When I arrived in Seattle, all gung-ho, at the beginning of August, I was thrilled to be in a new city. A city full of culture, and promise. While I missed the great friends I made in Sin City, Las Vegas was never a place I wanted to put down roots. Heck, I was there for 4 years and never changed my L.A. cell phone number. I knew Vegas was temporary. When I arrived in the Pacific Northwest, all lush and green, I was super excited. You hear about Pacific Northwesterners being progressive and cool. I figured it would be easy-peasy to meet people.
Well, I was wrong.
It's not that it's super difficult, it just isn't easy. Seattlites are polite by nature. It is one, big, polite city. Drivers let you in. If you are lost, people are friendly enough to give a stranger directions. Accessible? Not so much.
In Las Vegas, people were so super friendly. A new city, and transient by nature, people want to make friends. Maybe it has something to do with the successive months of rain here in Seattle, but I've moved to a city of introverts. That would be fine ... if I wasn't one myself. While I consider myself to be pretty outgoing and friendly, as I get older and get to know myself better, I'm realizing more and more that I'm an introvert. And now I'm living in a city with a million other people just like me. Great.
In the neighborhood I lived in in Las Vegas, if I walked out my front door and was spotted by any of my neighbors, I'd be bombarded with "hellos," "how are you's?" While I wasn't always in a chatty mood while backing out of the driveway at 8 a.m. or walking around the golf community, it was nice. I felt welcome. Here in Seattle, I've been at my new place for exactly 5 months and it's taken this long for the next-door neighbor to finally say hello.
The guy's only seen me a million times. He saw me move in, furniture & everything and enter and exit the house on a regular basis for 5 months. Once, a few months ago, he even spoke to me. He asked me to move my car because I was blocking his driveway. Did he say: "Oh, and by the way, I'm so-and-so, clearly we're next door neighbors. Nice to meet you." No, he just asked me to move the car. My Dad says because I'm living in a big city that I should expect the neighbors to be rude. Is it just me, but I think that's so sad. Living in Las Vegas spoiled me. Even living in LA, a city of assh@#$les, the neighbors were fairly friendly.
Last week, as I was fumbling for my keys to open the front door, you can imagine my surprise when the next door neighbor (who's name I still don't know) saw me, smiled and gave me a huge hello like we were buddies. I nearly fell over. "Oh, hi" I said as I picked up my keys and ran into the house. I was in shock. I wasn't prepared for words to emanate from his mouth. I didn't know what to do.
Luckily I work for a company that is chock full of nice people. I haven't met anyone yet who isn't super friendly, accessible and warm. There is a lot of camaraderie in the workplace. Even our CFO is super friendly & chatty and shoots the shit with me on a regular basis. Every time he sees me, he asks how I'm doing, how my weekend or holiday was and is ready to chat. The day I told him that I thought our health insurance plan sucked, he was very nice and listened and let me vent.
Seattle "freeze" or no freeze, I'm determined to thaw this city as much as I can while I'm here. How, might you add, me being an introvert myself? Even though I'm a quiet person by nature, I'm still somewhat whacky and I'm hoping I can do some damage that way. I'll do what I can to get these people to lighten up. It would be easier if you could get them to look you in the eye when you walk down the street, so I'll just have to resort to subterfuge.
And you know how I mentioned the perception of Pacific NWerners as progressive? They're not as progressive as they think they are. Oh they recycle, and ride their bikes, and the men fail to shave, and everyone has a tongue ring and at least a dozen tattoos, but they are a timid, wimpy people. Progressive people, as far as I'm concerned, should have personality, spunk and gumption. Seattlites lack that in a big way. And no one thinks outside of the box. That is evident with the Subaru being the state car. At least there aren't Hummers everywhere. Now, that's refreshing.
Oh, and everybody and their mother runs here. For exercise. Outside. Even in the lousy weather. I wish they would stop so I wouldn't feel so lazy. Oh, and don't get me started on the number of closeted gay men. I'll save that for another day.
But, overall, I'm glad with my decision to move to Seattle. It's a fun place to be and there are a lot of cool things to do. I just felt the need to whine.
Sarah, there is a lot of wise wisdom in your blog. Reno is very much the same way.. people are polite but it's a close knit community. I feel lonely at times here, so my thought for the New Year is to simply get out more. I'm looking into Meetup Groups and there's a cool metaphysical place called the OmHome with oodles of New Age classes on astrology, meditation, etc. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you're satisfied with your decision. Good move, my friend.
Thank you Norma! Interesting to hear about Reno. Hang in there. Good thing you're getting out to meetups. I am too & it helps.
ReplyDeleteYes, overall, it was a good move.