Job Discussion Forums

[abufletcher]

After more than 20 years abroad I'm in the process of applying for tenure-track positions in Applied Ling back in the US and several of those positions are in the Midwest, for example at Michigan State and at Purdue. What's it like to live in these areas?

I guess what I'm really asking is this: Can a guy from Southern Cal who's lived in Saudi, Kuwait, Oman, Mexico, and Japan really find happiness in Ohio (or Indiana)?

[abufletcher]

Hmm...either there are no ESL teachers from the Midwest...or people ARE from the midwest but they've left and blocked it out...or there is simply no life to speak of in the midwest.

[Tiger Beer]

I can't speak for Purdue and Indiana (that truly is the Midwest).

Michigan State is in East Lansing. (I grew up in Michigan). First thing to know about Michigan, most of the population is between Detroit and Chicago (and there is a strip of decent size cities all along the way (Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, etc.).. and Michigan is the 10th most populated state in the United States.

I'm just putting up facts, because most people from the Coasts seem to have this weird sense of Michigan as being 'midwest'.. but actually its kind of northern and a little bit eastern in some ways - as its only 3 hours to the State of New York which would be Niagara Falls. You can technically get to Toronto as well as its also in the same neck of the woods.

Okay, I guess you might want to know about Lansing/East Lansing in particular. First off, Michigan State University is there.. the home of the world's largest non-military cafeteria in the world.. the campus is also so large, you absolutely have to take a bus to get to the other side (unless you don't mind one-hour walks).

Lansing is also the State Capital.. so lots of politics there.. although many would say Ann Arbor is the more political town - complete with Hash Bash - $5 fines for getting caught smoking pot while walking down the street. Because the fines are so low, they make it into a yearly holiday and people from all over the world go there to smoke pot and listen to music in the streets of Ann Arbor once a year.

If you visit Detroit.. you'll also see the largest muslim communities outside of the Middle East - Saddam Hussein even got the keys to the city once upon a time! So being that you've been to all those middle eastern countries, you could make a few trips that way. Some of those suburban communities around Detroit have up to 50% of the K-12 students being of muslim origin.

In short, your perceptions of Michigan don't really apply very well - as most from the Coasts have this weird sense its like Iowa or something - its a totally different world in Michigan.

I don't know much about Purdue or Indiana.. but most people in Michigan make fun of Indiana/Ohio as we really think those are kind of hickish midwest states (and we don't really consider ourselves midwesterners). We call ourselves "The Great Lake State".. meaning you better get use to lots of beaches in the summertime.. and buy a boat.. or at least think about it.. and in the winter, lots of ice on the lakes, which mean skating or ice fishing.. oh, and hockey is a bit popular up there as well as basketball - too many incredible basketball teams in Michigan - so you gotta get use to basketball stuff absolutely everywhere.

If you think you can handle all that stuff - then welcome to Michigan! I am not too sure I even want to think about the harsh winters though.. but it makes Florida seem great when you take your winter vacations down there - and you will - its like 'little michigan' down there during the winter time.

[abufletcher]

Tiger Bear, thanks for the informative reply. Michigan State is indeed one of the places I have applied for a position. I don't really know anything at all substantive about like in Michigan. As far as it not really being part of the "midwest" well as someone from California I tend to think of Colorado as "midwest" and anything east of the Mississippi as "back east."

I suppose the only real imagine I have of Michigan (discounting entirely images of Detroit) is the protrayal of Flint, Michigan in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. That is, very white-bread America.

I almost hate to ask but could you try to describe what living through a Michigan winter would be like for those of us who've never lived in "snow country?" As a professor I don't imagine I'd be able to just avoid it entirely by heading down to my second home in Florida!

[Henry_Cowell]

I've lived in most parts of the Midwest. Trust me: Michigan is most definitely part of the Midwest.

[abufletcher]

So Henry, what were your impressions of living in the midwest? Granted the weather's going to suck compared to just about every other place I've ever lived but other than that what's it like to call the midwest "home?"

[Henry_Cowell]

abufletcher,

If you're living in a large university town in America, chances are that it's not that much different from similar towns in any other region in the U.S. Please stop thinking in terms of regionalism. Generalizations aren't likely to help because they won't be valid.

[Tiger Beer]

[abufletcher]

[abufletcher]

[Tiger Beer]

The weather is much colder in Michigan than Korea/Japan.. but I think we stayed much warmer in Michigan.. better insulation in the houses and such.. so the idea of seeing your own breath in your house is fairly unlikely. Its going out to the car that is the problem.

Also, I use to live in East Lansing/Lansing back in 1998-1989 (nearly 15 years ago now).. and Michigan college towns are pretty much exactly the same as California college towns (I lived in California back in 2001-2002).

East Lansing/Michigan State University is kind of like throwing an extremely large California university right next to Sacramento. As Lansing is the state capital and a decent-size Michigan city.. but once in East Lansing (MSU).. there are something like 30,000-40,000 university students - its an extremely large university. So it'll be pretty much be like any large university anywhere in the States except it happens to be right next to the State Capital.

Right next to MSU (and within East Lansing).. there are tons of all the typical college city type things - restaurants, music stores, live bands, bars, and everything else with students inhabiting everything around there.

[Seth]

I grew up in Lafayette and graduated from Purdue.

Indiana tends to be more farmy than Michigan, while Michigan tends to be more woody and industrial. Snows a lot more in Michigan, too, from the Alberta clippers and the lake-effect snow.

Lafayette is in the middle of a cornfield, but Indianapolis is a 1 hour drive south and Chicago is 2 1/2 hours north. Purdue also brings a lot of cultural attractions and events to the city. Lafayette is mostly boring but it's laid back and peaceful. It's also a Democratic stronghold in a very Republican state.

[DesertStar]

Lived in Ohio for a loooong time, visited MI very very often, and passed thru Indiana a few times. Here's my 2 cents:

1. Big cities: Columbus OH definitely beats East Lansing- though folks in the latter are more friendly. East Lansing always gave me the impression that MI is depressed (financially and perhaps otherwise). Columbus Ohio is cleaner, more flourished economically and with more job opportunties (esp for the spouse).
2. Smaller cities, rural areas: look, feel, pretty much the same whether in OH, MI, or IN! Beyond 'some' big cities; the Midwest is the Midwest! and MI is Midwest indeed! The good all-American life
3. To OP: as you've stated above, you're a well-traveled guy, if you survived overseas surprises, challenges, etc. you will certainly survive those homegrown ones! Beware of Midwest winters

[maya.the.bee]

Here's another Ohio voice for you. I have lived coast to coast in the US, always north of the Mason-Dixie line, so my thoughts on SE Ohio:
tee-shirts and jeans - there is little flair here. Its blue collar and proud of that. This does mean that theres no 'culture'? No, but you have to look for it.
chinese, pizza, & hamburgers - in my corner of ohio, these are the restaurant options. It took me months to find a thai place and i won't go back there.
I-70 - in the winter this is the snow line, north lots more snow than south of it & cold
South of 70, there are also alot of ppl from Kentucky & WV - conservative & religious, good music through

For someone coming from Calie, I came from OR, I would really stress that people blend in. I feel like the midwest is kinda blah when compared to the coastal areas.

good points:
sailing, kayaking, biking ('cause its so flat here), sweet corn, cheap baseball tix, people are generally very friendly (we have block parties in my neighborhood)