Corvallis - People aren't nice (Portland, Eugene: population, places, job)

[eileenkeeney]

Originally Posted by JeffreyRynearson

A house ranges around 500,000 to a million dollars here too so I can't settle my family down here even if the people were nice.

Huh?

I own a house in Corvallis, that is worth about 200,000 (maybe less, maybe more, but certainly not much more).
I loved living there, and only moved because my employer gave me a choice of relocating or quitting (and I like my actual work, and I get paid well, but not 500,000 dollar house life style well).
I plan to move back.

There are plenty of neighborhoods with houses in the low $200,000 range.

There was a time when Corvallis was even more expensive than it is now.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I'm a bit puzzled by the claim that people in Corvallis aren't nice. I'll admit it has been a long time since I lived in the area, but I still drive through there several times a year and I always stop and do some shopping. I'm still finding people to be perfectly reasonable and polite.

Maybe Op isn't really interacting with Oregonians,. Maybe OP has only met incomers from another state who haven't yet slowed down to Oregon time and who have brought their rude out-of-state manners with them.

Or, heck, maybe there is a secret Oregonian handshake and I know it, so all the Oregonians are nice to me. People who don't know the secret handshake are shunned and vilified. Sorry, I am not going to post the secret password online.

[Fiddlehead]

I lived in Corvallis, and I found it very nice. I was a graduate student, so kind of had instant friends. I suspect it could have to do with the university folks (highly educated, most from out of state) sticking to their kind. Or maybe it is the "Oregon Freeze" which may have to do with Vitamin D. I certainly noticed much more general friendliness here in Arizona than in either Corvallis or Ashland. Not sure why. I have also lived in Scandinavia, with is extremely reserved, but not unfriendly.


I think there are many ways one could perceive this pattern. Some of it is the general temperament. Perhaps social boundaries. Perhaps one's own charm or personality projections. And many other reasons. I do not buy the OP's claim that Corvallisians aren't nice. I know many of them who are wonderful people. The issue is about how to feel welcomed and invited if you are from somewhere else. I know it was easy at the university, but it might be harder in other situations.

[supchick]

I'm a native Californian and I don't think California's better. Why do you think I want out? My husband is a Washington native. A few people on here seem to think that all Californians are the same. I live in a small town in the Mohave Desert, not Orange County or San Francisco! I'm sure there could be a handful of rude Oregonians, too. Anywhere you go, people are people. I don't like corporate stores either (except Starbucks) and the same type of Californians that people are complaining about (rich city types) brought all that to my small town where everybody used to wave to each other - complete strangers. I loved that and I miss it dearly! Now those that haven't lived here as long as I have are telling me to move somewhere else! Well, I'm looking somewhere else and all I read is how everything is California's fault! Same thing in Arizona. Californians not welcome! I don't have money. I'm on your side! Everybody comes from somewhere. I do see plenty of Oregon license plates down here, but I don't treat them like some posters here propose.

[MrWonderful85]

Originally Posted by supchick

I'm a native Californian and I don't think California's better. Why do you think I want out? My husband is a Washington native. A few people on here seem to think that all Californians are the same. I live in a small town in the Mohave Desert, not Orange County or San Francisco! I'm sure there could be a handful of rude Oregonians, too. Anywhere you go, people are people. I don't like corporate stores either (except Starbucks) and the same type of Californians that people are complaining about (rich city types) brought all that to my small town where everybody used to wave to each other - complete strangers. I loved that and I miss it dearly! Now those that haven't lived here as long as I have are telling me to move somewhere else! Well, I'm looking somewhere else and all I read is how everything is California's fault! Same thing in Arizona. Californians not welcome! I don't have money. I'm on your side! Everybody comes from somewhere. I do see plenty of Oregon license plates down here, but I don't treat them like some posters here propose.

Every friendly person ive met in washington has been a native of california.
Im looking at moving to Portland or or somewhere around there but if this is how they treat people just because of where they are from, before they even know them, then maybe we should fence it off (like im always hearing) from the rest of USA after all?
I thought it was meant to be a nicer place, with nicer people, progressive, more community minded.
So far its seeming like its all just hype, lies and cruel elitism.
Why are people so hateful?

[supchick]

Originally Posted by MrWonderful85

Every friendly person ive met in washington has been a native of california.
Im looking at moving to Portland or or somewhere around there but if this is how they treat people just because of where they are from, before they even know them, then maybe we should fence it off (like im always hearing) from the rest of USA after all?
I thought it was meant to be a nicer place, with nicer people, progressive, more community minded.
So far its seeming like its all just hype, lies and cruel elitism.
Why are people so hateful?

I know. They don't know what they're missing. My husband and I are some of the nicest people who would give the shirt off our backs. We love nature and aren't conservative by any means.

[MrWonderful85]

Originally Posted by supchick

I know. They don't know what they're missing. My husband and I are some of the nicest people who would give the shirt off our backs. We love nature and aren't conservative by any means.

[Janetlwil]

Sometimes no matter how much you want it, it just isn't a good fit, you know? People swore up and down I was a "Portland" type. I really really wanted to live in Portland, checked it out as much as I could online and finally I flew out there to look around and see what I thought. My first thought was no way in heck am I a Portland type. Thank god I checked it out before I moved there. I never saw what others saw in it and it never would have been the right place for me. Surprisingly I ended up in North Dakota and I love it here. Most folks are friendly enough but they sure aren't up in your business all the time. Found a nice little bar that plays my kind of music and serves the beer nice and cold and all that other social stuff I thought I couldn't live without? I can't even remember what it was.

Sounds like Corvallis probably just isn't the place for you and your family. Hopefully you will find someplace that is more to your liking.

[dirt _farmer]

Originally Posted by oregonwoodsmoke

I'm a bit puzzled by the claim that people in Corvallis aren't nice. I'll admit it has been a long time since I lived in the area, but I still drive through there several times a year and I always stop and do some shopping. I'm still finding people to be perfectly reasonable and polite.

Maybe Op isn't really interacting with Oregonians,. Maybe OP has only met incomers from another state who haven't yet slowed down to Oregon time and who have brought their rude out-of-state manners with them.

Or, heck, maybe there is a secret Oregonian handshake and I know it, so all the Oregonians are nice to me. People who don't know the secret handshake are shunned and vilified. Sorry, I am not going to post the secret password online.

Maybe there's just a whole lot of "butt-hurt" in the OP's psyche??

[oregonwoodsmoke]

I just spent the day in Corvallis. I was in four different stores and spoke to both customers and employees. Everyone was pleasant. I had several nice chats with other customers.

In the parking lot at Home Depot, a smiling young gentleman came trotting across the parking lot to ask if he could help me get a large microwave into my small car. Not an employee, just a kind person who saw I was struggling.

So, I'm not seeing any change in the behavior of the residents in corvallis.

I've heard that real estate prices have gone up and rentals are hard to come by, but I haven't verified that, mostly because I don't need a place to live in corvallis. One observation is that traffic has gotten heavier.