[rackensack]

Originally Posted by rileyvanhorn

Please don't consider this negative about Harrisburg, but Paragould is a much larger town (not a city certainly) than Harrisburg. While we're by a large margin a white protestant town, because of the hospital system we have Cuban, Middle-eastern (mainly India and Pakistan) and Asian doctors. Most of these doctors have younger children.

That's good to know (and you certainly wouldn't offend me with negative comments about Harrisburg -- I'm sure there are things to like about it, but I never found them). There's no question that everyplace in the U.S. is less provincial than it was twenty-mumble years ago when I lived in Harrisburg -- there are outposts of major national chain retailers and restaurants in places I'd never have guessed would ever get them years ago, and the internet has made it possible to learn about and experience things that were simply impossible back then for someone in a small town in Arkansas. There are unquestionably more immigrants everywhere than in years past (though there's always been a few families from elsewhere in all but the smallest, remotest places). And there's even a mosque just a few miles away in Jonesboro that's been there, what, nearly 20 years now?

Nevertheless, it's going to be a major adjustment for someone who's been living in Atlanta to move to Paragould -- and the more prepared they are for it, the better they'll be able to cope. What I really hoped to convey is that to be happy anywhere you have to be able to focus on what's positive and the good you can find in what's actually there, rather than dwelling on what's not there or trying to make it be something it's not.

Originally Posted by rileyvanhorn

At the beginning of 2007 my daugther moved from Fayetteville after attending U of A and living there since 1999. She moved to Springfield, Missouri and still misses Fayetteville. Rackensack, you were fortunate to have had exposure to the one place in Arkansas that is really the least like Arkansas. It felt like we were going on a vacation when we went to visit her and we have considered the Fayetteville area to retire to.

Believe me, I'm fully appreciative of how much I gained from living in Fayetteville for most of my adolescent years -- I'm a much different, and I think better, person than I'd have been without that experience. Even though it was a much smaller, less cosmopolitan place in the late 1970s than it is now, I had opportunities there that I'd never have had any place else in Arkansas -- even Little Rock. I still like the area (my parents have been in Rogers for the last 20 years, so I get to visit often), and while I'm pretty well ensconced in Atlanta now, there are things I miss about it.

And as should be obvious from my user name (which I also use on several other message boards), I retain a deep-seated connection to and interest in Arkansas in general, even places I'd never want to live. It fascinates me, partly because it's just inherently interesting, and partly because I'm so very much a product of it that I feel like understanding Arkansas helps me understand myself better. When we visit, I annoy my wife and kids by dragging them to places like the Louisiana Purchase State Park, Cadron Settlement Park, the Territorial Restoration in LR (now the Historic Arkansas museum, IIRC), etc. But living there isn't for me, any more than living in Atlanta would be for a lot of Arkansawyers.

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by rackensack

, any more than living in Atlanta would be for a lot of Arkansawyers.

Arkansawyers? ARKANSAWYERS? You've been gone WAY long, rack - we're Arkansans!

[rackensack]

Originally Posted by Sam I Am

Arkansawyers? ARKANSAWYERS? You've been gone WAY long, rack - we're Arkansans!

"Arkansan" is much more commonly used, but I follow the lead of Arkansas writers John Gould Fletcher and Donald Harington in preferring "Arkansawyer". Harington, in the linked article above, defines a distinction (a useful one, I think), between "Arkansans" and "Arkansawyers".

It's an affectation on my part, to be sure, but an essentially harmless one.

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by rackensack

It's an affectation on my part, to be sure, but an essentially harmless one.

And I hope you know I'm just messing with you! Hey - call me anything you want, just call me for supper.....

[b_ville]

Nothing against Paragould, my son lived there for a year or so, but it is a sundown city.
Sundown Towns - Encyclopedia of Arkansas
You will see when you get there.

