Portland is the most UNFRIENDLY city I've ever liv
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10/19/2006
Portland may very well be the most unfriendly city I've ever lived in or even visited! I have lived in Orlando, Detroit, Minneapolis and Denver and have visited almost every major city in the US. I've also lived in small towns in 5 states, and Portland is the WORST!!
When you walk in the city, just try to make eye contact with anyone to give them a friendly smile or say hello. Forget it, because it won't happen. The only people who will say anything is the crazy homeless people, and they're obviously just looking for a handout.
Even at work, where I've been for 2 months, I'll walk down the hall and co-workers will avert their eyes to the wall or floor. That way, they won't have to make eye contact and thus not have to say anything to you. Getting a "good morning" out of someone at work is like pulling teeth. In fact, I would say the majority of the people who work on my floor (probably 50 to 60) I've never even heard their voice, nor know their names. The people I've talked to is because I walked right in their office and introduced myself and then they HAD to talk. And it's not just me, they don't talk to the people who've been here for years, they just come to work, do their job and go home (I guess, I've never talked to them so I don't really know what they do :))
In Minneapolis, it was simply unheard of to not be friendly to your co-workers. There's an expression there called "Minnesota Nice" and it's so appropriate. Here, it should be called "Portland Mean", or "Portland Indifference" may even be better.
I'm stuck here for now so I could be closer to my daughter. However, the moment I can get out of this state and this city, I'm gone!
Tom
Tom | Bethany, OR