Southerner--how would I be received? (Billings, Missoula: homes, job market, construction)

[undertheironsea]

I was thinking about going north (especially Montana and the like) for job opportunities after grad school, and I was wondering, how do you think I would be treated, being from the Southern United States?

Don't jump to early conclusions, however. I have a Southern drawl, I'm from South Mississippi, but I'm not your stereotypical media "redneck." I did not grow up in a trailer, I HATE country music, I don't wave a rebel flag or drive a truck, I dress more urbanite than farm boy...etc, etc. I still wonder, with the accent and just knowing I'm from the South, how I would be handled.

Here (I'm in Arkansas now) the problem is that I'm not Southern enough for some reason, and I just wonder if just being Southern at all would be cause for jokes and snickers at my expense in the north. I want to find a nice, round the calendar cool weather place with friendly people to spend the early years of my career, and I don't want to take a job offer and suddenly regret it.

Not only that, but if homes are very expensive, I would be losing money and respect.

Hopefully someone can give me a good idea of what it's like.

[thamovement]

homes are cheap up here, who cares if your not southern enough, just dude chill you will be fine, its quiet except parts of billings and parts of great falls, those parts have alot of shootings and drug trafficking, but montana has alot of diversity, and history, dude you will be fine, i dont like country music i call it achey breakey whiney music, i go to school with alot of people from mississippi, louisiana, georgia and those people are good people and they are very polite and mannerly. I bet you will like montana Billings is growing rapidly it is up to 101,000 people and Missoula is up to 71,000. I know what some of the southerner stuff is like I was born in Atlanta, anymore questions???

[liltown_under_bigsky]

People in Montana are really cool. Seems most Montanans accept everybody who isnt out to cause problems. At most they would just be interested in talking to you about how things are down south. I think, anyways. I have seen a bar full of white people and a black person walk in and is greeted with respect just the same. Just an example of how it is up here. Most pp here are layed back working people who dont start problems. And as far as the country music is, lots of pp here like country music (not my favorite type of music) but id bet they would rather hear country than rap. Anyways, pretty sure you would think the people here are real nice people!

[undertheironsea]

Good, that silly response was removed.

I thank you guys for your insight. Montana seems like a really nice place to be. It's just the housing and job market I have to worry about now, haha.

[cluckk]

Actually when I first moved to Montana an old saying I heard was: "The Confederate Army never surrendered, they just retreated to Montana." This reflects the fact that many families moved to Montana just after the Civil War (I know in Mississippi that would be the "War between the states") because of all the problems in the reconstruction south.

The people are respectful--you still hear "Sir" and Ma'am" in most places. Most people mind their own business and allow you to do the same.

The biggest fear that people have is outsiders who come in and try to change everything. They have gotten turned off by those who move in from other states, expecially California, and try to change Montana into the state they just left. We usually call this Californicating. So long as you come in understanding that you are new and the people have no desire to see their state changed (they live there, and people move there for a reason) you will have no problems.

I'm originally from Texas and found Montana the most accepting of all states I've lived in.

[kdwom@bresnan.net]

As I stated elsewhere, small Montana towns are the best of the best. You can be anyone from anywhere ( except Cali ) and meet some unbelievably wonderful people and they all have one thing in common. They present themselves as they are without apology and in honesty. They are used to tourists so they take a little time to evaluate you. Very little time. They resent pushy people and they will back them off in a heartbeat. As gently as possible using their tourist gloves, while leaving no doubt they are tough as nails and mean what they say..
You don't have to conform to anything at all. Montanan's are mostly non conformists. Be a nutcase, a jerk, or just an average joe and you are accepted as long as you ARE what you present yourself to be. In some small towns, they will make sure you are warm in the winter and never hungry and have someone to watch your back. You get lost in the forest and are missing a few days? Search parties go looking, God's honest truth.
But the cities are just as bad as anywhere else. Just a bit differant. The jobs are here but it's hard to get one if you don't know the natives personally.

[fbcobrn]

[QUOTE=
"So long as you come in understanding that you are new and the people have no desire to see their state changed (they live there, and people move there for a reason) you will have no problems."

Hmmmmmm my thoughts exactly, that's my plan...........it's a shame that people coming into the USA can't grasp this concept.
(Hope I don't get in trouble for this )

[YOU-CANT-EAT-SCENERY]

Originally Posted by kdwom@bresnan.net

As I stated elsewhere, small Montana towns are the best of the best. You can be anyone from anywhere ( except Cali ) and meet some unbelievably wonderful people and they all have one thing in common..

Man I am really getting bothered with Californians "ALL" getting a bad rap Not all of us are like that. I live in a small Southern California town (approx 30,000), that is probably not unlike some medium sized cities in MT. I am polite, and say yes sir, please, yes ma'am. I hold doors open for people (that's the way my folks raised me), and the last thing I wanna do is change the great state of MT.
So please don't "assume" all Californinans are the same....but do be wary of those Californians that drive Hummers with 22" spinnner chrome wheels, and jacked up 4 wheel drives, that have never been offroad

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by undertheironsea

I was thinking about going north (especially Montana and the like) for job opportunities after grad school, and I was wondering, how do you think I would be treated, being from the Southern United States?

Don't jump to early conclusions, however. I have a Southern drawl, I'm from South Mississippi, but I'm not your stereotypical media "redneck." I did not grow up in a trailer, I HATE country music, I don't wave a rebel flag or drive a truck, I dress more urbanite than farm boy...etc, etc. I still wonder, with the accent and just knowing I'm from the South, how I would be handled.

Here (I'm in Arkansas now) the problem is that I'm not Southern enough for some reason, and I just wonder if just being Southern at all would be cause for jokes and snickers at my expense in the north. I want to find a nice, round the calendar cool weather place with friendly people to spend the early years of my career, and I don't want to take a job offer and suddenly regret it.

Not only that, but if homes are very expensive, I would be losing money and respect.

Hopefully someone can give me a good idea of what it's like.

My wife grew up in Midland Texas, and she just loves it here..... of course, I sort of figured she would.

She likes the fact that there are no big bugs here.......

Homes here are inflated in price, as a result of all of the expressed interest in the state from others across the nation.

I'm quite sure you will be pleased with your choice to come live, work and play here.

[GiftShoppeGuy]

Originally Posted by liltown_under_bigsky

......And as far as the country music is, lots of pp here like country music (not my favorite type of music) but id bet they would rather hear country than rap. Anyways, pretty sure you would think the people here are real nice people!

Indeed...... rap and hip-hop..... give them both the boot.