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Could someone living in NC in the Asheville area please help me? My husband was transferred for his job from MI to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, and was laid off so we want to leave this area as we dislike it immensely. We have been here for 8 years, and still feel like "outsiders", and have been told that people in this area don't particulartly care for "Northerners." In considering Asheville, I'm being told it can tend to be like that in that area also, which makes me leery, as it has been very emotionally difficult to deal with. It's also been suggested to look into other areas such as Lenoir, Gamewell, etc.-that there won't be any issues from us being up North. We are coming to the end of our lease, and I just don't know which way to go!!!! Any advice would be much appreciated, because I'm getting more confused by the day!
Could someone living in NC in the Asheville area please help me?
It would help if you re-posted this in the Western NC sub-forum. It would also help if you listed your husband's job skills, and yours if you plan to work. One shouldn't plan to move anywhere without a job lined up. Asheville is a lovely area, but it may not match your job expectations.
Is there a specific reason you have chosen NC, out of all other places, when you don't have a job to bring you here or really even know where you want to be? Maybe somewhere further north would give you less chance of being disliked from being Northern? Even northern Virginia is more "Northern" than "Virginia", and you don't have to be right in the hustle and bustle of the DC suburbs.
You must have a reason to select NC for living. You have to preplanned schedule of what to do and choose the best place to live according to your skills and interests. The Asheville area is full of natural beauty and an adventurous place and the living standard is so high. Though its known to be very progressive but traditions are seen through natives and celebrations etc. Moreover, Asheville is the place to standard educational and health care institutions, colorful festivals, concerts and many more. The Asheville is a place with healthy living and strong economy which maintain consistent growth with better employment ratio.
Could someone living in NC in the Asheville area please help me? My husband was transferred for his job from MI to the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, and was laid off so we want to leave this area as we dislike it immensely. We have been here for 8 years, and still feel like "outsiders", and have been told that people in this area don't particulartly care for "Northerners." In considering Asheville, I'm being told it can tend to be like that in that area also, which makes me leery, as it has been very emotionally difficult to deal with. It's also been suggested to look into other areas such as Lenoir, Gamewell, etc.-that there won't be any issues from us being up North. We are coming to the end of our lease, and I just don't know which way to go!!!! Any advice would be much appreciated, because I'm getting more confused by the day!
Jennifer, I am a native from Hendersonville, NC , which is approx 30 minutes outside of Asheville, NC and you will find many wonderful, caring and friendly folks in Asheville . It's too bad that the South is known for not being friendly to Northerners. IMO, that is untrue. The only Northerners that we in the South have a problem with are those folks that move here and try to change things here to be like up North. If you move here and try to enjoy the South for what it is , then I promise you , you will have no problems and make wonderful friends. There will always be those people who aren't overly friendly but , aren't they everywhere not just in the South?
The job market is really NOT good here now, so please try to have your jobs lined up before moving here.
Good Luck!!
Last edited by louise50; 04-04-2012 at 05:25 PM..
Reason: left out word..
The Asheville is a place with healthy living and strong economy which maintain consistent growth with better employment ratio.
Asheville's unemployment is not "better". It is a tourist based economy and lacks professional jobs. The cost of living is almost the highest in the state(last I looked it was only behind a few coastal areas) with a very low household income. The vast majority of restaurant and retail workers in asheville have bachelors degrees or higher but can't find any other jobs. Most jobs in the area years ago were manufacturing jobs and they have been lost over the past few decades and no new jobs are coming in to take their place. No one should move to asheville without a job. A quick search of the local newspaper, the citizen times, will give you a much more accurate picture of the economy.
To the OP, why did you hone in on asheville out of 49 other states? Have you visited before and actually spent time doing more than just tourist things?
P.S. MI isn't really the type of people who southerners who do dislike northerners refer to. Its the NY'ers and NJ'ers who move here and complain about how things were up north and try to change a southerners way of life.
I keep hearing horror stories about tornados, hurricanes, and no jobs in NC. Is this true? should I reconsider uprooting my family from MI to deal with all of that?
I keep hearing horror stories about tornados, hurricanes, and no jobs in NC. Is this true? should I reconsider uprooting my family from MI to deal with all of that?
Not unless you do some more research. The job picture may be better than Michigan, but it's not great. So, unless you have some very "in demand" skills, you need to have a job lined up.
Hi Jennifer, I moved to the Asheville area 15 months ago from Delaware. People "with attitude" don't fare well here. Adopt Southern friendliness/courtesy and most folks in Asheville and immediate area will be just fine to you. I agree that jobs are very scarce; don't move here without one. Rent for a year and get to know the area before making a serious financial commitment. The current controversy about marriage vs. civil unions in NC underscores the dark side of the state. Fundamentalists and the religious right-wing, Tea Party folks all dominate the scene outside of Asheville, so if that's your bent, you'll be very comfortable here. Other folks feel the discrimination. It's not the tolerant North Carolina I knew 30 years ago, for sure. I hope this helps you.
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