People living in Portland Oregon, how do you like it? -

I have several states as Naturopathic Medical School choices, but I don t know which one to go to. The choices are Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, New Westminster, BC, Phoenix, AZ, Lombard, IL, Toronto, Canada, and Bridgeport, CT. I am from CA and only those states have Naturopathic Med Schools. I want to know if Portland is what it looks like in pictures. Is there a lot to do on free time? and is it safe? thank you.

It really depends what you re looking for and where you re coming from. If you want a large, diverse, cosmopolitan city, look to Toronto or Seattle over Portland. I disagree with the all walks of life comment made by the previous poster. She sounds like she s never lived in another city. Portland claims to be diverse, but it pales in comparison to other larger cities. I think Portland s biggest weakness is its closemindedness and distrust of outsiders. They are very insular here, but hide under a facade of being very liberal and openminded.If you are concerned about the rain or cold, Phoenix is obviously the other end of that spectrum. I find Phoenix to be totally boring, but if you want heat over wet and cool, then there you go.I can t speak for Bridgeport, Lombard, or New Westminster, but Portland has an edge over the others as far as affordability and being eco-friendly and family oriented. I think a young, single person might enjoy the Seattle or Toronto nightlife more, but Portland has a bit going for it here too. Not as much as the locals might think, but the downtown area is pretty happening.

First of all, I cannot compare Portland with the other cities/states you mentioned or wether one of them are a BETTER choice then the other... so with saying that I will just tell you from a Ptown lovers stand point that Portland is an awesome city (not sure what pics u have been looking at), beautiful in most parts, not so beautiful in others.The entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences are never ending, and there is a multitude of people from all walks of life here. Never a dull hour in this city... always somethin popping somewhere.Yes, LOTS TO DO on your free time...Safe? No place is safe these days, come on! :) It s safer then many places though... just watch your back at night in dark alleys or poor neighborhoods I guess...?Hope this feedback helps,Raelene AkgulP.S If you live in Portland you are near the Columbia Gorge, which it absolutely BEAUTIFUL, not to mention one bridge away from being in Vancouver Washington... another beautiful place... good luck!

I would pick Portland over Phoenix for sure, as I have lived in both areas. Phoenix is simply mean. If you can deal with the Rain, then Portland is the greatest place. I think it is open minded, yes there is quite a bit to do here and the People are great. New West would be better than Seattle.

Question for Bryan, TX or College Station, TX residents!!? -

Im looking for a nice apartment in either Bryan, TX or College Station, TX but i do not know what are the good areas in town or the bad areas in town. I just saw some nice apartments and right before i called and put a down payment i read the reviews on it and everyone was saying it was the ghetto . I would like for anyone to help me find a nice place in a good part of town. I dont really know how to go about this because I m in North Carolina and I m moving there for a job. Any advice or recomendations would be awesome!

Bryan/College Station is full of apartments, townhouses, condos and duplexes, plus small rental houses because it is the home of a huge university. You can find things in every price range, but be careful if you rent sight unseen. There might be a brand new beautiful complex next door to a complex that has been there for 30 years and could be run down. I ve listed a few below that are nice, but you are going to have to listen to college students and their noise anywhere you go. You might consider a townhouse or condo that is mostly full of students whose parents own the condos. Another option is a duplex where you only have a common wall on one side. That tends to cut down the noise quiet a bit. Apartment ideas: Trails at Wolf Pen CreekWoodlands of College StationReveille RanchAggie StationThe Heights on Luther StreetContacts for rental properties that are owned by individuals (condos and townhouses, etc.) Brazosland Property Management (If Brandy is still there, just tell her what you re looking for and she will be a good resource to help you.) http://brazoslandproperties.comIf you find a place, you re welcome to email the name and address to me. I don t mind telling you if it s in a good part of town or not. Also, call and ask them when the place was built. Look at photos on the website.