Marc’s Move to Tacoma Story
Marc grew up in the Quad Cities, but after a vacation brought him to the area he knew he wanted to move to the Pacific Northwest. A Zookeeper, he found a job as the Zoological Curator with Northwest Trek Wildlife Park in East Pierce County.
Moving to Tacoma
Marc used the MoveToTacoma.com website to research neighborhoods from Illinois and figure out where he wanted to live. He loves the convenience of downtown living and ended up choosing a place in the city and commuting to his job in the country.
A Cool Job
As Zoological Curator Marc makes sure that the animals at Northwest Trek are taken care of and manages the people who care for the animals. Northwest Trek is most famous for its Free Roaming area- 435 acres where herds of elk, bison, and big horned sheep roam free. Visitors get to see the animals on a 50 minute tram ride. This allows for some up close and personal encounters! Trek also has an awesome area for kids and several zip lines and “Treetop Adventure Courses” of varying difficulty.
What’s it like living in Downtown Tacoma
Marc has a dog and got familiar with his new city by going for walks. It’s easier to get a feel for the city by walking, rather than driving. From there it was a combination of talking to people from work who lived in town and listening to the Move To Tacoma podcast to get familiar with what what is happening in the city and who some of the people in town are. He started hanging out at The Forum, Odd Otter Brewing, and MSM Sandwiches on 6th ave.
Finding Friends – Is there a Tacoma Freeze?
Marc didn’t know anyone when he moved to the Pacific Northwest, but he has found it easy to make friends in Tacoma. He says he doesn’t think there’s a Tacoma freeze. He’s also been very proactive and intentional about making friends. He’s used sites like MeetUp.com to meet other people new to Tacoma. He also joined the Tacoma Mountaineers to meet other people interested in learning skills for hiking and outdoor activities- from climbing to outdoor first aid. He joined an adult sports league called, Comeback Sports. His advice is to find people who share your interests.