to Chicago, so no big shock there. Culture is also somewhat similar (Midwest), especially compared to when I go out to places like California or New Jersey for work. I have some friends here who I met in grad school. I met some new friends thru kids activities, school, and work. My wife is from China and has ton of Chinese friends who are also immigrated here, so we're always in good company. And driving back to Chicago to visit family is pretty painless. We like the parks/outdoor summer activities, COL relative to salaries, schools. Things I like a little less (but don't hate) are the weather, limited food options (compared to Chicago), expensive airfares and limited international flights (compared to O'Hare), and obsession with youth hockey/figure skating.

See answers above in bold.