Me and Utah
Posted 02-27-2015 at 03:41 PM by beckalees
I moved to the greater Salt Lake area 8 years ago. I lived further up north (roy, clearfield, Ogden, AFB area) for two years and hated it. And when you go past SLC into Utah County you deal with the majority of the population being very conservative and mostly of one faith. I haven't lived there but have visited often, and one of the most unpleasant (not terrible mind you, just unpleasant) experiences I've had in Utah is shopping in Pleasant Grove grocery stores and being glared at by everyone over 40. Along with being told I had no right being a mother because I have 1 visible tattoo. In no way am I saying this is the average person's experience. However it is mine.
On that subject, the lds in most of the Salt Lake Valley are very unoffending to those outside their faith. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part the closer you get to downtown SLC (where the big temple is, ironically enough) the less religion is a big deal. Or any deal at all.
Now about the state. I ove the mountains and all the parks, all the great restaurants and festivals and busy things that SLC has to offer. There are so many great things for kids and family to do! It has all that, very true. That stuff is easy to find. Let me explain why I'm choosing to move my family out of Utah.
I lived in Alaska before moving here and while I did become acclimated to the heat, 15-20 days over 100 is too much for me. And two solid months in the nineties is terrible. I'm icantleavemyhousesairconditioning miserable from mid june to early September. And with my blood thinning from the heat, the cold winters are way too cold and long for me now. I'm freezing 4 months straight! It's terrible but I'm a weanie!
The pollution is ridiculous. That being said, I've never lived in L.A. or (insert stereotypical smoggy city here) but when you move to Utah, you think you'll be getting fresh mountain air. Pollution in the valley is terrible, often the sky is so full of smog everything looks grey. In January they tell you when you shouldn't leave the house because the air is so harmful to breathe. Between the refineries, factories, power plants, waste incinerators and car pollution the air is terrible. That being said, the sunsets are often absolutely gorgeous as the sun's rays bouncing off the pollution in the air is just breathtaking.
The crime, in my experience is not too bad. My car was broken into on the street near downtown 6 years ago and they stole my stereo and broke my window. One night, i heard on the news that cops were chasing two possibly armed burglars around my neighborhood and I was a bit scared for a while. Those are my direct experiences with crime.
The health in Utah is scary. I am not a Dr. This is just what I've seen. The autism rates, mental illness rates and suicide rates in Utah are ridiculous. I have met more people in two years here who have some form of cancer than I ever heard of in my entire previous life. I've heard all sorts of theories from the pollution to the elevation but this is a big one in my book. I've gotten sicker every year I've lived here and I've concluded that Utah is bad for my health. We are getting out.
Now with all that in mind, if you are healthy, of sound mind and healthy lungs, Salt Lake City might be paradise for you. One man's trash really is another man's treasure. This is just my experience.
On that subject, the lds in most of the Salt Lake Valley are very unoffending to those outside their faith. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part the closer you get to downtown SLC (where the big temple is, ironically enough) the less religion is a big deal. Or any deal at all.
Now about the state. I ove the mountains and all the parks, all the great restaurants and festivals and busy things that SLC has to offer. There are so many great things for kids and family to do! It has all that, very true. That stuff is easy to find. Let me explain why I'm choosing to move my family out of Utah.
I lived in Alaska before moving here and while I did become acclimated to the heat, 15-20 days over 100 is too much for me. And two solid months in the nineties is terrible. I'm icantleavemyhousesairconditioning miserable from mid june to early September. And with my blood thinning from the heat, the cold winters are way too cold and long for me now. I'm freezing 4 months straight! It's terrible but I'm a weanie!
The pollution is ridiculous. That being said, I've never lived in L.A. or (insert stereotypical smoggy city here) but when you move to Utah, you think you'll be getting fresh mountain air. Pollution in the valley is terrible, often the sky is so full of smog everything looks grey. In January they tell you when you shouldn't leave the house because the air is so harmful to breathe. Between the refineries, factories, power plants, waste incinerators and car pollution the air is terrible. That being said, the sunsets are often absolutely gorgeous as the sun's rays bouncing off the pollution in the air is just breathtaking.
The crime, in my experience is not too bad. My car was broken into on the street near downtown 6 years ago and they stole my stereo and broke my window. One night, i heard on the news that cops were chasing two possibly armed burglars around my neighborhood and I was a bit scared for a while. Those are my direct experiences with crime.
The health in Utah is scary. I am not a Dr. This is just what I've seen. The autism rates, mental illness rates and suicide rates in Utah are ridiculous. I have met more people in two years here who have some form of cancer than I ever heard of in my entire previous life. I've heard all sorts of theories from the pollution to the elevation but this is a big one in my book. I've gotten sicker every year I've lived here and I've concluded that Utah is bad for my health. We are getting out.
Now with all that in mind, if you are healthy, of sound mind and healthy lungs, Salt Lake City might be paradise for you. One man's trash really is another man's treasure. This is just my experience.
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