Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Maybe someone can tell me why most people in this state are wound so tight and impatient? Just observe people... people-watch and you quickly discover that most Rhode Islanders can't stand or have any tolerance for EACH OTHER, never mind outsiders!
I went to Brown in the late 90's, and it was the best experience of my life....and I think RI had a great deal to do with it. It is a small state, but filled with unique and quirky people, especially around College Hill (obviously) but also in other less well known parts of Providence. The East Side is truly special to me...with beautiful tree lined streets and fun shops, theaters and places to eat. I ultimately moved to Boston for my job, and I now own a house in Quincy right outside Beantown. But I always drive down to the East Side on a sunny summer Saturday or Sunday to meet up with friends. The beautiful houses on the East Side are always a visual treat. How could you possible trash talk this great place?
I went to Brown in the late 90's, and it was the best experience of my life....and I think RI had a great deal to do with it. It is a small state, but filled with unique and quirky people, especially around College Hill (obviously) but also in other less well known parts of Providence. The East Side is truly special to me...with beautiful tree lined streets and fun shops, theaters and places to eat. I ultimately moved to Boston for my job, and I now own a house in Quincy right outside Beantown. But I always drive down to the East Side on a sunny summer Saturday or Sunday to meet up with friends. The beautiful houses on the East Side are always a visual treat. How could you possible trash talk this great place?
I agree with your assessment, but what would make our state better is having jobs for Brown's College's Grads right here in little Rhody or any other local college grad. We lose many of our best people to Metro Boston.
I agree with your assessment, but what would make our state better is having jobs for Brown's College's Grads right here in little Rhody or any other local college grad. We lose many of our best people to Metro Boston.
as a Bryant alum, for undergrad, it is sad to see almost the entire graduating class every year moving across the border to States like MA and CT. I wish more students who live here or move here for school get to stay here once they are done with college.
I went to Brown in the late 90's, and it was the best experience of my life....and I think RI had a great deal to do with it. It is a small state, but filled with unique and quirky people, especially around College Hill (obviously) but also in other less well known parts of Providence. The East Side is truly special to me...with beautiful tree lined streets and fun shops, theaters and places to eat. I ultimately moved to Boston for my job, and I now own a house in Quincy right outside Beantown. But I always drive down to the East Side on a sunny summer Saturday or Sunday to meet up with friends. The beautiful houses on the East Side are always a visual treat. How could you possible trash talk this great place?
One could trash talk such a great place if one has actually had to work in such a place.
Yes, the downtown area in Providence (especially around the colleges) is very pretty. I would assume that going to college in this state would be fun. However, working and living in this state as a non-college student sucks. A lot. Try living here as an adult, without the rose tinted glasses of a college student out for the first time on their own, and let me know what you think. Heh. College is a microcosm and it's not representative of life in the state/area you are in. (I say this as someone who lived in the town I went to college in for about 7 years after graduating).
Sure the area is beautiful. While I lived there I went to some glorious parks and beaches. That, unfortunately, did not make up for the rest of the suck.
- Groceries were crazy expensive. I live in CA now and my grocery bill has gone down by more than half - and I'm buying a lot more organic/fresh stuff then I could afford in RI.
- When you live outside of Providence you would see what it was really like to deal with Rhode Islanders. I grew up in the South and I had always assumed that the "Northerners are rude" thing was a stupid stereotype. But now I'm not so sure. I mean, take what I say with a grain of salt since my family didn't really spend a lot of time interacting with many people from neighboring states (CT or MA), but I found that I had a hard time telling if someone was being rude or not. People were terse and had little patience for those that they did not know. I assume that this is because Rhode Islanders are not used to dealing with outside people since it is not a tourist destination.
- Get used to unhealthy food. My family moved from the South and we were always able to find healthy geared restaurants, but once we moved to Rhode Island we were lost in a sea of Italian food. Which, don't get me wrong, I love. But if that is your only choice (or stuffies and chowder/grinders) then you tend to pack on the pounds pretty quickly.
