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With all the research and planning you may have done prior to moving to the Raleigh-Durham area, what have you found to be the most pleasant surprise? Something good you didn't expect or you underestimated.
For us, one thing is convenience. We had no idea just how many choices we would have.
The pleasantness of others here! Specifically kids. Its nice to go to a packed place and still hear "excuse me" when moving around someone. We are constantly loving it when we go to places like Marbles.
Also awesome food. We had to go out of our Mexican box but have found some truly amazing places.
Many people will disagree with me, but I have come to love the weather. Moving here from Ohio, I was used to bleak winter days that went on forever....and lots of snow. Once we moved here and realized how mild the winter weather was, I quickly embraced it. In fact, I love that one day it can be 70 degrees and sunny and the next day 45 and rainy..........and I know the crappy weather won't last.
The respect and open mindedness me and my family have received. Even though we all look strange and considering the current way things are in this country, we aren't treated negatively. Many people are leery when coming here considering that this is the "Bible Belt" and therefore unwelcoming to anything not typically in line with typical Christianity. However, this is so NOT the case and I was pleasantly surprised and still continue to be after 6 years.
We lived in a neighborhood in north Dallas for 9 years and never learned the names of our immediate neighbors. We've lived in our current home for 5 years and know every person in the neighborhood.
I was most pleasantly surprised to find a good job right away. Not a great job, and not the job of my dreams, but a job that is a heck of lot better than collecting unemployment like my last 2 years in NY.
I fully expected all the other wonderful things I've found here.
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
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The lack of traffic. Even though I knew it would be better here than in DC, I didn't realize HOW MUCH BETTER it would be. I had become somewhat immune to the 24/7 crazy traffic. Here, I go into a shopping center and I can park close to the store's entrance! I don't wait through more than 1 iteration of a traffic light! If I drive on the highway at 9:00 AM, rush hour is already over! AMAZING!
The cultural opportunities: DPAC, Broadway South (RIP),NC Museum of
Art, the Nasher, the Ackland, NC Symphony and Carolina Ballet.
Tickets are more affordable here than in my previous hometown.
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