BS: Moving to Montana???

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: heric
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 10:11 AM

It all depends on him. He could find his version of paradise. Big sky country with fabulous outdoor opportunities (15 degrees F in winter). Taking a spouse and kids to a life sentence would be a big worry and I wouldn't do that, but I think he could make a confident decision with a few short visits. If the faculty are by and large intersting and compatible with his interests he may love it. If he reallt prefers ballet to fishing I wouldn't do it. They have a symphony orchestra in their town of 50,000 people. 15% of the city population have graduate degrees. About half Democratic and half Republican. Church affilitations quite a bit below national averages, spread out over many types. I haven't been there in twenty years but growth is high, and median house value is a staggering $435,000. I don't have negative stereotypes of Montana for some reason (not because of some moral superiority - I like the place). No doubt I'd prefer some places in England over Bozeman but yes you're overgeneralizing.

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: Wesley S
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 10:08 AM

City of Bozeman

Wikipedia entry for Bozeman

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: Midchuck
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 09:48 AM

Both my kids (who grew up in Vermont) are in Bozeman. My daughter went to Williams College and University of Vermont Medical school, and is a family physician there. My son went to MIT in Computer Science, and is now writing software for the video poker, etc. games that you find all along one wall of every bar/pub west of the Mississippi. They both like it there.

I get out there for a week or so a year.

Bozeman is NOT stereotypical Montana by any means. I could wish, at times, that it were more so. The phrase, "Yupped up" comes to mind.

I would say your cousin is closer to being right than you are. But there will be some culture shock.

How athletic is he? The younger (and middle-aged) people in the area tend to carry outdoor recreation on the order of skiing (especially off-piste), mountain biking, and kayaking to the point of obsession. A sedentary person may feel left out.

Peter

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: artbrooks
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 09:46 AM

Brrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 09:44 AM

I like Bozeman - nice town and it's where they make Gibson acoustics.

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: Bill D
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 09:32 AM

College towns ARE a bit different than other places. Years ago I visited the university in Missoula, and found it quite nice.

That being said, he WOULD find it very different from what he is used to....both in culture and in politics. Some people adapt to this sort of thing and enjoy it. Others find it 'constraining'. (I could not live in most areas of Texas, but might do okay in Austin).

Subject: RE: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: Leadfingers
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 08:18 AM

Alice ? Any Comments ?

Subject: BS: Moving to Montana???
From: Smedley
Date: 26 Nov 09 - 08:13 AM

Advice sought here from U.S. contributors..... My cousin works part-time at a university (not a very good one) in England. Through an academic jobs website he has seen a job he thinks will really suit his interests. It's at the University of Montana, in Bozeman.

I have very regrettable English sterotypes in my head as to what life would be like for him there. I am assuming (prejudicially, no doubt) that he will feel isolated, starved of culture, and surrounded by gun-toting right-wingers. He has very liberal views, a girlfriend with a different skin colour to his (he is white), he likes going to the cinema to see films other than Hollywood blockbusters and he loves eating at restaurants that offer different global cuisines.

I have suggested he will not like Bozeman. He says I'm a bigot, that college towns in 'states like Montana' are different to other sorts of towns in such states, and that he would enjoy being within reach of some spectacular countryside.

I said I chatted on a website with a majority of American contributors, and he said "so go and see what they say".

So, what do you say??