relocation help!
 

Hi,
I just found this board and am impressed with the information exchanged so i'm hoping some of you will have some advice. My dilemna: I and my husband and toddler are NYers in many ways, except that we don't make enough money to ever buy here and we're not ambitious enough and we want some nature in our child's life. We have tried moving North (to Providence, RI) and hated it. We hate cold, gray Northeast weather. We love the beach but that we know is out of the question. We also can't move to the West Coast (which would be ideal) because of family (in NYC). We are willing to move South and are considering Takoma Park, MD and Chapel Hill/Raleigh area. We are very liberal and work in the arts. We worry a lot about the whole Southern thing but then again, the American landscape is changing so much. Oh, and we absolutely hate suburbs that feel like suburbs! So we need a small city with some beauty and culture and intellectuals. I'll shut up now. Hope to hear from some people in the know.

Excuse me - "Southern Thing"? Would a liberal, intellectual such as yourself ever say they wouldn't go to Harlem because of the "black" thing, or San Francisco because of the "Asian" thing?
One small piece of advice, if you do come south, please check your attitude at the Mason-Dixon Line. I would try to point out the many advantages of the South to you, but I am guessing your mind is closed.

San Miguel de Allende, Gto. MX, at least until the child is in seventh grade.
M

my mind is far from closed...just very aware that it would be a big cultural change for us. that is what I meant by "southern thing" but I clearly chose the wrong terminology as I guess there is a sensitivity. and obviously much of the South would not be politically in line with our views. so we would need to find the right nook. anyway, I'd be curious and very open to hear what you think.

The smokey mountain region is wonderful. Highlands, North Carolina is a really cute mountain town. My husband spent part of his youth in Chapel Hill and loved being a kid there. I've seen where he grew up and it was indeed beautiful. And you can never go wrong with a college town. There is always so much to do and such a wonderful attitude of learning.

You and your husband might not, but your kids will grow up with a southern accent. I don't know if that is more or less preferable than a NY accent, but I just wanted to mention it!

OK, sorry if I flew off the handle, it's just that I have taken too many trips where people express suprise that I am southern and have teeth and/or shoes. Anyway, I would echo the college town advice, look into Charlottesville, VA, or Durham, NC. As far as Arts, even my small town of Paducah KY has its fair share. See this link : http://paducaharts.com/flash.html
for a description of our Artist Relocation Plan.
You will find a wide variety of political beliefs, and most people don't discuss it at all. Good luck with your search.

Bob_KY I don't blame you for flying off the handle. Although, I'm not from the south, I get tired of the posts that allude to the "southern thing". The teeth & shoes comments are a crack up and really show a lack of intellect from the person making the quip. Don't feel bad, though. Years ago when I was in Spain, a New Yorker exclaimed shock that our group was from Colorado. The quote: "I didn't know people from Colorado went to Europe."

Coco, I don't have any specific advice for you. But I wonder how happy you will be anywhere when your post contains the word hate so many times.

BobKY,
Don't feel badly for feeling a bit insulted by such an insensitive remark. These unfortunate and inacurate remarks seem to come from those who probably have never stepped foot on southern soil.
As a person from the NE I am feeling a bit embarassed about the onslot of innuendos as of late, about the southern way of life.
Perhaps some of these so called highly educated people got their edu. from too much TV.
Remember traveling is the best edu.
Peace;
Sherry

Coco_ny, I think you made an unfortunate remark that sounds a lot worse than you intended... "the Southern Thing" may have been an unwise choice of words.

Why don't you try a major Southern city like Atlanta? Or...yes... the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area may give you the stimulation you'd like.

You'd think that the American economy should be able to create lower-cost versions of urban oases such as New York and San Francisco and Boston. I believe that Atlanta and Dallas are headed in that direction, but are not quite there yet... in the meantime, I hope you can find what you seek.

You'll find just as many liberals in Georgia as you'll find in NY or Mass.

My stepson heads up the Democratic Party by doing something or other and he was raised by two Republican parents and a Republican stepmother.

Politics vary within families. The entire country is split almost down the middle.

Liberals aren't a phenomena, freak occaision, or marvel in the South.

My stepson is head of the Democratic party in Georgia.