Are Mainers Buttercups? (Lewiston, Bangor, Brunswick: homes, buy, movies)
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Obviously a forum like this is about generalizations. I am aware of tree planting practices. After all, we are the home state of arbor day.
But that really isn't the point of this thread. Again, the point is I think Maine gets a bad wrap but in reality, it isn't so bad.
Though I am a bit alarmed at your reactions here. Clearly you do not feel obliged to be polite. Never the less, I will remain open minded about Mainers in general.
Keep posting!
You are right that people don't understand much about Maine.
I am learning lots about Nebraska from you.....
Obviously a forum like this is about generalizations. I am aware of tree planting practices. After all, we are the home state of arbor day.
But that really isn't the point of this thread. Again, the point is I think Maine gets a bad wrap but in reality, it isn't so bad.
Though I am a bit alarmed at your reactions here. Clearly you do not feel obliged to be polite. Never the less, I will remain open minded about Mainers in general.
I am from NJ and lived in Maine for years and was reminded everyday that "I Am From Away".
The weather isn't the problem, its the people. When they start a conversion about where you are from and mock your heritage you are forced to defend yourself.
Not everyone is as rude, the friendships I did make were tarnished by their family hating outsiders.
I still have land there and visit every year but now I know what I am in for. It's a beautiful state and not as congested.
The closer you are to the ocean the less snow you get. I love ocean and the snow though, nothing like a walk in the woods or the beach with the dog on a fresh snow fall, everything is bright white and dead quite! Best natural remedy for life's anxiety.
Last edited by OpinionExperience; 10-21-2019 at 06:44 AM..
We don't really have any substantial "forests" to walk through in Nebraska. Rather we have what most other states might consider "micro" woodland areas adjacent to creeks and trees we plant that get destroyed in the wind and we plant new ones. We don't have any ocean to speak of, as Maine Girl 2011 observed. Nebraska weather is extreme fluctuating between extreme heat and cold, flood and drought, high winds, large hail coming in at gale forces, tornadoes... you get the idea.
But I will say this. What makes Nebraska special are its people. We are genuinely kind and authentic in most every way. In contrast, I currently live in the Kansas City area. We have bad weather here too, though it is a bit milder in winter with a longer summer season. We have about 8 weeks longer growing season here. But we don't have the nice people that Nebraska does. Folks here take a distinctly far right Libertarian bent resulting in an "every man for himself" kind of feel. Just read the NYT best seller, "Whats the Matter with Kansas?"
I recently read "The Blue Zones of Happiness" by Dan Beuttner. A great read for what its worth. Turns out that one thing effects happiness more than anything else in a place: sense of community. Nebraska has that is spades, which I think is one reason it consistently and seemingly inexplicably ranks as one of the happiest states. My next door neighbors were from Canada, Venezuela, England, Ireland, Sweden and other US states. I have friends in Nebraska from Tanzania, Fiji, Canary Islands, and even far flung destinations such as New Jersey.
But the thing is, once you come to Nebraska, you are in the club. We embrace you as fellow pioneers. If you are willing to tough it out in this harsh landscape you deserve respect. When you arrive, you are just as Nebraskan as I am, though I am descended from five generations of farmers and pioneers. And as a fellow Nebraskan, we have your back. We work together. In fact, we are the only state with a unicameral government.
If beautiful Maine is filled with folks who are extremely insular, it makes me sad because It has so much potential. Why push people away when your state is in need of people who can help support your aging population and infuse the state with new jobs and industries? All you would need to do is be kind and welcoming. "If you build it, they will come."
We don't really have any substantial "forests" to walk through in Nebraska. Rather we have what most other states might consider "micro" woodland areas adjacent to creeks and trees we plant that get destroyed in the wind and we plant new ones. We don't have any ocean to speak of, as Maine Girl 2011 observed. Nebraska weather is extreme fluctuating between extreme heat and cold, flood and drought, high winds, large hail coming in at gale forces, tornadoes... you get the idea.
