mommymilkies Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Our job search has landed us looking at a job near Auburn, Maine. I have always wanted to visit or move to Maine, but I'll admit I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. The weather is one people keep telling me, but it looks very similar to a place we lived a few years ago. I prefer cooler weather, though my Raynaud's might not. Does anyone have info on: Crazy bugs Suzuki violin programs near Auburn or Portland Homeschool climate (I know legalities, but the rest of it :) ) Things I need/need to prepare for Cost of living issues-we are by no means rich Anything that I can use to convince dh? Buying a house TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ethel Mertz Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Following and bumping. We would love to live in Maine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PagesandFields Posted October 26, 2014 Share Posted October 26, 2014 I lived there for 12 years and am happy to share whatever I know... I didn't live near Auburn, but sort of between midcoast and central... Bugs can be tricky. During the summer black flies can be really horrible, mosquitos can be bad, but during the winter they're all gone... Be careful of deer ticks as lyme disease is really prevalent in some areas. I now live in the south and find the bugs easier to deal with here than they were there... I don't know about violin programs. :) sorry! Homeschool climate is awesome - in my very limited opinion. I've moved away and I desperately miss the potential homeschool climate that I lost there. HOWEVER.... There are limited opportunities and events there. One of the reasons I moved is that I had such fond memories as a kid of going to zoos, aquariums, museums, theatre, different cultural opportunities that are very hard to get, depending on where in the state you are. During the winter travel can be unpleasant - so sometimes driving down the coast 1-4 hours for an event just doesn't seem worth it. Buying a house you should be fine... depending on where you live the cost might be higher than you think... or if you've lived in a metropolitan area it might be lower - it just depends on your perspective. Depending on where you live be prepared for the fact that a lot of houses there are old houses. I know some people who moved tehre and weren't used to houses older than 30 years and were shocked that every house they looked at was 100 years old! Cost of living is why I left. Depending on your job prospects, if you're able to find a good job you should be fine... but well-paying jobs can be very difficult to find, and the cost of living is deceptively high. Depending on where you live in the state property taxes sometimes tax families out of their homes, winter costs are extensive. Any place that relies so much on tourism doesn't always have the most stable and strong local economy, in my opinion. I've never lived anywhere that had more people subsisting entirely on state support. However, those with good jobs are able to take advantage of nice houses, opportunities that aren't available to everyone. So... here's the deal. I LOVE Maine. Adore it. It's where my heart lives. But I moved away 'cause I wanted more opportunities, more affordable living, longer growing season, etc... It's a really amazing place, absolutely beautiful, and especially if you're of a nature loving/outdoor background you may absolutely adore it and feel like it's the place you've looked for forever. But... winter is long. I usually heated the house in some way 10 months a year, which at first I loved... but with kids I wanted to be able to go out and DO things more often, and we want to move toward an off-grid and low cost life, which made the growing season and cost of living almost cost-prohibitive. Also, the exposure to diversity in many ways is limited, and I wanted that for my kids. Honestly it's a hard place to explain. I so fell in love with it, but if you're making the decision to move there as a family make sure you really consider the practical aspects of it. It's so amazing, beautiful, romantic, with a really great other-worldly sort of culture to it... But it can sometimes woo you and you forget about things that are more practical or actually affect your day to day. If I hadn't had kids I wouldn't have ever left. But for me the lack of diversity, opportunity, and the practical aspects were things I didn't want for my kids. But every day I sort of grieve for the fact that they won't have that place to grow up in, the history of it, the ocean, the community (there was a large homeschool, natural living, sort of nature-loving community near us)... So... it's a toss up and it's just a matter of prioritizing and making a choice. Does any of that help at all? :) I don't know really... I just wanted to give info if I could help. Feel free to message me if you want to. :) I THINK that Auburn itself has a pretty good local community and economy... but honestly I can't remember very well. The bigger cities sometimes have strong local communities... