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Old 04-26-2008, 08:17 AM
 
Location: Tennessee
37,754 posts, read 40,844,087 times
Reputation: 62036

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Quote:
Originally Posted by mendenho View Post
Be prepared for people to make fun of the way you talk and call you "Yankee". And no, it's not because of the NY Yankees. Jobs pay next to nothing and good luck finding one. It's the good ole boy system and friends and family get the jobs. Past that, fellow Tennesseans get the job. People are very religious and conservative, so don't expect and open discussions about anything controversial.

Also, you're in for a long, hot, neverending summer...
And how do they react to southern accents in NY? Oh wait, no southerner wants to move up there to the land of taxes.

So what you're saying is you didn't do good research before you moved here because voting patterns, percent religious, temperature and humidity, and the availability of jobs is all info that is out there.

Last edited by LauraC; 04-26-2008 at 08:41 AM..
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Old 04-26-2008, 01:59 PM
 
86 posts, read 302,114 times
Reputation: 17
Last week, I actually had an elderly woman tell me that northern women "aren't any good." And that we should have a war, again. Bless her heart!


LOL!!! That is a good one Hiknapster....
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Old 04-26-2008, 02:06 PM
 
13,337 posts, read 39,775,570 times
Reputation: 10769
Quote:
Originally Posted by LauraC View Post
And how do they react to southern accents in NY? Oh wait, no southerner wants to move up there to the land of taxes.

So what you're saying is you didn't do good research before you moved here because voting patterns, percent religious, temperature and humidity, and the availability of jobs is all info that is out there.
Right on!

(I have to spread the love around before I can give you more rep points for that excellent post, LauraC. But know that the thought is there.)
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Old 04-26-2008, 03:19 PM
 
Location: somewhere over the rainbow Ohio
2,017 posts, read 5,333,732 times
Reputation: 1541
I'm from upstate NY, the Hudson Valley area and when we moved to Tn. we moved to Knoxville. I love Knoxville and Tn. in general.
The only time my accent is made fun of is by Bill because I pronounce the word drawer as draw. Last weekend at a baby shower is the first time I've ever been made to feel like an outsider since I've been here. But the lady who was all proud of her family lineage heaped it on by the cup full instead of the teaspoon full. So I rolled my eyes and said to her "Why bless yer heart"! But that was her not the entire state of Tn.Most people are more accepting of transplants, I've found.I still love it here and I am a yankee, so I don't care who calls me that.
As long as you don't constantly talk about how it is done in NY or compare everything, you'll do just fine. It is different culturally here but try to blend and learn the culture, you'll be glad you did.
Pam
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Old 04-27-2008, 01:06 PM
 
Location: Knoxville
611 posts, read 1,453,853 times
Reputation: 531
Quote:
Originally Posted by mendenho View Post
Be prepared for people to make fun of the way you talk and call you "Yankee". And no, it's not because of the NY Yankees. Jobs pay next to nothing and good luck finding one. It's the good ole boy system and friends and family get the jobs. Past that, fellow Tennesseans get the job. People are very religious and conservative, so don't expect and open discussions about anything controversial.

Also, you're in for a long, hot, neverending summer...
This hardly seems reasonable. It's entirely possible that you had a less than perfect experience, but at least recognize that you can't paint an entire city with such a broad brush.

I moved here over two years ago, and since then I can recall perhaps a few times where my "northern" accent (originally from New Mexico) was pointed out by a friend. It almost always happened when I tried my hand at pronouncing names like "Maryville" and "Friendsville" - it gave me away as a non-native speaker almost immediately. But it was always in a light-hearted manner, and I never sensed any hostility. People here are not going to single you out and make you feel strange if you don't speak with a southern twang. They might make joke about it here and there, but it's important not to take life too seriously - laugh every now and then.

My dad moved here with a job already secured, so I cannot really speak to the difficulty of finding work. Several family friends have moved to Knoxville in the time that we've been here, however, and all have managed to find good jobs.