But I will say this. What makes Nebraska special are its people. We are genuinely kind and authentic in most every way. In contrast, I currently live in the Kansas City area. We have bad weather here too, though it is a bit milder in winter with a longer summer season. We have about 8 weeks longer growing season here. But we don't have the nice people that Nebraska does. Folks here take a distinctly far right Libertarian bent resulting in an "every man for himself" kind of feel. Just read the NYT best seller, "Whats the Matter with Kansas?"
I recently read "The Blue Zones of Happiness" by Dan Beuttner. A great read for what its worth. Turns out that one thing effects happiness more than anything else in a place: sense of community. Nebraska has that is spades, which I think is one reason it consistently and seemingly inexplicably ranks as one of the happiest states. My next door neighbors were from Canada, Venezuela, England, Ireland, Sweden and other US states. I have friends in Nebraska from Tanzania, Fiji, Canary Islands, and even far flung destinations such as New Jersey.
But the thing is, once you come to Nebraska, you are in the club. We embrace you as fellow pioneers. If you are willing to tough it out in this harsh landscape you deserve respect. When you arrive, you are just as Nebraskan as I am, though I am descended from five generations of farmers and pioneers. And as a fellow Nebraskan, we have your back. We work together. In fact, we are the only state with a unicameral government.
If beautiful Maine is filled with folks who are extremely insular, it makes me sad because It has so much potential. Why push people away when your state is in need of people who can help support your aging population and infuse the state with new jobs and industries? All you would need to do is be kind and welcoming. "If you build it, they will come."
Maine is a very difficult state to break into for outsiders, anyone "from away." Portland would be the most viable choice as it has a few more outsiders and more overall employment opportunities. I escaped the Great Plains states many years ago because I couldn't stand the climate or the wind there anymore, a big quality of life problem along with next to nothing to do outdoors- meaning one has to think about taking vacations to anywhere else far to often. In terms of quality of life, I would say Nebraska people really are "what you see is what you get" based on my experiences dealing with people there. Kansas people start to get into the flaky southern type of behavior, and are much more standoffish overall.
In reality, you could always look into New Hampshire instead, they have a much greater total percentage of current residents that were not born in the state, so more transplant friendly. The Seacoast is a higher quality of life area from Portsmouth up through Dover. I much prefer the lakes and mountains region that is further inland, but far less good paying jobs there. I hope to live in the Lakes Region come retirement, a high quality of life region with endless things to do outdoors with plenty of trails, and a great four season climate without the nasty wind that comes from living out in open prairie areas without dense tree cover.
We don't really have any substantial "forests" to walk through in Nebraska. Rather we have what most other states might consider "micro" woodland areas adjacent to creeks and trees we plant that get destroyed in the wind and we plant new ones. We don't have any ocean to speak of, as Maine Girl 2011 observed. Nebraska weather is extreme fluctuating between extreme heat and cold, flood and drought, high winds, large hail coming in at gale forces, tornadoes... you get the idea.
But I will say this. What makes Nebraska special are its people. We are genuinely kind and authentic in most every way. In contrast, I currently live in the Kansas City area. We have bad weather here too, though it is a bit milder in winter with a longer summer season. We have about 8 weeks longer growing season here. But we don't have the nice people that Nebraska does. Folks here take a distinctly far right Libertarian bent resulting in an "every man for himself" kind of feel. Just read the NYT best seller, "Whats the Matter with Kansas?"
I recently read "The Blue Zones of Happiness" by Dan Beuttner. A great read for what its worth. Turns out that one thing effects happiness more than anything else in a place: sense of community. Nebraska has that is spades, which I think is one reason it consistently and seemingly inexplicably ranks as one of the happiest states. My next door neighbors were from Canada, Venezuela, England, Ireland, Sweden and other US states. I have friends in Nebraska from Tanzania, Fiji, Canary Islands, and even far flung destinations such as New Jersey.
But the thing is, once you come to Nebraska, you are in the club. We embrace you as fellow pioneers. If you are willing to tough it out in this harsh landscape you deserve respect. When you arrive, you are just as Nebraskan as I am, though I am descended from five generations of farmers and pioneers. And as a fellow Nebraskan, we have your back. We work together. In fact, we are the only state with a unicameral government.
