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Old 05-31-2007, 12:48 PM
 
1,790 posts, read 6,504,370 times
Reputation: 1003

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Funny you mention the eye contact thing. I was raised in rural NE NC and everyone did that (I thought it was a small town thing) but having moved to VA 12 years ago it's not as common. I too noticed the eye contact when I visited Raleigh several months ago.

 
Old 05-31-2007, 12:53 PM
 
Location: Portland, Oregon
5,299 posts, read 8,240,369 times
Reputation: 3809
The slowness of clerks will probably drive me insane. I used to end up grabbing the bag and packing my own groceries. It took me a year or two to get used to it in Dallas. Also, it bugs me when someone's paying by check at the grocery and they don't make out the check at home. If you're going to use a check, don't make everybody wait while you fill it out. Do they let people in line if they only have item?

I remember our first snow storm alert in Dallas. We didn't pay any attention and needed some items from the grocery. Couldn't believe no milk or bread left in the entire store. They go nuts here in Portland too at the slightest mention of snow. I can understand Raleigh being upset snow, but thunderstorms are not unusual in Raleigh are they?
 
Old 05-31-2007, 01:55 PM
 
20 posts, read 67,705 times
Reputation: 17
I had the opposite experience at our local Harris Teeter- the cashier insisted that she bring out my bags to the car- it was on the far side of lot and I was so grateful, I had 4 little kids with me and it was 90F.

Things that I have yet to get used to:

Stores that have tiny, itsy bitsy signs. I must have passed Lowes 15 times before I noticed it was on 15/501. It took me trawling up and down the same road 3 times to find Dick's Sporting Goods.

How hot it is here! 94F today- I'm staying inside.

How friendly everyone is. We lived in our old place for 5 years and had 1 neighbor say goodbye. Within 4 days of moving in here I had 5 neighbors ring our doorbell to introduce themselves and let me know about local restaurants, the pool, grocery stores (because they all have no signs!), and tell me if anyone around has kids to befriend mine.
Kat, mom of 5 chickadees
No fighting, no biting!

Last edited by katc; 05-31-2007 at 01:57 PM.. Reason: spelling
 
Old 05-31-2007, 02:35 PM
 
Location: FL
2,392 posts, read 5,715,243 times
Reputation: 1277
^^Katc, your post reminded me of another thing:

*the lack of clearly visible street signs above red lights; I'm sure some of you new people have experienced coming to a major intersection, trying to determine the name of said major intersection and not having any luck b/c the street sign is a small sign off to the far right or left of the street instead of overhead on the line that connects the red lights on a big green street sign that clearly displays the street name;

And I concur on the small signs for businesses. And I do like 90 degree here better than I do 90 degrees in Florida or 110 in Phoenix. In Florida b/c the humidity is higher than here 90 feels worse. Yesterday it was 90 when I was walking to my car leaving the office and I didn't sweat with a long sleeve shirt and wool dress pants on. Try that in Florida right now
 
Old 05-31-2007, 02:35 PM
 
Location: Wake Forest - New Light
1,263 posts, read 4,940,648 times
Reputation: 1001
Thumbs down Inner/Outer Beltline

I loved reading this...but my #1 thing is the Inner/Outer Beltline, If it's not off 540 or Glenwood Avenue, I don't go...lol...I don't get it...I consider myself to be pretty intelligent, but no clue how to navigate 440. I have no problem with 40 or 540. I will practice more...hopefully I will comprehend one day...
 
Old 05-31-2007, 03:04 PM
 
574 posts, read 1,207,438 times
Reputation: 607
Quote:
Originally Posted by nynraleigh View Post
I loved reading this...but my #1 thing is the Inner/Outer Beltline, If it's not off 540 or Glenwood Avenue, I don't go...lol...I don't get it...I consider myself to be pretty intelligent, but no clue how to navigate 440. I have no problem with 40 or 540. I will practice more...hopefully I will comprehend one day...
I just follow what cities the signs direct me to. At least I know Wake Forest is up and Sanford is down. I only get lost if I need to go sideways. So I don't go sideways.
 
Old 05-31-2007, 03:13 PM
 
Location: Beautiful Raleigh, NC
15 posts, read 38,618 times
Reputation: 20
Default A Southerner's Take

Hi, folks. Welcome to the Raleigh area. As a lifelong Southerner and a 15-year Raleigh resident who has made dozens of work trips to the NE, let me try to explain some things to y'all (sic).

Let's start with weather. Yes, TV programs get preempted to show approaching storms. Its for a very good reason. The longer you live here, the more you will respect the weather. You may get two feet of snow back home, but here in NC you get snow (anywhere from 1" to 12", on occasion), ice, wicked thunderstorms, tornadoes (even F5s that appear out of nowhere, unlike say, Kansas), and the mother of all storms: hurricanes. Live through a hurricane or two and you will no longer scoff at TV forecasters, I promise you!

Lighted roadways. Believe it or not, you can still see the night sky in much of the Triangle. We like it that way. God made headlights for a reason. ;-)

The I-440 Beltline. Yeah, the inner/outer names are dumb. We don't like 'em, either.

Accents. I've lived in Charlotte and Raleigh in NC, and traveled much of the state. The Triangle area is the one place I'd say accents don't really matter. There is such a mix of people here that you get all types.

Cashiers. As far as I know, we don't have unionized grocery workers here, and the pay probably isn't what your union cashiers make. I guess you get what you pay for (though I can't explain why food prices here might equal the NE).

