Missoula, looking for an honest answer! (Billings, Great Falls: fit in, sales, apartment)

[dakota79]

I realize that Missoula has been discussed in countless threads before, but it is hard to get an idea of what I am in store for becuase of the varying opinions. My circumstances are a bit different from others, so I decided to basically lay out my own situation and see what the responses would be.

First, let me say I am not from the West coast. I live in Fargo, North Dakota. I grew up in rural Peensylvania. I know a lot about Missoula already, as I have been there numerous times for work. Next spring, there is a good chance I will be transferring to the Montana, Wyoming, Idaho region to the city of my choice. I have done exitensive research and made visits. Missoula appears to be the best choice for several reasons.

I am 28 and would simply be living in an apartment. Even though Missoula home prices are high, the apartment prices are within my range. I may end up getting a little less for my rent, but that is not an issue. I don't make a lot in wages now, so I will not experience a wage shock. I know my budget and will be okay in that regard. I have a stable, but untreatable eye disease that prevents me from driving. Except for Boise, which is too big, Missoula appears to to be next best option. They have the best public transit system of all Montana cities, and the city seems like a better option for those who may walk a lot or bike.

I know Missoula has grown so much, and not for the good in a lot of people's eyes. I won't lie, some of the growth and changes have made Missoula into a possible choice for me that it may not have been before. Things like sidewalks, bike paths, improve public transit, and more shopping and dining options will be beneficial.

As for weather, it won't take much to improve on eastern North Dakota. I know Missoula gets cold and sometimes gloomy in winter, but the temps are still warmer on average compare to what I am used to here when we sometimes go a month without going above zero.

People say Missoula is super liberal. I am not super left or right. Yes, I do care about certain issue like the environment, but I am not an "anything goes" person either. I have traveled extensively and lived in several cities that swing one way or another. I am pretty tolerable of other people's differences, as long as they do not push themselves on me.

So, I guess my question is mainly will I have a problem being accepted. I am not trying to change anything, but some of these threads make you feel like you are in a no win situation. I work for one of the big box stores that so many natives seem to dislike. Does that alone make me a bad person to them? Will I be hated simply because I am from another state, even if it is not California? Will those that don't have an outsider problem have a problem with me since I am not an extreme liberal? Everyone I have ever worked with or dealt with for information in Missoula has been some of the best I have ever met, so it is hard to know what to expect.

I have looked into many cities; Billings, Great Falls, Casper, Cheyenne, Idaho Falls, Bozeman etc...but Missoula seems to have what I am needing. The scenery and recreational opportunities are simply extra, but not my reason.

If you live somewhere else, and simply don't like Missoula because it is diferent from where you live, don't fill this thead with words of hate. If you have experienced something similar to me or are a native/current resident of Missoula, feel free to reply. Any advice would be appreciated?

[bigtrees]

Like you mentioned, do a search on Missoula, most of your questions have been answered here. I cannot say if you will be accepted or not, it is not where you are from but who you are that means whether you are accepted. Being from a different place doesn't help though.

The part that jumps out is your dependence on transporation alternatives (walking, biking, mass transit). Not sure exactly how easy it is to get around Missoula without a car but in general Montana is a tough place to live without a vehicle. Since you live in North Dakota, you probably know what it is like to deal with tough winters and understand living without a car.

[dakota79]

I know that other threads may discuss this, but my vision makes it hard to read every post in hundreds of threads. Plus, I don't need to read through tons of posts that discuss other things like weather and cost.

It would be nice if "who you are" was really all that mattered. But is that really how it is in Missoula? And when you say "who you are", what are they wanting me to be? Will I even be given a chance when people hear I am from another state?

I realize saying I do not have a car may alarm some. I know I am not going to find mass transit like in a big city. I guess it would depend on what someone is used to. The Missoula bus system is similar to Fargo, and I am used to walking over 2 miles each way, even when it is below zero. So that does not concern me that much. Missoula seems rather compact, at least as far as where the businesses are located.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by dakota79

I know that other threads may discuss this, but my vision makes it hard to read every post in hundreds of threads. Plus, I don't need to read through tons of posts that discuss other things like weather and cost.

