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Old 06-29-2017, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Henderson, NV
8,882 posts, read 20,259,030 times
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Don't know how it is today, but small towns were always noted for their friendliness. IOW, pretty much everyone knew each other. My teen years were spent on a farm just outside a small town in Indiana. Most of the stores in town, and the bank, knew me and my step-parents. Small towns were highly noted for their friendliness. Some folks like that "small town" feeling, while others wouldn't give it a thought about moving to one.

Big cities have always been a turn-off for wife and I and we rarely go into our downtown area.
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Old 06-29-2017, 10:47 AM
 
Location: Hot Springs
1,299 posts, read 2,843,858 times
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Hot Springs still has the regional V A hospital which treats a lot of vets who are suffering from a variety of physical & mental problems. Because many of the vets have become residents of Hot Springs, you may find it easier to "fit in" in Hot Springs, if that is an issue for you. I have lived in Hot Springs for the past 6 yrs and I love it, however there are people who are uncomfortable being around someone who is disabled.
Oglala Lakota county is next door to Fall River county of which Hot Springs is the county seat. Fall River county does much of the administrative work for Oglala Lakota. Consequently there is a lot of intermingling with the residents of the Pine Ridge reservation. I have not witnessed any problem with that.
Lake Angustora is located just a few miles south of Hot Springs which may be of interest to you.
uh

Last edited by uncleharley; 06-29-2017 at 11:00 AM..
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Old 06-29-2017, 04:31 PM
 
15 posts, read 35,479 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SD4020 View Post
I tend to agree with Wyopraire relating to smaller towns. As far as the Native American relations there have been moments of tension from time to time.

The choices are more limited in smaller towns. However, rent is cheaper. A decent 2 bedroom apartment rents for more than a mortgage payment on a 3 bedroom house in Rapid City. Custer and Hot Springs are nice small towns in the Southern Hills.

Hot Springs is growing on me. I work down there a couple times a month. Custer is a nice little town that I enjoy. Summer time Custer is a bustling little town during tourist season. The rest of the year, it is a sleepy town. Hot Springs is even keeled year round.

Initially, when I saw the post I had some concerns. However, I think you have done your due diligence. I think you would do just fine out west.
Thanks for replying again.

Regarding my possible move to SD, I think the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. I should be able to survive OK, but will have to pinch my pennies and lead a fiscally responsible lifestyle to make sure I don't get myself in trouble. I think your initial caution was well-placed. That said, if I can't survive financially in South Dakota..I pretty much can't survive anywhere. Check out this map: Out Of Reach: National Low Income Housing Coalition . South Dakota ranks 49th in Housing costs.

Also, what I think I would do is try to find a cheap place right away...and then get on the phone with the Housing Authority about Section 8 housing. Basically, I'd look for a voucher to help me out a little bit with housing costs for the following year and onward. This wouldn't be Public Housing (which I'd also qualify for, but don't want to be in gov't housing). It would be a voucher that goes to a private landlord that accepts the vouchers. I think there are a decent amount of places that will accept these vouchers in SD.

I think next week I will call some of the private campgrounds in the area, explain that I'm attempting to move to the state, and ask for the best rate they can give me if they allow me to camp for a month straight. The campground would be my headquarters while searching for an apartment. A typical, inexpensive rate for these campgrounds seems to be around 22.00/night for Tent Only camping (many are higher, but several advertise 22.00)...and a few have free Wi-Fi. Maybe one of them would say "Great! We'll give you a month at 20.00 a night". If not, no big deal...I could still pay 660 for a month instead of 600. I just need to hope they have room...I hear the campsites in Western SD get jam-packed in the summer.
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Old 06-29-2017, 04:40 PM
 
15 posts, read 35,479 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveBoating View Post
Don't know how it is today, but small towns were always noted for their friendliness. IOW, pretty much everyone knew each other. My teen years were spent on a farm just outside a small town in Indiana. Most of the stores in town, and the bank, knew me and my step-parents. Small towns were highly noted for their friendliness. Some folks like that "small town" feeling, while others wouldn't give it a thought about moving to one.

Big cities have always been a turn-off for wife and I and we rarely go into our downtown area.
This makes me a little nervous, LoveBoating...and is why I had asked earlier in this thread about gossip, etc... I have mental illness (mostly very high Anxiety where I can't be around people...and I am mildly autistic...which some people can figure out after they know me for a little while). If everyone knows each other and is in each others business, that could be very bad for me. I will smile and say "Hi" to people on the streets, but I don't really want anyone in my business, and want to be left alone for the most part. If you're implying that everyone will know me and be in my business, that makes me extremely anxious
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Old 06-29-2017, 04:50 PM
 
15 posts, read 35,479 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uncleharley View Post
Hot Springs still has the regional V A hospital which treats a lot of vets who are suffering from a variety of physical & mental problems. Because many of the vets have become residents of Hot Springs, you may find it easier to "fit in" in Hot Springs, if that is an issue for you. I have lived in Hot Springs for the past 6 yrs and I love it, however there are people who are uncomfortable being around someone who is disabled.
Oglala Lakota county is next door to Fall River county of which Hot Springs is the county seat. Fall River county does much of the administrative work for Oglala Lakota. Consequently there is a lot of intermingling with the residents of the Pine Ridge reservation. I have not witnessed any problem with that.
Lake Angustora is located just a few miles south of Hot Springs which may be of interest to you.
uh
Thanks UncleHarley. Seems I have several areas to look into that may have apartments for rent.

To the South of RC is HotSprings, and to the West-NorthWest of RC is Spearfish, Deadwood, Sturgis, and Belle-Fourche. All seem to have a good number of Apartment Complexes.

