Alma, GA? (how much, home, college)

[hppwdn]

I am considering a move from Hollywood, FL (Ft Lauderdale) to Alma for a new job. I'm just wondering how much of a culture shock it will be. I lived in Miami for the past year and Orlando for my whole life before that. It would be nice to find a town somewhat like Orlando, but a little smaller.

Any advice for what to expect in Alma or places nearby?

[back2GA]

I was born in South GA and I have family that lived in Alma GA for a while. I'd have to say it may be a bit of a culture shock for you! I visited Orlando recently and I loved it! Unfortunately Alma does not compare to Orlando. So if you loved Orlando, you may not like Alma. It's realy small. But you never really know until you experience it for yourself. Don't know if this helped or not.

[hayasa7]

EEEEK,
I moved to rural south GA about 6 years ago from LOS ANGELES! I am still astonished at the culture even today (I shoud have said lack of culture)! I have been a Pastor in the area for a while and though the people are lovable, they are largely uneducated and close minded. The closest thing to mall (and its pathetic) is 35 minutes away. I believe Alma (pronounced AL, like the name, MA, like your southern term of endearment for mom) has a McD's (in a gas station), a Pizza Hut, and a Dairy Queen for notable fast food. Several southern cooking joints and Ma and Pop types. Two groceries, a Fred's (lower class version of Kmart) and a hardware store or two. Nearest Walmart is 30 minutes.

Most folks will treat you like a criminal until they get to know you (years), then they will give you the shirt off their backs and call you wierd in the same motion. Outsiders are ALWAYS outsiders here, but hospitality usually abounds.

I don't imagine you or your family (if you have one) would make it through the electrocution like shock ALMA would provide.

Sorry to be so negative. I do genuinely love lots of the people here, just not sure its reciprocated.

[AshlynB]

Alma is a good choice and you will love it. You will be shocked at first but it will grow on you. People in South Georgia are not stupid just because they talk slow does not mean that they are mentally slow. The pastor is being very rude and I am sure that many people took him in and loved him. Like he said people in GA will give you the shirt off there backs. Southern people are the best kind of people. They dont put on a pretty face and what you see is usually what you get. Small towns are great but everyone knows your business and they are nosey. That is just how things work here. There many good things about Alma there are no traffic jams, no long lines, and no rush. You can get up 30 min. before work and still be on time. It is going to be a shock for you but give it a chance, it may grow on you.

[hppwdn]

I visited Alma last weekend and it wasn't all that bad. Not the 24 hour a day lifestyle I have grown accustomed to down here, but not as removed from society as I expected.

And a plus to Alma is it's just about the same distance from my home town (Orlando) as living in South Miami was.

I took the job so I'll be moving up there sometime mid-late july.

[Sassy_Eleanor]

Originally Posted by hayasa7

EEEEK,
I moved to rural south GA about 6 years ago from LOS ANGELES! I am still astonished at the culture even today (I shoud have said lack of culture)! I have been a Pastor in the area for a while and though the people are lovable, they are largely uneducated and close minded. The closest thing to mall (and its pathetic) is 35 minutes away. I believe Alma (pronounced AL, like the name, MA, like your southern term of endearment for mom) has a McD's (in a gas station), a Pizza Hut, and a Dairy Queen for notable fast food. Several southern cooking joints and Ma and Pop types. Two groceries, a Fred's (lower class version of Kmart) and a hardware store or two. Nearest Walmart is 30 minutes.

Most folks will treat you like a criminal until they get to know you (years), then they will give you the shirt off their backs and call you wierd in the same motion. Outsiders are ALWAYS outsiders here, but hospitality usually abounds.

I don't imagine you or your family (if you have one) would make it through the electrocution like shock ALMA would provide.

Sorry to be so negative. I do genuinely love lots of the people here, just not sure its reciprocated.

I don't know who you are, but you're a sad excuse for a pastor if you think that about us. I live in Alma and although we may know we aren't the best educated and wealthiest people around, we have a lot more than your sad self. People who ain't from Alma are outsiders, and we don't want them here. That's why we look at you differently.

All ya'll "outsiders" do is come here and say "back in ___ we did it this way".....and try to tell us how to run our town. If you liked it so much wherever you are from, then why don't you go back there?

[NeedANewBeginning07]

Originally Posted by hayasa7

EEEEK,
I moved to rural south GA about 6 years ago from LOS ANGELES! I am still astonished at the culture even today (I shoud have said lack of culture)! I have been a Pastor in the area for a while and though the people are lovable, they are largely uneducated and close minded. The closest thing to mall (and its pathetic) is 35 minutes away. I believe Alma (pronounced AL, like the name, MA, like your southern term of endearment for mom) has a McD's (in a gas station), a Pizza Hut, and a Dairy Queen for notable fast food. Several southern cooking joints and Ma and Pop types. Two groceries, a Fred's (lower class version of Kmart) and a hardware store or two. Nearest Walmart is 30 minutes.

Most folks will treat you like a criminal until they get to know you (years), then they will give you the shirt off their backs and call you wierd in the same motion. Outsiders are ALWAYS outsiders here, but hospitality usually abounds.

I don't imagine you or your family (if you have one) would make it through the electrocution like shock ALMA would provide.

Sorry to be so negative. I do genuinely love lots of the people here, just not sure its reciprocated.

I wonder if there are any Alma residents who are members here in the city-data forum...or better yet, members of your congregation!! That's a low blow* Dude, what did you really expect to see in Alma vs LA?!?! By comparison, I will admit, Alma, Ga is diversity/culturally challenged..If you're going to BASH where you currently reside and call your 'flock' uneducated, why don't you Enlighten them...use God's talents that he gave you and 'educate' them, but not as mentioned before Bash them!!

[celewis6780]

You are "astonished"? Wow, what a word to describe how you feel. If rural So. GA. is astonishing to you, then maybe you didn't see enough of LA while you were there. Talk about uneducated and poverty stricken....

[irishvanguard]

Originally Posted by celewis6780

You are "astonished"? Wow, what a word to describe how you feel. If rural So. GA. is astonishing to you, then maybe you didn't see enough of LA while you were there. Talk about uneducated and poverty stricken....

Ha! Much of LA is like a 3rd world country.....and you want to call rural Georgia uneducated and closed-minded? If you are actually a pastor, your eyes are so full of worldly material that you are spiritually blind.

So if California is full of truly "open-minded" people, they can certainly accept the manner in which rural Georgians choose to live, right....?

[seinsc]

I am from South Ga. and I resent the fact that you claim the people are "they are largely uneducated and close minded".
I have found over the years, that people with some common sense is much easier to be around than some college professors, and to boot, you say your a preacher, my bible tells me "to judge not"