Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am born and raised in Northern Indiana. I've been all over this state. I grew up in La Porte and moved all around Northwest and north central Indiana. As far as this area goes, I absolutely hate it. I'm almost finished with college and I'm moving for a less gloomy, warmer, climate. I do dislike the rampant racism and homophobia I've found in this area as well. If I could have afforded college out of state, I would have went that route. I LOVE sunny warm (even humid)weather, and wouldn't trade a warm sunny day in for a cold blustery day for the world. I hate the long winter and the gloominess that entrenches this area basically from October to April. In all honesty the closed-minded; ultra conservative attitude in most of the area has gotten really old. I know a lot of states share similar problems to this area, but a big factor is the weather. No place is perfect, and that is the point, if I'm going to live in areas with similar problems, at least I can live in one with weather and landscapes I don't despise. I was never born for this dreary weathered state. I'd be a happy man to never see snow or another season outside of summer again. I have always felt I don't belong and can't wait to leave.
That's just how I feel
Last edited by Jaybird25; 03-02-2010 at 11:25 PM..
No place is a utopia and the longer you've lived and the more you travel, the more you'll realize that. I'm a transplant from the San Francisco Bay area and love it here. Yes, the winters are long and that sucks, but I've not encountered "rampant racism" or "homophobia". In fact, the only negative I have encountered is that the small town where we first lived had residents who weren't exactly warm and welcoming, but that's something that is commonly encountered in small towns everywhere. We currently live in Bloomington and it's one of the nicest, most open minded towns I have ever lived in (and we've lived all over due to my husband's employment).
I hope you find what you are looking for, but keep your expectations realistic. Nice, sunny, warm weather year round doesn't make up for shortcomings in other areas.
Twenty five or thirty years ago (yikes), my friend and I were driving cross-country when a snow/ice storm hit Indiana. The highway to Chicago was closed, and we were sitting in a fast food restaurant in Kokomo with about ten dollars between us. A local family somehow figured out we had no money for a hotel, they were booked anyway, and took in two college age kids who had no idea what they were going to do. We stayed with them for two nights and three days. I remember walking in a pack of about thirty people, roaming around their neighborhood pushing cars stuck in snow and shoveling sidewalks of the elderly. It was like a mob, only with good intentions.
I remember playing ping-pong with this family, and when we left about a dozen people from the neighborhood were in the yard, waving good bye to us.
I'll never forget that and I always recall Indiana fondly. Midwestern hospitality at it's finest.
Twenty five or thirty years ago (yikes), my friend and I were driving cross-country when a snow/ice storm hit Indiana. The highway to Chicago was closed, and we were sitting in a fast food restaurant in Kokomo with about ten dollars between us. A local family somehow figured out we had no money for a hotel, they were booked anyway, and took in two college age kids who had no idea what they were going to do. We stayed with them for two nights and three days. I remember walking in a pack of about thirty people, roaming around their neighborhood pushing cars stuck in snow and shoveling sidewalks of the elderly. It was like a mob, only with good intentions.
I remember playing ping-pong with this family, and when we left about a dozen people from the neighborhood were in the yard, waving good bye to us.
I'll never forget that and I always recall Indiana fondly. Midwestern hospitality at it's finest.
I am born and raised in Northern Indiana. I've been all over this state. I grew up in La Porte and moved all around Northwest and north central Indiana. As far as this area goes, I absolutely hate it. I'm almost finished with college and I'm moving for a less gloomy, warmer, climate. I do dislike the rampant racism and homophobia I've found in this area as well. If I could have afforded college out of state, I would have went that route. I LOVE sunny warm (even humid)weather, and wouldn't trade a warm sunny day in for a cold blustery day for the world. I hate the long winter and the gloominess that entrenches this area basically from October to April. In all honesty the closed-minded; ultra conservative attitude in most of the area has gotten really old. I know a lot of states share similar problems to this area, but a big factor is the weather. No place is perfect, and that is the point, if I'm going to live in areas with similar problems, at least I can live in one with weather and landscapes I don't despise. I was never born for this dreary weathered state. I'd be a happy man to never see snow or another season outside of summer again. I have always felt I don't belong and can't wait to leave.
That's just how I feel
You think it's bad there you should try North Dakota or Alaska. No matter where you go you will find negatives. Sounds like you want to live in Texas or Florida. You think racism and homophobia is bad in IN, wait until you get to Texas. Florida is more open-minded but the cost to live there high, housing market sucks, and the job market isn't fairing too well. Not to mention the hurricanes. In all the places I have visited and lived, Indiana is by far the best overall. It's a good mix of weather, economy, cost of living vs pay and view points. But that's just me.
You think it's bad there you should try North Dakota or Alaska. No matter where you go you will find negatives. Sounds like you want to live in Texas or Florida. You think racism and homophobia is bad in IN, wait until you get to Texas. Florida is more open-minded but the cost to live there high, housing market sucks, and the job market isn't fairing too well. Not to mention the hurricanes. In all the places I have visited and lived, Indiana is by far the best overall. It's a good mix of weather, economy, cost of living vs pay and view points. But that's just me.
