I hate that I ended up in stressful, rat race DC.

[Anonymous]

Yep this is why I left. No regrets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How strange. As a Fed I feel none of this, and think that the DMV is a chill place to raise a family. Maybe it's a private sector rat race thing?

Same. We think of moving back west but then we would have to rat race corporate jobs to afford it, probably work longer hours, and get laid off at 50 like all our relatives. So DC seems way more chill.

+1. My fed job is a million times chiller than the private sector jobs I had in NYC and LA. That was where I felt like I was constantly having to hustle and watch my back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why not Europe? Europe has universal health care, fully respects reproductive rights, and universities are completely free. Plus, the social safety net means no one goes homeless.

Europe is paradise!

It’s superior to US in every way.

I’m from Europe, free healthcare is great until you get put on a waitlist for months on end……

.

It doesn’t matter bc this area is so crowded you have to wait anyway.

At least in europe - you’re in europe.

+1, healthcare in DC is great IF you can get an appointment and IF they take your insurance or IF you are rich enough to pay out of pocket. It's especially a problem with specialists. I've been on waitlists for a neurologist to address my migraines for the last 6 months and still can't get in to see one. If I could afford to pay out of pocket I could see someone tomorrow, but I can't. When I tell friends and relatives outside the DMV about this, they are just confused. This is the only place I've ever lived like this. Even my GP expresses frustration about it. The doctors exist, they just have enough wealthy patients to be able to afford not to take insurance. And then the ones who do take it have long waitlists.

Yes, I would take European-style socialized medicine, waitlists and all, over this system. At least then I wouldn't be paying expensive premiums for health insurance I can't use.

[Anonymous]

It sucks feeling like that I know it all too well. However the moment I stopped going on social media and stopped talking to people that were mean, passive aggressive, gave backhanded compliments, I feel so much better.

We don’t have to spend time with those soul sucking people. I hope you feel better

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you meet a jerk in the morning, you had a bad morning. If you meet jerks all day… you’re the jerk.

I’m just amazed at people who lament the “DC culture.” YOU are part of the DC culture. You have complete power over every aspect of this, so make whatever changes you need to make not to be in a “rat race.”

+10000. Well said PP. OP, you are not apart from the problem, you are the problem. Stop whining and fix yourself.

[Anonymous]

We moved out to West Springfield ten years ago and LOVE it. It's so much better than Capitol Hill, where we lived the previous 10 years. No, it's not super exciting, but the people are nice, local traffic is fine, and it's a great place to raise kids. Beautiful parks and trails too.

[Anonymous]

Yep. Same. It feels like a rat race here. I grew up in NOVA and it was never this intense until the mid-2000s. Everything is now about how much you make, your job, how big your house is, etc and I’m always like “who cares?”.


I’d love to move west or south. Even Richmond looks semi-appealing compared to here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you meet a jerk in the morning, you had a bad morning. If you meet jerks all day… you’re the jerk.

I’m just amazed at people who lament the “DC culture.” YOU are part of the DC culture. You have complete power over every aspect of this, so make whatever changes you need to make not to be in a “rat race.”

+10000. Well said PP. OP, you are not apart from the problem, you are the problem. Stop whining and fix yourself.

DC is not that great, and there absolutely is a culture problem. DC is so run down it's the only major city in the US that won't host a 2026 World Cup game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so sick of work and people and constantly being on my toes and having everything be so high stakes. I wish I lived in a log cabin in Norway or somewhere with free healthcare, just by myself and two or three dogs. .

Woof !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How strange. As a Fed I feel none of this, and think that the DMV is a chill place to raise a family. Maybe it's a private sector rat race thing?

Same. We think of moving back west but then we would have to rat race corporate jobs to afford it, probably work longer hours, and get laid off at 50 like all our relatives. So DC seems way more chill.

+1. My fed job is a million times chiller than the private sector jobs I had in NYC and LA. That was where I felt like I was constantly having to hustle and watch my back.

LA and NYC aren't really a fair comparison based on what OP is trying to escape.

OP: Maybe San Diego, Denver, Portland, Seattle, Charlotte, or Atlanta might be a more comfortable environment for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People around here are also generally unfriendly in daily interactions. It is so unpleasant to go to the post office or CVS or the grocery store or even the doctor’s office and be met with surly, mumbling employees who won’t even look at you. It doesn’t take much to be civil to others (and I say this as someone who worked jobs like this). And don’t get me started on the terrible, entitled drivers around here. These types of daily interactions with others make this area very unpleasant.

I am not in DC for most of the year, but I agree with the above post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so sick of work and people and constantly being on my toes and having everything be so high stakes. I wish I lived in a log cabin in Norway or somewhere with free healthcare, just by myself and two or three dogs. .

I assume these cabins are free for the taking and are fully restocked every week by elves?

Norway is always rated among the very top nations for best quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so sick of work and people and constantly being on my toes and having everything be so high stakes. I wish I lived in a log cabin in Norway or somewhere with free healthcare, just by myself and two or three dogs. .

I assume these cabins are free for the taking and are fully restocked every week by elves?

Norway is always rated among the very top nations for best quality of life.

Best Quality of Life:

1) Sweden
2) Denmark
3) Canada
4) Switzerland
5) Norway
6) Finland
7) Germany
8) Netherlands
9) Australia
10) New Zealand

21) USA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep this is why I left. No regrets.

Yet, you still post on DCUM.
Find your own community at PodunkMoms.com

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so sick of work and people and constantly being on my toes and having everything be so high stakes. I wish I lived in a log cabin in Norway or somewhere with free healthcare, just by myself and two or three dogs. .

I assume these cabins are free for the taking and are fully restocked every week by elves?

Norway is always rated among the very top nations for best quality of life.

Hmm, who exactly rates these countries? What are the criteria?
Norway is just too damn cold. It makes Maine seem like Florida!