No beavers in Beaverton, it's misleading

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5/5/2006
I relocated to the Beaverton area from Detroit, MI about 2 years ago. I've found that the housing prices have been going up at an alarming rate. I could barely afford a home when I arrived here, and now I definitely can't afford a home. To top it all off I haven't been able to find a job since I got laid off a few months ago due to my dependency on alcohol, which I've just recently gotten under control after a short stint in jail for a minor traffic offense, but I don't want to get into that right now. I live in a crowded apartment complex and there's constant police activity here because of all the rowdy meth-heads that are always breaking into the cars here. The thin walls also let me hear all the suspicious activity they are participating in, but that's another story. I still don't know what the deal is with Aloha. Is it unincorporated? Is it a part of Beaverton? Why didn't they ever correct the name to Aloah, the Native American word it was initially intended to be? The name is a little silly, considering it's in grey-sky'd Oregon. I always picture sunny skies and pretty ladies in hula skirts, but I digress. Due to the increasing overpopulation, some of the neighborhoods are becoming extremely ghetto, but I will say that the Beaverton school district has excellent elementary schools compared to the schools back home. My 1st son from my 2nd ex-wife (I know I should learn my lesson by now) really enjoys the quality of the attention he receives in class due to the low teacher to student ratio. The schools really are top-notch. The high schools are average though, as my 3rd son from my 4th ex-wife is reporting to me. Then again, the problem might just be all the skateboarding he does instead of listening to his teachers. Beaverton does have skate parks for the kids, as well as an excellent public library. The weather here is a lot milder than what I've experienced back home. The MAX light rail system runs through town and connects Beaverton to the much hipper, and much more expensive Portland, which is known for the highest concentration of strip clubs of any city in the United States. I guess every city has it's part to play. Aside from the sleazier aspects of Portland, there is a nice zoo, and many nicer neighborhoods on the northwest side of the Willamette. It's sad to see so many new condos going up there, it's becoming less and less of a child-oriented city, and more of a adult-oriented metropolis. Still, there are many nice nei
Ivan | Fullerton, CA