[Keeper]

Check out greatschools.net for info on schools. I don't believe we have anyone from that area who posts here. Is there a reason you are choosing Pell City or Taledga? Trussville is not too far from there and they have good schools.

[Southlander]

Pell City is a suburb of Birmingham. There should be most anything at hand with a short drive. As with all larger cities, pick your driving times of day carefully to avoid the most traffic.
Talladega is a pretty small town. From what I hear, the schools are good.

[Jen-Jen]

I was told Pell City is the safest place around that area so that's why I am going there. I was told I can choose Talladega or Pell City.

[skinem]

Jen-Jen, as a pacific northwesterner who has been in the north Alabama/southern middle Tennessee area for over 30 years now, I think I can tell you a couple of the biggest changes you'll be facing.

First, the people down here are so much more up-front friendly than the Pacific Northwest in general. Not to say there aren't friendly/unfriendly people in either place--people are people. But, the friendliness and politeness here is light-years away from there. Depending upon where you are moving to, I have found there to be more of a distance here from folks who aren't from here. And, bluntly put, more pretentiousness here. Or, more precisely, there seems to be more emphasis upon things, and what family you are from. But, still, overall friendly people.

Secondly, the weather will be a major, major change. The humidity is brutal when you are from the kind of country you're from. When people in your home area start feeling that it's humid when humidity hits 20%, well, this is a whole 'nuther ball game. You will probably hate the summers here. But the springs and falls are fantastic! Beautiful, and great weather. Winters are mild.

Thirdly, I don't know if you're a big outdoorsy type of person as so many from the PNW are, but if so, it will probably seem very, very crowded here (and it is, compared to there) with limited outdoor opportunities compared to Idaho. There are here, but they aren't as easily available, and they are, uh, just different. Where the summer is the time for peak outdoors activities in Idaho, I've found it easier and more comfortable down here, again, in the spring and fall.

Fourthly, cost of living is cheaper here. Yeah, sure, so are wages, but costs and taxes in general are, even compared to Idaho.

Any way, just a couple of brief observations.

Hope things go well for you and that Alabama is good for you and to you. I think it will be.

[just-me-in-tn]

Originally Posted by Jen-Jen

Thank you, it will be a huge adjustment from where I am right now. It does sound like there are some good things not far from Pell City though. As far as raising kids there, how are the school systems & school activities if you know? my daughter is very active in dance & school projects and the schools in Idaho are wonderful.

You will need to enroll her in a private school in almost any place in central Alabama. Not what you wanted to hear, but it is the truth. Dance - you aren't going to find any good dance schools in the small towns. If you are willing to drive her to a big city, she can continue dance, but other than that, not much of an opportunity. In most small towns in AL, all extracurricular activities revolve around either the church or the school. Private schools generally don't offer as many extracurricular activities as the public schools, but if you value her education, you need to put her in a private school.

[Jen-Jen]

Originally Posted by skinem

Jen-Jen, as a pacific northwesterner who has been in the north Alabama/southern middle Tennessee area for over 30 years now, I think I can tell you a couple of the biggest changes you'll be facing.

First, the people down here are so much more up-front friendly than the Pacific Northwest in general. Not to say there aren't friendly/unfriendly people in either place--people are people. But, the friendliness and politeness here is light-years away from there. Depending upon where you are moving to, I have found there to be more of a distance here from folks who aren't from here. And, bluntly put, more pretentiousness here. Or, more precisely, there seems to be more emphasis upon things, and what family you are from. But, still, overall friendly people.

Secondly, the weather will be a major, major change. The humidity is brutal when you are from the kind of country you're from. When people in your home area start feeling that it's humid when humidity hits 20%, well, this is a whole 'nuther ball game. You will probably hate the summers here. But the springs and falls are fantastic! Beautiful, and great weather. Winters are mild.

Thirdly, I don't know if you're a big outdoorsy type of person as so many from the PNW are, but if so, it will probably seem very, very crowded here (and it is, compared to there) with limited outdoor opportunities compared to Idaho. There are here, but they aren't as easily available, and they are, uh, just different. Where the summer is the time for peak outdoors activities in Idaho, I've found it easier and more comfortable down here, again, in the spring and fall.

Fourthly, cost of living is cheaper here. Yeah, sure, so are wages, but costs and taxes in general are, even compared to Idaho.

Any way, just a couple of brief observations.

Hope things go well for you and that Alabama is good for you and to you. I think it will be.

Thank you for the information, it all sounds a little overwhelming when I look at the big picture.

[Jen-Jen]

Originally Posted by just-me-in-tn

You will need to enroll her in a private school in almost any place in central Alabama. Not what you wanted to hear, but it is the truth. Dance - you aren't going to find any good dance schools in the small towns. If you are willing to drive her to a big city, she can continue dance, but other than that, not much of an opportunity. In most small towns in AL, all extracurricular activities revolve around either the church or the school. Private schools generally don't offer as many extracurricular activities as the public schools, but if you value her education, you need to put her in a private school.

You're right, not what I wanted to hear but I do thank you for the honest information. That will be a huge draw back & probably set back for her. I will look into private school for her. It does scare me to take her from an excellent & progressive school system to a private school that doesn't offer her much of what she gets here.

[CoreLysium]

Originally Posted by Southern man

A lot of folks don't agree with you.

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/the-d...-extreme-cold/

Dang. Cold kills a lot of people.

Maybe the thing I read said temperature and I just Alabama-ized it into heat. I can't find the article I read that from. Thanks for posting this.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by just-me-in-tn

You will need to enroll her in a private school in almost any place in central Alabama. Not what you wanted to hear, but it is the truth. Dance - you aren't going to find any good dance schools in the small towns. If you are willing to drive her to a big city, she can continue dance, but other than that, not much of an opportunity. In most small towns in AL, all extracurricular activities revolve around either the church or the school. Private schools generally don't offer as many extracurricular activities as the public schools, but if you value her education, you need to put her in a private school.

I am going to disagree with you here. I live in a small town too. Where I live there is a wonderful dance studio and the schools have a lot of activities especially in Jr and Sr. HS. The Jr and Sr. High school has a wonderful theater program which has one national awards. They have a wonderful band too. Nearly 80% of the kids who graduate HS receive a scholarship to a college. There are a lot of sports here too

I can not tell you that if you move to either of those towns it will be the same as here but I would definitely not make a decision on school until you get to the area.