Thinking of moving to Huntsville - What is it like - Really (Madison: daycare, university)

[MemphisMonkeyMane]

If you think Huntspatch is bad (which I don't at all)

you ought to try Memphis for racism, bad schools, an d bad

political environment.

I would consider living there in a minute !

Smart people
Diverse
Decent climate
Sense of civic PRIDE for sure
Not huge

Did I say smart people ??

[Charles]

Originally Posted by MemphisMonkeyMane

If you think Huntspatch is bad

This is the fourth time in two weeks I've heard Huntsville referred to Huntspatch....where the heck did this term come from?

[ladyhawk64]

Originally Posted by cglover

Other than the airport issues no complaint from this transplant--great place!

I have to agree with cglover. We just moved here a couple of months ago from Texas. We all definitely enjoy the area. Any place you live is what you make of it. I keep telling my 15-year-old if you want negative, you will find negative; if you want positive things, then that is also what you will find. It is what you want to see.

[Southlander]

Originally Posted by Charles

This is the fourth time in two weeks I've heard Huntsville referred to Huntspatch....where the heck did this term come from?

Cuz it used to be in the middle of cotton patches (if you consider a 200-acre field a "patch"). You'll also hear "Huntsvegas."
Just a nickname.

[MemphisMonkeyMane]

Originally Posted by ladyhawk64

I have to agree with cglover. We just moved here a couple of months ago from Texas. We all definitely enjoy the area. Any place you live is what you make of it. I keep telling my 15-year-old if you want negative, you will find negative; if you want positive things, then that is also what you will find. It is what you want to see.

Perhaps so, perhaps no- sometimes places do, in fact, suck..Huntspatch


is not perfect for sure, but your daughter could have it worse...like maybe

Montgomery

[ionlife]

Having lived in the armpit of canada, northern manitoba, north of the 55th parallel, I can assure that Huntsvegas is BY FAR a much much nicer area to live and it is super accessible to bigger cities. Where I grew up you had to drive 8 hours to get to anywhere near decent--and Winterpeg aint all that!

I can understand your daughter, ladyhawk64, missing her friends (teen girls oh aren't they grand--love em!), but she will make new ones soon--everyone in this area seems so friendly and there are a lot of transplants here.

And, even though my daughter's summer vacation was cut in half b this move, I am happy that she starts school on August 6. She needs her "people" (and so do I!)--we commented the other day that though we love each other and truly have a wonderful relationship, we're ready for her to have her peers around again.

Good Luck to you!

[natlav]

cglover - i'm originally from Montreal. my husband is interviewing for a job in huntsville - i also work in the tech field. Can you tell me how huntsville compares to montreal. we will be visiting the area next week but i have aolt of reservations about moving to the south - we're in hartford now and i find that rural compared to montreal. would i be a fish out of water down there as an east coaster? everything i have seen seems to br from people from florida, texas or calif. - btw i have 3 young kids so if anyone can recommend any non religious affiliated daycares to check out that'd help - we/ve beentold that we basically want madison - any comments

thanks

[ladyhawk64]

Originally Posted by cglover

Having lived in the armpit of canada, northern manitoba, north of the 55th parallel, I can assure that Huntsvegas is BY FAR a much much nicer area to live and it is super accessible to bigger cities. Where I grew up you had to drive 8 hours to get to anywhere near decent--and Winterpeg aint all that!

I can understand your daughter, ladyhawk64, missing her friends (teen girls oh aren't they grand--love em!), but she will make new ones soon--everyone in this area seems so friendly and there are a lot of transplants here.

And, even though my daughter's summer vacation was cut in half b this move, I am happy that she starts school on August 6. She needs her "people" (and so do I!)--we commented the other day that though we love each other and truly have a wonderful relationship, we're ready for her to have her peers around again.

Good Luck to you!

My 15-year-old is a boy (LOL) but still has those horrible hormones. I think he is adjusting very well actually...but I too am very ready for school to start. Boys seem to have that relationship with their dad's and not mom's so much.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by natlav

btw i have 3 young kids so if anyone can recommend any non religious affiliated daycares to check out that'd help -



we/ve beentold that we basically want madison - any comments

thanks

Check out Montessori and Primrose on the south side of town. There may be the same in Madison.

The Montessori on the south side of town has a waiting list. I have heard good things about it. When I visited it I was surprised how spartan it looked. I don't recall seeing any playground equipment - not sure if that is true - perhaps someone else can chime in.

Yes, check out Madison, good schools, supposedly some upgraded infrastrucuture and amenities coming.

Also check out some of the Huntsville City Schools too.

If you have any other questions, post them. There are several newcomers to Huntsville on this forum (including me) who have done a lot of ground work already.

[ionlife]

I think Montreal is like a European city and very different from Huntsville. Huntsville is a small metro and Montreal is much larger with a real city center. Hville doesn't have that at all.

That being said, if you go to Hville with a positive attitude, you will find much to like about living here. And there are a lot of transplants in the area--many people from Europe, all over the USA and a fairly diverse community. Most people are very welcoming because we all have come from "somewhere else."

23 years ago I moved to Knoxville TN from Vancouver BC. Talk about a HUGE CHANGE! I had to show the people at a local italian restaurant how to use their cappuccino/expresso machine! ANd there were no cute urban type of places to haunt. But I grew to love the south. And since then it has changed tremendously.

I am a Dutch Immigrant, grew up in Canada and have lived for 23 years in the USA--I've returned to Canada many times to visit friends and family--particularly on the West Coast. I always love visiting, but I am happier in the south. I also return to Europe for visits many times as one of my best friends lives in The Netherlands. Love Europe, but only for temporary visits.

Bottom line: home is what one makes of it. Montreal is vastly different from Huntsville, but the South offers a wealth of interesting places to visit and, if you are open to the people and have a positive attitude, you will fit right in.

Ladyhawke--sorry about that switcheroo--I'm glad your son is adjusting well. LOL--and yeah--the boy/dad thing is strong at this age!

C