Some Good, Some Bad
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12/9/2006
I have lived in Portland for 5 years now. I moved here from Atlanta and at first I really loved it here. The first 2 years felt good, but now the bad stuff about Portland has become obvious.
People here aren't very interested in being your real friend. They are nice enough, but don't expect them to take time to get to know you or develop a friendly rapport. Portland people on the whole are very flaky, they don't follow through on plans and tell you one thing and do another quite a bit and it's really frustrating. In my 5 years here I have only 2 people I consider close enough that I can call, have deeper discussion and hang out with them. I feel quite lonely here, much more so than Atlanta.
The rain and general cloudiness can be tough. It didn't bother me at first, but the last 2 winters have really gotten to me, there's a gloominess about it and I feel it has an effect on the people here. I find that I feel physically 'off' even when I know I'm fine. When the weather is bad I get headaches and it's hard to deal with. It certainly bothers my dog who doesn't enjoy rainy walks.
There's alot of natural beauty, but alot of the time it's too soggy to enjoy it. When the weather is nice, I love the Japanese garden and the Multnomah waterfalls.
If you have bad allergies, go elsewhere because Oregon has the worst in the country. I never had allergies before I moved here, now I do and they are awful! I almost loose my voice twice a year.
The public transportation is a great thing here. The buses are generally realistic in their routes and you can get where you need to go with little hassle. I definitely prefer using the bus to go downtown and my husband and I save alot of money by busing to work instead of driving.
Good jobs can be difficult to find here, especially if you're looking for something with higher pay than a call center or coffeehouse offers. I am a professional musician and have a tough time here because there is a huge artistic community that will fight for any gig they can get. It's nice in some ways because there are great and creative people around, but they are very competitive and at times unwelcoming to newcomers.
The food is excellent here and if you love seafood you'll have a good time eating out. It can take time to find the best restaurants, but they are out there for sure! Local farmers markets offer wonderful produce and seasonal berries and fruits.
I don't see Portland as my final home, but for now I am making the best
Ariel | Beaverton, OR