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Whoops, I put this in the general forum, I want info from Greenville locals
A couple questions, but first the scoop:
I have been feverishly researching North Carolina for relocation from Southern California. I am a high school teacher and can't handle the cost of living with my salary. I have been reading a lot of great things about Asheville, NC and have been researching in that area. The Greenville area was recommended to me and now a new can of worms has been opened because I had not even considered South Carolina. Greenville pays a stronger salary than Ashville and home costs seem to be much more reasonable. Any previous California teachers now in SC- Greenville? I am in the Ventura area so teaching is fine, not dealing with Los Angeles teaching chaos.
Question 1: Why is North Carolina getting all the attention? There are 99 thousand posts for NC as opposed to South Carolina getting only 12 thousand. Can anyone tell me why the great difference in attention? One small tidbit of info about South Carolina that I remember hearing about was that the bars served drinks in the tiny airplane bottles.
My wife and I are planning on traveling out and visiting the Asheville/Greenville region in October. I know that the weather should be fairly pleasant, but my wife is very concerned about the humidity. I am used to maybe a week of 90 degree heat, but am not familiar to humidity. I do know that I would take the humidity of a New York winter, but how bad is it in Greenville? I want seasons...not too much season...definitely not North East winter...Californians come running back after one North East Winter.
So any former Californians, could you please give an honest response about the area? I want the good, the bad, and the ugly. I need California references such as, “that city is similar to Fresno, or that city is similar to San Diego. I know that the climate I live in is amazing, but it is very expensive. I would like an acre with privacy; to actually have travel money left over at the end of the year, a deck and kindness...which in SC seems to be in abundance. My fear is that I will be the one who is not kind enough. I read one post with someone commenting that everyone waives when you drive by. To a native Californian, that is unheard of. OK, I will stop rambling, but I am excited about the possibility that SC will create and fairly freaked out to move my family out.
Thank you to all that reply.
I travel to CA quite a bit, so I am familiar with the weather. Southern Cal has beautiful weather all year round, I love it. The south eastern states are completely different. NC and SC are extemely hot and humid in the summer, and can be quite cold in the winter. The winter is a mixture - sometimes warm, sometimes cold, but always sunny.
Asheville is definitley more expensive, and for someone from CA, it's a long way from the coast. Very nice though. I think NC became popular because it's closer to the NE, it has a lot of mountain property, and obviously is bigger than SC. Population is double. Also NC has several large cities, i.e. Charlotte and Raleigh/Durham. SC has only small to mid size cities.
As far as a teacher - Greenville, Columbia or Summerville would be good choices. Greenville is closer to the mountains, Summerville is closer to the ocean, and Columbia is in between. All have very good school districts. Greenville has hiking/mountains, Columbia has a big lake on the doorstep, the Univ of SC, state capital, very affordable housing, Summerville is very pretty, with a lot of big oak trees, and a short drive to historic Charleston, and the beaches. All are hot and humid though, make no mistake. The winter is when you see the most difference in temps. It can be 50 deg in Charleston, 40 in Columbia, and 30 in Greenville, on any given day. It will snow once or twice a year in Greenville, a dusting in Columbia, but it won't snow in Charleston.
There is a lot of shopping in Greenville and Columbia. Summerville is still more of a small town bedroom community, with not as much shopping.
A good place for someone on a teacher's salary would be Lexington, a small charming town on the edge of Columbia. Excellent schools, great shopping, very affordable new housing, and right beside a big beautiful lake.
Good luck though.
Question 1: Why is North Carolina getting all the attention? There are 99 thousand posts for NC as opposed to South Carolina getting only 12 thousand. Can anyone tell me why the great difference in attention? One small tidbit of info about South Carolina that I remember hearing about was that the bars served drinks in the tiny airplane bottles.
