I presently live in Louisiana and will be moving to Seattle at the beginning of 2001. I was wondering if anyone had some tips of difficulties personally experienced with long-distance moves. What do I need to be thinking about that I'm probably not thinking about? What happened when you did this that you didn't see coming? How much of a shock will Seattle be to a southerner like me? Will I not be allowed to say "big ole'" anymore?

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2000

Answers

Well, climate change can be harder on your system than you realize. I went from the midwest to the south, and then back to the midwest again after four years. Both times, the first year was rough just getting climatized. Not seeing the sun as often as you're used to can be especially difficult. It made me moodier and less willing to get out of the house much at first. Accents are a weird thing too. I still can't believe the difference in accent between people in Illinois and Wisconsin, states that border each other for crying out loud. Luckily I wasn't in Texas long enough to pick up much of a southern twang. But I would imagine that even if you avoided the obvious phrases like "big ole" and "fixin to" (do they say that in Louisiana?) you'll still be called on your accent quite a bit! It'll be a good ice-breaker and conversation starter though for meeting new people. My only advice for the travel would be to avoid driving with any un-tranquilized cats. I've still never fully recovered from the trauma of a 19-hour drive with two very pissed off felines.

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2000

Well, having just moved cross-country (DC-Oakland) with 5 felines in the back seat, all of the perils and pitfalls of moving are still fresh in my mind.

Hence some little tips from my experience:

1)If you are driving to your destination, don't overload your car. Otherwise you'll wind up losing speed on some of those long stretches of empty country where the speed limit is insanely high.

2) If you are going to store your belongings while you look for a place to live, make sure to let the movers know which boxes to keep near the front of the truck, so you can grab them before they get buried in your storage container.

3) Don't let the movers pack any food into your kitchen boxes if you're going to be storing your stuff. There are mice in the storage containers.

4) Do get more than one estimate from more than one moving company, and whatever you do, DO NOT forget to have your stuff insured for 100% breakage coverage. The movers dropped a computer and damaged my bicycle, but it's all covered at replacement value because we got the insurance.

5) If you can, pay for the full enchilada of moving. IE, let the movers pack as much as possible, to save yourself stress and fatigue before you set out.

6) Don't let your landlord/lady con you into doing repairs on your apartment before you leave. You'll be too tired to see straight on your first two days of driving.

7) If driving a long distance, keep a LOT of water in the car and wear sunscreen. Light bouncing off sand in the desert will give you a nice sunburn even if you think you are "in the shade."

8) If you are traveling with pets, Best Western is a good bet. We had a very easy time with them, from Pittsburgh all the way across. Ask for one of their Travel 2000 guides which lists all Best Westerns in the USA, you can pretty much plot your travel days from BW to BW if necessary.

9) If driving, do plot out how much distance you have to cover and come up with a set of goals to reach each day. It helps to keep you going on the road and lets you make reservations at hotels, so that you're not casting about in the middle of the night for a place to stay.

10) Be careful of changes in altitude -- they can put you off-balance or even make you ill and might require a few days of adjustment. I got sick the night we were in Nevada after driving from Nebraska to Salt Lake City the day before and then across the Nevada desert to just outside Reno, due to the shifts in altitude and dehydration (I didn't guzzle enough water, though I sipped at a bottle all day long.)

11) As the previous poster said, changes in weather can be unsettling. The constant sunshine in CA is kind of bothering me actually. It's so strong. I miss having slightly overcast days, though you'll probably have the opposite problem in Seattle.

12) Changes in food and water can be unsettling as well -- iced tea in this area just isn't the same as it is in Virginia.

13) Check to be sure that your prescriptions are filled before you go, so that you don't have to wait for local pharmacies to check on your information. I was much taken aback that there are no CVS chain stores within a 10 mile radius of where I live and work now, which seems odd to me for a national chain.

14) If you can -- stay in temporary housing when you arrive. It is expensive, but it can help ease the transition to a new area, to have somewhere to call home for only a little while. We've been very glad to have a base of operations for our search for housing in the Bay Area.

15) This may seem like a silly reminder, but don't forget to take care of your utilities, electric, phone, water, cable, internet access etc.

16) If you can, investigate the local banks in the area you are going to and see if your current bank has branches there. Then you can either transfer funds to a local account. Or find a bank you want to do business with and open an account ahead of time so that you don't have any problems with out-of-state checks/foreign ATM charges etc.

