Freeport/Brunswick Schools? (Portland, South Portland, Falmouth: insurance, low crime, neighborhoods)

[HighTechRocker]

Originally Posted by blueskiesforever

I was just saying that you do not have personal experience in the schools, so you really don't know what you are talking about from personal experience, NeuroDr, and you currently don't have anything vested in it. And really, I am also talking about things like music education, the arts, science, history, extracurriculars etc. Better schools usually can devote more rescources to these things because they aren't spending so much time and effort trying to get kids to learn to read, write, and do basic math. And hightechrocker, some fantastic places to live in CT with outstanding schools, vibrant community, and affordable housing are: Simsbury, CT, Farmington, CT, West Hartford, CT, Canton, CT, Avon, CT Glastonbury, CT, etc. . While they are not "cheap" by any means, there are a lot more options at all price points than there are in Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, or Yarmouth

You should look in those places, they sound great for you. Hartford is a great city with a bustling downtown until 5PM Monday-Friday when all the suits escape back to their leafy suburbs.

[blueskiesforever]

Yes, I live here already and I love it, as do my children, we totally don't want to leave. My husband had the misfortune of getting a job in Portland, however. We were hoping we could transfer our current lifestyle there, but that does not seem possible, and now he is locked in. I just can't see paying so much more for housing when we would have such a drop in quality of life. Ironically, people in the Portland area always say that if one gets bored, there is always Boston. Well, we live closer to Boston now than we would if we were in Portland! And, we can also go to Providence, the Berkshires, New York City, the Hudson River Valley, Litchfield County, New Haven, etc. within the same distance or less as well, and have beautiful mountains and rivers within just a few miles of our home for endless hiking and kayaking. Portland is tiny and isolated, so I think the prospects of our being bored are extremely high.

[HighTechRocker]

I agree, stay in Hartford. How is North Hartford anyway? Plenty of kid friendly activities?

[jeremywolf81]

You and your husband didn't bother to do any looking into the area at all before he started to apply for a job here? Sounds a little... short-sighted. If I see a job posting in, say, Skokie IL, I'm going to at least put a modicum of effort into finding out whether I'd be miserable there or not before shooting off my resume and doing interviews. I can't imagine what you'd be like had your husband got a job at UMM or UMFK instead. Oh jeez you don't like Portland? Machias or Fort Kent makes Portland look like the most sophisticated parts of Connecticut in comparison.

[blueskiesforever]

Well, I think the difference is that Portland is probably good for a vacation, but living there full time is another matter. I just thought it was going to be more like home than it is. I really thought it was going to be like the rest of New England, but clearly it isn't.

[jeremywolf81]

Originally Posted by blueskiesforever

Well, I think the difference is that Portland is probably good for a vacation, but living there full time is another matter. I just thought it was going to be more like home than it is. I really thought it was going to be like the rest of New England, but clearly it isn't.

My theory was right. People seem to come to Maine with this assumption that "oh it's going to be just like the rest of New England of course." And... well some parts of Portland that's probably a fair enough assumption but for the most part that's very inaccurate. Maine probably has more in common with say the rural Midwest than it does the rest of New England in a lot of ways.

[blueskiesforever]

JeremyWolf, you are providing a very valuable service with your polite candor and understanding. You are respectful and sensitive, but also speak your own truth. Maybe YOU should run for Governor of Maine!

[HighTechRocker]

Portland is good for a vacation. Hartford is good for a mugging.

[blueskiesforever]

HighTechRocker, I can't believe you would dare call ME a troll. I have never felt unsafe in Hartford, nor have I ever been a victim of a crime of any kind. Don't know where you get your information, it's probably about 30 years outdated, and anyway, I don't live in Hartford. Hartford is only a tiny part of what Central CT is about. Hartford could be erased from the map tomorrow and it would not make a much of a difference, because the other areas grew up around it, and developed on their own.

[HighTechRocker]

Originally Posted by blueskiesforever

HighTechRocker, I can't believe you would dare call ME a troll. I have never felt unsafe in Hartford, nor have I ever been a victim of a crime of any kind. Don't know where you get your information, it's probably about 30 years outdated, and anyway, I don't live in Hartford. Hartford is only a tiny part of what Central CT is about. Hartford could be erased from the map tomorrow and it would not make a much of a difference, because the other areas grew up around it, and developed on their own.

Right, the leafy suburbs bleed the city dry while it's residents are amount the poorest in the nation. CT sounds awesome! Please stay and enjoy the greatness!