My wife and I are planning on traveling out and visiting the Asheville/Greenville region in October. I know that the weather should be fairly pleasant, but my wife is very concerned about the humidity. I am used to maybe a week of 90 degree heat, but am not familiar to humidity. I do know that I would take the humidity of a New York winter, but how bad is it in Greenville? I want seasons...not too much season...definitely not North East winter...Californians come running back after one North East Winter.
I'm not a former Californian; however, I am a former Floridian that made the move from Orlando to Greenville.
There are likely more posts for NC cities than SC cities because there are more cities in NC and most of them are much larger than the ones in SC (Asheville, Charlotte, Statesboro, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, Greenville (NC), etc.).
Asheville is nestled right in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it's a beautiful city. Socially, it has a tendancy to be rather liberal (which I like, personally) and artsy. The cost of living in Asheville is higher than in Greenville, though. My wife and I moved to a city just about seven miles north of Greenville called Travelers Rest, which is very convenient to Downtown Greenville and is also not far from Hendersonville and Asheville if we want to take a day trip up into the mountains.
As far as the climate here, I'm not really sure what you'd compare Greenville to in California....it is very mild though. The summers may provide you with a few days or even a week of 90's here and there, but it's nothing oppressive (again, I'm comparing to Florida). We have seasonal change, but nothing overly drastic. We do have beautiful autumn foliage and awesome spring blossoms/blooms. And it is very GREEN in the Spring/Summer, so it puts the GREEN in Greenville. The winters are fairly short. Heck, it was in the 70's right before Christmas this past year. Daffodils were popping out of the ground in January. Then we got a late freeze in April. Granted, this was an odd year weather-wise. We rarely get more than a few inches of snow and when it does snow, it's usually gone within a day...maybe two at most. We do seem to have yearly ice storms which knock down utility lines and leave people in the dark and without communication to the outside world (other than cell phones) for several hours or even days (depending on where you live and how thick the ice buildup was). The humidity is very low as compared to where I came from in Florida...and it took some getting used to. There are some mornings here where I can step out of the shower and practically be dry before I grab a towel. In Florida, I felt as though I were sweating nearly all the time, especially in Summer.
There are a few other threads here which discuss Greenville that may interest you, too, so be sure to check them out.
Whoops, I put this in the general forum, I want info from Greenville locals
A couple questions, but first the scoop:
Question 1: Why is North Carolina getting all the attention? There are 99 thousand posts for NC as opposed to South Carolina getting only 12 thousand. Can anyone tell me why the great difference in attention? One small tidbit of info about South Carolina that I remember hearing about was that the bars served drinks in the tiny airplane bottles.
If you like San Fran's hippie scene - you'll like Asheville. Asheville has been getting a lot of attention from rankings of best places to live. Hence - the massive migration there and skyrocketing housing prices. I lived up there for 4 years before moving down to Travelers Rest last year. Both are nice - Greenville has cheaper housing, and more jobs. I don't think it will be long before Greenville will start hitting the tops of those best places too.
PS - they stopped selling drinks in the airline bottles a few years back. They even recently lifted the ABV restriction on beer - so you can find all the specialty brews in SC.
PS - they stopped selling drinks in the airline bottles a few years back. They even recently lifted the ABV restriction on beer - so you can find all the specialty brews in SC.
Yea - SC is a free pour state now, so the drinks are a little weaker. I knew there was something I was forgetting to say.
I'm actually living where Rested Traveler used to be - Orlando. (BTW, RT - love the screen name!) My experience with SC:
Anywhere in SC is going to be more humid than CA. (I lived a year - teacher - in Fresno) But will certainly be less humid than FL. I can relate to RT's statement....feels like you're sweating all the time in FL. A couple of years ago, over the Christmas holidays I vacationed in the Greenville area (Simpsonville to be exact). It was right at January 1, I wore a light-weight jacket one morning, the rest of the time was in a long-sleeved shirt or a t-shirt. VERY pleasant! The surrounding area is gorgeous - check out Ceasar's Head & Table Rock state parks. Hwy. 11 is a really nice drive - the vista is beautiful.
