Wanting to move to Shetland

[daveh]

^^

 

Oh, dear!

 

What a most unpleasant picture you paint of Shetland. My wife and I moved to Shetland in April 2008 and, of all the places we have lived, this is the most welcoming and friendly community that we have ever stumbled across. People have opened their doors to us and invited us in and we have done the same.

If you want to move somewhere and live in isolation that is also available here but we chose to fully integrate ourselves into the community and are so happy to have done so.

You do seem to be carrying a huge chip on your shoulder but why not move on with your life and accept that maybe Shetland just wasn't the right place for you. It is for others so live with that.

[stilldellin]

Where exactly did you say you stayed Adon ?

[Shasel]

the attempted sodomy with a pole was part of a bullying incident on a boy in the Anderson high hostel , yes it was swept under the carpet as most things are in Shetland. I saw folk happily buy guys convicted of domestic violence a pint and what goes on behind closed doors is unbelievable.

I do not agree folk will go out of their way to incomers. I have several Shetland friends and they admit they tolerate incomers at best. Incomers are often niave and others patronising to local folk. Lots of incomers are unaware of the back stabbing as they only mix with other incomers, I was shocked to discover many incomers who had been there over 10 years had not been

inside a Shetland house. You have to talk, invite yourself into things or they

will ignore you.

The level of alcoholism is not normal , again it's hidden. Where I lived 2 out of 4 closest neighbours were alcoholics. The young people are bought drink at hall dances as young as 13 by so called caring adults and the young teenage girls leered at.

I am concerned that people are naive when it comes to the move. Once you are there it's full of people trying to justify how great it is, mainly as a move south, with higher house prices and greater demands on you was daunting. Three of my close friends also moved back eventually and it's not until you do does the penny drop.

Shetland is a great place if you like your own company, like staying in and have an introverted personality. Not knocking it just trying to dispel the myth of this great Shetland welcome

 

The problem I have with nearly everything you say is that it is not unique to Shetland. Sweeping things under the carpet happens all over the place mainly because people do not like to see bad things happening so pretend they didn't. For goodness sake there are big name hollywood actors who are on record as saying domestic violence is acceptable who still get film roles and we still trot out to watch their films so they can earn megabucks. A pint seems small compared to that.

I moved up recently and every single one of the Shetlanders in the area has made the effort to come and speak to me within the first day or so of moving in. The area I recently left I had lived in for over 10 years and the people two doors down had NEVER spoken to me despite me trying to speak to them. My kids have never been so welcome in their lives and I was deeply dissapointed in that I thought we might spend loads of time together and the kids have practically never been in and have constantly been invited out to play by other kids.

If people make no effort to integrate can you blame the locals for not being overly welcoming and only tolerating them? And anyway that is interesting to me because you say that they are not welcoming but then claim you still have Shetlander friends even though you say you were in Shetland some time ago.

I guess your take on alcohol depends on where you live. I tend to think that the stats speak for themselves. Just scour the papers for alcohol related incidents. There are a lot but they are minor. Last weekend two fold drunk and disorderly. Really? A whole weekend and two people drunk and disorderly? If I glance at the local paper from where I used to live in a week I have multiple arrests for assault, drink driving, D&D. I have met numerous teetotal shetlanders. Where I used to live I met none in my 10 years. Young people have always been bought drinks at partys. I know people who have bought bottles of drink for kids at 13 which is a lot less controleld than actually buying a drink at a party. Young girls leered at? Is that really something unique to Shetland?

Shetland is a great place not just for those who like their own company. Seriously go and have a look at what is on in your local community. The number of social clubs and leisure activities (and their prices) is staggering.

It just takes a bit of effort.

[paulb]

you knew about this serious sexual assualt and never reported it. and now your working with children.

you really must have had a bad time up here.

your wrong about the shetlanders not being friendly our sons have a really good relationship with a number of older crofters. just because you had a bad time does not mean that everyone does.

lets see we have been rescued from snow/ditches a couple of times. not a quick push even. the first time they had to plow the road before they could even get to us it must have taken them the best part of an hour and not even a cross word over stupid incomers not knowing how to drive in shetlands weather.

 

then there was the time the wifes tire blew and it caused her to flip the car. we had off duty doctors/nurses and others helping her. your lucky if in the south if they stop.

 

the wife often gets advice from the older crofters and once they know your serious they are hard to shut up which again is excellent. they also look out for there neigbours. the first week we were here we were warned that one of our sons had slipped(pushed by brother) into the sea.

 

again why are you on a web site that is for shetland related issues if you hated it so much.

[Kazza]

Definately not my intention to open a can of worms, but I enjoy a good debate as well as the next person.

Wish there was a like button for posts, would make responding easier

 

I may be wrong (sure someone will let me know if I am) is the drug/alchohol issue a fairly new(ish) thing? It appears to be.

Generally my opinion is Andy and I will be fine, we are happy with our own company but also enjoy good company as well. Haven't been in a pub for several years except for a bar meal now and again. Haven't been to the cinema for years as I can't bloomin' hear (even with loop) ditto theatre etc

 

Our decision would have been made in a different way if we were bringing school age children as it would be their future as it is it's just Andy and I so we are happy.

[JohanofNess]

 

I may be wrong (sure someone will let me know if I am) is the drug/alchohol issue a fairly new(ish) thing? It appears to be.

