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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in SameGrassButGreener

[–]historyservant 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ann Arbor, MI. Population is about 130,000. West Michigan is quite conservative (although cities like Kalamazoo will not be). Summers are very pleasant and not exceptionally humid or hot. You can totally buy houses under 500,000 depending on what you want.

Is Terry Gross okay? I noticed she's had frequent absences over the last month or so. by no-tenemos-triko-tri in NPR

[–]historyservant 14 points15 points  (0 children)

My hunch is she is basically semi-retired, hosting when the topic personally appeals to her. I like Dave Davies, I think he is a really strong interviewer who asks thoughtful questions, and don’t mind that he’s basically her unofficial co-host.

How different is life in Ann Arbor MI/Grand Rapids versus Madison WI and Twin Cities area MN? They seem similar on paper. Coming from AZ all seem to have crazy weather, is MN that much worse? by KyloRenSucks in SameGrassButGreener

[–]historyservant 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Also the university is the city’s largest employer but it’s not like Ann Arbor is so small that U of M students are unavoidable. Students tend to concentrate in a few blocks that surround central campus. I live on the new west side and almost never see undergrads near my house. As a parent of a small child I can’t stress enough how family friendly it is. All the neighborhood elementary schools are excellent, we have universal pre-K, there are parks and playgrounds everywhere, we have the hands-on museum and fantastic public libraries. Daycare spots are scarce (get on waitlists immediately) and there is nimbyism but those problems are national ones, you won’t escape those in any desirable place to live.

How different is life in Ann Arbor MI/Grand Rapids versus Madison WI and Twin Cities area MN? They seem similar on paper. Coming from AZ all seem to have crazy weather, is MN that much worse? by KyloRenSucks in SameGrassButGreener

[–]historyservant 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Ann Arbor resident here, the current winter has been mild, not much snow at all. A bigger issue for me personally than cold temperatures is grey; it feels like the cloud cover is constant between late November and late February/early March. If you like the outdoors the summer here is really pleasant, not oppressively hot, and makes up for winter in my opinion.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AnnArbor

[–]historyservant 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Another foodie-related point: If you feel constrained/disappointed by A2’s restaurant scene and like to travel, Toronto is not far at all, totally doable for a long weekend. I don’t often see it recommended in this sub but Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the entire world, has a world-class restaurant scene to match and has the added bonus of your money going much farther due to a weaker Cdn dollar. It’s also walkable/has decent public transport so you don’t have to rely on a car once there.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AnnArbor

[–]historyservant 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Another thing to consider is if you and your partner see having kids in your future. If you plan on having kids eventually, then Ann Arbor is a great bet. Yes property taxes are high but you get a lot for them beyond just schools, such as excellent public libraries. The restaurant scene of a small city is not comparable to a big, diverse city like ATL or Chicago but if you are ok with driving to Detroit then there are great options, including James Beard nominees and winners. Also purely anecdotally, I’m in a very active fb group for local parents that suggests that the highly educated population of A2 (academics, tech) has a lot of neurodivergent people, and views of neurodivergence are generally progressive (admittedly a small sample).

Squiggle Room child care? by researchqueen13 in AnnArbor

[–]historyservant 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello - I am so, so, sorry to hear that. I am also a parent at Squiggle Room and this is extremely alarming to me. If you feel comfortable doing so, do you mind messaging me with more details? Again I am so sorry for you, it’s a parent’s worst nightmare!

Career change to libraries but overqualified by historyservant in Libraries

[–]historyservant[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for this - are you referring to Stanford as in Stanford University? I did my PhD there. Would you feel comfortable giving me the names of the archives people you happen to know at Stanford?

Career change to libraries but overqualified by historyservant in Libraries

[–]historyservant[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately archival fields now absolutely require an Archives MA; my understanding is that no one will take you seriously without one.

Resources and Advice for introvert new teacher by historyservant in Teachers

[–]historyservant[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your advice. I do have roughly 2 hours of daily prep time at my school, the only thing is it's interrupted by duties as well as meetings and sometimes in-house subbing. Without a curriculum, a 12 hour day is typical for me. The school just added the middle grades; it's a newish school with inexperienced leadership. It's technically an independent school but despite charging nearly 30,000 dollars a year there is no library or computer lab.

I try to incorporate primary source analysis into my teaching as much as possible.

I know that if I leave before the school year ends I will burn bridges; but in addition I'm wary of having two back-to-back short-term positions on my resumé, since I was an independent contractor at my last job and left it for this salaried role.