Moving to the mid west has certainly had it's challenges. I moved here three years ago from Las Vegas, where I was for 12 years, growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area. While in Las Vegas I sold and rented many homes to people from all over the world and was always fascinated by all the different stories of how these people ended up coming here. From jobs to family to "why not, its Vegas baby." The average lifespan of most newcomers to Vegas was 3-5 years before they decided to return to wherever they came from. Yeah, real estate was good because of the constant and amazing number of turnover. But why did they leave? Vegas was a mecca fishbowl all it's own, a lifestyle like no other. It's hot, dry, desert landscape is hard for most to adjust to, I loved it and miss it.
I ended up in Illinois following love, I'm sure being the terrible dart player I am would have never hit this part of the map. We've been here two years now and believe me I'm just starting to adjust. My size 6 pants have magically transformend themselves into 12's without my permission, the 2003 Jetta Turbo turned into a 98 Oldsmobile and my clientele has only built to a quater of what I had accuired back home. (and it only took 8 months vs.2 years) They weren't kidding when they said everything is slower here. I have made a good friend that I talk to regularly which is very important for the "female" connection thing. Diet, weather changes, and social activities have been the biggest challenges.
I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be coming from another country adding major challenges like language, culture, diet or religious practices. Like minds stick together. I have seen much more prejudice here than anywhere I have lived, and granted I live on the outer rung of the hood circle, it is me they look at. Segregation exists everywhere but I now see a difference between mindset and grouping. Poverty is a state of mind feeding off it's own self. It's hard to find or create opportunity when your struggling against the Eeyore attitude. When I was in real estate we were unable to tell anyone even when they asked "Where is the Chinese neighorhood? The Jewish part of town or little Italy?" What difference does it make? As I find myself looking for liberal minded, educated, go-geter hippy folks I'm reminded of why they sought the like minded. The longer I sit struggling to build a clientele trying to pay bills the harder it becomes to keep a possitive attitude that this will get better. The only thing I cling to is the memory of being financially sucessful and knowing working hard does pay off, but what if you're born into this? How do you change a social mindset from birth? A little old house in a poor neighborhood with a minimum wage job, a family member, a friend or neighbor with a bad attitude enforcing the situation. I now see why roll models are so important. Whether your father showed you how to build a business or a basketball player makes the team, it shows us not just to chase the golden carrot but to change our attitude about doing something. Surround yourself with Eeyore's and how long will it take before you become an Eeyore?
The best thing that has come out of this for me is a different perspective of life. How state of mind is key to determing happiness and satisfaction. The people that live here are down to earth, friendly, helpful and just live. They aren't pushing and shoving for the last loaf of bread, racing to the next stop light or stealing each others customers, they're just living. The lifestyle in Vegas was a fight to the finish with eveything, fast, furious and trying to "be somebody". If they only realized we are all somebody.
I ended up in Illinois following love, I'm sure being the terrible dart player I am would have never hit this part of the map. We've been here two years now and believe me I'm just starting to adjust. My size 6 pants have magically transformend themselves into 12's without my permission, the 2003 Jetta Turbo turned into a 98 Oldsmobile and my clientele has only built to a quater of what I had accuired back home. (and it only took 8 months vs.2 years) They weren't kidding when they said everything is slower here. I have made a good friend that I talk to regularly which is very important for the "female" connection thing. Diet, weather changes, and social activities have been the biggest challenges.
I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be coming from another country adding major challenges like language, culture, diet or religious practices. Like minds stick together. I have seen much more prejudice here than anywhere I have lived, and granted I live on the outer rung of the hood circle, it is me they look at. Segregation exists everywhere but I now see a difference between mindset and grouping. Poverty is a state of mind feeding off it's own self. It's hard to find or create opportunity when your struggling against the Eeyore attitude. When I was in real estate we were unable to tell anyone even when they asked "Where is the Chinese neighorhood? The Jewish part of town or little Italy?" What difference does it make? As I find myself looking for liberal minded, educated, go-geter hippy folks I'm reminded of why they sought the like minded. The longer I sit struggling to build a clientele trying to pay bills the harder it becomes to keep a possitive attitude that this will get better. The only thing I cling to is the memory of being financially sucessful and knowing working hard does pay off, but what if you're born into this? How do you change a social mindset from birth? A little old house in a poor neighborhood with a minimum wage job, a family member, a friend or neighbor with a bad attitude enforcing the situation. I now see why roll models are so important. Whether your father showed you how to build a business or a basketball player makes the team, it shows us not just to chase the golden carrot but to change our attitude about doing something. Surround yourself with Eeyore's and how long will it take before you become an Eeyore?
The best thing that has come out of this for me is a different perspective of life. How state of mind is key to determing happiness and satisfaction. The people that live here are down to earth, friendly, helpful and just live. They aren't pushing and shoving for the last loaf of bread, racing to the next stop light or stealing each others customers, they're just living. The lifestyle in Vegas was a fight to the finish with eveything, fast, furious and trying to "be somebody". If they only realized we are all somebody.
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