Show some love (Newark, Rahway: transplants, private schools, tornadoes)

[JerseyM'Fers]

Originally Posted by njchick

You're right JerseyM'Fers, it seems that way on this board, but I think that people who are disgruntled about something will most likely post more. So you're probably not getting a balanced viewpoint. I love NJ, I think every state has its positives and negatives, but for me the positives outweigh.

Well i'm glad to heard you say that and you know you're absolutely right about every state having it's postives and negatives, but a jerseyians we should rep. our state and not just sit on the side lines and outsiders bash us and also not bash ourselves. I'm glad you love Jersey even though at times the poltics here does annoy me however we just need to do a better job of choosing who goes into office in the future.

[JerseyM'Fers]

Originally Posted by JoeSo

You sound a bit like a 'youngin'. Once you get to a certain age then issues will develop. Also people who may have moved to NJ from other areas have something to compare it with.

Well I'm not a youngin I mean compared to you maybe not sure of how old you are and you know something your right I haven't really had to deal with to much seeing how i'm only 23, however no matter how annoyed i get with jersey this is my home from the day I was born until my demise but appreciate your input

[JerseyM'Fers]

Originally Posted by Yorkiegirl16

Since moving to NC, I have a brand new appreciation for New Jersey. I never realized how lucky I was to live there. My opinion is that the south is overrated. But, it has its beauty as well. NJ has AC, the shore, close to NY and Philly. It was great living less than an hour from the shore. For all its flaws, it does have some great things about it. Luckily, my contract is up at the end of the year. I'm going to start my packing in the summer. I should be back home Thanksgiving week

Well Jersey can't wait to get one of it's natives back. Come home soon

[njchick]

Originally Posted by JerseyM'Fers

I'm glad you love Jersey even though at times the poltics here does annoy me however we just need to do a better job of choosing who goes into office in the future.

That's for sure!!!

[66nexus]

Originally Posted by NickL28

You are still within the NYC metro area and really it is not much different until you go south of Monmouth county or west near the Delaware river. You still need to deal with the insane housing prices/rents, crowds, traffic, rude people, 2 + hour commutes each way etc.

Most of North Jersey may be in the NYC metro/sphere of influence and may share a lot of traits but it is still a complete different world. Somehow you just know when you're in NYC and when you're in Jersey. I think the most similar land Jersey has to Manhattan is Jersey City's waterfront area. We have ALOT of suburban townships. True though, as the prices do get cheaper the further away you are from NY.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by JoeSo

You sound a bit like a 'youngin'. Once you get to a certain age then issues will develop. Also people who may have moved to NJ from other areas have something to compare it with.

I'm not a 'youngin'' and I've moved from Jersey to North Carolina so at least I have something to compare it to. After living here I can't wait to move back to New Jersey, issues or not. I don't care how nice people say North Carolina is, this state has it's own set of developing issues that people leaving New Jersey (and the northeast in general) are going to be running into.

Maybe not right away but a short distance down the road some folks going to North Carolina are going to be in for an extraordinarily rude awakening. They're gonna wake up to find that they assisted in creating the very thing that they were supposed to be running away from.

So personally I cannot wait to get back to where I belong, in New Jersey.

[jerseygirlInTN]

I agree with everyone, NJ feels like HOME! I grew up in MA & FL, then moved to NJ for 4 years, then PA, then MI for 3 years, and now TN for 2 years now.

Other than MA, NJ is HOME! The people, the culture, the food. We moved to TN for my husband's job after my parents moved to Memphis and WE STILL want to leave. We're moving back this summer or fall.

The South is glorified by people thinking that inexpensive living=happiness. You have to deal with:

Prejudice from Southerners
Insanely hot humid summers from March to October
Blood thirsty mosquitos from March to October
Lower salaries
High state taxes on ALL ESSENTIALS
Politicians allowing OVERDEVELOPING of areas
Country music ALL THE TIME
Shoddy construction
High crime
The WORST PUBLIC SCHOOLS in the NATION
ZERO funding of public schools via property taxes
High cost of private schools
TORNADOES

So all of you who think the grass is greener in the South, you may be surprised. If you value inexpensive living, then the South is for you. The South is great to visit, just not to live.

If you value FAMILY, GREAT PUBLIC EDUCATION, and varied culture/amenities then NJ is for you.

[lammius]

^ You left out a BIG thing on that list... JESUS!!!!

I know there are many religious and spiritual people in NJ and elsewhere, but the Southern US is the only place I've been where one of the first questions a stranger will ask (after your name and where you live) is where you go to church.

[jerseygirlInTN]

Originally Posted by lammius

^ You left out a BIG thing on that list... JESUS!!!!

I know there are many religious and spiritual people in NJ and elsewhere, but the Southern US is the only place I've been where one of the first questions a stranger will ask (after your name and where you live) is where you go to church.

LOL!!!!!!! That's right! I forgot! YES THIS IS THE BIBLE BELT! We're Melkite Catholic, of the Eastern Orthodox rite (my husband is half Syrian), and we were lucky to have found one Roman Catholic church. Unfortunately, the head priest has just been accused of molestation. So much for that church...

We're religious and have strong faith, but down here it's like a religion! LOL! They go to church every Wednesday and Sunday. Personally, I think they do it more for a social thing.

Forget to going out to lunch on Sunday, you'll be in line FOREVER!

Lots of people have tried to CONVERT us to their religion. No thanks, we like our religion fine.

I also forgot about the strong southern accent, sometimes it's so thick you can barely understand them. When we were building our house, my husband remarked, "I can't hire this guy, I can't understand a D*** word he says." Our electrician called light bulbs "bubs." They say things like:

Oh bless your heart-translation=Oh my gosh
I'm fixing to=I'm going to
You might could=You could
Ain't=Isn't
Huh?!=Excuse me

I've actually had to correct my son (who's in preschool here) when he starting saying "Huh?!" to me. I said, "We use polite English, we say excuse me or Pardon."

One last thing-Horrible restaurants! More fried and greasy food than you can imagine. They even fry oreo cookies!

SO GIVE ME NJ ANY DAY!
Pizza
Bagels
Hoagies
Great schools
The Shore
Proximity to NYC/Phili
Drivers that actually honk when you don't obey traffic laws
Woods/hills in Warren/Sussex County
SNOW
My husband's family of 13 siblings, 30 nieces and nephews (1 on the way)
My church
Sean Hannity
Howard Stern
Real Italian, Middle Eastern, Spanish cuisine

CAN'T WAIT TO COME HOME!

[FergusonDechert]

MF,
The most disgruntled among us have the loudest voices. I love NJ, or at least I love the Southern Tip of NJ. I left for a while to work in MD and DC, but when I had a chance to move back, I jumped on it. Jersey Rocks!!
DC