Leaving Iowa

[simply1]

So I'm looking at relocating to Seattle. My wife is from a larger city, and she loves Seattle. I've been here my whole life, ISU grad, west des moines resident. Tough for me to do, but I think I'll enjoy it in Seattle too. I like to fly fish on vacations, enjoy the mountains, and other outdoor activities. There's a lot I'll miss, some I won't, and lord knows the traffic will be on a different scale. So I'm taking my IT skills and my wife's paralegal out of state, not enough that I like here to keep me here.

Who else moved away, what'd you find out?

 

[cycloneML]

im seeing some ominous foreshadowing.

 

[cycloneML]

its setting up like a Lifetime movie.

 

[ISUAlum2002]

Hope you like rain.

Big cities aren't all they're cracked up to be. They're nice to visit, but I always like coming back home where traffic isn't an issue at all and I can be out in the open countryside with a 5 minute drive.

 

[cyclonedave25]

So I'm looking at relocating to Seattle. My wife is from a larger city, and she loves Seattle. I've been here my whole life, ISU grad, west des moines resident. Tough for me to do, but I think I'll enjoy it in Seattle too. I like to fly fish on vacations, enjoy the mountains, and other outdoor activities. There's a lot I'll miss, some I won't, and lord knows the traffic will be on a different scale. So I'm taking my IT skills and my wife's paralegal out of state, not enough that I like here to keep me here.

Who else moved away, what'd you find out?

Iowa State games???

I moved to the SW burbs of Chicago after graduating from ISU and I miss ISU football and basketball games, a lot. I also miss my friends/family. I also miss the cheaper cost of living. I also miss the people of Iowa. I've found that people over here are more arrogant. Moving all the way to the West Coast will obviously be different than Chicago, because I can drive back home in about 3-4 hours. The general lifestyle will be a bigger change as well.

I would move back to Iowa at the first chance I could. The only other place in this country that I would want to live, besides Iowa, is Colorado.

Good Luck!

 

[CYinPA]

So I'm looking at relocating to Seattle. My wife is from a larger city, and she loves Seattle. I've been here my whole life, ISU grad, west des moines resident. Tough for me to do, but I think I'll enjoy it in Seattle too. I like to fly fish on vacations, enjoy the mountains, and other outdoor activities. There's a lot I'll miss, some I won't, and lord knows the traffic will be on a different scale. So I'm taking my IT skills and my wife's paralegal out of state, not enough that I like here to keep me here.

Who else moved away, what'd you find out?

-If the value of what is inside your car is less than your windows, do not lock your doors. Just had my window broken out for the 4th time in 4 different cities. Most expensive item stolen was a bag full of dirty wool socks.

-Driving but not going anywhere stinks.

-Hate missing ISU games.

-Higher cost of living is annoying.

Most everything else is great.

 

[CyForPresident]

Just had to face this decision myself last month and I decided to stay in Iowa. I could have went and enjoyed the challenge of a new area, but I knew I would want to come back to Iowa in 5 years and by then I might not have had an opportunity to come back.

My suggestion is just to get involved in something. Church group, YMCA, young professionals, Chuck fan club, etc. Its the best way to meet people and learn an area.

 

[kansascy]

If you don't mind some extra gloomy days, Seattle should be enjoyable. My only caution would be to be prepared for the first time you're driving down the freeway and you catch a view of Mount Rainier in the distance. The first time I saw it I almost drove off the road!!

 

[simply1]

Iowa State games???

I moved to the SW burbs of Chicago after graduating from ISU and I miss ISU football and basketball games, a lot. I also miss my friends/family. I also miss the cheaper cost of living. I also miss the people of Iowa. I've found that people over here are more arrogant. Moving all the way to the West Coast will obviously be different than Chicago, because I can drive back home in about 3-4 hours. The general lifestyle will be a bigger change as well.

I would move back to Iowa at the first chance I could. The only other place in this country that I would want to live, besides Iowa, is Colorado.

Good Luck!

Colorado would probably be my first choice just because it's closer to drive home, but my family lives in SW Iowa so flying direct to Omaha isn't too bad. Will definitely miss the games. Dealing with no snow won't be so hard though, haha.

I'm practicing the pacific northwest talk, venti, grande, tall or some such thing.

 

[BCforISU]

Moving away was a great thing for my wife and I, you will get to know eachother even more without your friends/family as crutches. Don't get me wrong, we miss our friends and family, just has given us time to live our lives for ourselves instead of for everyone else. We are going on 2 years away, but know we will end up back in the midwest someday. If you are up for moving outside of your comfort zone it will be fun and exciting, at least we are enjoying it. Good luck on the move!

 

[simply1]

-If the value of what is inside your car is less than your windows, do not lock your doors. Just had my window broken out for the 4th time in 4 different cities. Most expensive item stolen was a bag full of dirty wool socks.

