Tomorrow is my one-year anniversary of becoming a Vermont resident. (I won’t actually be here to post then – I’ll be doing what lots of legit Vermont residents do during the summer, camping in nearby Maine.) So I’ve been thinking about how much life has changed since one year (minus one day) ago. Some changes are great, some are not so great, and some involve a plethora of different feelings. For those who are thinking about making the jump from “big city” life to “small town” life, or for those who are just curious, these are the major changes I’ve noticed in my one year of Green Mountain State living:
The Good
- Cost of living. It’s really not very hard for a state to beat my former home of New York City in the “cost of living” category but Vermont does it. Our current 2 bedroom rental (with two floors for just us, a little bit of lawn/yard space, driveway, etc.) costs us way less than our previous 1 bedroom apartment that also happened to be a 4th-floor walk-up. Bills in general appear to be cheaper, including everything from car insurance to electricity. The little things, such as going to the movies, tend to be less expensive in general – it only costs $5 to catch a show at Bennington Cinemas!
- Planet appreciation. People (and lawmakers!) in this state are constantly thinking about sustainability. From the upcoming statewide single-use plastic ban to the fountain at my work that tells me how much I’m helping the earth each time I fill my reusable water bottle up, this is a big deal and it’s nice that it is.
- Nature. This is kind of an obvious one, considering this is the “Green Mountain State” but I can assure you that’s no misnomer! I can currently walk to three hiking trails easily from my place, with a few others that I could reach by a “long walk”. Everywhere I look, the beauty of nature abounds, even when doing errands – the green mountains are in magnificent view outside of Price Chopper and a river flows right by Walgreens.
The Bad
- Health care issues. Aside from the fact that my general health insurance (as a public school teacher) is more expensive and less extensive than my previous health insurance in NYC, it’s been very difficult to make doctor appointments. For example, when I needed an eye exam, I called to make an appointment in mid-December and was only able to get an appointment at the end of March. Back in Brooklyn, all I’d have to do is hop on ZocDoc and I’d have dilated pupils within the week. I have been here almost a year and am still waiting to see my primary care doctor, as when I first called appointments were only being made “six months out”. The doctors I have managed to see here have all been absolutely wonderful, but the waiting game is certainly not ideal.
It Depends…
- The seasons. Vermont’s seasons are undeniably beautiful and, as you can see, there are six of them! Summer and fall are absolutely glorious. The whole state turns green with summer and the heat is on, but it’s not overpowering or super humid. I’m sure you’ve heard of autumn in Vermont: crisp air and apple cider and a rainbow of leaves decorating the mountains. I personally like the quiet spring, though every a day is a bit of a gamble, weather-wise, and winter is as snowy as one might expect, but also lovely in its own way. The other two “seasons”, I feel, are not so great. Mud season (around March and April) makes many hiking trails nearly impossible to traverse and many unsuspecting sneakers end up filthy. Stick season (around November and December) is full of delightful holidays but everything looks so bleak; it’s depressing just to look out the window sometimes. 4/6 season are good times, at least.
- The food. Obviously, the food in my former home of Brooklyn was a wonder; you could find any type of food imaginable and the halal carts were a staple for my husband and myself (delicious, $6 plates of chicken and rice with a “white sauce” that could keep you full for a whole day). Here, there are still many positive things to say about the food. It seems like every Vermont town has a farmers’ market and locally made foods and, especially drinks, are highly celebrated. This is the home of Ben & Jerry’s and Cabot Cheddar, and these amazing establishments known as dairy bars are open all over during the summer. I am definitely biased in favor of Vermont food, as cheese, ice cream, and ciders are all in the top ten of my mental favorite foods list. (Yes, cider is counting as a food in this list.) However, there are some less positive sides. You can’t get the variety of ethnic flavors you could in NYC. For example, if I were in the mood for Cuban food, I am not sure where to go, and there are sadly no food trucks in sight where we live (with the exception of the one day a year that there is a Food Truck Festival). You also can’t use Seamless or similar apps to order food, at least in our town. On the one hand, this cuts down on variety, but on the other, this does help us save money and stay healthy(ish) in comparison to previous eating habits.
Overall, I don’t regret moving and making this change. Since we moved, we are able to have a wonderful dog and home-ownership doesn’t seem too far in the future (in NYC, it seemed like a complete impossibility). I like that when I go out for a run, I could end up in the woods if I want to. I like that people care about the future of the planet here. I am impressed that our October holiday is now “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” instead of “Columbus Day”. I feel comforted seeing the Green Mountains surrounding my town, no matter where I am. And, of course, I love the dairy.