I'll shush up now:)

-- Anonymous, April 25, 2000

There's always the age-old dilemma of where to live -- if you don't have that already taken care of, I would suggest maybe talking to people you know out here (yes, I'm in Seattle) or take a weekend trip to survey the areas. There have been quite a few times where I've moved to a new city only to find out that the neighborhood isn't exactly a good "culture fit" (as we say in tech companies) for my little ol' self.

Let me run some of it by you:

Wallingford: Lots of houses. Round about $1000-1400 for rent, but it's a *house*, and there are usually several bedrooms. Very cute, family type neighborhood that still houses lots of younger people. I wish I could live there. (See above rent structure.)

Fremont: Will be described to you as hippy-dippy if you ask anyone else, but *I* am too nice for that. I like it there. It's very free-thinking. Also known as The Center of the Universe. I think the rents really fluctuate here -- anywhere from $600 to $1000.

U-District: Frat boys. Nuff said. Rent around $600-900 for a 1 bedroom.

Greenlake: Really beautiful. Pretty expensive. I think the last time I looked most 1-bedrooms were around $900-1300. When I make my first mil, I will probably move there.

Capitol Hill: I'm sure you've heard of this one. Manic Panic, piercings, and alternative lifestyles abound. Just above downtown. Rents for one bedrooms range from $700-1200.

Central District: I haven't looked at the rents for this but apparently they are going through some gentrification.

Madrona: I discovered this area not too long ago for myself, and it seems really cool. Rents are reasonable although I couldn't quote you any.

Ballard: Scandinavian corner of Seattle, really starting to be populated with younger people looking for cheap rent and a cool neighborhood feel. We will probably move there sometime this year. There's a really cool little beach there. One bedroom: $600-950.

West Seattle: A bit of a commute, but the rents are a little lower there too. We might move here if we don't move to Ballard. There's a beach here, too. About the same rents as Ballard.

Outlying areas include Kent, Des Moines, Burien, SeaTac, Auburn to the south, and Lynnwood, Bothell, Kirkland, Bellevue to the north and east. Personally, I wouldn't recommend living in any of these places, but that's just me. You could actually find good rents here, REALLY good rents, but they're the burbs, and I highly recommend living nearer to the city, especially if you're just moving here. I've heard stories of people moving to Kent, attracted by the $500 one bedroom rents, but feeling really stuck when they started to meet people, etc.

I wouldn't expect to find a studio for under $550 anywhere except maybe the furthest burbs, or a one-bedroom for under $650 or so. YMMV. Then again, you could have everything all set up, and this isn't worth my talking about. But maybe someone else can find it useful.

Someone will probably tell you about "soda" vs. "pop", but I don't think you're going to have to stop saying "big ol'".

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

Make sure your car is fully checked out before you go and you may want to check into getting AAA or something.. in case of emergencies. Bring a cell phone if you can.. even one that isn't connected to a phone number/company should let you dial 911 where ever you are.

Also, leave the sweatshirts and sweaters handy. You'll be freezing -- even when everyone around is in shorts. Layers are the key!

If there is any kind of food that you think you are going miss.. even if you're sure it's national.. stock up and bring it. (when I moved to NYC, it took me a while to figure out that Hellman's and Best Foods were the same thing.. just different names. Meanwhile, I had no mayo the entire time.. that's just one example)

But I think that you will be able to say anything you want, anyway you want. You'll just have to point at what you're talking about.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

We're from Dallas, Texas and we relocated to Seattle about 2 1/2 years ago. We're about to move back to Texas in a couple of months though!! We're crazy!!!

We drove cross country, with three cats, it was from hell, don't do it! :))) Seattle isn't that bad, the traffic is crazy and the real estate is INSANE, but the place is very livable. Learn to order coffee correctly so that you don't stick out like a sore thumb at all the trendy coffee places downtown, do not use an umbrella - that is a dead give away that you "ain't from around here" Seattleites like to get wet (but really the rain isn't so bad that you really need an umbrella, it just spits on you). No one has air conditioners, DON'T FREAK OUT! the summers are very mild, you won't need one!!! There are a suprising amount of southerners up here, Erin, you'll probably feel at home! Try Dahlia's Lounge for good seafood and great service.

So bring your gas mask and come on up!!! We may pass you going south, we'll wave at ya'!!!!

And if you have any questions, let me know!!!

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

On cell phones and AAA and stuff.