 

The alcohol problem is fairly long standing and if anyone in Shetland doesn't think there is an alcohol problem then they likely have a problem and are in denial of it. The drugs thing I have to say you hear plenty about it but I don't know too many folk who have directly had issues with drugs or the certainly don't discuss it with me but I have a fairly well known dislike of drugs so it's no likely they would tell me.

[Kavi Ugl]

I wouldn't say Adon is a prolific poster so he/she can hardly be lectured for "still being on here". So what if he/she pops in from time to time?. Shetlandpeat doesn't live here but he has almost more posts and things to say than anybody!.

 

The incident of sodomy at the AHS is well remembered but as Adon says it was swept under the carpet. I remember it being on the news just once then it disappeared and was never heard of again.

 

Drugs?!.

 

http://www.shetnews.co.uk/news/1827-more-drugs-seized-in-lerwick.html

[Drewyd]

Got a house viewing this afternoon - wish us luck and we can be on our way north!

 

[Scorrie]

....

 

I do not agree folk will go out of their way to incomers. I have several Shetland friends and they admit they tolerate incomers at best. Incomers are often niave and others patronising to local folk. Lots of incomers are unaware of the back stabbing as they only mix with other incomers, I was shocked to discover many incomers who had been there over 10 years had not been

inside a Shetland house. You have to talk, invite yourself into things or they

will ignore you.

 

No different from Caithness and Sutherland - or many other places I can think of. Small communities that have close relationships will always talk about each other. I was born in a small Yorkshire village up in the Pennines that was no different. Incomers are incomers, period, - I have no problem with that at all. It's what you make of the statement that counts.

 

The level of alcoholism is not normal ' date=' again it's hidden. Where I lived 2 out of 4 closest neighbours were alcoholics. The young people are bought drink at hall dances as young as 13 by so called caring adults and the young teenage girls leered at. [/quote']

 

You've never been to Wick, then. Or Buckie.....as for underage drinking - I see it all over the UK. Not an unique phenomena in one area.

 

....I am concerned that people are naive when it comes to the move. Once you are there it's full of people trying to justify how great it is' date=' mainly as a move south, with higher house prices and greater demands on you was daunting. Three of my close friends also moved back eventually and it's not until you do does the penny drop.

Shetland is a great place if you like your own company, like staying in and have an introverted personality. Not knocking it just trying to dispel the myth of this great Shetland welcome[/quote']

 

My family have been up there for a good number of years, my nephews attended the schools with no problems at all. My families neighbours are decent folk who are happy to involve them in the community.

 

And, it must be said, that our move would definitely not be going ahead if it was not for local folk on Shetland happy to help out because they know my family. More than a few people have made our move happen - and not with any personal gain for themselves, either.

 

So totally the opposite experience from yours, I'm afraid.

[Piddly]

Wish there was a like button for posts, would make responding easier

 

Will this do?

 

[Drewyd]

Will this do?

 

 

http://www.bandds.co.uk/like.gif

[Kavi Ugl]

@ Scorrie, just curious if you have found work on Yell?. There's not an awful lot of employment there apart from the fish factory and some haulage contractors and some shellfish boats.

 

Well, I guess folk will try life in Shetland and if they can handle it/take to it then fine but socially, Shetland is becoming(or is already)as big a mess as anywhere else in the UK and it's a real shame.

[Scorrie]

@ Scorrie, just curious if you have found work on Yell?. There's not an awful lot of employment there apart from the fish factory and some haulage contractors and some shellfish boats.

 

Well, I guess folk will try life in Shetland and if they can handle it/take to it then fine but socially, Shetland is becoming(or is already)as big a mess as anywhere else in the UK and it's a real shame.

 

Kavi, yes, I do have a job to go to. I certainly wouldn't be moving without a job lined up, but I've been self employed for the past 10 years and could easily go back to my 'old' profession as well. So no worries there for me.

 

Island and small community life is definitely not for everyone, agreed, but it suits me just fine. I detest impersonal towns, housing estates and traffic. And I'm not going to burst into tears if I can't get to a KF McBurgerLand in three seconds flat or lament the loss of the 'Laminated Book of Dreams'*...the only 'consumer experience' I'm interested is stocking up at Marys.

 

I'm not convinced that Shetland is on par with the majority of the UK quite yet regarding 'going to the dogs' (for want of a better description), my own experiences of living in various corners of Scotland and England lead me to believe that Shetland, Orkney and the Far North of Scotland are still light years ahead of anywhere else regarding quality of life and lower crime levels. That does not mean that there is room for complacency, mind.

 

 

*On a lighter note - if you're wondering what I'm wittering on about when I said 'Laminated Book of Dreams'.....watch the clip here

 

 

[jambo6]

This document is an interesting read for anyone who wants a better picture of how we compare to the rest of Scotland re:Drugs

 

http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/10dmss/10dmss.pdf

 

Its the 2010 Scottish drugs misuse statistics. Its 162 pages long so be warned.

 

My own summary from it is that Shetland varies between being the lowest and third lowest affected (per capita) in most categories. In a number of the cases that we were 3rd bottom though, Orkney & Western Isles suppressed their figures for "client confidentiality" so we may have been bottom.

 

One statistic that I noticed is that Methadone prescriptions in Shetland have fallen year on year since 2006, which would indicate an improving situation to me.

 

Not trying to rain on anyones parade, but I went looking for these statistics as I do not believe the gloom and doom posted here and the report seems to back up my somewhat rosier viewpoint.

[Piddly]

Will this do?

 

 

http://www.bandds.co.uk/like.gif