New Yorker to Starkville (Jackson, Hattiesburg: apartments, neighborhoods, theater)

[cjv48]

Hello,
I am curious as to what people have to say about a very liberal, secular New Yorker relocating to Starkville (working at MSU). I have lived around the country but was born and raised in New York. I am a small town girl at heart, like to be out of doors, hate the heat. I am always open to learning more and having new experiences.

What do you expect the culture shock to be like? Do people have social lives there? How bad is the heat? Is there sushi?

[Check123]

Hate the heat? You'll hate Mississippi; it can get Africa hot.

Originally Posted by cjv48

Hello,
I am curious as to what people have to say about a very liberal, secular New Yorker relocating to Starkville (working at MSU). I have lived around the country but was born and raised in New York. I am a small town girl at heart, like to be out of doors, hate the heat. I am always open to learning more and having new experiences.

What do you expect the culture shock to be like? Do people have social lives there? How bad is the heat? Is there sushi?

[Dd714]

*sigh*, not this question again...yes we have running water, use american currency, and people speak the english language. Sorry for being sarcastic and I mean no offence, but really, I define cultural shock as moving to Africa with some Swahilli tribesmen or something. No one cares about your politics or where you are from as long as you aren't a satan worshipper or have a habit of dancing naked in the streets. You won't have any problems.

Now you do have more relevant questions - heat. Yes it gets hot and humid here but heck so does New York in the summer. We just have a couple months more of it. Sushi might be hard to get in the small towns. I have no idea about Starkville however.

[MrMeisterMan]

I know about it...if it weren't for the University, the place would be a wdie spot in the road.....heck, Mississippi is the poorest and the dumbest and the most racist state in the Union of these great United States.....and that's factual, not just an opinion

[cjv48]

Oh dear. Those are two very different answers. Maybe shock is too strong of a word, but I have lived in lots of places across the U.S. and each one has something that is unique and requires some adjustment to get used to. I suppose (without much prior knowledge) that moving to Mississippi would be a bigger adjustment than moving to San Francisco (for a NYer), and I am curious as to how easy/hard that adjustment will be. Also, racism is something I have zero tolerance for.

[Jeancat]

I work in Starkville...at the University. Yes, it is hot here in the summer, but we do have air conditioning. The University is planning to add sushi resturant to offerings. Social life? That depends on you. Night clubs are college age oriented. Do have community theater and events on campus. Jackson, MS, Memphis, TN, Birmingham AL, New Orleans LA from 3 to 5 hours away. University community a very diverse group, many internationals. Air Base at Columbus (25 miles) also brings in many outside the area folks. Most here probably very conservative to you, most respect your opinions if you respect theirs. Racism - as in other places it's here, dependant upon persons involved. However, we don't live in the '60's. All races share schools, churches, apartments, neighborhoods etc.

If you have other questions I will be glad to try to answer them.

[MrMeisterMan]

I too lived in NYC, and all over the SOUTH, and I will tell you for sure that Starkville is a real piece of work...so is the rest of the poorest dumbest state in the Union....sorry to say....

Sushi? oih vey, you must be kidding me, right?

If you gotta go, you gotta go....I understand that professionally...been there done that....but pay your dues and go somewhere nicer in the SOUTH....like the University of North Alabama in Huntsville !....great small/big town....well educated too.......certainly not like living in the most repressive State in the USA.....I would not bother

[jetjockey75]

Originally Posted by cjv48

Hello,
I am curious as to what people have to say about a very liberal, secular New Yorker relocating to Starkville (working at MSU). I have lived around the country but was born and raised in New York. I am a small town girl at heart, like to be out of doors, hate the heat. I am always open to learning more and having new experiences.

What do you expect the culture shock to be like? Do people have social lives there? How bad is the heat? Is there sushi?

I live about 45 minutes from Starkville. It does get hot and humid in the summer, but a person can get used to it. MSU is a decent enough school with a nice campus. I'm not sure exactly how faculty pay stacks up with other southern public universities, but I know it isn't great. There isn't a lot of shopping in Starkville, but they are building a new mall. There are plenty of activities for nature and fitness lovers.

Not knowing your age, I can't tell you much about the social life. There are some college hangouts but otherwise I'm not sure. I can tell you that there is a lot more to do in Tuscaloosa, AL (home of UA) about 1 1/2 hours away.

Somebody mentioned racism. I have lived all over the United States and yes, there is some racism here, but not anywhere near what I have seen in some northern cities in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and others. There are a lot of poor blacks in MS but I see opportunities for them increasing in NE Mississippi, with a lot of industry moving in.

If a person is moving to Mississippi, Starkville would be a good place to start; being a college town, it is more open and progressive than a lot of other towns here. At least in Starkville, as an outsider, you would not be viewed with suspicion as I am in the place I live.

Oh, and there was a great sushi bar there but it closed last year. As far as I know, the nearest one is in Columbus, about a half-hour east of Starkville.

[spn300mike]

Originally Posted by cjv48

Hello,
I am curious as to what people have to say about a very liberal, secular New Yorker relocating to Starkville (working at MSU). I have lived around the country but was born and raised in New York. I am a small town girl at heart, like to be out of doors, hate the heat. I am always open to learning more and having new experiences.

What do you expect the culture shock to be like? Do people have social lives there? How bad is the heat? Is there sushi?

First, as far as the notion of Mississipians as backword, ignorant, trashy or racist, I want to say that I've actually seen a lot more of that up North than I've ever witnessed in Mississippi. Missipians tend to be self-respecting and intelligent people, however....

I don't agree with D17, this is a valid question, I moved from Denver to Hattiesburg to USM, I have developed very few friends in Mississippi that are not associated with the university, our neighbors have been decidedly unwelcome when they learned first, we taught at the University, 2nd we had pro-Democratic bumber stickers on our cars, and third that we didn't attend church regularly. As far as casual day to day interaction Southerners are more polite, kind, and charming then anyone in the country; here i'm talking about interactions you have at the store, out and about, etc. But as far as accepting you into the community as a friend and neighbor, many of them can be very judgmental, if you're a liberal, or don't go to church (or go to the wrong church), many (not all) have kind of narrow horizons as far as imagining that people that think differently than them in some ways, might still be good people with good values and worth having a relationship with.

All of the above is offset by the fact that the University community tends to supply you with many of your social needs.

[jetjockey75]

Originally Posted by spn300mike

As far as casual day to day interaction Southerners are more polite, kind, and charming then anyone in the country....... But as far as accepting you into the community as a friend and neighbor, many of them can be very judgmental, if you're a liberal, or don't go to church (or go to the wrong church)...............

This is pretty much true. What I've found is that, politics aside, if you're not from here, you are generally not accepted. Mississippi seems to be very much a closed society. People are all wrapped up in family and in friends that they've known all their lives, so they have little if any desire for new relationships. I've lived here for 7 years or so, and don't have a single friend outside of work (and my friends at work are not from here either); this is the first place I've ever lived where I've not been able to make friends with the locals.