Reviews & Comments
Bellingham, WA
~ Bohemia ~ .. Take it or Leave it ! -
10/19/2019All reviews will be biased by personal experience. Clearly mine is coloured by living amidst intentional communities. *There are many, here*, however, and you might benefit from an overview of what that scene contributes, in a larger community that leans more teamwork- & connectivity-oriented anyway.
(It /is/ possible to manifest productive isolation, in some respects, but i personally afforded that by living out of my car. You also could barter someone landkeeping for a secluded place; it's very tradey here, when you want it to be.)
~ Culture ~
-•Rich•-
People often live communally. If that doesn't work for you, it may be less affordable than otherwise- check that index, of course.
There is a lot of creativity basically everywhere you go, here. Even the bar scene (which is usually something i personally loathe) feels a great deal more whimsical, amusing, and generally worth seeing.
If you think outside the box about what is mentally healthy, you will likely love it here, at least in part. Expect superstitions- some with cult followings, but some stemming from individuals' personal confusions that would get them ostracised anywhere else. (In my opinion, at least be thankful that they feel they can be transparent; no one wins when they aren't!.. Realisticly, everyone is trustworthy in a different set of ways.) Many people become more spiritual while living here because of what the culture (and, i personally believe, ether) rewards, here: collaboration & optimism.
If that sort of thing annoys you, i also see some of whence you're coming, so i'll say that it definitely comes with its drawbacks. For example, in my humble opinion, communal living in general is a magnet for trauma-coping-natural-mind-chemical-addicted people who like to view toxic situations with rose colored glasses rather than leaving them. .. That can hurt to watch, as someone who disagrees with it.
That being stated, many of us will vaguely agree that there /are/ a lot of social guidelines we'd be better off without.
You name it: People tend to challenge it all, here. If you want to meet people who band together and do something when anything is outrage-worthy, this direct-activism-happy place is for you!
My personal echo chamber leaned in the nonviolent direction, and that is quite prevalent. Additionally, though, the whole culture (including my sub-community's dissenters) seems more open to scholarly discourse and unconditional respect. (Again- the culture is very spiritually inclined!.. This even burns some of us out, to be honest! So... it's a good idea to accept people's ideas but stay grounded in one's own sanity, no matter how agreeable people are being about their own thoughts.
Openminded consideration is wise, and one more piece of input can seem harmless, but there can be too much of a good thing, if you try to incorporate everyone's perspective.) There is an emphasis on leadership by example in people i know here, and the highly entwined community compels people to disagree more peacably.
The food banks are healthier, here. This is definitely a back-to-nature hub.
Expect to traverse a lot of hills, if you live near the bay.
It is culturally encouraged to use public transit and bicycles as well as foot travel. That doesn't mean that it's worse to drive here than anywhere else on the i-5 corridor. If you check out the local Craigslist, however, you will realise that community-sourced solutions (including rideshares/carpools) are so popular here that the mixed bag of crowdsourcing is likely to pull up something less desperate and a great deal more interesting. I hope i explained this well.. You'll see what i mean.
(i feel like almost everyone /should/ probably witness an environment like this at least once, to consider it, take what works for them, and leave the rest. :) If it feels unsafe for you, no one should pressure you, but you might consider braving it briefly with someone you trust at your side.)
Pretty much everything usually-sketchy has a little more wonderful mixed into it, here, for those who can safely maneuvre it. It's a strange thing... :-) Try not to get too used to it & forget your common sense. .. Lol.... It's surprisingly easy to!
*** ** If hippies annoy you, you might be miserable here, but i /am/ a bit biased by my echo chamber. ** ***
~ Know what you want.
Ask for it.
Seize nonsketchy opportunities.
Be grateful.
*Please* use radical consent. ~
May the Universe bless you with your most needed revelations. :-)
P.S.~ This review might seem frivolous to some people, but i strongly suspect that some will discover how relevant it was after all. Also, sorryish for being so verbose; it takes a while to explain some of why the advise is so topically pertinent. It seems like different strokes work here than other places; you have to decide whether those strokes are for you! :)
P.P.S.- I lived near the bay- first in Fairhaven, then near Western Washington University. :)
Mount Vernon, WA
Sweet Community -
10/19/2019I'm sure it has its flaws, but what stands with me is that everyone whom i meet here is *so polite!* .. People smile and wave you through in traffic. They speak to you with dignity when they wait on you. I don't know if i could ask for a better place for one's mental health when it comes to the people with whom one will have to engage. At least visit and consider making your own home more like it, in that way!