[Wingfoot]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

I've been here 2 years and it's true--it is expensive here. We are lucky they offer medical help for our son.
My husband has a good job for this area but it's not enough to pay for us while I sit unemployed week after week.

I'm not 'unemployable'--it's the fact there are few jobs here and those that open up are snapped up quickly by people looking to trade up. I don't know anyone of influence. So I sit here and wonder why. I've never had a problem getting a job in NY or PA (2 other states I lived in) after six months...this is over a year here..!

People said over and over here in the VT forum have a job lined up or have a back up plan because if you lose your job, getting another is hard. Well, now it's doubly hard in a recession. This is very true.

The thing I notice here is an abundance of adults around my age or younger always 'around' (not working). So many, many people drop off and pick up their kids at my son's school for example. Obviously these people picking up are NOT working or work part time (or do they ALL work nights like my husband?).

I suppose, then, I am not the only 40 something woman who can't find work.

Another weird thing, meanwhile is how many OLD, OLD people work. I mean 70 year olds. Places seem to love to hire older workers with no family or kids here so they can pull the 'be here at 7 am tomorrow, 10 pm the next day' shift thing.

Getting a NORMAL job with NORMAL hours seems to have flown out the window. Finding a FULL time job is a joke. Everyone is scratching for 15-30 hour a week jobs. Again, this could be the recession and 'not just Vermont.'

Volunteering is great but in VT it's a cheap excuse for 'not paying people' and a lot of places are OVERLY picky about what hours you can volunteer like they are doing you a favor. It gets old after awhile.

If you come here with a job that pays well and you can keep that job, then I guess this is a great place.

Great is relative to how your life is going.

If you come here good luck to you. I hope your experience is better than mine was.

Old folks still working are the native working/lower middle Vermonters, parents not working are the upper/upper middle trust fund yuppiy types from NYC area,Vermonts main 2 social classes .

[Djuna]

In response to a couple of posts prior to GypsySouls, I am a RN who came from another country and I have been in Vermont for about 18 months.

I love it here, it's beautifully picturesque, the people are generally friendly in a reserved manner (which I'm used to), and I enjoy the rural feel even though I am only 35 minutes away from Burlington.

I have found that compared with NZ and Australia almost everything is cheaper EXCEPT housing. We rent and although I earn a good income, I do find housing costs a lot more than I think it is worth.

In saying that however, if I moved to a more housing affordable area I would lose my fairly decent hourly rate.

I have never lived in the US before so I have nothing to compare Vermont with, but all in all I think we made a good choice in States.

Living anywhere is so very dependent on your circumstances, are there two incomes, kids, a lot of debt, etc

And the other point I would like to make is there is no perfect place, no perfect country, utopia doesn't exist.

[Wingfoot]

Originally Posted by Djuna

In response to a couple of posts prior to GypsySouls, I am a RN who came from another country and I have been in Vermont for about 18 months.

I love it here, it's beautifully picturesque, the people are generally friendly in a reserved manner (which I'm used to), and I enjoy the rural feel even though I am only 35 minutes away from Burlington.

I have found that compared with NZ and Australia almost everything is cheaper EXCEPT housing. We rent and although I earn a good income, I do find housing costs a lot more than I think it is worth.

In saying that however, if I moved to a more housing affordable area I would lose my fairly decent hourly rate.

I have never lived in the US before so I have nothing to compare Vermont with, but all in all I think we made a good choice in States.

Living anywhere is so very dependent on your circumstances, are there two incomes, kids, a lot of debt, etc

And the other point I would like to make is there is no perfect place, no perfect country, utopia doesn't exist.

True, but you could move across the lake to NY , where you could make more,buy a house for less than half of VT prices, be among friendlier folk and reside in even nicer natural settings.

[Djuna]

Which part of NY are you referring to?

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by Wingfoot

Old folks still working are the native working/lower middle Vermonters, parents not working are the upper/upper middle trust fund yuppiy types from NYC area,Vermonts main 2 social classes .

I agree, though a lot of these 'trust fund Yuppies' could also be from Connecticut and MA--quite a few are from New England who 'live well here.' It's not just NYers...

Lord knows I have no trust fund..I had to point that out to someone a few years back. Not every NYer in VT is wealthy or comes w/money. We lost quite a bit living here and I do hope we have enough to get out.

[GrnMtnFire]

Originally Posted by Djuna

I enjoy the rural feel even though I am only 35 minutes away from Burlington.

That's rural!

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by GrnMtnFire

That's rural!

Orleans County is "real" rural...

[Djuna]

The Islands aren't all that rural compared with other areas of Vermont.

[Wingfoot]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

I agree, though a lot of these 'trust fund Yuppies' could also be from Connecticut and MA--quite a few are from New England who 'live well here.' It's not just NYers...

Lord knows I have no trust fund..I had to point that out to someone a few years back. Not every NYer in VT is wealthy or comes w/money. We lost quite a bit living here and I do hope we have enough to get out.

Of course, these posts are largely shorthand.

[Bang!]

Addressing the original question of why people bother coming here if they are negative about the state. Well, I'm a native so I've been around for awhile and have seen the changes changes over the years first hand. Going back 30 years or so Vermont was probably the freest state. Why do you suppose the hippies chose to come here in the first place? Because it was the only safe place they could go to at the time? And, now, the same people who fled to the refuges of VT for its freedom have commandeered the state government and driving it towards being a nanny state.

I loved Vermont for its freedom, NOT for the birds and the trees and the green mountains. Sure the green hills are nice, but no nicer than any other green hill on any other state. It was the unique live and let live attitude that set Vermont apart. Sadly, I do not see or fell this attitude anymore.

So, back to the question, why? Because freedom is worth fighting for. Get used to it.