aurochelle

Hello all we are in CA and can not wait to move, We live in Sac I am a single mom ( older) with three little children on my own, and to boot one has autism. I visited the south and loved the family values and slower pace, many Californians are warning me about the racism, closed minded attitutes and backwards education.. I am considering Nashville, Augusta GA, Charlotte,Raliegh,Asheville NC that is, Huntsville AL,Austin TX, Dallas or San Antonio. I love how diverse CA is but the schools(public) are not for us and the rudeness and traffic etc.. I here so much about Huntsville AL and Nashville but big concerns about racism, Texas the same thought.. we do not have family to help so we are on our own and I would like to workfull time and return to school with a quality life and family atmoshere and values, that for me equals the south! I will rent a home or apartment for awhile, not to mention rent in Sacramento is easily 1200 or more for a 3 bedroom so cost is very important. Education, and good elementary public schools are most important on my list, access to health food stores and good transportation in case your car breaks down with little ones is another factor. I know for education I might be better in midwest but winter with little ones on my own (changing clothes, losing a job due to children catching colds etc..) so I am hoping to find a educated community, with affordable rentals. WHew any advice out there?

Nat

GoTravel

What would you say to a southerner that was informed that all Californians are self obsessed, shallow, plastic surgery maniacs who only care about the almighty dollar?

Birdie

Cold weather has nothing to do with catching colds. Being indoors with a lot of people does. I believe people in Florida catch colds as much as those in the north.
Your requirements will, most likely, lead you to a city which is also going to have the most transplanted Northerners, etc. Education will depend on the community. Virginia tests Standards of Learning (SOLS) so you can compare systems based on the results. The jury is still out on whether SOL's truly measures how good a school is at educating children. I do know that Virginia and North Carolina have excellant university systems. I wonder if a national association for autism would have info on educational systems.
I don't know of any southern city that is known for their public transportation. Others can speak for their individual cities.
Racism exists everywhere. Close-minded people live everywhere. Don't try to tell me that Californians aren't racist towards Mexicans.
I have lived all over the country: the Northeast, California etc and choose to raise my children in the south.

wsoxrebel

We all have preconceived notions. Luckily, travel and education are ways to broaden one's perspective on life. This usually increases tolerance as well.

I have lived in different parts of the country and all have their snobs and doofuses (sp?)

The South can be a lovely place to live. A suburb of a larger city can be very mixed demographically. Cities hosting universities usually breed a more educated and tolerated population.

There are websites where you can research census demographics such as ethnicity, educational level achieved, etc. There are also websites where you can reseach standardized test scores for the school districts.

Good luck.

aurochelle

Hi Birdie and others, I am really excited about moving south, are you suggesting Virginia or North Carolina?

Nat

Birdie

Nat - I can really only tell you about my community.
I live in Williamsburg, VA which is the home of the College of William and Mary and is also a very big tourist destination. Both of these factors give Williamsburg a personality different from many southern communities. The JCC/Williamsburg school system is well thought of. W&M does not accept part-time students but Christopher Newport University and Thomas Nelson Community College both do and are about 30 minutes from Williamsburg and both offer some classes at satellite campuses in Williamsburg.
I don't even know if there are any health food stores in Williamsburg anymore but the farmers market (seasonal) and three local food stores offer a large selection of organic foods.
The bus system is pretty extensive and you can find out about rentals at
www.vagazette.com.

aurochelle

See now I can start researching this today. How affordable is the area? I have heard nothing but good of VI education but how diverse is the area? I have heard about Fairfax Arlington and can not afford to be near DC to expensive. As far a health food I know there is a Trader Joes in VI that I can find. Our RENT is 1000 what do you think a 3 bedroom apt might cost?

Nat

OldSouthernBelle

Birdie: I know you are a very helpful poster, so will try to only gently inform you that a new British study does support the notion that getting cold does increase incidence of getting a 'Cold'. They say it makes your body more succeptible to virus already present.