Your comment about the lack of "open" and "controversial" discussion is particularly interesting, simply because I think it is a commonly held stereotype for people who have never been here. Before I moved to Knoxville, I certainly expected to find a religious and conservative area, and although this turned out to be the case, don't mistake "religious" and "conservative" for "close-minded." I've met people from all walks of life, and viewpoints here seem to range the entire spectrum. Your mileage may vary, but I definitely do not sense a lack of openness to varying opinions in Knoxville. I'm sure you will find people who fit that description, but don't assume that everybody is the same way.

I don't mean to sound rude in any way, but I do think it's a shame that somebody can espouse such an entirely negative opinion about a place like Knoxville. I'm sorry if your experience has been a bad one, but it sounds like you've made up your mind and are not willing to give it a second chance.
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Old 04-29-2008, 12:12 AM
 
4 posts, read 11,926 times
Reputation: 11
Yes, I have endured a horrible experience. Every summer has gotten progressively worse. My wife, who is local, is wonderful and I love her to death. Her family, however, would instantly judge me and not accept me if they knew my religious beliefs to be different than theirs. My wife makes me keep it a secret...and pretend I am on board with them.

I have met some amazing and interesting people in Knoxville, but they all were transplants. I don't mean to label an entire region a certain way, I'm just warning fellow northerners what to expect if you hit certain areas. Sorry to offend anyone.
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Old 04-29-2008, 07:09 AM
 
Location: somewhere over the rainbow Ohio
2,017 posts, read 5,333,732 times
Reputation: 1541
You know the town I lived in in upstate NY was narrowminded in accepting outsiders. Usually these outsiders were those who came from NY city and had weekend/second homes in the area. We used to call the school system "Deliverance" and I always joked that in once an outsider always an outsider for generations. It was a very narrowminded ignorant place to live, but one could admit that one was an agnostic and it was accepted. Most of my friends knew my personal views regarding christianity and were ok with it, but here I keep my views to myself. I know I am in the minority here, is this what you meant in your first post Mendenho?
Sure everyone wants to be accepted and feel like they belong, but sometimes circumstances won't permit that. I think Knoxville in general is more open to transplants, then a lot of the smaller communities. At least my experience hasn't been another small town mentality like in NY and I'm not a kid experiencing a new school, new community every 2 years here. As an adult, I just hang back and meet others with an open mind and I get friends and acceptance one by one.
Pam




Quote:
Originally Posted by mendenho View Post
Yes, I have endured a horrible experience. Every summer has gotten progressively worse. My wife, who is local, is wonderful and I love her to death. Her family, however, would instantly judge me and not accept me if they knew my religious beliefs to be different than theirs. My wife makes me keep it a secret...and pretend I am on board with them.

I have met some amazing and interesting people in Knoxville, but they all were transplants. I don't mean to label an entire region a certain way, I'm just warning fellow northerners what to expect if you hit certain areas. Sorry to offend anyone.
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Old 05-01-2008, 10:32 AM
 
Location: Beautiful Strawberry Plains, TN
152 posts, read 331,472 times
Reputation: 93
I moved here from upstate NY(Middletown) two years ago and love it. The people are so friendly, gas, electric, homes are cheaper. salaries are lower but then again the cost of living is cheaper. I don't miss the snow one little bit. It was a little warm last summer but that was unusual. I'm a Brit married to a Bronx boy, so you can imagine what they say about my accent. But all in good jest.
Good luck with your move.Jen
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Old 07-21-2008, 07:05 AM
 
Location: City of Knoxville
6 posts, read 14,101 times
Reputation: 10
Wow! Where in upstate new york are you from? My husband and I were raised in the adirondacks, worked In Rochester for Kodak and retired here. We live in the city.
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Old 07-21-2008, 07:07 AM
 
Location: City of Knoxville
6 posts, read 14,101 times
Reputation: 10
Can you tell me how it is doable? We've been here 6 years and are getting older trying. HAVE MOSTLY run into people who would rather have us leave. We're in our 60;s, not church goers, love people and really would like to make friends here. Oh, and we smoke and drink
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