Should I come back? (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: apartment complexes, renting, home owners insurance)

[shaley]

Hi Ya'll,

My husband and I moved away from the New Orleans area (Kenner) the day before Katrina hit. Like everyone else, we thought we'd be back in a few days. After 2 weeks of living with relatives in TN, we (or should I say I) reluctently moved up to Washington state (Seattle area) to be near my huband's folks.
Well let me tell you. In the nearly 2 years we have been here, I am still miserable and homesick. The scenery and summers are great, but the people suck. They are not welcoming of newcomers, in fact, most of them resent you. They are friendly and polite at the surface, but the "don't get too close" sign is securly fastened to their foreheads. And did I say the food sucks also??
I know NO is still a mess, but I miss my friends, the food, the culture like nowhere else, etc.
I know I must be crazy to want to move back, but I know if I stay here, I face a future of no friends, no food, and no fun!
Any imputs would be appreciated!

[IloveNOLA]

Originally Posted by shaley

Hi Ya'll,

My husband and I moved away from the New Orleans area (Kenner) the day before Katrina hit. Like everyone else, we thought we'd be back in a few days. After 2 weeks of living with relatives in TN, we (or should I say I) reluctently moved up to Washington state (Seattle area) to be near my huband's folks.
Well let me tell you. In the nearly 2 years we have been here, I am still miserable and homesick. The scenery and summers are great, but the people suck. They are not welcoming of newcomers, in fact, most of them resent you. They are friendly and polite at the surface, but the "don't get too close" sign is securly fastened to their foreheads. And did I say the food sucks also??
I know NO is still a mess, but I miss my friends, the food, the culture like nowhere else, etc.
I know I must be crazy to want to move back, but I know if I stay here, I face a future of no friends, no food, and no fun!
Any imputs would be appreciated!

I don't think you are crazy for wanting to move back. Kenner is pretty much the same as it was before Katrina.

[NOLA2SGF]

Originally Posted by shaley

Hi Ya'll,

My husband and I moved away from the New Orleans area (Kenner) the day before Katrina hit. Like everyone else, we thought we'd be back in a few days. After 2 weeks of living with relatives in TN, we (or should I say I) reluctently moved up to Washington state (Seattle area) to be near my huband's folks.
Well let me tell you. In the nearly 2 years we have been here, I am still miserable and homesick. The scenery and summers are great, but the people suck. They are not welcoming of newcomers, in fact, most of them resent you. They are friendly and polite at the surface, but the "don't get too close" sign is securly fastened to their foreheads. And did I say the food sucks also??
I know NO is still a mess, but I miss my friends, the food, the culture like nowhere else, etc.
I know I must be crazy to want to move back, but I know if I stay here, I face a future of no friends, no food, and no fun!
Any imputs would be appreciated!

I am sorry to hear that the people up there have been so unfriendly to you. Have you been back for a visit? Maybe that would help you to decide. You could look up your friends, enjoy some decent food, and have some fun. Then you could talk to them about moving back and see what they think, and look around.

I have been "stuck" here because I am close to retirement, but it is hard to decide whether to stay or not once I am "free" (in a couple of years). On the one hand, there's the levee/floodwall concerns, the increases in crime, the exodus of medical personnel, and uncertainty about the future in general. But on the other hand, the culture, the food, and many of the people are still here, and while some areas have not recovered and are awful, others (like most of Kenner) look just like they did before the storm.

I will probably go, but maybe not. Good luck with whatever you decide, and I urge you to at least come and visit!

[shaley]

Thank you Ilove NOLA--I have heard that Kenner is almost back to normal, except for the fact that stores are still closing earlier. How about the Esplanade Mall--has anyone been there? It looked pretty deserted when I was there. Oh yes, I neglicted to mention I did come back for about 10 days last Oct. I stayed with a good friend in Kenner. The first half of my time there, I think I was in shock. It was so sad seeing a lot of the places we use to go, hung out at--gone. Like the devastation at the Lakefront. But then, the last few days there, I went out and had a good time, ate some good food, and started to get the 'ole homesick pangs again. At that time tho, I had resigned myself to the fact that I'd be stuck up here in WA, due to my husband's job. But now, he's in a national company, and may be able to transfer back down there. So...I'm now struggling with the decision. I also worry about where we'd end up. The rents have gone up so--comparable to here in Seattle! I may do what you suggested tho, NOLA2, and come back for another visit. And think twice about leaving, esp if you've been there a long time. But if you do, take it from me, stay in the south, if you value friendships! In fact, if you're curious about what I mean concerning WA, go to that state on this site. You'll find pages of newcomer's like me complaining about the same thing!
Take it from me: I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS!!

[NOLA2SGF]

Originally Posted by shaley

Thank you Ilove NOLA--I have heard that Kenner is almost back to normal, except for the fact that stores are still closing earlier. How about the Esplanade Mall--has anyone been there? It looked pretty deserted when I was there. Oh yes, I neglicted to mention I did come back for about 10 days last Oct. I stayed with a good friend in Kenner. The first half of my time there, I think I was in shock. It was so sad seeing a lot of the places we use to go, hung out at--gone. Like the devastation at the Lakefront. But then, the last few days there, I went out and had a good time, ate some good food, and started to get the 'ole homesick pangs again. At that time tho, I had resigned myself to the fact that I'd be stuck up here in WA, due to my husband's job. But now, he's in a national company, and may be able to transfer back down there. So...I'm now struggling with the decision. I also worry about where we'd end up. The rents have gone up so--comparable to here in Seattle! I may do what you suggested tho, NOLA2, and come back for another visit. And think twice about leaving, esp if you've been there a long time. But if you do, take it from me, stay in the south, if you value friendships! In fact, if you're curious about what I mean concerning WA, go to that state on this site. You'll find pages of newcomer's like me complaining about the same thing!
Take it from me: I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS!!

