On a positive note- I enjoyed my 2 months here (Memphis: apartment, violent crime)

[Moonlady]

My company sent me here on a 2 month assignment. Several others had come before me and they kept telling me how “bad” Memphis was. I refused to believe that it was all bad and set out to have as good of a time as possible. My husband was able to travel with me, so I opted for the corporate apartment instead of living out of a suitcase and flying home every weekend. I am glad I did. We’ve gotten to do lots of fun things, eaten at some great restaurants (thanks to the best restaurants thread) and taken in as much of the culture as we could.

What’s great: friendly people, the houses, the architecture, the beautiful trees, parks, lots of entertainment, easy to navigate, tolerable traffic, good restaurants, the music history, decent shopping, proximity to other neat places and nice weather (I got here after the summer!). Memphis has potential. It’s the right size for a city and doesn’t have the suburban sprawl yet like my hometown (I see it coming though).

Overall, it’s a great town, and if I had to live here, I’d make the best of it. But, I probably wouldn’t choose to live here for the main reasons of the politics and crime. Memphis needs leadership that unites rather than divides and a strategy to reduce crime, targeting gangs and drugs in particular. And to echo what Pearlbob said in a previous post, this needs to start in the school systems which are a whole other issue. And the news people need to quit sensationalizing the crime. That’s not to say they shouldn’t report it, but IMO, they could do a better job of being more objective and less melodramatic.

I’ve always enjoyed living in areas with lots of diversity and culture, but both citizens and the leaders have to stop dividing people based on race. The less you bring it up, the less it becomes an issue – that works on all sides. The majority of people I’ve met here have been really wonderful. And, I think everyone should go see the Stax museum; there are a lot of parallels there between its history and Memphis’s and lessons to be learned.

So, all in all, it’s been a really positive experience for me. It’s better if you take the time to seek out the good here. If you don’t want to do that, get out, don’t look back and don’t taint others’ perception. And if you’re a transplant or a long time citizen, do your part to make it a better town. I’d love to come back some day and see a Memphis with civic pride. It’s a town worthy of that.

[Pearlbob]

I am very glad to see you enjoyed your time here. I think you make a good point, that after a while, the bad things become more noticeable and can wear on you. It's a lot different to visit than it is to live here full time for years (as you pointed out) but I am so glad that you were able to see the positive aspects of the city in your time here.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Moonlady

My company sent me here on a 2 month assignment. Several others had come before me and they kept telling me how “bad” Memphis was. I refused to believe that it was all bad and set out to have as good of a time as possible. My husband was able to travel with me, so I opted for the corporate apartment instead of living out of a suitcase and flying home every weekend. I am glad I did. We’ve gotten to do lots of fun things, eaten at some great restaurants (thanks to the best restaurants thread) and taken in as much of the culture as we could.

What’s great: friendly people, the houses, the architecture, the beautiful trees, parks, lots of entertainment, easy to navigate, tolerable traffic, good restaurants, the music history, decent shopping, proximity to other neat places and nice weather (I got here after the summer!). Memphis has potential. It’s the right size for a city and doesn’t have the suburban sprawl yet like my hometown (I see it coming though).

Overall, it’s a great town, and if I had to live here, I’d make the best of it. But, I probably wouldn’t choose to live here for the main reasons of the politics and crime. Memphis needs leadership that unites rather than divides and a strategy to reduce crime, targeting gangs and drugs in particular. And to echo what Pearlbob said in a previous post, this needs to start in the school systems which are a whole other issue. And the news people need to quit sensationalizing the crime. That’s not to say they shouldn’t report it, but IMO, they could do a better job of being more objective and less melodramatic.

I’ve always enjoyed living in areas with lots of diversity and culture, but both citizens and the leaders have to stop dividing people based on race. The less you bring it up, the less it becomes an issue – that works on all sides. The majority of people I’ve met here have been really wonderful. And, I think everyone should go see the Stax museum; there are a lot of parallels there between its history and Memphis’s and lessons to be learned.

So, all in all, it’s been a really positive experience for me. It’s better if you take the time to seek out the good here. If you don’t want to do that, get out, don’t look back and don’t taint others’ perception. And if you’re a transplant or a long time citizen, do your part to make it a better town. I’d love to come back some day and see a Memphis with civic pride. It’s a town worthy of that.

What a wonderful post! I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay in Memphis.

I lived in Memphis for 5 years and loved every single minute of it. I hope you'll be able to return to Memphis--and keep spreading the word that Memphis really is a great place.

[Moonlady]

Pearlbob - a lot of your posts helped me find the good things in Memphis. Thanks for carrying the torch so to speak.

JMT - I'm glad you had a positive experience as well. I think Memphis has a lot of good things to offer and yes, there are a few negatives, but it can be a wonderful place if you make the best of it.

I'm headed back to Austin this week and even though I've missed my home, I am seriously dreading the traffic!

[memtndude77]

Memphis suffers from an inferiority complex but it does have potential. The current political landscape and violent crime makes it difficult to find that potential. I"m glad you enjoyed your brief stay in our town.