People who moved to PA and hate it (Pittsburgh, Harrisburg: fit in, universities)

[highway29south]

Originally Posted by The_Outsider

You know theres a reason you can get a $500 a month home to live in Pittsburgh - not many people want to live there. It's an armpit.

I'm not the guy you were responding to but I'm going to second him on that. You couldn't pay me to live there either. Pittsburgh is like a giant oversized Youngstown Ohio with an equal amount of culture.

It takes more than sandwiches topped with french fries and yellow towels to make a city worthy of being called world class.

PA has never been my favorite place either. If someone told me I could leave right now, I'd be gone. I've been here over 20 years and still wish I could move back home to VA.

There are many reasons to not move here, but one of the big ones is taxes. The state and local governments, at least in Pittsburgh, are all democrats. They will elect them and re-elect them no matter what they do. Pittsburgh just re-elected Ravenstahl and the first thing he did was initiate a 1% tax on college students. What fun!

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by Alexia319

I know others will have pointed it out before me, but I think this bears repeating. Whenever anyone doesn't like the place they're living in, someone else always pipes up with some variation of "love it or leave it."

There are many, many very good reasons why a person might be unable to move away from a place where they're not happy. Among these are....

Booo hooo then, make the best of where you live and don't make others miserable.

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by The_Outsider

I'm not the guy you were responding to but I'm going to second him on that. You couldn't pay me to live there either.

That's terrific! Two less fools we don't have to worry about moving here!

[TestEngr]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

Booo hooo then, make the best of where you live and don't make others miserable.

Well scottrpriester, you know maybe sometimes it is that people move here and don't realize some of the attitudes and insularity of PA natives some of whom are simply not too friendly to outsiders. Some of us lived in places where open acceptance of others was an asset, not a liability. Here it is much different. Sure we will make the best of it as we can, but you know I would still advise most people to not come to PA.

[Summering]

I really don't understand how someone could move to PA and hate it.
Perhaps they have chosen the wrong town to abide in, but that can happen in any state.
Personally, I have had more to see and enjoy here then my home state of New Jersey.
The land is vast.......and the mountains are high. The beauty of this state is an eye-opener.
The amount of concerts within an hours drive is amazing........
The amount of State Parks and water attractions........
Parks with waterfalls and camping, hiking, and swimming, and I should not forget boating.
Its a matter of getting out there and enjoying all we have, instead of complaining about ones neighbors.
Going to the festivals and craft fairs.
Attending the many markets and hometown events.
Skiing, or just visiting the lodge in the winters....
When I stand up top of Big Pocono and look out on the vast lands of PA........It is just awesome.
There are many scenic places to park and admire the views.

I have met "mostly" friendly people here. Yes, a few they were not..........but that is everywhere.

Sometimes you have to step out and about to notice what you have.

Look out over Harveys Lake, Lake Hauto, Beltzville Lake.......and say we're not a beautiful place to live.
We are a perfect place..........Well, give or take that we just don't have the ocean. Now that would have made us complete.

[TestEngr]

Originally Posted by Summering

I have met "mostly" friendly people here. Yes, a few they were not..........but that is everywhere.

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It isn't just being friendly. Let me try to describe some of the problems I found. It is also the way business is conducted here. I ran a very successful business in another state, but my wife was at her wits end with her employment so we jumped to PA when my wife was offered a seemingly enticing position as part associate professor and other roles. So I moved my business here. It was only about 6 months later that I found out several major problems.

First my business here depends on what the IRS calls independent contractor relationship. I perform services for industry as a purely independent. Turns out from my going to industry meetings and so on most companies here have a strict no independent contractor policy. That happens in other states at about 50% of companies in my industry, but here it is close to 95% no independent contractor policy I faced. I never thought that would happen, not at those levels. PA is very small business unfriendly, no independents means no small companies. Big dominant companies will be the only that succeed here.

Second I found a competitor. My competitor turns out to be the government of PA, or Penn State University. There a professor brings in engineers from other states and countries, then often places them with companies in my area. he says he is giving them experience, but he is doing it by undercutting me and putting people in positions for cents on the dollar. These people go back and start companies elsewhere, while I have filed for closing my PA business.

There is a lot about what we found here that just does not work. The practices here are not good, and I can see why industry leaves.

[creative36]

Biggest thing about the Philadelphia area is jobs. The job market is very good here. I lived here for ten years and I have never been without a job. Also the cost of living is much lower than the other big cities in the area. DC and NYC. But without sacrificing living quality. There is a huge amount of culture here. Compariable to any city in the world. Beaches in NJ and Mountains all with in 2hrs away.

Yes people do suck some times. And it's tough finding attractive women. But at least they have their teeth and they are somewhat educated.

[PeeAye Native]

Originally Posted by WonderingWanderer

Check out Danville, PA. It meets alot of what you are looking for. And about IT, look at Geisinger for jobs, esp if you're a programmer. www.geisinger.org

Originally Posted by TestEngr

We moved to Danville, PA 3+ years ago and we HATE it!!! I can't go into all the problems, but will make a few generalizations. ...
We moved here for my wifes position at geisinger, and I do NOT recommend them at all as an employer either. I can extensively elaborate on that, but they are not good to their employees is all I will say for now.
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Interesting.

[TechieTransplant]

Originally Posted by TestEngr

Well scottrpriester, you know maybe sometimes it is that people move here and don't realize some of the attitudes and insularity of PA natives

You're going to have attitudes no matter where you go.

[The_Outsider]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

That's terrific! Two less fools we don't have to worry about moving here!

Armpit, just saying.