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 That's a lot to consider, thanks. Cultural activities like theatre, museums, and music are big for us. I hope Portland has enough there for us, but that's something I'll have to look into more. We are very outdoorsy-the ticks worry me, but we have them bad here, too (and don't get me started on our mosquito problem-it's like something from a horror movie). Cost of living is also an issue. We are by no means well off-paycheck to paycheck and dh is a teacher. So that will definitely influence this-he has to be offered enough for us to be able to afford to move. Old houses are ok. I live in a 100 year old home now and much prefer them. Winter-I lived in Northern IL with a region that had terrible snow and ice conditions for a large part of the time. I prefer cool weather though dh isn't exactly convinced that he will be able to stand it. I would like to be more off grid and get out more year round. Geesh. Thank you for your honesty. I've moved one too many times after people sugar coated the new locale!! That's a harsh reality! I have to ask-do you mind PMing me where you found was preferable or comparable? I already am kind of in the south and really don't want to be any longer. I'm kind of sick of the Midwest, too. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 We live in midcoast Maine--on the coast but not far from Auburn (which isn't considered Central, btw--it's in the Western foothills. :). Bangor is Central). We LOVE it here. We've been here for 3 years and I honestly hope we never have to leave. Hopefully I can help... I agree with Pagesandfields on most every point. Winter, as you already know, is big, but the summer and fall are fantastic. There is plenty of skiing in and near Auburn, including a downhill area right in town. Nordic skiing is popular also, and there are limitless trails. You are likely to find any kind of sport and outdoor interest in abundance. Homeschooling in the state is easy and there are lots of homeschoolers. Secular and religious groups are generally easy to find. Mainers tend to be pretty independent, and homeschooling fits in naturally with that mindset. I have never heard a single negative comment about it the entire time we've lived here. Housing is pretty affordable compared to many parts of the country, but heating is expensive. It's true you'll find mostly older housing almost everywhere in the state, but it sounds like you are fine with that. Portland should have all the cultural stuff you are looking for. Lewiston-Auburn isn't exactly a hotbed of culture, but if you don't mind driving to nearby communities, the state has much to offer. Things "to do" can be pretty spread out which could be hard if you don't like to drive. On the other hand, there is very little traffic to speak of. :). Auburn won't see much by way of summer tourists but the southern and coastal areas get a lot during season, and while some people don't like it, I actually enjoy the ebb and flow. I'm not sure if I helped answer any questions, but feel free to ask if you need anything specific! Good luck in the job search--that's most of the battle to living here, for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 We live in midcoast Maine--on the coast but not far from Auburn (which isn't considered Central, btw--it's in the Western foothills. :). Bangor is Central). We LOVE it here. We've been here for 3 years and I honestly hope we never have to leave. Hopefully I can help... I agree with Pagesandfields on most every point. Winter, as you already know, is big, but the summer and fall are fantastic. There is plenty of skiing in and near Auburn, including a downhill area right in town. Nordic skiing is popular also, and there are limitless trails. You are likely to find any kind of sport and outdoor interest in abundance. Homeschooling in the state is easy and there are lots of homeschoolers. Secular and religious groups are generally easy to find. Mainers tend to be pretty independent, and homeschooling fits in naturally with that mindset. I have never heard a single negative comment about it the entire time we've lived here. Housing is pretty affordable compared to many parts of the country, but heating is expensive. It's true you'll find mostly older housing almost everywhere in the state, but it sounds like you are fine with that. Portland should have all the cultural stuff you are looking for. Lewiston-Auburn isn't exactly a hotbed of culture, but if you don't mind driving to nearby communities, the state has much to offer. Things "to do" can be pretty spread out which could be hard if you don't like to drive. On the other hand, there is very little traffic to speak of. :). Auburn won't see much by way of summer tourists but the southern and coastal areas get a lot during season, and while some people don't like it, I actually enjoy the ebb and flow. I'm not sure if I helped answer any questions, but feel free to ask if you need anything specific! Good luck in the job search--that's most of the battle to living here, for sure. Thanks! The job actually had Central Maine in the title, so I stuck with that as my general area. When I looked at the map I didn't think it fit very well, but I'm just going with what they told me. :p You say heating is expensive-are wood/pellet stoves common there? I know they are used here quite a bit, as well as geothermal. I'm not sure what's normal there as far as heating goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 Cord wood and pellets are VERY common, especially as backup heat/and or to avoid the expense of oil. Some areas are getting natural gas (we just converted--yay!), but I'm not sure if it's available in Auburn yet. My DH works in energy; I'll ask him. Pellet boilers are getting more common, as are heat pumps--though the jury is out on how well they will work in the middle of winter. Most people have at least 2 heat sources. Oil is most commonly found, with a wood or pellet stove as a secondary source. Depending on the size and efficiency of a home, heating costs can easily be a few thousand dollars over the 5 or 6 heating months. I guess the upside is that air conditioning isn't needed. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Thanks! We have an interview scheduled, so it looks promising! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Good luck! I hope it goes well! :) DH confirmed that parts of town do have residential natural gas, and it's expanding. It's still more expensive than other parts of the country, but at least it might be an option depending where you locate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PagesandFields Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Good luck on the interview! Hang tight - it will all work out! I know how stressful transitions can be. :) Best to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I was raised in Maine and just returned this year so my kids could take advantage of the school choice a handful of towns here that allowing the high school students to go to local private schools for free. Lewiston Auburn is a former mill town with the residual class and poverty issues common to such towns that did not transition well out of the manufacturing era. There is a nice Franco American community there that adds a lot of fun cultural and cuisine options. There are also a good number of Somali immigrants that are making the towns their new home. You will be within an easy drive of some good swimming lakes at the State Parks. Plenty of other recreational activities in the region as well. Getting to the beach is a bit of a haul, especially my favorite beaches Reid and Popham. Bates college is located in Lewiston and has cultural events and probably an art museum. The trip to Augusta isn't bad at all and there is The Maine State Museum which is always educational plus state government stuff that may or may not interest you. A bit further is The Colby College Museum of Art in Waterville. Portland has more restaurants per capita than just about anywhere else! It also has a lovely art musuem and Children's Musuem. Be prepared for it to take time to make friends. Mainers tend to be reserved and hard working. Many just don't "hang out" with their friends. They don't have much spare time and what there is of it is usually dedicated to family. However, they are a very helpful and caring bunch, ready to lend a hand should you need help with something. I believe Maine has the oldest housing stock in the nation. There are numerous 200 year old houses out there! It sounds like you are used to the "character traits" of old homes and should be fine, but they do add to the heating bills with their lack of insulation. Winter is long. I think that is one reason Mainers tend to be big supporters of their libraries! Also why Mainers, men and women, tend to learn handicrafts. It is good to have something to do when you are snowed in. There are plenty of winter sports opportunities for those who want to get outside though. Also, you should shell out the money for winter tires no matter what, on these roads they give great peace of mind. Check out Down East Magazine. It definitely is a booster club for Maine, but there is a lot of good information in there. Also start reading the local papers to get an idea of what it is really like in Auburn. http://www.downeast.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 How did the interview go? Any word yet? Kalmia--those are a couple of our favorite beaches, too. I'm guessing you aren't too far from us! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I grew up in Vassalboro, MEMama, and we drove the 1 hour plus to those beaches every other week in summer. I am in western Maine on the NH border now, a much longer commute to fun in the sun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Interview went well. BUT the job needed to begin 6 months earlier than expected which would have left us a week to sell a house and move our large family cross-country without giving his current job notice. So we had to pass and I'm really upset about it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 That's too bad! :(. That's surprising they couldn't be at least a little bit flexible. Since the interview went well, will this put him in line for another opening? Fwiw, tomorrow night is predicted to be -11. Depending on where you live now, maybe you won't feel so sad about not moving here in the middle of winter! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 He asked them to keep him in mind, but I'm sure they filled it. :/ It's been just as cold here, so while the move might've been awful, the weather doesn't otherwise scare me. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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