- I worked at two different companies (one large and one small) and the issue I had both times was rude co-workers. As someone with a Spanish last name I had a lot of issues with co-workers right off the bat, or if they didn't know my last name they would often "confide" in me about the "spanish peoples" and how they were taking all the jobs. Which came as a surprise to me.
- The roads are pretty horrible.
- When we would tell people we moved here from a southern state we were often asked "Why would you move here?". GOOD QUESTION!!
Overall I would say that I didn't really enjoy my time in Rhode Island. I never felt like I was welcome or really "belonged" as an outsider. My husband and I really tried to like the state but the state didn't want to like us back. We moved across the country after living in RI for a little over a year and what was kind of amazing was that as we drove across the country we found that the further west we went from RI the friendlier people were. And now that we're in CA we're still kind of getting over the shock of being back among people who are friendly to new people/out of towners and to being able to afford to grocery shop (though rent is too damn high, lol).
So basically if you're from Rhode Island and have ties there then it's a great state for you. If you're from a far away state be prepared to be treated nicely only in Providence. I'd recommend the state for college students but not for people transferring there for work.
as a Bryant alum, for undergrad, it is sad to see almost the entire graduating class every year moving across the border to States like MA and CT. I wish more students who live here or move here for school get to stay here once they are done with college.
Depending upon you field, there are not a lot of well paying jobs for college graduates. As a college graduate I earned half of what I would make any where else in my field while working in Rhode Island.
Try living here as an adult, without the rose tinted glasses of a college student out for the first time on their own, and let me know what you think. Heh.
I live and work here as an adult and I think Rhode Island is the best.
I assume that this is because Rhode Islanders are not used to dealing with outside people since it is not a tourist destination.
Oh reeeeeaaaaally?
Travel and tourism is one of Rhode Island’s most valued industries, ultimately generating more than $2.31 billion for the state’s economy. With more than 100 beaches, 400 miles of picture perfect shoreline, historical and cultural attractions, and world-class dining, it is no surprise that tourism and hospitality is Rhode Island’s fourth largest industry, supporting 66,145 jobs and $4.9 billion in spending in 2009.
Rhode Island may be small, but it packs a cultural and scenic punch. Within Rhode Island’s borders is one of the largest concentrations of historic landmarks in the nation, a vibrant arts and cultural scene, miles of pristine coastline and some of the most acclaimed dining establishments in the country.
Providence is never more than a 30-minute drive from anywhere in the state — from the beaches of Narragansett to the City-by-the-Sea, Newport, to the farms and bucolic beauty of Northwestern Rhode Island.
Providence is becoming a hotspot for both business and leisure travelers with more than 2,200 moderately priced hotel rooms, the Providence Place Mall, the Rhode Island Convention Center and a rich theater and cultural scene.
- Get used to unhealthy food. My family moved from the South and we were always able to find healthy geared restaurants, but once we moved to Rhode Island we were lost in a sea of Italian food. Which, don't get me wrong, I love. But if that is your only choice (or stuffies and chowder/grinders) then you tend to pack on the pounds pretty quickly.
Again, your disconnect with reality is breathtaking here. I am sorry you apparently didn't get around much in your seven years spent here. We have fantastic Indian, Thai, French, Vegetarian, Vegan, Mediterranean, etc. Providence is well known for its eclectic culture, particularly in the dining Dept.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Burdness
- I worked at two different companies (one large and one small) and the issue I had both times was rude co-workers. As someone with a Spanish last name I had a lot of issues with co-workers right off the bat, or if they didn't know my last name they would often "confide" in me about the "spanish peoples" and how they were taking all the jobs. Which came as a surprise to me.
I am from a far away state and found people here to be extremely friendly, much more so than where I am from. Perhaps you let one or two bad apples spoil the bunch. But in any event, your sweeping pronouncements paint a far different picture than my nine years here.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
bite your tongue...
How could you possible trash talk this great place?
