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My husband and I moved away to NC in April. We were looking for a better climate, good job prospects, more affordable housing. We're both RI natives, have lived in several other states (PA, TX, MD) but had been back in RI for almost 20 years. We're living in the Raleigh/Durham area and couldn't be happier. This was a move that was our choice, not one necessitated by jobs as our previous moves had been. I'm not going to "slam" RI - it is a beautiful state and our families are there. It has much to offer in the way of history, richness of architecture, beautiful coastline but it is cost prohibitive. Yes, the government is corrupt but that exists everywhere. The weather here in NC has been glorious and people are so friendly. We've made more friends down here in our new neighborhood than we had in 20 yrs in the old one. There is a huge % of highly educated people in this area - due in part to Research Triangle Park, Duke, UNC and the plethora of job opportunities. We were able to purchase an incredible home here, which is 50% larger, with many more amenities for 1/2 the cost of what it would have been in RI. We've found a "slice of heaven" here and plan to stay put.
Miami & Ft Lauderdale
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Charleston
Seattle
Austin
I have visited and am familiar with many other US cities as well.
I liked them all for different reasons and there were bad things about each place too. I like Rhode Island a lot (been here for about 25 yrs) and plan to stay.
There is good in every place, so if you're truly unhappy where you are, look within yourself first! Remember, "Wherever you go- there you are!!"
(That means you'll carry your personal outlook wherever you travel.)
I would NEVER EVER EVER want to live in Miami. Roaches with their own matched luggage, hurricanes, nights that don't get out of the 80's, piercing hot sun, a backwards state Govt. - and an economy in an even bigger recession than Rhody.
In case you havent noticed, the Government of Rhody consists of an enclave of incestuous and corrupt "natives" who do nothing but create more and more social programs to support the people who have no jobs since there is no industry here.
And in case you have not noticed, there are TERMITES and CARPENTER ANTS everywhere that feed on all the rotting housing stock. Roaches may be gross, but so are termites and ants.
Your right though, different strokes... My stroke is to blow out of this dump.
What planet are you on? The "Democratic" General Assembly just cut social programs. They cut 1,000 people off of State Insurance, they cut funding to cities and towns (which means local govts. will raise property taxes), and they didn't do much for schools either.
You've bought into the bologna that the state is run by economic liberals, when really moer than half the Democratic party in this state are economic conservatives. Not one sacrifice was asked to be made by the upper classes in our most recent budget. Meanwhile MA/CT have better economies than ours despite the fact that they have higher capital gains taxes. You obviously listen to too much WPRO. The only good thing that came out of the recent budget was that corporations will be asked to actually show that they are creating jobs in order to keep their tax credits.
Just remember: With the most recent budget cuts, the next time yo pay for a ten dollar bottle of wine, 60 cents is going to pay for some rich guy's tax cuts. HOW LIBERAL! HOW SOCIALIST!
Yeah, if you're rich.
And carpenter ants? Have you ever SEEN a Florida roach? I highly doubt it. THey'er HUGE! Some FLY! Waaaaay worse than "carpenter ants". Not to mention poisonouse snakes, alligators, and scorpions. I've never had a problem with these ants anyway.
But hey, with your attitude, alls I can say is "Don't let the door hit ya on the way out!"
I concur. There are differences between Boston and Providence, but it's not that much different. I don't think moving to Prov. would really change things for you all that much.
I'll tell you a place that sounds like it would be perfect for you is Austin, Texas. Austin is growing, welcoming of newcomers, fun--I can't think of a better place in the U.S. to make a new start. Definitely check it out.
Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio seem to be really good cities for finding a job. They might be expensive, though. If you are tired of New England winters, Texas winters will be a nice change. Dallas probably gets the most snow of these cities, and they only get an average of 2.7 inches. The average lows during winter would probably be in the low 50s in southern Texas and the low 40s in the Dallas area.
Don't move to RI, it is not any different than what you don't like about Mass. If you want to move away I say just get away from the northeast all together.
