Hello/Introduction

[HeyMeganZ]

For sure - I totally understand that! It's so tough when you got to spend time with all your school/med school/college people, but you're right...now is the time people start to move on, so it's a good time to transition out! So many things about NYC drive me crazy and will be easier any other place, but there are a lot of things you just love. I know that if/when we leave it will be a big transition, although probably for the best!

Affordable cost of living, great weather and the ability to do lots of outdoorsy stuff...sounds pretty good to me once you settle in! Best of luck!

[JDAZ11]

now is the time people start to move on, so it's a good time to transition out! So many things about NYC drive me crazy and will be easier any other place, but there are a lot of things you just love. I know that if/when we leave it will be a big transition, although probably for the best!

I think it's pretty typical. Even my friends that have moved to near by suburbs report having kind of a difficult time adjusting to life outside the city. (well not the friends that have more than one kid - they appear to have been REALLY ready to leave! lol).

[diggitydot]

The warm weather is nice... now, but this summer was pretty horrible... very horrible actually! (although I didn't miss standing on a subway platform in a suit - I guess I never loved nyc during the summer either!).

I would say that I overall I am not that impressed with my transition, lol! I ignored it at first since I was frantically study for the bar, but once that was over I had time to miss ny. I think the driving has probably been the biggest adjustment. It's still weird to me that I hop in my car anytime I want to go somewhere. We also had a huge social network in NYC (lots of high school, college, med/law school friends there for both of us), and that is something we both miss a lot (and is kind of irreplaceable - but many of them were starting to leave also). We actually miss our tiny apartment sometimes too - which I think is so weird.

But it is really beautiful here - just very very different. Lots of easy access to outdoorsy activities, which we though was kind lacking in ny, even though we really enjoyed running in CP and along the river (I do really miss CP - almost every day). But the cost of living is WAY lower here, which is a nice perk. There were a lot of things I was so sick of in ny - I tend to ignore them now, but I think in many ways it was time to leave (it's just hard, nyc can really become part of you).

As much as miss it, I'm not sure I could go back now. I'm interested to see how I feel after I go back for a visit.

We lived in AZ for 4 years. I was just beginning to get accustomed to it when we moved. The summer heat is way ridic. And after coming from the Pacific NW, the 75F cloudless winter days were weird. It got to me.

If you're driving in Phoenix, it's a HUGE adjustment. AZ drivers, in general, can be a little wonky. Put a few million in a valley that fries the brain on a regular basis, and the drivers can become downright homicidal. I'd take a NYC taxi driver over a Phoenix commuter every time. Worst time of the year, though, has to be when the snow birds come to town. Holy shit, the bluehairs are awful drivers.

Diggitydot, where in the Pacific NW did you live? The SO and I were interested in possibly moving there after his residency. The past couple of summers in California have been pretty mild but it would be nice to go some place completely new!

[JDAZ11]

We lived in AZ for 4 years. I was just beginning to get accustomed to it when we moved. The summer heat is way ridic. And after coming from the Pacific NW, the 75F cloudless winter days were weird. It got to me.

It is kind of strange that is sunny and clear every single freaking day here. I love sunny days - don't get me wrong - but I almost don't even appreciate them anymore. And the summer was WAY REDIC - WAY... like skin frying off my body after a walk to the mailbox. I think September was the hardest month. I was SO ready for summer to be over - and 112 isn't my idea of fall!! Oh and the dust storms - OMG WTF was that!!! (I hear this past summer was particularly bad for those - so hopefully you didn't have as many). We tried to get out of town as much as possible - it's amazing how much cooler it is a few hours north.

If you're driving in Phoenix, it's a HUGE adjustment. AZ drivers, in general, can be a little wonky. Put a few million in a valley that fries the brain on a regular basis, and the drivers can become downright homicidal. I'd take a NYC taxi driver over a Phoenix commuter every time. Worst time of the year, though, has to be when the snow birds come to town. Holy shit, the bluehairs are awful drivers.

Terrible drivers!! And SO MANY horrible car accidents here. For awhile I thought maybe it was just because I wasn't used to driving on HWYs and that it was actually normal. But cars are routinely demolished at the intersection at the end of my 25mph street.... how that is possible I have no idea. Crazy crazy bad driving! So yeah it freaks me out - and I was totally comfortable with cab drivers (most of the time). I'd even been in a fender bender or two in cabs -- here most of the accidents are hardly fender benders!!! I often drive an extra 30 min so that I don't have to get on a hwy - which is hopefully something I am able to get over.

Yeah - those snow birds add an interesting dynamic to life here. The whole town was deserted over the summer and it was quite a shock when they started to roll back into town in early October. Lots more traffic and def an increase in overnight pages!

[diggitydot]

Diggitydot, where in the Pacific NW did you live? The SO and I were interested in possibly moving there after his residency. The past couple of summers in California have been pretty mild but it would be nice to go some place completely new!

I grew up in SW WA, near the Columbia River gorge area.

Do you prefer WA or AZ? I'm a Cali girl but it would be great to go and live in other places. The area you grew up in looks gorgeous!

[weeniegeniewife]

Do you prefer WA or AZ? I'm a Cali girl but it would be great to go and live in other places. The area you grew up in looks gorgeous!

There's nothing like the PNW!

[diggitydot]

We were not happy desert dwellers. Total PNW peeps, here.

Hi and Welcome from another newbie.