Sick of FL Need Info. On Johnson City (Jackson, Bristol: affordable apartments, to rent)

[PeggyM]

Originally Posted by Ripleyrose

I spent every summer as a child in eastern Tennessee. I have been living in Colorado since the mid-70's. The winters here are wearing me down and my town is growing out of control. I must have mountains and a bit smaller town. I will also need a job and a place to live. I'm not a fancy materialistic person. Any information about job and housing and most importantly,community information would be very welcome. Im moving by myself so it's a big deal to me. Thank you!

Rose, you sound a little like me. I lived in Johnson City until I was 8, then family moved to MI. I also lived in Colorado for many years from the early 70s; eventually moved to FL and hated it. After 3 yrs moved back to MI & now am moving to where I began.

Since I'm not there yet, I can't tell you much about housing or jobs. I did find a very nice apt - 2 BR, 2 BA for under under $600 a mo. I'm sure that the nice people on this forum will jump in and provide you with some info. Have you tried searching the web for apts? That's how I found mine. Of course, I had to go down & take a look.

Moving cross country all alone is no easy task and takes mucho planning & research. I've been planning this for a year & have made two trips down there. I'll be there to stay on Monday & my furniture will arrive Wed. . . . and the new adventure begins.

Best of luck to you Rose.

[janiceguazzo]

Originally Posted by jmp376

I work in a service field helping customers all day and have noticed that this area has very little in diversity. Though mostly white with very few African Americans and a little more Hispanic, There are a good mix of friendly middle class locals, but also allot of lower class mountain folk who tend to be rather rude and close minded, as well as a mix of immigrants from FL and NJ. I have to say that most of the rude customers I encounter are from FL and seem to be getting more and more frequent.
experienced since being here.
The local news isn't the best. If you come from a major metropolitan area, you may need to downgraded your standards a bit. Crime is pretty low. I haven't experienced any except for meth heads trying to return stolen merch to my retail establishment. Here you have decent living cost, a little lower wages than most, fair taxes (9.5% sales tax, on food and merch), no state income tax, good roads, good schools, and good medical facilities.

I also would say if you have kids be sure to check the schools. There is a lot of rezoning going on and you may think you bought a house in a good school district but may not be able to attend it. We live in Jonesborough and are sending our kid to a private school. One of the only non christian based schools in the area. The county schools are not so great but are supposedly improving according to Phil Bresden. We got a new ranking recently (but I am not buying it)...
All you wonderful locals forgot to warn these lovely people about all of the religious intolerance. I am one of those "rude" NJ people and where I come from you don't go around asking strangers where they go to church. If you are ok with that type of intrusion on a daily basis (at the McDonalds, Grocery store and even a restroom), then you will love it here. I however cannot stand it, I always use those opportunities to explain to the locals that there is a "north" further than Bristol.

[ljay42]

Originally Posted by janiceguazzo

All you wonderful locals forgot to warn these lovely people about all of the religious intolerance. I am one of those "rude" NJ people and where I come from you don't go around asking strangers where they go to church. If you are ok with that type of intrusion on a daily basis (at the McDonalds, Grocery store and even a restroom), then you will love it here. I however cannot stand it, I always use those opportunities to explain to the locals that there is a "north" further than Bristol.

How exactly do you equate religious intolerance with people asking what church you attend?

I've been here 2 years and nobody has ever asked me any question about church. You get asked every day? ...by strangers? That's pretty special.

I'm one of those not-so-rude mid-westerners that came here via Massachusetts. People are pretty much the same everywhere you go.

[janiceguazzo]

It is after the answer I give them and then they continue to "convert" us to their church. That is the intolerance I am talking about. I feel like an outsider that will never be accepted by the majority here. I am a stay at home mom and it seems like when most people see me around during the day they must think I am open to lengthy indepth discussions. I used to talk to a lot of people but now I try to keep to myself, I guess I look like a heathen and they feel like they can save me. I am not meaning to offend anyone, maybe intolerance was a bit strong. But I have had some people completely stop being friends with me because of my beliefs. I find that sad and so different from where I grew up.

[ljay42]

Bah...probably better off without them then. I wouldn't give it a seconds thought. People often believe they are better off because of their religion and quite frankly, some are, so they want to pass on their "feelings". Very different from the Catholics I knew in the northeast..religion was more of a social thing and after mass it was time for a good drink. In the south it's still a social thing but they drink in private so less tongues go wagging :-0

My wife and I work from home so we are out and about shopping, dining, etc almost every day and have never had anybody ask us about church but we do run in to some chatty folks from time to time and enjoy speaking with them.

Don't take the religious questions to seriously...if all the "religious" people were actually following the call, we wouldn't need govt. programs. ;-)

It's not healthy to go casting stones though...just relax...there are a lot of good people here religious or otherwise and the number of transplants grows daily.


just my .02

p.s. we are all really outsiders unless you know of some local Indians. Some folks just got here before us.

[janiceguazzo]

LOL, funny you should mention the Catholics...that is what I was raised. And needless to say that explains why I feel the way I do about religion.

I do like most of the people I find here. I have lots of friends through a moms club that I started. And you are right about the transplants...most of them join our club. They are from everywhere. It makes for very interesting friends.

Now if only I can get a good pizza and a bagel in east TN.

[ljay42]

If you find a pizza let me know...for a bagel, einstein bros has a small place inside the hospital on state of franklin in johnson city. it's right inside the cancer area. closest thing I can find to a ny bagel in this area so far.

[mbmouse]

Ummm.....If you have read through these threads, here in this sub forum and the main TN forum, you will find at least 20 posts in the first two pages of each that refer to people asking about what church/religion you belong to and to expect an invite to their church. It IS the bible belt and it is the South, not the North, this is one of the inherent differences between the two. Now before anyone jumps all over me for saying you should have done your research, disclaimer: I am a Catholic Yankee myself.
My children are both getting a great, safe education in the Washington County schools. You can not go by the state wide report card, each school district/administration is different. I started out in Jefferson Co when I moved here, took my oldest out of that school pretty quick. Washington Co is MUCH better for many reasons.

[jabogitlu]

I dunno, yeah, it's the Bible Belt, but I still don't want anybody pestering me about church or religion. And I'm native, so I can complain about it. But in my experience, the hardcore "please come to my church so I can save you" people are about 1 in every 50 or 60 people I come across. It's sort of like everywhere else in the world - ignore the people you don't like, befriend the ones you do. If you let it get to you and hole up in your house, you'll never get anywhere.

[maryanne55]

Hi!
We moved to Elizabethton,Tn. from Milton,Florida a year ago.Tired of the hurricanes and the heat. We live out in Stoney Creek and really love it here.Property taxes are cheaper here and no state tax. We love the mountain veiws and all the lakes .The people are very warm and friendly.