'Tis true! As someone born & raised in southern IN & living in FL for the past 3 years....well, I can tell you the grass is not always greener plus constant heat & humidity & a landscape that never changes gets old real quick. Winter isn't the best but having seasons is GREAT. By all means, get out & experience other places, that's what I wanted to do too. Just don't be so quick to completely close the door on your home state- you just might be back one day
I took for granted what I had in IN & I learned that real quick when I left.
If I could have afforded college out of state, I would have went that route.
Indiana has some good and cheap (for residents) schools, so don't feel bad you didnt' get out earlier. It's worth slogging through another 4-6 years of school to get that education at "bargain" rates. You made a good choice to stick it out and get educated. Look into Co-operative education programs with companies. You might get the chance to work out-of-state (I went to Florida), make some money, get work experience, and probably have multiple job offers right out of college.
Quote:
I was never born for this dreary weathered state. I'd be a happy man to never see snow or another season outside of summer again. I have always felt I don't belong and can't wait to leave.
That's just how I feel
I don't mind the weather so much because I'm pretty hardy, but I see how it affects the general populaton. Because of the low temperatures in the winter and high heat and humidity in the summer, people tend to stay indoors and drive everywhere, leading to a sedentary lifestyle. There are a lot of people who do go running or get some sort of outdoor exercise every day (or join a fitness club) but they are not in the majority, and it's a real struggle.
Southern California would probably fit your needs. The weather is nice year-round and even when it's 110 degrees it's true what they say about it being a "dry heat". I used to commute 30 miles a day by bike in the midsummer valley heat and it never really bothered me. The weather by the beaches is just fantastic with a constant 60-80 degree temperature range and maybe 2 weeks worth of rain every year. People get out a LOT more in such a climate. SoCal is the car capital of the world, but it is very possible to cycle or run any day anywhere. The beach and mountains give you tons of sporting options (skiing, hang-gliding, swimming, surfing, volleyball, running, windsurfing, trail riding, etc.) that just aren't available here.
One of the biggest disadvantages to Indiana is the low population density. A huge portion of the state is either empty farmland or suburban sprawl, making it difficult for community centers to form where people can easily walk or bike to recreational options. The suburban and exurban sprawl kills off small businesses, markets, and independent shops and replaces them with homogenous superstores. In little towns like Ventura or Cocoa Beach going out to the store means you will walk or ride past a dozen diversions in the space of just a mile or so (movie theater, coffee shop, dog park, thrift store, community center, beach, vegetable market, walking trails, resturants, etc.) so an afternoon's outing can include a dozen stops all within walking distance in pleasant weather. There are a few town centers in Indiana where such things are possible, but they are few, far-between, and businesses there are always closing or struggling to survive and compete in the drive-everywhere distributed-population superstore culture (and bad weather).
I suggest you try moving to a big city like LA or NYC and see if that suits your needs. You might find yourself moving out to a satellite town/area like Burbank or LI and finding a happy medium. I think you'll really enjoy your life outside of Indiana. I certainly did, and just like you, I'm looking forward to leaving ASAP.
Jay sounds like me ... oh man, I COULD NOT WAIT to get out of this state! As soon as I had my masters degree ... I WAS OUTTA HERE! And know what .. I loved it! But, reality struck ... job transfers brought us back and it was just fine. I'm glad that I spent time away, but this is a great place for us now.
I am born and raised in Northern Indiana. I've been all over this state. I grew up in La Porte and moved all around Northwest and north central Indiana. As far as this area goes, I absolutely hate it. I'm almost finished with college and I'm moving for a less gloomy, warmer, climate. I do dislike the rampant racism and homophobia I've found in this area as well. If I could have afforded college out of state, I would have went that route. I LOVE sunny warm (even humid)weather, and wouldn't trade a warm sunny day in for a cold blustery day for the world. I hate the long winter and the gloominess that entrenches this area basically from October to April. In all honesty the closed-minded; ultra conservative attitude in most of the area has gotten really old. I know a lot of states share similar problems to this area, but a big factor is the weather. No place is perfect, and that is the point, if I'm going to live in areas with similar problems, at least I can live in one with weather and landscapes I don't despise. I was never born for this dreary weathered state. I'd be a happy man to never see snow or another season outside of summer again. I have always felt I don't belong and can't wait to leave.
That's just how I feel
I have lived in Florida and hated it .Lets' see unbearable heat throughout much of the year,hurricanes ,bugs,bugs ..People say you will get used to the heat but I never did and I lived for most of mylife. Is Indiana perfect no the top of the list for me is public transportation among a few others .There is no utopia as others have said, .I wish you luck in finding the perfect spot.
Perfect for me when I was 10 -- growing up in the southern California desert. Now -- I couldn't take the heat. Perfect for me when I was a teen -- living 20 minutes from Hollywood in LA. Now -- no way! That was 40 years ago, and I haven't found my next perfect, but I have an idea what it would be...hills, rocks, blue skies, fresh air, 4 seasons but not brutal. If that sounds like southern Indiana, then I hope to make it happen.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
