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I received a job offer for my first teaching job at an elementary school in Sanford, NC. I have not been there and don't know much about the area. From what I hear, there is much more going on in the Triangle area nearby. I've also heard that it might be better to live closer to Raleigh and commute to Sanford. Any ideas? Would Sanford be ok?
I'm not excited about commuting, but if Sanford is in the middle of nowhere, then I think I would rather live somewhere more populated/fun/young etc and commute to work. I plan on renting an apartment, duplex, part of home, etc for now. Sorry I don't have a budget prepared quite yet but i can say that I will be living alone on a teacher salary.
I am moving from a pretty big city in MI (about 200,000 people) I live in a upper middle class suburban area (about 40,000 people)... about 15 min from the large downtown.... I frequent the beach/ Lake MI which is about 40 min away.....I'm not a big outdoorsy person but am beginning to be more adventurous..... I like the night life and a cute, fun, safe area with a diverse group of people (no racist hick-towns for me, please!)
I am a single 24 year old girl and it would be nice to be able to network with other young adults.
Any help is much appreciated! Thanks
P.S. I'm most likely moving within the next few weeks!
My in-laws live in Sanford, and we visit often. It is the kind of small town where everyone is related, and they want to know your business all the time. Families are close. There are people from the outside living in Sanford, and it's not a bad place, but I think you sound like you would be more comfortable living in a suburb like Cary and commuting to Sanford. There are a lot more amenities like shopping, nightlife, culture etc. in the Triangle,especially a town like Cary.
Good luck.
Last edited by goldenage1; 07-22-2011 at 07:08 PM..
Reason: clarification
I think a 24 year old single teacher would be better off living around Sanford. Commuting from Cary would be unnecessary and expensive on a teacher's salary. I bet the rent would be much higher too.
Plenty of nightlife options with 50,000 Paratroopers next door at Fort Bragg.
BTW Sanford would be considered a "hick" town (it is still pretty rural) you will have to make your own decision about racist.
Live in Sanford. Get to know the people whose kids you've been entrusted to teach. If you take their money, then at least live in their town. Judging from your hick/racist comment, I think that you might well learn something from the experience. You're lucky to have a job of any kind these days, so you might not be too quick to look down your nose at the people employing you. Also consider the cost of commuting (a lot more than just gasoline) and the environmental impact. Live in Sanford.
Another vote for Sanford. Better to commute to Raleigh on the weekends than to Sanford 5 days a week.
Sanford is a very nice town. Where is the school? You might look at the 501 /42 side of Sanford?
First year teacher will bring home around $2000 a month? Your first year will probably be paid through 10 months? The second year you will have the option of year round (12 month) pay schedule.
Welcome to NC education and the wonderful world of bottom 5 pay in the country?
I am also a former Michigander that moved to NC to teach. I am not familiar with the area you will be in, but my first year I lived about 50 minutes from my school in a super rural town (not even a stoplight)! so I could be closer to something that seemed more like 'home' to me. I am very glad I did, I truly believe it helped. After my first year, I bought a house about 30 minutes from my school (I originally looked for an apartment in this town, but nothing was available in early August). I still live in an area that is very comparable to where I grew up in the shopping, size, income aspect. I pay more than I would in the county I teach in, but I am more comfortable where I live.
I know one teacher who says she will never live in the town she teaches in. She does live in the county (I don't), and it is a rural county with only one real town, so she runs into people when she goes out to eat or to the mall. But, another teacher does live in the town we teach in and often runs into students at the grocery store. She talks all the time about how embarrassing it is to run into a student with a bottle of wine or box of tampons in her shopping cart. Something else to think about.
She talks all the time about how embarrassing it is to run into a student with a bottle of wine or box of tampons in her shopping cart. Something else to think about.
Probably not much of a concern in this case -- OP is an elementary school teacher.
Thanks everyone! It's great to have some advice. It's a tough decision, especially b/c I'm not there to look around yet! As some commented, I know I need to consider $the gas $ I would spend commuting back and forth from somewhere.... but i also need to be comfortable and happy where I'm living too (especially not having any friends/family there).
Probably not much of a concern in this case -- OP is an elementary school teacher.
So am I
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