My dilemma: I've been stuck in Massachusetts for what seems like an eternity. Moved here from the midwest with high hopes which were quicky ground into dust, and have been just pushing a boulder endlessly uphill (psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, financially) for the last 5 years. But now there's hope: despite being an administrative assistant living from paycheck to paycheck, I now have enough money to blow this pop stand! But because I only have enough to make ONE GOOD MOVE, I have to make the best decision I can. No telling how long I will be stuck in the next place if it doesn't work out.
Since Providence is so close, and I would be able to get a job there before moving (my other options necessitate moving cold, probably without ready employment or a place to stay), I'd like to know what I may be getting myself into before it's too late. (Wish I had done this before I moved to Mass.) Can anyone out there give me their perceptions of Providence, and Rhode Island in general, as a home?
If so, here are some of the specific questions/issues I have regarding contrast/similarity with Mass:
The people here strike me as aloof, unfriendly, clannish, inconsiderate, rude and sometimes outright hostile. Wound way too tight! I've never experienced so many slights, snubs, and freezing stares. Please, excuse me and thank you are apparently foreign phrases, neither used nor acknowledged. It's like being in a perpetual 5th grade nightmare of ill-mannered brats and your only defense is staying out of their way as much as possible. I know that Rhode Island has a history of people fleeing there from the puritanical meanness of the Massachusetts Bay Colony -- maybe this will work for me, too! So what are the people like?
In this vein, if females have any perceptions of the men in Rhode Island, please feel free to praise or vent! I am apparently doomed to perpetual solitude and celibacy as long as I live here. My frustrated sex drive is one of the motivating forces for propelling me out of a place where I couldn't get any attention from a living man if I staked myself out naked on the main street! They would probably only be annoyed that they had to step over me. Are men in Rhode Island friskier or, like men here, do you have to put a mirror to their lips to see if they're even breathing?
Finally, what about employment, housing and safety? I could theoretically keep my job in Boston and commute, but am not happy with the prospect. I know times are hard everywhere, but how bad is it in RI? Is housing any better than it is here, where I have the pleasure of paying twice as much for an apartment of equal decrepitude as I would in my native midwest? And what about crime and the general sense of safety? I live in an affluent town north of Boston where people leave their doors and cars unlocked (except for me), and hear horror stories about Providence and other towns in RI. True, or just ugly rumor?
Sorry this post is so long, but wanted to give a sense of what I'm trying to escape up here. I didn't want to up and move 1000-3000 miles away (my other options) when the possibility exists that a short hop of 60-100 miles might be enough to shift the negative slant of my environment. The few times I have been south, I have enjoyed the relatively open space and the expanse of forest and ocean which are lacking up here. I'm going to explore some more, but nothing beats hearing real people talk about their real lives in a place you're interested in moving. I'd like to hear from both natives and transplants if possible.
Thanks for any help anyone out there can give me!
I also think you should move out of the northeast altogether. I would say this would be wise if you only have one chance to find a better place to live.
The people here strike me as aloof, unfriendly, clannish, inconsiderate, rude and sometimes outright hostile. Wound way too tight! I've never experienced so many slights, snubs, and freezing stares. Please, excuse me and thank you are apparently foreign phrases, neither used nor acknowledged. It's like being in a perpetual 5th grade nightmare of ill-mannered brats and your only defense is staying out of their way as much as possible.
It's a cultural thing! The friends you make here will be real and last a lifetime. Maybe you need to move to another area of Mass? Or join some clubs and get exposure to different people? Just a few suggestions. I think there are plenty of friendly people to be found, but you'll have to look at work at making a niche for yourself.
I can definitely relate to the Op about Ma. i moved up here from ct 1 1/2 years ago. Cant wait to leave. Yes the people here are cold but they are cold in most of New England. People are much friendlier down south. I was in Tx a few weeks ago and couldn't believe how friendly people were. cheap too for the most part. Seems to be lost of jobs as well. I cant stand the heat though so Tx is out for me.
