Northerners fitting in

[Prickly Pear]

Originally Posted by aroundtheglobe

New York City suburbs of Long Island.

Any urbanized area of Georgia you’ll be perfectly fine in.

Originally Posted by StuartM1

The country is homogenized. Every region now has the same Olive Garden, Lowes/HD, Target, Home Goods sprawl.

You can go all day in the suburbs of Dallas and not hear a hint of an accent.

Years ago, we went to the Charlotte NC history museum and they recorded the fact that Grits were not available in any diner or restaurant within the city limits at one time. And that was pre 2000. Might've changed since then.

Just pick your city by preferred regional weather and airport, and you'll find your political tribe soon enough. Based on your description you might check out south east atlanta.

Honestly this. I’d argue the really only culture shock is going from urban to suburban to rural. Like if you lived in one of the boroughs of NY and then moved to Westchester would probably be more of a shock than suburbs of LA to Atlanta suburbs. Or from living in the suburbs of Chicago and then moving to rural Iowa would be more of a shock than NY burbs to Atlanta burbs.

I moved from Phoenix which is like 98% suburban to a suburban area of Atlanta and nothing about my life has changed in any significant impact. Some changes in colloquialisms since Southerners do have their phrases but that’s not anything negative or of large impact. Now if I sold my car and wanted to live car free in Midtown that would’ve been different. Or if I moved to Americus.

I wish Atlanta summers were cooler and winters a bit warmer, and I wish Atlanta had more dense SFH inner ring suburbs like you see in the Mid-Atlantic cities (Bmore, Philly, DC, Richmond) but I think Atlanta is probably my best compromise of big metro + weather I’m gonna find and I am content here. I can go anywhere, get food from anywhere, find people or jobs doing anything and housing here is still not some kind of millionaire pipe dream.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by aroundtheglobe

Thank you. I kinda figured it was getting more blended there with people from all over.
I prefer to stay in the Dunwoody-Alpharetta area. I thought Forsyth was gun country? Lol
I was looking online at homes in Cumming and they have some lovely properties.

Be perfect for you there. I’m in Marietta from California. Never been asked about church once in the 7 years I’ve been here. Made a ton of friends of all races. If you are in the metro area many stereotypes just don’t exist anymore. Most people don’t talk about guns so there is no obsession about it imho, but plenty of gun owners here, I’m one of them.
I think you will only have problems if you make them yourself like trying to change people, but that’s anywhere you go.

[ShenardL]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

Any urbanized area of Georgia you’ll be perfectly fine in.



Honestly this. I’d argue the really only culture shock is going from urban to suburban to rural. Like if you lived in one of the boroughs of NY and then moved to Westchester would probably be more of a shock than suburbs of LA to Atlanta suburbs. Or from living in the suburbs of Chicago and then moving to rural Iowa would be more of a shock than NY burbs to Atlanta burbs.

I moved from Phoenix which is like 98% suburban to a suburban area of Atlanta and nothing about my life has changed in any significant impact. Some changes in colloquialisms since Southerners do have their phrases but that’s not anything negative or of large impact. Now if I sold my car and wanted to live car free in Midtown that would’ve been different. Or if I moved to Americus.

I wish Atlanta summers were cooler and winters a bit warmer, and I wish Atlanta had more dense SFH inner ring suburbs like you see in the Mid-Atlantic cities (Bmore, Philly, DC, Richmond) but I think Atlanta is probably my best compromise of big metro + weather I’m gonna find and I am content here. I can go anywhere, get food from anywhere, find people or jobs doing anything and housing here is still not some kind of millionaire pipe dream.

This week will be the first time we hit the 90s. Next week will be back in the 80s. My friend from Fort Worth recently visited and said this weather is very mild compared to back home.

[Jstarling]

We are empty nesters from the Boston suburbs who moved here to the Alpharetta almost fifteen years ago.
My husband was transferred here and we thought to stay only until he retired seven years ago. But we love it and made it home. We have made many friends who come from all over, many moved here to be closer to their grown children and their families. Homes are so much more affordable than the northeast, healthcare and restaurants are great and there is no snow!

[cparker73]

I think just about every metro area in the country has developed into a monoculture with similar values, pace of life and politics. They all have the same big box stores, swim/tennis communities, and corporate office outposts. The urban-suburban divide used to be more noticeable, but that's given way to the (sub)urban-rural divide that is leaving rural areas behind on the demographic and economic changes happening in the country.

Atlanta has been home to transplants from New York since before the Civil War since it's always been a major trading center, which attracts people from around the country and world. Instead of the railroad being the driver of trade, we've now got the world's busiest airport and three interstates pumping people and goods into and out of the metro.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Prickly Pear

I wish Atlanta summers were cooler and winters a bit warmer

Originally Posted by ShenardL

This week will be the first time we hit the 90s. Next week will be back in the 80s. My friend from Fort Worth recently visited and said this weather is very mild compared to back home.

I obviously can’t speak for Prickly Pear, but for someone like Prickly Pear who has lived much of their life in a very dry desert climate, I would guess that the adjustment from the extremely dry desert heat of Phoenix (which as of this writing currently has a humidity level of only 11 percent and a dew point of only 38 degrees despite having a current temperature of about 102 degrees) and the Southwestern U.S. to the significantly wetter heat of Atlanta (which generally experiences dew points in the 60’s and 70’s during the summer) and the Southeastern U.S. might could be the issue with Atlanta’s summer warmth despite Atlanta generally featuring significantly lower summer air temperatures than Phoenix.

The sometimes extreme wetness of the summer heat throughout much of the Eastern U.S. can sometimes take some noticeable adjusting to for people moving from a much dryer climate in the Western U.S.

[beach43ofus]

In Forsyth County, I suggest you stay South of state rd 20. That part is more like Alpharetta.

Some will be turned off by a New York accent, and cussing, even in Southern Forsyth County. Southern gentility still exists there at the higher end ($750k+ homes).

South of Holcomb Bridge Road, the population is such a mashup, nobody will notice, or care.

I used to hang out at a private establishment that mostly affluent men hung out at, along state road 20 in Cumming, & if you let a F bomb fly, you were asked to put $1 in a big fishbowl. Each Christmas, the proceeds were donated to our troops overseas in the way of care packages filled with goodies. There'd be ~$250 in the fishbowl each year.

If you used a racial slur, or started pushing political views onto others, you were asked to leave, and not return. Nobody talked religion, but politics were discussed....carefully.

About 10% carried guns on their person or in their cars, & nearly everyone had guns at home, & many were regulars at gun ranges. Gun talk, & show and tell with guns would occur occasionally...amongst known customers...not in front of strangers. I'd feel very sorry for anyone trying to rob that establishment during business hours.