Yes, AAA is a good bet. We got big old discounts on all the hotels we stayed at. And if anything had gone wrong with the car I would have wanted the reassurance.

We brought our cell phones with us -- we have one of those cigarette-lighter attachments for it so it had a constant power source.

However, we crossed into many an area where the signal went flat as a pancake, and we were an AT&T's onerate plan. There are going to be places where your cell phone is too far from a boosting post to capture signal.

So bringing a cell phone is not a guarantee that you'll be able to call for help from _anywhere_. It just gives you a lot more flexibility about where and when you can call.

However, if you do some research on the various cell phone companies, you might find one that has guaranteed signal coverage.

Another bonus for cell phones: it gives potential landlords a surefire number to reach you at, especially if you're househunting in a tight real estate market.

A general rule of thumb: the more stuff you can get done ahead of time, the better. Because once you arrive at destination, you're going to be too busy getting your bearings, getting settled and adjusted to a new place, to pay proper attention to various tasks that would otherwise be a part of your routine.

Take care of stuff while you are still in a familiar base of operations and leave yourself lots of leeway for adjustment.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

Well, I just moved from Chicago to Seattle last summer, so I guess I should throw my two cents in.

1. If you're taking a U-Haul, PAY FOR THE INSURANCE. I cannot stress this enough. It's relatively cheap, and if you ram your truck into the side of the building, causing thousands of dollars' worth of damage to the truck, you will not have to pay for it. Get the insurance.

2. I think somebody else mentioned the importance of packing clothes for all types of weather. It'll be cold when you least expect it, and then the sun will come out and it'll be 95 degrees. Keep a sweater and a change of shorts in your duffel bag or backpack at all times. Digging through suitcases in the back of the U-Haul really sucks.

3. Start packing early. You won't believe how much stuff you have, and how long it takes to stuff it into little boxes. If you wait until the week of the move, you will regret it.

4. Make the trip with a friend. For one thing, it helps to pass the time if you have somebody to talk to. And, more importantly, when you think you're about ready to fall asleep from staring at the same damn stretch of highway in Nebraska for six hours, she/he can take over driving for you.

As far as Seattle, I didn't have much culture shock moving here from Chicago, except that at first everything seemed so SMALL. I couldn't believe how close together everything was. That feeling is sort of fading away now, but still, after Chicago, Seattle has a really small- town feel.

Whoever said that about the umbrellas is totally right. I just noticed this the other day -- nobody in the whole frickin' city uses an umbrella! Even when it's totally pouring down rain.. no umbrellas. Very strange.

The weather in Seattle is actually quite nice. Yes, it rains a lot, but not totally downpouring rain like you're used to if you're from the South or the Midwest. It just sort of mists a lot. When the sun comes out (and it comes out quite often) it's absolutely beautiful here.

Hmm. I guess everybody else already pointed out all of the obvious stuff. Just remember that the most important thing is to have fun!

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

Well, from what I've heard about Seattle, in case you haven't started already started, you need to get working on your caffeine addiction so you can kind of ease into it.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

The caffeine addiction is already in place. I have an espresso/ cappucino machine at my house. I guess I'm already one up on this.

I'm so relieved to hear there is a good bit of sunshine...I was beginning to worry. I loooove the sun and it's hard to get me to go inside during the summer. I guess I should have mentioned that I will be going to Seattle for two weeks in August to try and set things up-- my boyfriend will be moving there in September (he's w/ AT&T wireless, so I'm rather connected with the cell phone issue, but thank you to everyone nontheless) and I'll be following in January.

NO AIR CONDITIONERS???? It's going to take me a while to fathom that. NO DOWNPOURS??? We just had five tornados come through my city on Sunday. I don't think I will miss those. I've never been too fond of cowering on the lowest level of the house with a mattress over my head and I had to do that three seperate times Sunday.

Also, I do have two friends who recently relocated there who will hopefully be helpful in setting some of these things up. I can't wait to move and experience a completely different region of the country. I can't wait to see snow. I've never seen REAL (i.e., more than one inch and that's usually only sleet) snow before and I want to try skiing.

I'm happy Seattle has a small-town feel. I think I would feel lost in a really huge city. I think I'm going to feel more lost in a house without an air conditioner, though. That's going to be so odd. Thanks, everyone! (any more advice is very welcome!)