-Driving but not going anywhere stinks.

-Hate missing ISU games.

-Higher cost of living is annoying.

Most everything else is great.

That's probably true of my car as far as valuables, unless they swipe my air bags or something, haha.

 

[IsUaClone2]

That's been a problem for a long time. I moved my family to Michigan more than 37 years ago. While I was working and developing my career, I rarely missed Iowa. One or two visits per year to visit both sets of parents was enough. Now that I've retired, we miss it and it's people. We never really became Michiganians and I still have my mother there but with the grandkids here and the weather there, we can't come back....not yet anyway.

 

[simply1]

If you don't mind some extra gloomy days, Seattle should be enjoyable. My only caution would be to be prepared for the first time you're driving down the freeway and you catch a view of Mount Rainier in the distance. The first time I saw it I almost drove off the road!!

Because it rarely can be seen, or because you're like omg the end of the world is nigh!

 

[HerkyKiller]

That's probably true of my car as far as valuables, unless they swipe my air bags or something, haha.

I think that airbags have something valueable in them, but dont quote me on that.

 

[simply1]

Moving away was a great thing for my wife and I, you will get to know eachother even more without your friends/family as crutches. Don't get me wrong, we miss our friends and family, just has given us time to live our lives for ourselves instead of for everyone else. We are going on 2 years away, but know we will end up back in the midwest someday. If you are up for moving outside of your comfort zone it will be fun and exciting, at least we are enjoying it. Good luck on the move!

Thanks for chiming in, I can definitely see that happening and I am excited for her because she's from a big city and is really looking forward to it. I'll have some adjusting to do, but there are enough other things I love to do that I will be okay I believe. I know our labs will love it out there, fewer frozen lakes, hah.

 

[simply1]

I think that airbags have something valueable in them, but dont quote me on that.

I thought I recalled a story where air bags get swiped and sold as aftermarket parts, but too lazy to google it.

 

[CyFever]

I've been in Phoenix, AZ four weeks today. So far it's been great. I don't think I'm going to miss Wichita that much (there for the past 15 years after graduation). Some of that is probably just the new and exciting aspect of living someplace completely different. Having a job after being laid off for a while has been very positive too, something hard to overlook these days.

 

[FarminCy]

So I'm looking at relocating to Seattle. My wife is from a larger city, and she loves Seattle. I've been here my whole life, ISU grad, west des moines resident. Tough for me to do, but I think I'll enjoy it in Seattle too. I like to fly fish on vacations, enjoy the mountains, and other outdoor activities. There's a lot I'll miss, some I won't, and lord knows the traffic will be on a different scale. So I'm taking my IT skills and my wife's paralegal out of state, not enough that I like here to keep me here.

Who else moved away, what'd you find out?

I went to Denver right out of college. Like yourself i love to fly fish as well as ski, hike, etc. I figured i would give Colorado a chance. Loved being that close to the mountains but the overall experience of living in Denver was not for me the traffic was horrible and my truck and townhouse were broken into (and I lived in cherry creek which is a very nice part of Denver). Looking back on it I should have picked Fort Collins or lived in one of the towns in the foothills like Evergreen, Idaho Springs, or even west edge of Golden. After about 8 months or so I accepted a job to come work in agriculture in Iowa and I don't regret it one bit. I am sure i would have been happy in Colorado if i had lived in the right place but I had buddies already living in this townhouse so it was just easy for me to move in with them.

My sister lives in downtown Chicago and loves every second of it. They are currently moving to Evanston due to a second kid on the way but they love the Chicago lifestyle. So in my family it is 1 left and loved it and 1 left and came back.

I am very glad we are in Iowa and I don't second guess it one bit. But i would never trade my time in Denver either. If i hadn't taken the chance I would not have truly known where I wanted to be and would probably always be thinking why didn't I go to Denver. I visit Colorado 3-4 times a year skiing or fly fishing so I still get out there because I do love to visit the area.

I always tell people if you are in a situation to take a risk and see if you like some place else then do it. I did and it only re affirmed that I love living in Iowa and i have friends and family who have left only to find that where they ended up is the best place for them.

You will never know if you don't try it, Iowa will always be here if you want to come back. My last point in my long rant is that everyone is right though you will not find nicer people than you do in Iowa (or most of the midwest that isn't Chicago).

Just my two cents

 

[CYinPA]

I thought I recalled a story where air bags get swiped and sold as aftermarket parts, but too lazy to google it.

Mine have all been by petty thieves looking for a quick find. One time I had an ipod in the glove box. They left that and took my MRE's.
The most recent one happened this morning at 6:30am. The police think it was the 5 dollars worth of spare change in my cup holder that enticed them to smash my $500+ window.

 

[HerkyKiller]

I wanted to move out of Iowa when I was a kid, but I've grown to love Iowa.