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 a 32 year old, African American woman currently living in Atlanta and I need a change. I moved here a few years ago for my job, and now I can work anywhere in the US as my job is a work at home job. I need a change of scenery and need something fresh in my life.
More about me: I am single, love to walk and hike. I enjoy the theater (plays, musicals, opera, ballet, etc), music and movies. Full time I am in the IT field. Part time, I am a yoga teacher. I teach yoga because I love it so much, not for the money. I also into fitness and do yoga myself 4 days a week. I am looking for a place with mild temperatures, nice walkable areas (parks, trails, hiking) good yoga studios, organic food, nice people and lots of culture. I love to travel and want to live near the airport and also near places to drive to for weekend getaways. I love the mountains and the ocean. I am also looking to settle down and I date interracially. My budget is around $1200 for an apartment in a nice neighborhood (with room for my home office). I would prefer to live around other like minded, educated people. I can get along with all races, ages, and cultures, just as long as they are nice and civil
Atlanta weather is hot and sunny, but too hot for my taste. I don't want cold and snow (I grew up in the midwest and don't miss the weather) .... and I would be OK with Seattle cloudiness and rain..... Would Seattle be the best place for me or maybe somewhere on the East Coast (Maryland or DC)?
I would like to live on the West Coast (California is too expensive and I don't really like the vibe of Cali). So, based on all of this, would Seattle fit for me?
Based on all that, I would say yes Seattle would fit you. I think the social aspect might be bit of a culture shock, given that we don't really have a huge AA population like ATL, MD/DC. But otherwise, if that's not a big deal, come on over!
It seems to me that Seattle would be a great fit for you. Maryland/DC are still going to give you hot, humid summers, and for things like hiking, trails, parks with nice water and mountain views, Seattle's right up there. And there's all kinds of people here doing yoga and eating natural foods.
Seattle would probably be a great fit. The only thing to be aware of is just how overcast it is here. It's not the rain that gets to most people, it's going for what can be months of overcast days. The East Coast doesn't have that, so it's just something to be aware of.
I am a 32 year old, African American woman currently living in Atlanta and I need a change. I moved here a few years ago for my job, and now I can work anywhere in the US as my job is a work at home job. I need a change of scenery and need something fresh in my life.
More about me: I am single, love to walk and hike. I enjoy the theater (plays, musicals, opera, ballet, etc), music and movies. Full time I am in the IT field. Part time, I am a yoga teacher. I teach yoga because I love it so much, not for the money. I also into fitness and do yoga myself 4 days a week. I am looking for a place with mild temperatures, nice walkable areas (parks, trails, hiking) good yoga studios, organic food, nice people and lots of culture. I love to travel and want to live near the airport and also near places to drive to for weekend getaways. I love the mountains and the ocean. I am also looking to settle down and I date interracially. My budget is around $1200 for an apartment in a nice neighborhood (with room for my home office). I would prefer to live around other like minded, educated people. I can get along with all races, ages, and cultures, just as long as they are nice and civil
Atlanta weather is hot and sunny, but too hot for my taste. I don't want cold and snow (I grew up in the midwest and don't miss the weather) .... and I would be OK with Seattle cloudiness and rain..... Would Seattle be the best place for me or maybe somewhere on the East Coast (Maryland or DC)?
I would like to live on the West Coast (California is too expensive and I don't really like the vibe of Cali). So, based on all of this, would Seattle fit for me?
Sounds like you would be a good fit for Seattle. I live in the Atlanta area and want to live in Seattle again(I used to live there a long time ago).
Hey Blue1Roses,
I am from Arizona and lived in Seattle/Olympia for almost two years, and I plan to move back in a year (after college). In regards to the assumtion that you will be okay with the weather: it would probably be wise to visit during the winter or early spring just to get an idea of the sort of weather you will experience for the majority of the year. I know a visit cannot not sum up how you will feel after seven months of overcast and/or rain. I assumed that I would love the coolness, overcast and the rain of western WA because I hated the constant heat under clear, bright blue skies here in southern AZ. Well, I got a little anxious when June (of last year) rolled around and it was still raining. I still love Seattle/Oly and will be back, but it took a will for me to embrace the weather for what it is rather than wish for it to be something else. I moved there without ever stepping foot in the state beforehand, so at least you'll get some great information before you make your decision
I will say that the hardest thing for me to adjust to was the weather, not the culture. I am an African American female and I did not have a hard time adjusting in Seattle. I've never been to ATL and I don't know anything about your personality so I can't tell you how much of a culture shock you may experience. Your desire for outdoor activities, organic food, pleasant people and culture, I believe, will be satisfied up there. I will say though, I didn't feel out of place due to race. I really didn't notice any well segregated neighborhoods (well, Central District was historically a black neighborhood but I believe more whites and Asians live there now, someone correct me if I am wrong), which to me is a good thing. I tend to date interracially as well, and this was not an issue in Seattle. White men mostly approached me, followed by Hispanic and black. So as long as you keep an open mind and are outgoing (and a little more aggressive), you should be fine.
07-07-2011, 08:50 AM
Status:
"From 31 to 41 Countries Visited: )"
(set 3 days ago)
4,640 posts, read 13,912,538 times
Reputation: 4052
It seems like Seattle would be a good fit for you and your lifestyle preferences, the type of scenery you prefer, and even the weather climate since you say you don't like hot weather and don't mind some clouds and rain. Seattle does get cold but it is more like a mild cold most of the time that is warmer than what the Midwest and even the Northeast experience for their winter. And yes, it gets tons of mild temperature days.