Smoking. I detest it. Many people here do. There are usually non-smoking areas in restaurants, though. Curiously, in my many trips to NYC I never noticed a lack of smokers.

Dunkin Donuts. We actually have several around. You just don't trip over them like you do Up North.

Anyway, we're glad you're here. You'll find people here are friendly and welcoming. Having many interesting people from so many areas bring their talents to the Triangle makes it a fantastic place to live. You'll have no trouble fitting in.

Cheers!
Mark Turner
Moderator cut: no signature links allowed

Last edited by scirocco22; 05-31-2007 at 08:38 PM.. Reason: please read T.O.S., Thanks!
 
Old 05-31-2007, 03:26 PM
 
Location: Clayton, NC
850 posts, read 3,622,304 times
Reputation: 338
Default Rofl

Hey great thread....I'm cracking up reading all the response.

My list of things I can't get used to.....

THE INNER/OUTER BELTLINE as others have said. It just plain scares me and I don't do it..period. I mean....its the same road, but its a different road. One's inner, one's outer...how hard would it have been to name them differently? AND I'm definately not a road chicken. I can navigate through NYC with no problem but I steer clear of the Beltline.

Gotta say the street signs as well. I was traveling to a farm for the first time and we ran into a street with NO sign at all. I just had to figure it was the right turn based on the mileage and mapquest directions.

And not sure if this is just a Clayton thing but what is with those white street signs? I mean, first off, there's too many signs to look at (I've seen about a dozen at one intersection) and second all they do is point an arrow with the name of a town. So in essence they are saying, "Selma in this general direction". lol. I swear we get a laugh out of this every time we pass one. How about just making the street signs a little more noticable?

I MISS GOOD ITALIAN AND CHINESE FOOD. Can't find em in Clayton. Ragazzi's is the closest thing to good Italian I've had in a year.

I miss bakeries and really good delis....with homemade potato and other salads. Not that I ate them often but man do I really miss those potato/egg salads or tuna/shell salads. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

I miss being able to buy all my natural foods in one place.

I can't stand the smoking IN buildings and restaurants! Will walk right out of a restaurant with an open smoking sections (as if it doesn't travel).


To balance......here's what I LOVE about where we live.

I LOVE our neighborhood! Lots of kids playing from driveway to driveway, running from house to house while parents talk. LOVE it.

I LOVE the open sky. Only northerners seem to get this but there is MUCH MUCH more sky here, especially here in the Clayton (more rural) area.

I love the greenness.

I love how nice strangers are!

I love that not many are in a rush. So you can have nice, pleasant conversations with just about anyone you come into contact with; cashiers, waitresses, post office, etc.

I love that it takes ALOT to get people to blow their horns here.

I love that I don't have to worry about shoveling out from 2 feet of snow.

Oh and I love our new home and the schools too!
Lauren
 
Old 05-31-2007, 03:41 PM
 
Location: Indianapolis, IN
198 posts, read 909,404 times
Reputation: 115
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkTurner View Post
Hi, folks. Welcome to the Raleigh area. As a lifelong Southerner and a 15-year Raleigh resident who has made dozens of work trips to the NE, let me try to explain some things to y'all (sic).

Let's start with weather. Yes, TV programs get preempted to show approaching storms. Its for a very good reason. The longer you live here, the more you will respect the weather. You may get two feet of snow back home, but here in NC you get snow (anywhere from 1" to 12", on occasion), ice, wicked thunderstorms, tornadoes (even F5s that appear out of nowhere, unlike say, Kansas), and the mother of all storms: hurricanes. Live through a hurricane or two and you will no longer scoff at TV forecasters, I promise you!

Lighted roadways. Believe it or not, you can still see the night sky in much of the Triangle. We like it that way. God made headlights for a reason. ;-)

The I-440 Beltline. Yeah, the inner/outer names are dumb. We don't like 'em, either.

Accents. I've lived in Charlotte and Raleigh in NC, and traveled much of the state. The Triangle area is the one place I'd say accents don't really matter. There is such a mix of people here that you get all types.

Cashiers. As far as I know, we don't have unionized grocery workers here, and the pay probably isn't what your union cashiers make. I guess you get what you pay for (though I can't explain why food prices here might equal the NE).

Smoking. I detest it. Many people here do. There are usually non-smoking areas in restaurants, though. Curiously, in my many trips to NYC I never noticed a lack of smokers.

Dunkin Donuts. We actually have several around. You just don't trip over them like you do Up North.

Anyway, we're glad you're here. You'll find people here are friendly and welcoming. Having many interesting people from so many areas bring their talents to the Triangle makes it a fantastic place to live. You'll have no trouble fitting in.

Cheers!
Mark Turner
Mark Turner | A Life, Unfinished




Thank you for this post. It was starting to look like complainer's row. You cant please everyone. There are negatives and positives to each city and stating what you missed about home is different than talking negative about particular things. I know once I arrive there will be things I miss and wont like as well, but I wont share them because happiness is from within. Life is too short to worry about how long a cashier takes. Some of us northerners could learn something from a slowed down pace.
 
Old 05-31-2007, 03:55 PM
 
Location: beautiful North Carolina
7,573 posts, read 10,603,862 times
Reputation: 5513
I couldn't agree more! That is why we are looking for a change, change of pace, change of attitude, change of priorities, decreased stress. Probably will take a bit getting use to though being a life-long New Jerseyite, more for my husband I think, but overall, looking to enjoying life just a little bit more. The only thing I really will never adjust to would be public smoking, so unhealthy, second hand smoke, but hopefully that will change in the future. Jeannie
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