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Hey Lady what is wrong with you? Did you get hit in the head by conrete falling from the big dig?
You can see how well our manners travel with us, too.
Folks in RI aren't that much different than in Mass as far as being sociable. RI is still expensive to live with a generally lower wage base than Boston.
I'm from the midwest too. I don't think RI is much different from how you describe MA folks. Overall I'd say people here are cordial (esp. compared to NY) but keep non-natives at arm's length. Can't comment on the guys since I'm married.
I just noticed the original post was from 6/08. I'd be interested in hearing a follow-up--where'd you end up?
Last edited by CaseyB; 12-29-2008 at 11:32 AM..
Reason: Link to competitor site
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.
Oh, I forgot to mention that I hate the winter weather here in New England. I'm seriously considering moving to the south or southwest within the next 1-2 years or so.
[quote=Wants2GotoFL;4221907]Hello. I have to agree with Rob on this one. I'm looking to join you in Miami Rob and get the hell out of this one-horse town. I'm originally from NY and have been here in hell for 9 years. I hate RI worse than anything.
Why? The long list is:
-Dummies by the thousands
You'll also enjoy the bikers, with their gold chains and wife beaters stuffing their faces with, what else, but stuffies
-Did I mention all the dumb people?
QUOTE]
You want to escape "dummies by the thousands" so you plan to move to Miami? Interesting.
And no one is fat, wears chains, and beats their wives in Florida!
Location: The State of Rhode Island, Presented by Dunkin' Donuts
115 posts, read 372,151 times
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I'm 'way late to this thread, but all I can say is that no matter what your problems are, moving for the sake of moving is not the solution. The ol' "Geographical Cure" never works.
I've lived in MA, IL, AZ, and now RI. Every state has its good points and bad points. From an economic standpoint, IL (Chicago area) was the best -- it had a good economy, high salaries, and housing that was not too expensive. Arizona had wall-to-wall sunshine, but much lower salaries. MA and RI have high taxes and housing costs, but there are more jobs (at least in MA -- the best thing that can be said about RI, in terms of the job market, is that at least you can take commuter rail to Boston from here).
But just saying "I hate it here, I'll make a new start somewhere else" is a prescription for disappointment. Been there, done that; it does not work. Sometimes you need to bloom where you're planted.
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.
I have spent a good deal of time in all new england parts. I have those same sentiments towards Boston. If ever I am around the area and try to make conversation with a store clerk/cashier/or stranger I get rude answers and people getting mad for me 'bothering them'. Most of the people just seem grouchy and in a hurry all the time (even when they are not). They treat driving as a race rather than a team effort. I would avoid Providence as well because it is fairly similar to the Boston mentality. Vermont, NH, CT and Maine are all much more friendly.
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 noticed you mentioned a range up to 3,000 miles that you'd be willing to move. Fancy crossing the pond maybe, say UK or Ireland? If you are lucky enough to meet the visa/work authorisation reqs., I'd say do that for the biggest change. Right now, I'm out of work and looking to move anyway that I can far and wide of NJ/NY area. I would love to go overseas, but am also playing out the domestic relo option at the same time, in lo and behold New England. I have been to Boston before and did not notice what you have been experiencing, but my reasons for wanting to get out of NY area are similar to yours for wanting to leave Mass. Hope whatever you decide works out better for you. Cheers...
I spent some time in Prov...hated it, the people all look so depressed.
I would move to TX, great state and people, jobs and no nanny mentality.
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