You say you are in the IT field and the Seattle area seems to have good employment opportunities for that. Seattle also has a great music scene and some great theatre options. It is also a great walking and hiking place. It is great for yoga and organic food.
Seattle has a relatively low percentage of African Americans compared to Atlanta but there is plenty of racial harmony there such as interracial friendships and interracial dating. Plenty of people that are African American, Asian, and Hispanic like Seattle and had positive experiences with it. It seems like you would have a positive experience with it too.
Also, other than wanting a change of scenery, and change of weather, are there other things you dislike about Atlanta? Also, are there some things you like about Atlanta even though you want to move?
Hi, I lived in both Seattle and DC (Alexandria, VA and Silver Spring, MD). The two places could not be more different. Personally I preferred DC, where I lived for three years over Seattle, where I lived for one year. I actually just moved back east from Seattle because I just couldn't adjust to living there.
You sound like a good fit for Seattle in a lot of ways. There are plenty of IT people there and it is supposed to be one of the top places for yoga in the United States. You also will not lack for organic food there or people who are into healthy living. The big adjustment will definitely be the weather. People in the Pacific Northwest like to talk about how mild the weather is up there. Remember that "mild" is a relative concept. What Seattleites consider to be hot weather will feel like early spring to you and what they consider to be cold will feel like an early fall day.
This may appeal to you, but it drove me nuts to hear people complaining about how hot it was when it was eighty-five degrees out (which only happened for one week), or how rough the weather was when three inches of snow shut down the entire area for a couple of days. Also, it rains there. It doesn't rain occasionally. It rains all the time. Not torrential downpours like an east coast thunderstorm, but a slow steady drizzle. Coming from Atlanta it may take a lot of time to get used to the weather patterns and the lack of sun. Some people do adapt to it though and really love the climate and weather, so it may be ok for you.
Culturally, Seattle does have a pretty good theater scene. Pacific Northwest Ballet is supposed to be one of the best ballet companies in the country and there is opera, fringe theater, the REP, ACT, and a lot of touring productions that come through. Personally, I found the visual arts to be a bit lacking with the Seattle Art Museum and the Asian Art Museum the main places to see art, but maybe there are other places I didn't know about. It is supposed to have a good visual arts scene, so I probably wasn't looking in the right places.
It is an outdoorsy area, but also a very rugged area. I did more outdoorsy stuff back east than in Seattle, but the rain also had something to do with that. Generally speaking, I find east coast people to be way more laid back and recreational with their approach to the outdoors, while in Seattle I felt like people took sports and outdoor activities way too seriously, like they were going on an Outward Bound excursion every time they left the house. The main outdoors stuff there involves the mountains: hiking, mountain climbing, and skiing and snowboarding. There are also a lot of runners and cyclists and a lot of people kayak.
You can do weekend trips within the area to state parks, Vancouver, or Portland. Camping is really popular and there are yurts and cabins that you can rent at most state parks if you aren't into tent camping or haven't acquired all the necessary gear.
As far as the DC area goes, it is definitely much more dense and urban than Seattle. The I-95 corrider is one of the most densely populated in the United States. It will be similar to Atlanta in that it has one of the largest populations of African-American professionals in the country, but there are also a lot of work-centric people there. The traffic is much worse than Seattle's, but there is also much better public transportation. I'm assuming that you have been to DC since you are in the southeast, so I won't go into too much of a description. Basically, if you live in the mid-Atlantic you will have access to a hub of cities and a lot of public transportation. The arts and culture will be unsurpassed, but you will also have to deal with more people. There is plenty of outdoorsy stuff on the east coast, but most of it will require weekend trips or at least day trips. If you have any specific questions, I'm more than happy to answer them.
I have lived in WA 7 years now and in just those 7 yrs see the annual weather pattern changing (as in all of U.S.) I absolutely hate it here. I have to be blunt so you don't make a mistake. It isn't the 'rain' that gets to you. It is dark and dim for 3/4 of the year...the sun never shines. People 'claim' they still go out and do stuff but that hasn't been my experience. You find yourself indoors putting on weight because it isn't that much fun to go out on a dark and dim day. I mean dark and dim at midday. Your 'good weather' where you manage to forget the rest of the year is between July 4th and 2nd week of September. That's IT!! By 2nd week of Sept the rain starts again--people I email think I'm joking sometimes so I step outside and take a photo at midday and send it to them. Then they 'get it.' Dim, dim dim light to drive in. I've lived on the east coast as well. My vote is for the East Coast as long as you don't pick a place so humid you can't sleep at night. I'm not a curmudgeon, just tired of folks here saying oh they bike and hike all year and get outdoors. Baloney they do. A few do. I have found that meeting people here is harder than anywhere I've ever lived. I've never had trouble anywhere, but here it's almost like they just drive out of their garages to their destination, drive right back into their garages. Well, of course--it's raining. So you just don't have all those spontaneous chances to meet folks like you do if you live where the sun comes out. Where I lived before the sun was out even all winter...in the snow You don't have to live like this--don't make the mistake my folks did and 'see it in the only 3 good months and then buy a house' and complain for the next 40 yrs what a mistake it was. Find a place the sun actually comes out and there is 'light' during daytime. The freeways here are horrible between Seattle and anywhere. Worse than California by far. Big huge trucks driving large waterfalls up and over your car if you're behind and you can't see a thing. It's a major truck route so the freeways are full of trucks trucks trucks...dangerous wet driving all the time.
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.
