Are people friendly where you live? (Terre Haute, Seymour: public schools, living, restaurants)

[valpoguy]

I haven't found NWI or Chicagoland in general to be too friendly. I know they pride themselves on it, but I can only assume they must be comparing themselves to NYC and LA, because compared to most of middle America they don't seem to be too welcoming. (Others I've talked to who are new to the area have said the same thing.)

As a comparison, when I moved to the Austin area, all of my neighbors came out to greet me as I was moving in and within weeks were inviting me to parties, dinner, to go out for drinks, to meet their families, you name it.

I've lived here for a year and barely even know any of my neighbors. (I've had short exchanges with a couple of them as they pass me, but most don't even make eye contact.) They're not mean or anything, either, just "aloof" as an earlier poster described them. Another poster said you have to be here a few years to really "fit in", but I don't plan to stick around long enough to find out.

[domergurl]

I couldn't imagine being young and single in NWI unless I grew up there. That's why after graduating from IU, I hightailed it to Chicago and lived out my 20's there because I knew I would go nut in Indiana. After I got that out of my system, got married and started having kids, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else than Indiana since it's a great place for families and both our extended families are here.

I lived in Valpo, v-guy ... I know what you mean, we lived there for 2 years and I think I managed to make 1 good friend who I still keep in touch with. I still hold that it's the northern European aloof thing.

[valpoguy]

Originally Posted by domergurl

I couldn't imagine being young and single in NWI unless I grew up there.

It's rough, let me tell you. If I didn't hate commuting so much I would live in the city and reverse-commute to my job out here. Instead, I just go to the city (or even South Bend or SW Michigan, both of which have more young single people than Valpo) pretty much every weekend.

I lived in Valpo, v-guy ... I know what you mean, we lived there for 2 years and I think I managed to make 1 good friend who I still keep in touch with. I still hold that it's the northern European aloof thing.

I hope I'm only here about that long, too. It's been a year so far, and the thought of more than another year is pretty discouraging. I expected a college town in the Chicago metro to be much much different than this.

[domergurl]

VU is like a commuter school. When I taught there, I was amazed that nobody walked to classes ... it kind of lessens the college experience, IMHO. Plus, even there there is a greek system there, it's still a pretty conservative school.

Best of luck to you. I'd go to Chicago as much as possible!

[valpoguy]

Actually, it's the opposite of a commuter school. It's almost entirely residential. (Students have to live on campus their first three years.) Very traditional-age, though, so unless you're 18-22, that scene won't really do. There's basically the 18-22 year old scene, and the married-with-children-yuppie-churchgoing scene. I need something in between. If all the people you knew drove to class, were they either graduate courses or evening non-traditional courses of some kind? Freshmen can't even have cars there. Very residential.

Guess we're way off-topic here, but I thought it odd to hear VU described as a commuter school.

[domergurl]

When I was there, I hardly ever saw students walking to and from class. They went from parking lot to parking lot. Maybe it's changed ... hope so, because I never really got a good feel that VU was a typical residential University. Then again, I was there before that fabulous new library was built.

[valpoguy]

When you said you taught in the law school, that explains it. Obviously most of them are going to have cars and live off-campus, but they're a very small percentage of the students overall. The undergrads are mostly residential and always have been as far as I can tell.

[syntaxburn]

Ive lived in Monroe County all my life and have had extensive experience in the rural aspects of south-central indiana. There is what I call "country etiquette", where you dont wave at a passing truck, you just briefly raise your fingers from the wheel of your vehicle..its that sort of thing that pervades. Hoosier hospitality is witnessed when your truck breaks down on the side of the road, or if you knock on a strangers door to use their phone..people help you almost without question in those situations...but like domegirl said, folks arent giddy with pleasantries just for the sake of it. A poster added that some small towns are "clanish:, which is a pretty outrageous statement imo..yes, southern indiana has its southern-style culture with rebel flags fairly common on truck antenna's and such, but it is no different than any other homogenous society in the world in that they cling to some sort of singular identity which is palpable and real..outsiders generally feel crapped on because there are so few other cultures represented, not because they are not welcome, but because they dont have a history in the region..Like I said, if you know how to operate within the culture, you will not have any problems, but if you insist on turning everyone on to some outside ideal, then you will not be very welcomed..thats not to say you cannot practice your own life style, but just dont expect to garner friendships in the field of 16th century british literature if you arent willing to learn how to bait and hook a chicken liver when catfishing...a little give and take..if you show even a little interest in local customs or lifestyles (even just for curiosity), the folks will listen to what you have to say as well...

[twixcookie]

I think its much harder being single here, because everyone's married in Indiana. It is like a sport here.
I had one woman ask me how I could stand being single. I said, I can stand it as much as you can stand that guy youre married to.
I don't take the put downs about being single anymore. I just toss them right back at them.

[VillageLife]

Very interesting! I was reading all these and didn't realize that there are still many conservative areas,I am sure people are warm and friendly in their own way.
There are probably very few Asians living there. Any Chinese restaurants!
You ought to come to Monterey Park,full of Chinese food. I bet you haven't tried the authentic cuisine.