I have gotten colds that I attributed to airconditioning, so maybe that's why the Floridians get as many, if in fact, that is true.

Belle

Betsy

Many of the current best practices in autism (in children) had their origins in North Carolina, so study up on that aspect of your move.

seetheworld

All I have to add is the following:

http://www.allkindsofminds.org/about_biography.aspx

aurochelle

I am new to this and not sure what a troll is but it is not me. Tampa is not even considered and I do not believe I mentioned black or white or any other color. My kids and I are excited about our move and researching is just a part of the process thats all. God Bless you ! And actually I believe there is quite a bit of acting in the Carolina's, Nashville, Charlston etc.


Nat

Nat

aurochelle

Thanks so much from SEETHEWORLD for the info on the site all kinds of minds, very informative and I believe I remember him on Oprah, did you send this for my special needs child?

Nat

Scarlett

Well, if this is related to your question about finding a state that has acting and commercial work for your children, maybe you should work that out first, to help you choose where you want to live.

I am from the South and lived in Florida for a year, they are no more rude or racist than people anywhere in the NE or California or elsewhere..

You will need to be close to a larger city if you want to find work but then rents are high.
You need to do a great deal of homework here and visit some of these places and find out for yourself.
Go to the library and get a lot of books and read about the towns that you are interested in..For sure, NC, SC and GA are not going to be anything like Sacto CA!
Good luck

aurochelle

thanks so much any have any advice on Augusta GA I am looking into programs for my son there also.

Nat

Gretchen

Wow, those californians sure are smart when it comes to "knowing" everything, aren't they. Those are pretty rude comments.
For "acting", you might need to put Wilmington, NC on your list. Do you have other job ready credentials that might lead you to the town of your dreams.
For health foods, bless pet, we even have health food stores that aren't Trader Joe's. They even have whole sections in supermarkets.
Charlotte was just listed as one of ONLY 2 urban school systems that exceeded the math standards test--in the entire country.
Your rent is probably not going to decrease. You might be able to do better by buying a home, however, with lovely neighborhoods in all income levels.

Gretchen

And I must add, the way your children will relocate ANYwhere will depend heavily on YOUR attitude to the area.

lisettemac

My first thought is that the cities you have named are quite different from one another. In terms of population, square miles, health care, economy, the arts, etc. For example, Nashville is a city of almost a million people with a mid-sized university and all that brings with it. It also has the country music industry. Augusta is a much smaller city with a much smaller economy, several hours from any large city, etc.

I would suggest you come up with a list of the things that mean the most to you in terms of where you live and do a little research.

lisettemac

Oh yes, and one of the first things I'd probably research is the availability of programs for autistic children in each area. I know that would make a difference to me.

ChristieP

Unfortunately, in Dallas, TX, it will be very difficult to find a nice 3 bedroom apartment (or rental house) in an area with good schools AND public transportation for much less than $1200. Most of the more affordable areas in Dallas are in Dallas ISD, and do not have very good schools. You'd need to look in the suburbs, which are more expensive. Also, there are few acting jobs in Dallas. Austin, TX is even more expensive than Dallas.

What do you do for a living? It will likely be very important for you to find a job quickly since, and it will help if we at least know in what industry you work.

dorkforcemom

aurochelle - I live in Texas having moved here from Louisiana. Your concerns about programs for your little one with autism is certainly important. If this is truly a priority for you, I'd check out what is available in each state, what the programs offer for those with autism, how long is the waiting list, etc. I'm very familiar with the programs for those with special needs in our state. To be frank, they are completely inadequate for handling the number of those who need to be served. For example, the waiting list for the programs in Texas is 10 - 15 years. In other words, if you move to Texas and find a program appropriate for your child, put his/her name on a waiting list - be prepared to wait @ 15 years for service. It is my understanding that most states in the south are equal in providing minimal help (very few dollars are allotted) to those with special needs. Hope this helps...