Oh, and there's a road that comes out of Easley/Pickens that comes to a T at hwy 11. At that intersection is an old hotel - resturant has great food - and there's a guy on the corner who sells really good (and cheap) boiled peanuts! Haha!
SC life is very different than CA - but for the times I've visited, it was a welcome change!
WE TOO ARE FROM FLORIDA AND CAN'T WAIT TO BE RID OF THE HUMIDITY. WE BOUGHT SOME LAND IN T.R. LAST YEAR AND HOPE TO START BUILDING A HOUSE THERE SOMETIME WITHIN THE YEAR. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN T.R. ? DO YOU LIKE IT? PRO'S/CON'S?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RestedTraveler
I'm not a former Californian; however, I am a former Floridian that made the move from Orlando to Greenville.
There are likely more posts for NC cities than SC cities because there are more cities in NC and most of them are much larger than the ones in SC (Asheville, Charlotte, Statesboro, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, Greenville (NC), etc.).
Asheville is nestled right in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it's a beautiful city. Socially, it has a tendancy to be rather liberal (which I like, personally) and artsy. The cost of living in Asheville is higher than in Greenville, though. My wife and I moved to a city just about seven miles north of Greenville called Travelers Rest, which is very convenient to Downtown Greenville and is also not far from Hendersonville and Asheville if we want to take a day trip up into the mountains.
As far as the climate here, I'm not really sure what you'd compare Greenville to in California....it is very mild though. The summers may provide you with a few days or even a week of 90's here and there, but it's nothing oppressive (again, I'm comparing to Florida). We have seasonal change, but nothing overly drastic. We do have beautiful autumn foliage and awesome spring blossoms/blooms. And it is very GREEN in the Spring/Summer, so it puts the GREEN in Greenville. The winters are fairly short. Heck, it was in the 70's right before Christmas this past year. Daffodils were popping out of the ground in January. Then we got a late freeze in April. Granted, this was an odd year weather-wise. We rarely get more than a few inches of snow and when it does snow, it's usually gone within a day...maybe two at most. We do seem to have yearly ice storms which knock down utility lines and leave people in the dark and without communication to the outside world (other than cell phones) for several hours or even days (depending on where you live and how thick the ice buildup was). The humidity is very low as compared to where I came from in Florida...and it took some getting used to. There are some mornings here where I can step out of the shower and practically be dry before I grab a towel. In Florida, I felt as though I were sweating nearly all the time, especially in Summer.
There are a few other threads here which discuss Greenville that may interest you, too, so be sure to check them out.
Economically Greenville is like Florance-Graham,or El Centro according to city data, in other ways it is more in line with the Northern California towns . Greenville is Highly Conservative in every way! You will be "witnessed" to at the drop of a hat and actually asked by complete strangers if "Jesus is your personal savior?" Look up Bob Jones University for a better understanding of the education.
The Cost of living is cheaper, but "you get what you pay for".
The Down town is adorable...It is as cute as can be... There I said it. There is a large park in the center of town that is really nice,but don't get in the water it has Heavy metal left over from the mill days.Est at 20 years to disapate. There are signs posted,but no one reads!!!! Not sure if it's an education problem or just dumb!
The homes are inexpensive. The travel time to the Mountians is only about 30 min.
You can be in the country in about 15 min. from downtown, and there are several small towns around also. Clemson University is about a 45 min drive south,and 2 Major metro areas are a 2 hour drive away. All and all. ... Come vist and see if you like it!
Question 1: Why is North Carolina getting all the attention? There are 99 thousand posts for NC as opposed to South Carolina getting only 12 thousand. Can anyone tell me why the great difference in attention? One small tidbit of info about South Carolina that I remember hearing about was that the bars served drinks in the tiny airplane bottles.
