Please Hel Any Advice on These Places Would Be Greatly Appreciated! On Charleston SC, Knoxville, TN or Nashville TN
 

Hello everyone and thanks for reading and responding to this thread if you do decide too!

Basically, my fiancee and I are getting married next summer and will be moving to one of these three places. She is going to be attending graduate school and I will be looking for a full time Social Studies teacher position. We are planning to visit each place come Labor Day Weekend. I was wondering if anyone could give us any useful information as to why I should pick one place over the others? It can certainly be advice good or bad. Any and all are welcome. Even if the advice is as simple as " the traffic is bad in one area" or "a good restaurant you should try." We just really want to be sure that as newlyweds we make the right decision. We are planning on staying there for rounds about two years since we will be returning to Ohio after she finishes grad school. Again, thanks for any responses!

Where are you moving FROM? That would factor into my decision. If you are used to heat and humidity, then any of the 3. If not, then I'd place Charleston last of the 3. A good friend started her married life in Charleston and they loved it - but moved away when they were ready to have kids. I'd probably pick Knoxville, Nashville and Charleston in that order.

Thanks for the advice! We're both from Southern Ohio so we're not used to the real warm weather. However, its only a 2 year thing so we think we can handle it. After these long winters, it seems like an amazing change of pace. Thanks again. Any more replys would be great!

I know that back in the day, I felt like I could conquer the world too.... The reality of your situation, however, is that you may find it difficult to find a Social Studies position in the same area as the graduate school that your fiancee gets accepted to. A better plan would be to keep more options open, although you really couldn't go wrong with any of the three cities that you've mentioned to date. Best wishes!

I've always heard good things about Nashville as far as things to do for young(er) couples and of course there is the country music scene. Cost of living shouldn't be too bad but of the 3 the best would probably be Knoxville and certainly not Charleston. Prices of housing and living in general reflect that it is a resort and retirement destination. If this is your only ever chance to live near the ocean though I'd say go for it. I drive through Knoxville area for business and have never been that impressed. I think there is more going on downtown now but it still seems sort of a suburban,mall,family kind of town.

Nashville is a great place to live and would be my pick. It is a little more cosmopolitan, IMO, than Knoxville, and not as pricey as Charleston. It is a nice-sized city, which gives you plenty of things to do -- restaurants, museums, concerts, plays, etc. It has Vanderbilt which brings with it a middle-class employee base, other cultural and intellectual offerings and a world-class hospital. The cost of living is affordable, too. If I could get my hubby to move there to raise our kids, I would!

Charleston is, in my opinion, the most beautiful and vibrant of the three cities. Of course, I've only been there on vacation and I'm sure the cost of living would be very high. Nashville and Knoxville are both great cities. I currently live in Knoxville and usually love it. Currently, interstate construction is bad and it will be getting worse over the next 3-7 years as they shut down the major interstate through downtown for widening. However, Knoxville is absolutely beautiful in the spring and fall but does get warm and humid in the summer. The proximity to the Smokies is a huge plus for me. If you're coming during Labor Day weekend, try to check out the UT football game and definitely stick around for Boomsday, the biggest fireworks show in the Southeast, taking place directly over the Tennessee River downtown. If you have any other questions about Knoxville, let me know!

Nashville is a great town to live in. Charleston is wonderful for a visit.

Thanks everyone for their replies so far. Personally, I was leaning towards Charleston because I am a warm weather person and absolutely hate the cold. Not to mention I have bad seasonal allergies so the least the weather changes the better breathing for me! I have visited Nashville although I was only 7 when we stayed at Opryland on my dads business trip. Both me and my fiancee are not big country fans but I heard you don't have to be there to enjoy the city. Is this true?

Knoxville I have been to the most due to my frequent summer baseball trips there when I was A Little bit younger. I always enjoyed the landscape and the July weather. Perfect for ball. But I have heard there is less to do there.

Charleston does have a higher cost of living but it has more teacher openings. In the city alone there were over 12 for SS teachers. Other places not so much but the cost of living was a couple hundred dollars cheaper on rent for basically the same thing.

Thanks to the person that told me about the teaching posistion. I am well aware that finding a job can be a crapshoot but I'm fully prepared to get my feet wet subbing if thats the case.

Finally to the person, that suggested the fireworks. That sounds great will have to plan the trip to be able to see them!

Keep the response coming. Id like to run this thread at least till Labor Day!!!

Thanks again!

As far as allergies and Charleston...just because the seasons don't change as dramatically doesn't mean there isn't LOTS of allergens down here...pine, grasses, flowers and of course MOLD when it rains. I didn't even develop allergies til I moved to SC! If you do decide on Charleston get advice on good neighborhoods to buy/rent. It can be difficult in that area.

Thanks for the allergy information. I'm starting to get shots hopefully next week. So maybe it wont be as much as a factor come next year.

Another question: Being that I am looking for a teaching job in each of these 3 areas which would be the hardest to obtain a job? Which would be the easiest? I am comfortable working in any school environment and I am certified 7-12 Social Studies.

Thanks!

Was waiting for you finally to ask this question.

Contact the state DOE to find out what you will have to do to get certified in each of the two states you are considering. You may have to teach under a provisional certificate (and your salary will reflect that). If your fiancee has equal opportunity at each of the three grad schools under consideration, then keep in mind that it may be more difficult for you to get certified to teach than for her to get in grad school.