Aw!!! {{{ hugs }}} Good luck to you and I promise I will think hard about it before I make up my mind.

[stormweary]

shaley:
if it helps, you are not the only one struggling with this. I feel the same way and I am in Florida! Its not home...... I grew up in New Orleans and have visited a couple of times since the storm. I see small signs of recovery. Friends say it is hard to live in the city right now. Yet, they are staying.... I still have my mom and cousins living in Metairie and except for the traffic, they say its ok. One cousin is looking in Baton Rouge for jobs, can't find one in the city. He's in IT. Another cousin is looking to move to the area because of possible job.... Crime was terrible before the storm in the city. The worse thing that could happen to the city DID, so now we know.

[NOLA2SGF]

Originally Posted by stormweary

shaley:
if it helps, you are not the only one struggling with this. I feel the same way and I am in Florida! Its not home...... I grew up in New Orleans and have visited a couple of times since the storm. I see small signs of recovery. Friends say it is hard to live in the city right now. Yet, they are staying.... I still have my mom and cousins living in Metairie and except for the traffic, they say its ok. One cousin is looking in Baton Rouge for jobs, can't find one in the city. He's in IT. Another cousin is looking to move to the area because of possible job.... Crime was terrible before the storm in the city. The worse thing that could happen to the city DID, so now we know.

I am in Metairie as well, as I was before the storm. I think that Metairie has improved since shaley was here in October. Or, maybe I am getting used to the traffic, crime, and additional people here. I don't go out by myself in the evenings any more, though I used to before the storm. Crime is a lot worse but Harry Lee and Newell Normand are starting to address this vigorously and I am thrilled about that. Medical care is apparently a huge and worsening problem, though I have not really needed much myself.

I am lucky because I still have my same job, so that is not a factor. Cost of living for me is higher by about 25% (I keep careful records and live frugally), but I got a promotion and paid off my house so I am managing to pay the higher prices. We are having trouble hiring scientists and engineers at my work to replace those who have left. If they are not offered a higher salary, they usually would rather live in some other city, away from the devastation.

shaley, you asked about Esplanade Mall. I have only been there about three times since the storm. Guess I am not that much of a shopper! Macy's is gone (you probably knew that). Last Sunday morning I went there to eat at Zea's. It was great, as always. We finished eating at 11:30 and the mall wasn't open yet (not till noon on Sunday), but we walked around anyway to work off our lunch, and things looked pretty normal. Outside the mall, you know where those restaurants are on W. Esplanade? Chevys and Lone Star left, but there is a new Copelands where Lone Star was and it is very popular.

According to co-workers who rent, rents have gone down since last October, though they are not as low as before the storm. My question would be who else was renting in the complex. I think apartment complexes seemed more dangerous in 2006 than in 2004, due to a certain transient element, but maybe things are getting back to normal there, too. You should probably check that out for yourself.

[Micktooth]

It's a tough decision. My family and I also left. We now live in Colorado and we couldn't happier. We go back to NOLA to visit, but I don't think we will ever leave Colorado for good.

[shaley]

Decisions, decisions ahhhhh!! I'm glad to hear you and family are happy in CO, Micktooth. Things (people) must be different there than here in the Northwest. Like I said before, I've been here nearly 2 years and still don't feel "at home". I've about given up on making close friends, in fact, it's too exausting to even try anymore! So...if I do stay here, I'll just have to get used to doing things with just my husband, which after nearly 20 years together has it's pros and cons-lol!
I think I will try to come back down for a visit, to see how I truely feel this time around. I'm going to try to see a lot more than I did in Oct., and this time hopefully some of the shock will be gone. I'll probably go in August, just to see if I can still handle the heat-lol! That's one thing I do not miss.
Thanks for all the inputs ya'll! ...(I like saying that word every chance I get.) Where y'at? Hee....
Boo hoo...now I'm getting homesick again...

[sparklesprinkler]

To Shaley's comments on living in Seattle and missing home- I say-> I'm wit ya gurl! My family and I moved to Chattanooga, TN in December 2005 b/c of Katrina. And let me just tell you when I read what you said about the food sucking, the people having "don't get too close" signs stuck to their forheads is words right out of my mouth every other frickin' day!!!! It is the EXACT same way here. My neighbors are not nice. They have cook-outs and don't invite us. Whenever we offer anything- they say "no, thank you, we're fine". I'm like I didn't ask you how you were!!! Dammit! Why are people so closed off? WTF is wrong with all these morons across this country??? I miss my home, too!!! I lived in Metairie. I miss the food, the stores, the people.....the ability to have a new neighbor and become like family members within only a handful of months of meeting. Why are people so afraid of opening up and loving one another.... LAME ASS town I live in now. My husband and I just started to look into moving back home but the problem now is not only the inflated cost of buying a house but the insane cost of home owners insurance!!! The insurance is surely going to block us from coming back. I am so sad....I will know in a couple of days what the insurance will prolly be for a house that is around 150,000 bucks. I've been warned by my friend and agent that we should expect 4 to 5 thousand dollars a year for insurance!!!! That is an extra 4 to 5 hundred dollars per month on top of the house principal and interest payment!! *sigh* We will move back one day....just not anytime soon, I don't think....the cost of living is unreasonable for an economy that is still wounded and healing....