Living in Oconee County

[elvislives]

It takes time to asimilate not matter where you are just be patient.

[ckeegan]

Originally Posted by wowdecia

This is my first post here. I'm looking forward to skimming through the topics of various states, since my husband and I are not fully agreed where to live someday.

Anyways, I just would like to tell my experience as someone from Michigan living in South Carolina. It hasn't all been good.

The sceneries are perfect for my photography. The hiking is like non-other and the mild winters can be a plus if snow grows old on you fast.

Employment: Don't count on it if you don't work in a factory like Square D, Duke Power or own your own construction company where you can horde 99% of the money for yourself. In 2005, we experienced both of us spending our turns, 5 months each (a total of 7 months) unemployed. It wasn't our fault, we just weren't needed or the company was discovered as a scam. Sure, you can find a job at the local restaurant maybe or perhaps McDonald's or Home Depot, FOR MINIMUM WAGE.

Social: If you're not from around here, if you act anything different from the locals, you're going to be picked on, ridiculed and made to look to be the stupid one. Each person I work with is a local and they don't get anything I say. Plus, the locals like to refer me as a Yankee. I wouldn't be offended if it didn't sound so racist. The truth is, if you do your research (as simple as dictionary.com) you'll learn that every US Citizen is a Yankee.

Gas may be a bit cheaper, but that doesn't mean everything is within a 15 minute drive. So expect to drive further just to the nearest pizza place.

Houses may be cheaper, but expect every seriously wrong problem to be painted over (it was probably an over priced rental anyway) and no insulation in the walls or ceilings.

And southern hospitality, some have it, some don't. Some are just nice to make themselves look good, but don't get me wrong, there's a few that come by it completely honestly.

I found this site by googling 'south carolina rednecks' and the first link was to a closed topic. Someone got offended that someone else spoke the truth, that South Carolina is full of trailer trash. Yes people could clean up their yards, it'd make them feel better. Just because you're poor doesn't mean you shouldn't keep your house and yard clean. I'm poor, no doubt about that right now but my house is clean!

Yes, there's ghetto no matter where you go. People are proud of Detroit and I think it's scary. It's full of homeless people and druggies. But there still more to Michigan than South Carolina. South Carolina is trying, but it's not meeting my standards anyway.

Well, if some of you are offended, I can understand, but please, if someone could just understand where I'm coming from. It's hard to believe, but yes, the south is a hard place for someone from the north to live. The Civil War ended YEARS ago, lets just put it to rest already.

Thanks,

Employment: You know you don't have to work in Oconee County, right? You could look for jobs elsewhere around the Upstate. Do you know how many people I know who work in Asheville, but live in Greenville?

Social: You know you live in their area right? They're the locals. Until they get to know you, of course you'll be an outsider. It's no different in Michigan. As for "Yankee", and it's definition, I love that line. It's sort of like when people say, "you know American means that you're from North or South America right?" Anyway.

As for gas, quality of construction, etc. First of all, did you not look into the location of grocery stores, pizza places, or anything else prior to signing your lease? In terms of house prices versus quality, you're renting. Pulte builds the same homes in Michigan that they used to build in the Upstate, except at a higher cost. I can see variance in different building codes, etc, but it still doesn't justify how much more the same home costs in Michigan. Not to mention the fact that over the past 5 years, homes have appreciated at a much better rate in South Carolina, than they have in Michigan whether you compare 1 year, 5 years, or 20 years.

Originally Posted by lilbear

And you're right! I have family that live there and I'd definitely not EVER live there. You can know that just by visiting lol. Its beyond redneck, they're Yoopers!

I'm very misunderstood here. Its like I'm speaking another language and no matter how hard I try, I'm not understood. No one has ever said, "Hey, sorry you've met some bad experiences here, I hope it gets better and here, let it start with me with a smile." Or something nice. Ya know?

I say something to a local that's say lived here all their life and they give me a confused look and vice versa. People call me a Yankee (and no, I don't like being called a Yankee.) And never welcome me, instead, try to force me to be like them and not accept that where I'm from is a different culture. No one can see that and I guess its hard to if you've never experienced other areas before.

But this IS a very hard area to live in. Economy is bad in MI right now too, so its not any easier there now than it is here really. I'd move to Greenville if I could but I can't right now. It'd just be easier to make the best out of Oconee if people would just welcome me for a change and welcome my diffrences from them. I accept they are different than me but don't force me to be like YOU, ya know what I mean? Does that make sense?

In MI there's a lot of people from other countries that move there. And their ways of speaking and doing things are SO much different than we're used to. Personally, I always embraced it because different can be good! They'd feel like they have to change their ways to be like an American person but we always said, "no no! We like your accent and your differences." I always found it to be so exciting. But no one here finds my ways exciting. I'm always told,
"You'll have to do things OUR way if you're gonna live here."

Sometimes change is good, sometimes not. But there's a balance to be found.

That's what I believe.

First of all, I agree with a lot of your post, but only take that comment on a limited basis. Honestly, it doesn't surprise me that you get that reaction from locals. I think that you get the respect from people when you respect them. I have helped folks move to the Upstate from all over the US, and from different parts of the world. It is much easier to get respect from the locals when you respect their way of life. After all, you moved to their area. It's no different in Michigan, I lived there for 5 years, and 90% of my family still lives there.

I have lived in 6 states throughout my life, and the last thing that you want to project is this "my last area was better" mentality. I'm not saying you think Michigan is better, but based on your initial post, you sure didn't research your move, nor have you given Oconee County a chance. You have to be open to your new way of life, since you made the decision to move. If you're not open to it, then yes, you should move somewhere else that makes you happy.

You could triple my earnings, and I still wouldn't leave SC to go back to MI. So yes, I guess I'm saying "you could not pay me to move from South Carolina to Michigan."

[lilbear]

Homes in SC cost a lot less than in MI but the quality of homes are better in MI for the most part. Although, (and even locals agree with me) homes in say Seneca cost more than Easley or Greenville. And with gas prices as high as they keep going, how is anyone supposed to afford going a long distance to work?

And where'd you get the idea I signed a lease???

I don't disrespect people here, I work in a Customer Service basis everyday and people appreciate me so I appear to be kind enough.

Anyways, its just that I can't express how I've been unwelcomed more than welcomed. Even by people who knew my husband all his life. Why I was talked about badly behind my back and even to my face, donno. So I shrug my shoulders and say, "carry on." I guess.

[fisher33]

ok maybe this should be moved to the relationships thread now...

[ckeegan]

Originally Posted by lilbear

And where'd you get the idea I signed a lease???

Thought you said something about an overpriced rental before.

[OconeeMountains]

I think we have established that most folks find Oconee County a great place to live. Once again, like all areas, it will only be a fitting area if you are looking for the attributes it offers: Relaxed pace of life, Natural beauty, Lots of nature based activities to keep families occupied (hiking, boating, waterfall adventures etc.), Good Schools, Welcoming communities, Modern conveniences, Close to (45 min.) major metro area etc.

It sounds like the original poster had a tough go of it with a limited number of folks that she felt were not respectful. This is unfortunate, but is not the experience of most folks who visit or relocate to Oconee County. The people, in fact, actually drive 'relocaters' to the area because they are generally very family oriented and welcoming. I hope your (original poster) experience in the future is much better!

[lilbear]

I hope it gets better for me too (again I'm wowdecia, the original poster) cuz I'm stuck here a while and it'd be nice to have GOOD experiences for a change.