While you are on their website, check out the school calendars. Right now the southern school are starting the school year awfully early (beginning of August). There is some resistance and that may change before next fall. But, if you want a job and are getting married in the summer, you may have to start teaching immediately after the wedding. It will impact your honeymoon plans.

Early school start may impact your moving plans as well.

Most people who live in Nashville never even think about the country music industry. It is kind of its own world. I lived in Nashville for over twenty years and hardly knew anybody who ever went to any country music performances.

Thanks for the advice starsville. I will have a certification in Ohio, which allows me to teach virtually everywhere except for Michigan. I have noticed that Charleston has the most job openings, which is a plus. The other two areas seem to be harder districts to get into.

The problem is I really cannot start applying for jobs until they are posted next year. Jobs listed currently are all for 2006-2007 school year. However, I would like to apply as early as possible when they are posted to make sure we have an opportunity to plan our move whenever necessary.

I have heard Nashville was not as country as some say. Thats good to know.

I would kill to live in Charleston! It is my favorite city. The food, the history, ah.

The only thing I can pass on about teaching jobs is info from a friend.

She taught in the Charleston school district for three years and said she was constantly verbally and physically sexually harrassed by the male students. She said that the administration never did anything to stop it. Boys will be boys was the mind set. Also, she said the parents were very difficult to deal with. This was middle school history, I am not sure of the school's name.

Granted she was a young, blond, very pretty woman. I would think as a male, your experience would be different. Best of luck!

I currently live in the Nashville area and would recommend it over Knoxville. My husband and I lived in both Knoxville and Nashville in the early years of our marriage. It really depends on what you are looking for. Knoxville is nice because you are so close to the mountains, but the traffic is horrible. I did graduate from UT, which I would highly recommend to your wife, but the emphasis on sports can be a little annoying. I could give more reasons why I wouldn't recommend Knoxville, but the things I didn't like might not bother you.

Knoxville real estate is more reasonable than Nashville, but I assume you will be renting.

I do not know much about your teaching possiblities, but there are numerous school systems in the counties surrounding Nashville, as well as Metro Nashville. I would recommend the Williamson County area if you don't want to live downtown. There are lots of nice apartment options, many of which are within walking distance to restaurants, shopping, parks, etc...

Don't even give the country music thing another thought. The only time I ever think about it is if I spot a country music star out and about.

Let me know if you have any other questions about specific areas or things to consider in your move.

Oh, the allergy thing might be an issue. My experience is all of Tenneessee is horrible for your allergies.

Traffic is certainly relative. We moved from N. VA to Knoxville about nine years ago, and we still talk about how we could never move back because of it. Knoxville is certainly not a place where you would find yourself stuck in a jam for very long.

We live in west Knoxville in the Concord area if you'd like to get specific. There are lots of parks close by on a lake. Some of the activities available to the public at the parks are taking walks or hiking along the lake, boating, tennis, volleyball, swimming, running and more, There's even a frisbee park, a small water park for little ones, and lots of play equipment. There are two marinas close by.

Real estate, like traffic, is relative but we think it's very reasonable. There's no state tax. We've been happy with our daughter's schools. There are lots of great places to shop. We finally got an Apple store in the mall. There are a few very good restaurants. There's a french restaurant, the Brasserie, you ought to try if you're in the west Knoxville/Concord area. Dress is pretty much casual in Knoxville no matter where you're going.

We love the warm weather here and had to go on vacation to see snow. It gets humid, but not too much. You can stay indoors.

We're close to the Smokies. Chattanooga isn't too far and it's a fun place to visit.

We miss D.C. We miss the museums especially, but you can always travel. It's a ten minute drive to TYS airport. We have a good life here.

If you have serious allergies, you do NOT want Charleston. The Low Country area of SC and GA has a whole slew of things that your shots wouldn't protect you from. Live Oaks, slash pine, cypress trees, marsh sedge, molds and mildew, just to mention a few. Add to the fact that if we don't have a heavy frost, the fall weed and grass pollens stick around all winter until the spring tree pollens start. The molds and mildew are all year around. The Spring Allergy season starts in early February and the Fall weed season lasts until the first heavy frost, which if it comes may not be until the following January or February.

Trust someone that knows, you maybe be lucky and it would take the entire two years for these new allergies to develop, but chances are that you won't be.

My first choice would be Charleston, however, being married to a teacher, I would probably more likely consider either of the other options mentioned, merely due to cost considerations. What part of Ohio ? I/we grew up in McArthur. Ever heard of it ? The education system in SC is also, not the best. Your teaching certificate should be good in all reciprocal states for a period of time, I would check into that as well, particularly if you plan to move back to Ohio (?) Why are you planning on moving back to Ohio ? Prior to even leaving ?

Knoxville's biggest asset is its proximity to the Smoky Mountains. UT football is HUGE. Charleston is a great vacation town. Beautiful, historic city and close to the water. Great restaurants. Nashville has major league sports (Tennessee Titans football, Predators hockey), an excellent university (Vanderbilt), it's a health-care headquarters, and very livable. Nashville has changed a LOT since you visited Opryland, and for the better. (Real estate prices are high, however.) Nashville is known as Music City but it has different kinds of music, including country (which you never have to get involved with if you don't want to) and symphonic. A world-class $120-million new symphony hall is about to open. As noted above, there is no state income tax in Tennessee, but there is a hefty sales tax.

My choice would be: Nashville, Charleston. Knoxville is a distant third.

Good luck.