Okstate: I'm also an Okie looking at moving to the Northwest. Love the Great Plains but I'm a (soon to-be) architect and the designs coming out of the Pacific NW are the best in the country IMO. I'd love to work up in the NW for awhile and then try to implement what they're doing up there in Oklahoma, like in urban OKC/Norman or Tulsa. I'm working on a master's degree in construction administration here at OU this fall after finishing my B. Arch. this May. I've interned in Denver and love it there too but really want to explore Portland and Seattle, maybe Vancouver as well. The rain/cloudy weather doesn't bother me, I just hope I can actually afford to live up there. I guess as long as they keep building I'll have a job!
^ The way i see it BG... if they have people that work at Micky Dee's making a living, then surely we'll get by as well. Plus we have Okie charm. Our square footage will be downsized (i live in a new construction single family home 1200 sq ft bought for 93k!... and no it's not in a ghetto) But i will gladly give all that up for a change in environment. Good luck in your NW search, i've had a blast researching and discovering Portland. I feel like it's a hidden gem... and even when i do tell people how wonderful it is... they either don't grasp it, don't understand, or don't care. Their loss.
Not sure what okie charm is, but I do like a nice southern drawl, provided you don't sound like Prez Bush. I think you'll do just fine in Portland. This is a rather welcoming town after all and not full of ourselves like certain east coast and upper midwest cities.
Well I don't think I've ever met anyone from Oklahoma. I've heard about people visiting there, and Dwell even covered a project from there (I think...), but never met anyone from that state.
So welcome... all and y'all. Whatever. It's all good.
Just drink our coffee and beer!
^ dwell covered a story on the new (semi new) row house (literally... like row row row your boat) located on the Oklahoma (Arkansas River). Anyway if you see someone walking around with an osu... err Oklahoma state shirt come this summer, it's probably me.
Really off topic, but could someone pm me if they work for PDC or Metro... or any other redevelopment agency? I am trying to find out possible job opportunities and i figured that this site would be my closest bet to finding someone in that line of work.
^ Thanks Mark. I did know of those websites prior, i am just wanting to actually communicate with someone in an urban renewal line of work. Since i'll be fresh out of college in 2 months I have lots of questions and would like to get a small network going prior to moving a couple thousand miles away! Plus, I may end up landing a job that wouldn't be advertised on their website... i've done it before. Networking vs. interviewing is priceless.