i was economically pushed out of california, landed in the pnw. i like the summers, i tolerate the winters. i like the nature, i like the food, i miss the diversity, i avoid the chuds. i like how it feels "smaller" (ie: 15 minutes out of portland and you're driving down 1 lane country roads with cows on one side and broccoli on the other). affordability and culture clashes are issues you come across often. a cool thing about portland is that it's one of the few west coast cities where you can still afford your rent on a basic food service job (city minimum wage is close to $15/hr, just get a job with tips. last apartment i rented there was a 2br in a hip neighbhood for $1500/mo)

summer 2020 was pretty traumatic for residents of the city who chose to pay attention. covid, the 100 nights of police brutality, the trump convoys, and the choking smoke from wildfires. last month a right wing chud right in the heart of town shot a group of people (killing one) who do traffic/safety guidance for protests.

there's a lot of nerds in portland. people who like tabletop games and trivia night and axe throwing. it's a very redditor friendly city. there's also a lot of based af people.