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

I moved to Seattle last autumn (well, moved back after several years' absence), and I agree with pretty much everything that's been said. Coming from Los Angeles, where everything is 20 minutes away, it really was a shock to discover how close everything was to everything else. But the funny thing is, that faded pretty quickly. Whereas I used to think nothing of driving 30 miles to the movie theater, now anything more than two or three exits down I-5 is too far.

I don't believe you mentioned where in Louisiana you're moving from, but if it's anything like Shreveport, where I grew up, I don't know if you'll have the same kind of culture shock as someone moving from LA or Chicago. Seattle might actually seem a little densely packed and urban compared to cities in Louisiana, which as I recall were a little more spread out than Seattle.

Also, I find people here to be very polite compared to people in LA, but more reserved than people in the South. Most folks are extremely nice, but there's also sort of a weird passive-aggressive quality that I haven't experienced in other cities I've lived in. I'm thinking it's the caffeine.

You might want to pick up a copy of the Seattle Survival Guide, for some basics about the town and where everything is, and useful info about living here. I hope you like it in Seattle; there are things about this city that drive me nuts, but after all is said and done, I really love it here.

-- Anonymous, April 26, 2000

And when you've been here for at least three years you will start becoming indignant about everybody making little jokes about coffee and rain and WTO.

Not that I am. No sirree bob.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000

The only big move I've made was from NZ to London, but as I don't suppose you'll have to re-establish a credit rating, fathom a new banking system, and try and convince new employers that, just because 3 NZ dollars equal 1 UK pound, doesn't mean my previous NZ$30,000 salary means I'm only worth #10,000 now. So, three pieces of advice:

1. Remember to get your mail redirected, and send change of address cards, or nobody will know what happened to you and you won't get anything for your birthday.

2. Try and unpack as quickly as possible, otherwise you'll have boxes of stuff lying around for years. This particularly applies if you're on the lazy side (as all the best people - including me - are) - my parents moved house four years ago, and still have unpacked boxes in their spare rooms. Lazy bastards.

3. Get signed up with a doctor as soon as you're settled somewhere, because you don't want to wait until you're feeling like crap before you do that.

Good luck, and pack lots of munchies and some good music for the drive. Just how far is that, anyway? How many hours/days/weeks are we talking about?

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000

I just checked out the driving directions, etc. It will be around 2400 miles and about a 43 hour trip. That is going to be very ugly. I figure at twelve hours a day of driving it will still take me three and a half days. The figure gets even more complicated; I will be travelling with my dog. He's going to slow me down quite a bit and I guess I should talk to my vet about what I will have to do so Oscar can tolerate being in a car for four days. The obvious rest stops for walks, etc. of course and maybe a hotel room two nights.

Oh my, that's a long way. I figured it would be around thirty hours or so. It will definitely be an experience.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000

I'll just add a little to everyone else's wonderful advice. I wish I had some of that a few months ago when I moved.

Do you really want to throw it out/give it away? When I got to my new city I was broke, and I really regretted giving away my bookshelves (unwieldy crap thought they were) and my drawer chest. It costs more to replace them than it would have to move them.

Climate change can affect you more than mood-wise. My moves from South to North and back again have played havoc with my sinues. Weather AND pollen patterns.

If you have an accent or use more Southern colloquialisms, some people will judge you harshly. I have encountered this all over the US. I'm not saying ditch the accent, I'm just saying be aware why people respond in the way that they do.

If you can't pay for professional movers, you don't necessarily have to use U-Haul. I used a company called U-Pack. (um, http://www.upack.com). You rent space on a commercial truck and pack and load your own stuff. The advantages are that you do not drive the truck yourself (nor worry about towing/car shipping/caravan- ing). You also get some extra time to load. I got more than two days each at the pick-up and delivery ends.

Regarding the dog. If you have never driven long distances with him, then think about how he behaves and reacts to short trips. I was lucky, my dog is made for long distance travel. Loves the car, doesn't get carsick. Loves the togetherness factor. Do keep a waterdish in your car so he can drink AND ride. Also carry a bottle of clean water for him. If he likes certain chewies, get them. Carry lots of pick-up baggies for your puppy pit stops. And make sure that your dog has a blankie or a bed in the car that is familar. (FOr Howard, all I had to do is sleep under a clean comforter for a week, so that it smelled like us.)

ALso, another dog note: realize that you won't be able to haul as much stuff in the car if the backseat is the pooch's space.

-- Anonymous, April 27, 2000