It would be nice if "who you are" was really all that mattered. But is that really how it is in Missoula? And when you say "who you are", what are they wanting me to be? Will I even be given a chance when people hear I am from another state?

I realize saying I do not have a car may alarm some. I know I am not going to find mass transit like in a big city. I guess it would depend on what someone is used to. The Missoula bus system is similar to Fargo, and I am used to walking over 2 miles each way, even when it is below zero. So that does not concern me that much. Missoula seems rather compact, at least as far as where the businesses are located.

We appreciate that you come here for information. But you need to understand that we take our time to type in that information, over and over and over again.

Please take the time to search a little and read about Montana. The information is there.

[dakota79]

Telling me to look through other threads is not an answer. I explained my situation. If you have no real answers to posts, don't post.

To say "we appreciate you coming here" make it sound like you are an elite outside group providing a service.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by dakota79

Telling me to look through other threads is not an answer. I explained my situation. If you have no real answers to posts, don't post.

To say "we appreciate you coming here" make it sound like you are an elite outside group providing a service.

Since it looks like you signed up for an account today, you may not be familiar with ElkHunter, but he is our moderator. He gets to post what he wants when he wants!

And yes, "we" are a very elite group of people. Of course, anyone can post here so everyone is "we".

[dakota79]

Thanks for informing me that he is the moderator. I did just register today, and that appears to have been a mistake.

In any case, I feel I am wasting my time here. I came here for help, and this obviously is not the place.

[ElkHunter]

Originally Posted by dakota79

Thanks for informing me that he is the moderator. I did just register today, and that appears to have been a mistake.

In any case, I feel I am wasting my time here. I came here for help, and this obviously is not the place.

Well then I'm sorry. We the people enjoy talking to others. But we the people don't want to repeat everthing that we want to... We are normally good people but we are not going to repeat everthing every two minutes. Sorry.

[ColoradoHereWeCome]

Wow! If you go ANYWHERE with an attitude like that, Dakota, regardless of where you come from, then no, you won't fit in anywhere. We/the people on the site do appreciate you coming here and they are providing you services/help, otherwise you would not be coming here, correct? If you aren't willing to take the time to search through the posts, then why should anyone be willing to type out what they have already typed 100 times? Do you get what I'm saying? To answer your question, people are going to like and dislike you anywhere you go. So, you'll fit in with some and you'll be an outcast to others. Have you ever been out of town? Do they treat you differently? There's your answer.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by dakota79

I have a stable, but untreatable eye disease that prevents me from driving. Except for Boise, which is too big, Missoula appears to to be next best option. They have the best public transit system of all Montana cities, and the city seems like a better option for those who may walk a lot or bike.

I was hatched in Devil's Lake ND, and I used to live across the river in Moorhead, Minnesota. I remember Fargo as kindof like a larger version of Billings, tho I haven't been to Fargo since 1972 and I imagine it's changed some. (I was in Brookings SD in 1980, and it wasn't much different from Moorhead in the 1960s.) Is "Blacks, the store without a name" still in business?? I remember the big flood that put water to your knees in all of downtown Fargo, back in the early 1960s... all the stores had sidewalk sales for weeks afterward, trying to get rid of water-damaged merchandise. Funny how that's one of my prime memories of Fargo! another is of the rail yard.

Anyway, I was never real familiar with Missoula and certainly not in its 21st Century incarnation, but my impression is that it is indeed more of a walking town than elsewhere, if only because the terrain somewhat enforces compactness. Tho doesn't Bozeman have free public transit now?

I doubt anyone will give a flip where you come from, especially in Missoula, so long as you don't inflict foreign ways on locals. Personally, I have a hard time considering North Dakota as "somewhere else" since it's really just the far eastern part of Montana [gd&rlh]