Well, we finally made it. After six months of traveling the country, with a side trip to Panama to visit my husband’s twin brother and his wife at their remote Peace Corps village, we arrived in Salem on December 1, 2008. So before I start seeking Salem, and desperately, here’s the answer to the obvious question.
Top Ten Reasons We Moved to Oregon:
10. The chance to live an hour from the mountains and an hour from the coast
9. Because we make great transplants, and we can always go back.
8. Trees! Trees! Trees!
7. To live in a wine-growing, cheese-producing region
6. (Eventually) send our kids to the German American School of Portland
5. To live somewhere with enough going on that Emily has steady freelance work
4. Lush life – it’s green like Ireland here, both of our favorite colors. Moss on the shingles!
3. To be closer to my sister Ashley (CA) and Adam’s brother Steven (WA)
2. Portland. Ok, we actually ended up in Salem, and we’re pretty sure Portland’s coolness quotient might have gone down a notch had we made it there. Salem’s definitely went up with our arrival.
1. Starting fresh in an area where neither of us has ties. New! Exciting! A little scary!
Just read your blog backwards so here I am at the beginning of your story. Welcome. We commuted for 13 years from the Portland area before moving to Salem…what dolts! We have loved living in Salem and raising our daughter here. We have made many wonderful friends here. It is a big town that feels small. You run in to someone you know where ever you go. But you have hit the nail on the head, this town needs to tell its own story! Salem has no voice…no TV station, no radio. Doesn’t make sense. I’m glad you are doing it…you have a great perspective (gotta try that Arcane Cellars Viognier you wrote about…wonder if it is better than Maryhill? My favorite) You have a refreshingly candid look but definitely a nose for good food and fun. Hope you stay through the summer…..LOVE Oregon in the summer!
A new faithful reader. (PS, try the soups at Thai Beer in West Salem. )
Thank you for the kind sentiments. I am slowly eating my way through the state and am always looking for new eats. We lived in W. Salem for the first two weeks (Dec. 1-16, right before the snow hit!) and did go to Thai Beer. We kind of love that it’s called Thai Beer — no questions about what you can find there. I admit I had the panang curry, since I’m a connoisseur and have to get it every time I go to a new place. I’ll try the soups. Kind of partial to pho at Kim Houngs at this point. Also, I really can’t believe people make that commute every day. You must have been crazy…