My disability is hidden (not physical)...so I probably wouldn't suffer from prejudice at first glance. It's only when talking to people that they may start to figure me out. That's kind of why I'm hoping I could be left alone. I'd still search for a confidant of two ... but that's it.
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Old 06-29-2017, 05:26 PM
 
Location: WY
507 posts, read 654,456 times
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You may be over-analyzing a bit. Don't know where you are coming from, but the west is
probably a bit different. The Black Hills region is a beautiful natural area for the most part
with communities that aren't (from a western perspective anyway) really very far apart.

Take Spearfish, for example. Population is about 12 thousand. Out here, that is a big town.
A downright urban experience. And you have the students (BHSU) as well. Sturgis and Belle Fourche each have about 5 thousand. Good sized towns. No way everybody is going to
know you. Your concern, " that everyone will know me and be in my business," isn't typical
of how we roll. Yeah, in a small town (and I mean small) you could be known to some
people, but that doesn't mean they will be in your business. If you like to be solitary, most
people will assume you like to be solitary. Westerners (native ones, anyway) are raised to
be friendly, but also to mind their own business.

On a more practical point-watch out with regard to staying in campgrounds around that 1st
week in August, because the rates will likely skyrocket.
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Old 06-29-2017, 05:43 PM
 
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Thanks Wyoprarie. I grew concerned after LoveBoating posted "pretty much everyone knew each other" in small towns. I was simply taking their comment at face value. Good to know you disagree...makes me feel a bit better to know that I would not have a problem blending into the background. Where I come from, lightly populated towns don't really exist, lol...so you can understand why I'm concerned about the atmosphere and how people behave. It would be a new experience for me.

Yeah, several of the campsites have exploding rates during the summer, but I found a few that are 22.00 through the summer and have Wi-Fi. There are not many, and they may not have easy vacancy, but they do seem to exist.

Just want to say that this forum is fantastic. All of the responses, feedback, and experiences are truly helpful. Thank You very much!
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Old 06-29-2017, 07:34 PM
 
Location: WY
507 posts, read 654,456 times
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Here's the thing-I'll give a little more about it, and then let it go, because I think you
are doing good preparation for possibly moving out this way.

I'm a 4th generation native and I have never lived in any other area, but for twenty
years now, I travel extensively in my work. A while back, I stopped at one of our
fancy tourist welcome centers in WY, and happened to see a new booklet, titled
"Welcome to Wyoming-a guide for newcomers" Well, despite my amusement, I had
to pick one up to see what sort of seditious nonsense they might be passing out. A
few quotes:

"Respecting others' privacy: There is a strong emphasis in Wyoming on respecting
personal space and privacy. Those who do not want to be bothered will usually have
their wishes honored. Along these lines, it is considered impolite to ask a rancher how
many head of cattle or acres he or she owns."

"If you enjoy your own company, you will enjoy Wyoming. Wyoming may not be the
ideal place for someone who thrives on new people, shopping, and fast-paced
entertainment."

"Neighbors are more likely to stop and chat when meeting on the street rather than
dropping by each other's homes. People will approach you once they get to know you.
In Wyoming, neighborly relations often develop gradually over time."

"A laconic style. People in Wyoming generally talk less than residents of metropolitan
areas. They may have just as much to say, but they are in no hurry to say it. Also,
there is less emphasis on chitchat, small talk or pleasantries are not always used to
start a conversation."

So there's a few-this booklet, it's 55 pages, I think it is funny they publish something
to explain "us". But anyway, I think it is applicable for the most part to South Dakota,
Montana, Idaho, as well. SD Black Hills is a more populated area, and lots of people
move there (my sister & her husband built a new house above Deadwood) or travel to
there. Two things stood out in what you wrote: peacefulness and solitude, and I
think you may find what you are looking for, along with the prospect of sustainable
affordability, which is getting harder to find.
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Old 06-29-2017, 08:33 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
7,608 posts, read 4,508,722 times
Reputation: 12656
Not sure OP. You've got these diseases, and I assume these things need to be cared for and worked on. I'd try and find something close a medical program that can help you. Do you not want to try and overcome your difficulties? The welfare net in the state is fairly stingy.
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Old 06-29-2017, 11:21 PM
 
15 posts, read 35,479 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by artillery77 View Post
Not sure OP. You've got these diseases, and I assume these things need to be cared for and worked on. I'd try and find something close a medical program that can help you. Do you not want to try and overcome your difficulties? The welfare net in the state is fairly stingy.
art, thanks for joining the conversation. I'm way ahead of you in regards to making sure I have access to mental health professionals and support groups. You'll note that in my OP, I mentioned this was important.

In any case, not only is there plenty of support of all kinds in Rapid City...there are also Support Groups, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists to the South (Hot Springs) and to the WNW (Spearfish). NAMI SD is actually holding a Mental Health conference in Spearfish in September.

Believe me, I don't like being the way I am. I want to get better and hate having to accept the SSDI hand-out. I worked for many years, and was making a decent living by the time my world fell apart. It kills me to have lost that.

Regarding welfare...I don't expect any from the State of SD. My healthcare will be Federal (Medicare), and if I do pursue Section 8...that is also Federally funded. I have no interest in State funded programs like SNAP (Food Stamps), or anything else they can offer.

If I make the move, I want to be as little of a burden on SD as possible. In fact, the reason I'm looking so closely at South Dakota is because it appears I can pay for things without having to seek benefits beyond my Federally-funded SSDI....which I paid into for many years. I'm trying to be as small of a burden as possible.

Thanks again for your post.
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