Wanting out

[Ira500]

In the summer in Olympia, most of the highs will be upper 70's, low 80's. Maybe a few days in the 90's.

[rockyinyourradio]

Keep in mind that Olympia can have many overcast, drizzly days between October thru May, even more so than Seattle. It can be colder as well with an average of about 5-8 inches of snow per winter verses about 2-4 inches for Seattle proper. Some winters can get far more while other winters virtually nothing. Olympia people are for the most part pretty friendly and as eluded in previous posts.. very progressive politically and socially.

[DouxSoleil]

Hello all, I've been contemplating a move to Raleigh, NC but recently began to ponder what life would be like in WA or OR, Seattle (or Olympia ?), or Portland (or Eugene or Salem?). I am currently on a temporary assignment in Sunnyvale, CA, but spent 10+ years in Minneapolis, MN.

I'm progressive, open-minded, participate in green/eco/environmental causes, am vegetarian, a health & exercise enthusiast (yoga, pilates, tennis, walking/hiking, tennis etc), love the outdoors (and would greatly enjoy weekend excursions to the ocean as well as mountains & forests, etc), and hope to live in a place with cultural opportunities (broadway series plays, live theatre & music, plays), museums and local festivals. I am a technical writer but have an 18-yr-old son who will accompany me so I'm concerned about jobs and work opportunities. I hope to live in a place with affordable housing and at least a moderate cost of living. I love the Pacific Northwest but am concerned about cost of living in WA as well as the lack of sunshine. I do enjoy a good rain, though, which is something I don't experience too often here in Sunnyvale, CA (just few minutes south of Palo Alto, CA, in the South Bay area).

Would love to hear thoughts about WA, OR, and even Raleigh (Triangle park area)...

[rantiquity]

Originally Posted by rockyinyourradio

Keep in mind that Olympia can have many overcast, drizzly days between October thru May, even more so than Seattle. It can be colder as well with an average of about 5-8 inches of snow per winter verses about 2-4 inches for Seattle proper. Some winters can get far more while other winters virtually nothing. Olympia people are for the most part pretty friendly and as eluded in previous posts.. very progressive politically and socially.

That is code for liberal...right?

[CrazyDonkey]

On the culinary school, be sure to read:

The scandal of $50,000 culinary 'degrees' | Crosscut.com

"I never hire cooks. I hire dishwashers, train them, and promote them," he says.

"A kid can come to work for me tomorrow as a dishwasher, and after two years, he's a $13- or $14-an-hour line cook. That same kid, if he goes to culinary school, graduates two years later, $50,000 in debt, and he's lucky to get a job for $9 an hour."

Community colleges, often derided as college-lite, also provide a respectable, well-rounded culinary education, and not just "knife skills." The programs at two of Seattle's community colleges, at the Central campus (called Seattle Culinary Academy) and at South Seattle, are particularly well regarded, primarily because their instructors have excellent reputations as chefs. South also has an excellent wine technology program.

The biggest reason to attend a community college, however, is probably the cost: 10 to 20 percent of what the for-profit schools charge. A student who attends full-time for seven quarters will earn an Associate of Applied Science degree for no more than $10,000. More students at community colleges stick with the entire program, too, while students at for-profit schools are more likely to quit. What's more, community college programs have a better reputation with restaurant managers, who are happy to hire graduates for entry-level positions.