For one reason or another, different groups of people feel more "accepted" and comfortable in different states. Northeasterners prefer NC because the climate still allows a more full 4 seasons, and it isn't nearly as humid as other parts of the South. A lot of Northeasterners like the beaches of the Carolinas, the larger cities of Georgia, and the mid-sized towns of Alabama. Californians are well accepted pretty much everywhere in the South, and will feel much more welcomed than any Northerner (better attitude perhaps?). People from the Upper North (Michigan, Ohio, Illinois) prefer Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia, and people from the Midwest (Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.) prefer Georgia. Generally speaking of course. Also, NC is a much larger state with more metro areas than SC, so its no surprise that there is such an indifference, not to mention the fact that it attracts the torrent of people from NJ and NY more so than the rest of the South.
You should do just fine in Greenville, and I encourage you to move to the area. Plenty of the sprawling suburbs would love to have new teachers coming in.
Question 1: Why is North Carolina getting all the attention? There are 99 thousand posts for NC as opposed to South Carolina getting only 12 thousand.
Hi Ventura. I'm a former Californian who moved to Asheville in 1994, then moved to Virginia (near Washington DC) in 2000. This year we moved to a small mountain town in Georgia that's relatively near Greenville. I lived in the LA area (Redondo Beach) for more than 20 years.
Asheville is a very nice town, but a little too artsy and expensive for my tastes. I would prefer living in Greenville and visiting Asheville. Asheville would be like Santa Monica/Venice... and Greenville would be more like Redondo Beach. Asheville and Santa Monica both get more attention because they have more tourist attractions and are fun to visit. They tend to attract a younger, more liberal population. You will find more artists, more single people and more gay people in Asheville.
But, for my personal preference, quality of life is better in Greenville. The cost of living is better there, too. Once you get to know your neighbors, they stay put (in Asheville everyone always seems to be moving in or moving out). If I was making the choice, I would try living in Greenville first. If you decide you'd really rather be in Asheville you can easily move up there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ventura
my wife is very concerned about the humidity. I am used to maybe a week of 90 degree heat, but am not familiar to humidity. I do know that I would take the humidity of a New York winter, but how bad is it in Greenville? I want seasons...not too much season...definitely not North East winter...Californians come running back after one North East Winter.
You will definitely experience the four seasons in both towns. I think Asheville is a little more humid than Greenville because it is surrounded by mountains (which means the morning fog collects in the valleys). There is a reason they call 'em the Smoky Mountains! But, both towns will probably seem very humid to you. If this is a problem, you might want to make an extended visit and see what you think. Personally, I was miserable my first summer and then my body adjusted to it.
You will also find mosquitoes and poison ivy in both towns. That's just part of living in the southeast. If you have problems with allergies, you might have problems in the southeast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ventura
My fear is that I will be the one who is not kind enough. I read one post with someone commenting that everyone waives when you drive by. To a native Californian, that is unheard of.
Yes, everyone waves. That's true throughout the southeast. Greenville has some of the most considerate, kind-hearted, and polite people I've ever met. Personally, I find that refreshing... but if you are more comfortable with "attitude" you will find more New York transplants (and other people like that) in Asheville.
But be aware that both cities, as well as the Appalachian region as a whole, have plenty of residents with what some people call "Southern" manners. Actually, I don't think it's particularly southern, just people who have good manners. But that's me. No matter which city you choose, leave the snarky attitude behind--it won't go over well. The same goes for really foul language. Don't give people a lot of lip, this is not the Bronx! If you have the habit of talking very quickly, people will think you are uneccesarily frantic. You will get a better response from people if you slow it down and try to mellow out a little.
Be prepared--when you visit either city you will meet a lot of people who will invite you to their church. That is just considered good manners, they are not trying to push their religion on you. Well, some probably are but generally you can politely decline and it's no big deal.
I would contact local teachers to get a feel for what it's like to teach there. I have a feeling your student population will be very different from the one in Ventura.
Last edited by normie; 04-03-2008 at 07:07 AM..
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I knew there was something I was forgetting to say.
Soon to be T.R. neighbor