If beautiful Maine is filled with folks who are extremely insular, it makes me sad because It has so much potential. Why push people away when your state is in need of people who can help support your aging population and infuse the state with new jobs and industries? All you would need to do is be kind and welcoming. "If you build it, they will come."
You absolutely can not believe the canard about Maine being "closed off" to outsiders. Nothing could be further from the truth. As I have posted time and time and time again, here's the real truth:
Maine is a harsh place. Historically, that meant that people needed to be sane and tough to survive. This is cultural. Mainers HAD to be wary of people who could "drag the herd down" by being wimpy, or criminal, or any number of other negative personal qualities. In fact, survival DEMANDED working together and accepting each other. Remnants of this cultural mindset still remain (especially the more north you go). What people call "being closed off" is actually a very brief, civil wariness. We need to get the smallest sign that you are "okay" and not here for negative reasons. Once an "outsider" gives even the slightest sign of that, then they are golden. They are accepted 100% and will find immense generosity and warmth. They will be treated like family. I have known dozens (if not hundreds ) of people from away who will attest to that. My new neighbor, who I chatted with about this very subject on Saturday and is from Massachusetts, will attest to this.
I am sad that some people from away have not had a good experience, but I will have to ask them to look in the mirror. Chances are, if they were not blatant jerks, their experience would have been completely different. Mainers do NOT tolerate blatant jerks very well. At all. That much is true. And I do not think that should change.
Maine is a very difficult state to break into for outsiders, anyone "from away."
Depends on where you move, I guess. I moved to Bar Harbor 8 years ago as a senior. I have had no problems integrating with the population in MDI and Ellsworth, Maine.
I have never been told I was from away.
I have found Mainers to be welcoming and easy to talk to. In fact, in an elevator, Mainers who don’t know each other will always start up conversations. Today I had a great conversation with a clerk in Walmart about Halloween.
The only people who ever commented on me being from Away were on CityData---nobody in real life.
Depends on where you move, I guess. I moved to Bar Harbor 8 years ago as a senior. I have had no problems integrating with the population in MDI and Ellsworth, Maine.
I have never been told I was from away.
I have found Mainers to be welcoming and easy to talk to. In fact, in an elevator, Mainers who don’t know each other will always start up conversations. Today I had a great conversation with a clerk in Walmart about Halloween.
The only people who ever commented on me being from Away were on CityData---nobody in real life.
Well, I certainly have run across that in more rural areas of the state, particularly some of the areas in the western Mountains region of the state. Maybe it's more common in some other towns that I have encountered.
Maine is a very difficult state to break into for outsiders, anyone "from away."
That has not been our experience.
Quote:
... Portland would be the most viable choice as it has a few more outsiders and more overall employment opportunities.
My Dw and I are not 'city people'. We have lived in cities, due to my career, but it was never our preference to live urban.
Quote:
Originally Posted by slyfox2
Depends on where you move, I guess. I moved to Bar Harbor 8 years ago as a senior. I have had no problems integrating with the population in MDI and Ellsworth, Maine.
I have never been told I was from away.
I have found Mainers to be welcoming and easy to talk to. In fact, in an elevator, Mainers who don’t know each other will always start up conversations. Today I had a great conversation with a clerk in Walmart about Halloween.
The only people who ever commented on me being from Away were on CityData---nobody in real life.
That has been my experience living in Maine.
Posters here on CityData talk about those 'from away', nobody has ever said it in person.
One time when I was still constructing our house, a neighbor stopped to talk to me and he said that he was 'from away'. He grew up in a house about 6 miles away, just a bit over the town line in the next town. Since he is not 'from' this township, he considers himself to be 'from away'.
I took that as a joke.
Look back 6 or 8 years ago when posters here on CityData were getting together each month for a meet. We got together at various restaurants and met each other in person. We went on whale watching trips. Remember that?
I still have the embroidered hat that one of our posters made up for us as a group.
I almost made one of those get togethers. I hope we have one again.
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