As for the job situation. Forget it. I have been looking nation wide and there isn't much out there that pays very well. If your a nurse or in some specialized industry that need engineers than you could probably find something decent. The problem with the US economy is many. I wont go into all of it but the bottom line is we have exported a lot of jobs overseas and we are a service economy driven by consumer spending. The consumer spending was driving by inflating home prices and people using thier homes as credit cards. That's all stopped now and you can see it was all just a giant ponzai scheme that is going to come crashing down now. We should be pretty deep into a full blown recession by this time next year. I know it isn't a positive light for job searchers but it is what it is.
As for where to live? I have been researching that for awhile and here are my thoughts.
I am mid 40's single with a daughter in college. worked hard all my life but always managed to pay the bills and never save for retirement. i lived good but now i am mid 40's and really its too late to start saving for retirement so the best I can hope for is to live the rest of my life happy. I am selling everything I own and will have a little money and am getting a one way ticket to Hawaii. I'll be moving to the big island and living a poor life there. If i am going to live in poverty might as well do it in paradise. LOL. I wont be really living in poverty but I will definitely be living cheap. The key to life is not stuff, its cutting expenses to a minimum and living life. Too many people work all their lives to save for retirement just to find out that in retirement they are too old and tired to do much of anything. I prefer to live now and be happy. For everyone else with 401k's and stuff. Be careful. In the coming 2-3 years we are going to see some massive inflation. During this time it will make most retirement savings, pensions and any cash savings virtually worthless. If you haven't followed this stuff and don't understand the fed and who they are then you should look into it. Inflation is just a hidden tax. Ever wonder why most people never seen to get ahead? We have a graduated tax system and a hidden inflation tax that basically keeps everyone living the same. Right now the fed is in a bind. Cant raise rates because the economy is already in recession and housing is already going down. As housing continues to decline the fed will continue to lower rates probably to 0. When that doesn't work, they will print checks and send them out to all Americans to help them stay afloat. (Already started doing that) This is all very inflationary. The only problem is investments and salaries will not keep pace. Because of this the government will continue to step in and try and fix things. Only problem is they never fix anything and only make things worse.
What to look for. When the stock market crashes, and it will and probably very soon, millions will lose a lot of money. The fed will then step in and try and prop things up. (Very inflationary) when you see this, buy gold and silver with everything you have available. We are already seeing the inflation numbers starting to creep up so just be careful out there. Gold and the dow will trade 1 to one at some point in the next couple of years. Probably at around 5000 to 7000. That's an oz of gold at 5000 and the dow at 5000. Maybe as high as 7000. Happened several times in history and now is no different.
Also understand that paper money is worthless. Its paper with some number printed on it. Several times in US history we have had to start over with a new currency. We will probably see a new currency again in our lifetimes. Just remember it was only 1971 when Nixon took us off the gold standard. That gave congress a blank check and the rest is history. They been spendin ever since. I know most people in the US have no clue as to what is coming and have no understanding of what money truly is, what it isn't is a paper promise.
It also wouldn't be a bad idea to have some food stashed away. maybe a couple months supply at the least. At the very least, you will be paying more for it in the future so it cant hurt anyway.
I am a 45 y.o. single, straight man who was born and raised in R.I. (most of my adult life in Providence). With that being said, here are some of my thoughts.
1. There are things I like about R.I. First, the historic feeling (such as the history of religious freedom that you mentioned). Second, the geographical location (close to Boston, NYC, Cape Cod, etc). I also like the feeling of it being the smallest state, where one can be in Providence and then be at the beautiful beaches in Narragansett, Westerly or Newport within 30-40 minutes. I also think Providence is just the right size, not too big, not too small.
2. There are things I DO NOT like about R.I. The economy is terrible (no opportunity for college grads). The taxes are VERY HIGH (and the citizens get very little for their tax dollars). I also do not like the corrupt nature of the politics here.
The best place in the country, and possibly the world, is just a little bit further north: New Hampshire.
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