[JohnN]

I'm originally from Chicago, but lived in Atlanta for many years (Alpharetta). Now we live in Searcy, a big college town of 20,000 compared to Paragould LOL

Anyway, it's a lot different, and Arkansas in general does not stress academics, however both of my children excelled in high school and had top notch ACTs and college scholarships. If you've instilled the drive in your kids, they'll likely do fine, don't count on the schools alone. And there's not near as much to do in small towns. Get involved in a church is your best bet.

Good luck.

[Isk8ingcoach]

OP-- I don't know anything really about the Episcopal Church up there in Paragould, but we attend a very nice Anglican Church in Jonesboro. I won't mention its name here due to the advertising constraints, but feel free to message me and I will get back to you. We have parishoners who drive here from all over the place!

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by rackensack

"Arkansan" is much more commonly used, but I follow the lead of Arkansas writers John Gould Fletcher and Donald Harington in preferring "Arkansawyer". Harington, in the linked article above, defines a distinction (a useful one, I think), between "Arkansans" and "Arkansawyers".

It's an affectation on my part, to be sure, but an essentially harmless one.

Rack, excellent link! A very good read. Many thanks!

[zenagirl]

Hey beeboptheflop, hope all is well. Just wanted to share my thoughts a little with you and your family...I really hate to admit this , but I doo agree with RACKENSACK more then a 100 percent. as well as others who posted feed back in arkansas especially paragould.I hate to say it , but racism is just beyond here and its almost like your an outcast here ..I've experienced some horrible times here and have had several encounters about my family not being welcome here etc. Believe me we didnt really no what to say when these comments were made. We were just like stunned and most of all it hurt in several different ways if you can understand where we are coming from. Theres been other situations here as well especally when one isnt from here , there not as willing to help and give it their best shot and we wcant see why.Theres a lot of other things that were really out of line here as well, like a company our friend went to work for and shes from another state and her children are half caucasion and half black , well believe me her daughter was being called the n word and at the same time her mother was recieveing racial slurs and what have you at work. She carrys a position where they meaning employees have to answer to her and when she would approach them to ask how the progress was on what ever they were working on they would say that she doesnt belong there etc. Also among themselves say racial stuff so we can all imagine how she feels and felt at the time .. But what she did do is take it to her boss and told him of all the people who were present when that took place and he just informed them that they needed to write down on paper who made the racial comments and what have you and it would be all confidential ..These other employees wrote every single thing in detail and word for word what they saw and heard and her boss also asked her if she would like to see what statement were made cause she had asked if she can and when she read 2 or 3 she said she did not want to see anymore and she seen enough. Everyone feels bad for her and we all feel helpless, but each one of those individuals were fired.. But they will do the same elsewhere.What a lot people also see here is that a lot of these people then sit on a pew in church. Most hiprocrits do and that just breaks a lot of peoles hearts , especially the caring ones out here. Also there isnt much to do here like rackensack says, among other situations and trust us there has been many things seen to not want to raise children here and some other places as well. Heres another example they really talk down about mexicans , but they sit in their restaurants for lunch constantly ans what they dont even realize is that the mexicans are very hard workers and they work for very little , they do a good job. I do understand that everyone is against the factthat they dont have any taxes taken from them , but maybe that will change one day..

There are hardly no good paying jobs here and where there are you have to travel. A few of jobs are okay and lots of them are always laying off , cutting hours , so it makes it difficult to make a living and support you and your family especially if thats the trade your in and its always happening. The price of gas is high too , so it plays a roll in this too when different things start happening. The familys with children especially ...
In these days it takes a lot to support a family and even yourself. Fayetteville is really a nice place too. But there are many who have moved to paragould and most people we know didnt stay ... Also there arer many from paragoudl that moved elsewhere and never went back which is where we come back to rackensacks opinions which really matters a lot to many..Well our aunt moved due to some problems that we are so stunned to even talk about it , but anyhow, have a great day as well as everyone else out there.....

[zenagirl]

Hey , sorry for the miss spellings. Trying to type and also taking care of a friends children who want to jump on you etc. Also sorry for miss spelling beboptheflop.