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Old 09-29-2007, 11:49 PM
 
1 posts, read 5,826 times
Reputation: 12

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I am going to give you as honest & open opinion of Roanoke, VA as possible. It is a small city where most of the people have fled to move out to the surrounding area. The city itself is not that attractive except for where the market it. Shopping is somewhat plentiful near the Valley View Mall, which is can be very windy. My wife's door flew open and destroyed another car's mirror. The area is very beautiful and offers a lot to people who are outdoor enthusiast (they actually have gun shows at the civic center!). The cost of living is cheap in the city and when you get further out into the countryside but Hunting Hills and SW county can be more expensive as far as houses.

Traffic on 419 and downtown can be hectic. The people here are not very good drivers. I can't even count how many times I've seen people cross 2 or 3 lanes to make a turn w/o even signaling. Also, people here drive slowly (5 to 10 mph under the posted speed limit) then you'll get others tearing down the road.

As for the people, yes, there are a lot of rednecks but I've seen lots of people driving luxury cars so there is a mix. The people as a whole are pleasant but not overly friendly, and can be downright backwards/simple at times. Most of my neighbors never come out of their houses, and only 1 neighbor actually came over and welcomed us to the area. There are a lot of people who appear dirty but I believe that is b/c they are working, and why would you change just to run to the bank or get a cup of coffee so it is understandable. I do agree that if you are trying on clothes or shoes, you should bathe first. I work in healthcare & I am exposed to the entire flavor of people in the area, so I should know what people are like.

Allergy season can be downright nasty, especially this past year but half of the country was hit pretty hard.

Roanoke is what it is touted for...a nice area for retirees and families b/c of the cheap cost of living and very slow, quiet pace of life. Don't move here if you want excitement or if you don't want to feel somewhat isolated. The restaurants are average...some being very good, but then I am comparing them to NYC. SW county, Hunting Hills and some areas just south of Memorial Hospital are the nicest. You can also look in Vinton & Salem. Smith Mt Lake is nice, and there are a lot of wealthy people not originally from Roanoke who have driven up the prices of houses.

As far as crime, I see a lot of crime victims so it is not entirely safe to go out at night in certain areas.

As for us, we are planning to move b/c we just can't get used to the lifestyle here. It is not a bad area. You just have to realize it is not for everyone so you have to prioritize what is important to you and then deal with the negatives of the area or any place you choose to live. Good luck!
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Old 10-22-2007, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Roanoke, Cave Spring area
19 posts, read 90,300 times
Reputation: 20
Default moving to Roanoke, VA

Moving from one geographical area to any other is usually a huge adjustment, Moving to Roanoke was an easy adjustment. I've been here for 14 years now and I'm not going anywhere. This city has all I need and is small enough to know people everywhere you go. There is rarely a traffic problem, development moves at a steady pace and the views are great. Outdoor activities surround us. The area has its' quirks, but so do all.




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Old 11-17-2007, 01:01 AM
 
126 posts, read 322,639 times
Reputation: 81
Default A Transplant's viewpoint of Roanoke

Hi everyone,

We moved to Virginia in 1995 and have been living in Roanoke since 1998. I've read all the listings about Roanoke and think I should add my input, as an outsider. I've lived in many places in the US and the world and I hope that no one thinks I am judging. I just hope that what I have to say helps someone learn a little more about living in the Roanoke Valley (and some things about living in the south, too). It may be a bit rambling, but I think you can follow it...

Before we moved to Roanoke, we lived in Lynchburg. Whoa, what an unwelcoming town Lynchburg is! Not a good fit for us and, coming from the west coast, we had some pretty serious culture shock. But that's a subject for another posting.

When we moved to Roanoke because of a job transfer, we found we liked it much better than Lynchburg (duh). Roanoke has a cute downtown area, good schools, and safe neighborhoods (except some areas like 10th Street).

The shopping is okay. Not much high-end shopping, though. But there's Gap, Old Navy for teenagers. Some great small boutiques downtown.

There are some churches that are wonderful here, if you are looking for a religious community. Covenant Presbyterian has co-pastors, Bob and Dusty Feidler, who are loving and open-minded and they have terrific music directors!

If you don't go to church, you need to find some other hobby like golf, bridge, tennis or you won't have a social life. People around here socialize with the people they see regularly. It's hard to make real friends here unless they have something in common with you (church, tennis, bridge, garden club, workplace -- but mostly church). Don't know if that will bother you, just thought you might like to know.

Also, join the Newcomers Club. What a great bunch of ladies! From all over the country (and some from other countries as well), they are very nice and all looking to meet new people and make friends. They have a wide variety of activities for both ladies and couples. Check them out!

We chose SW county because we have children and so we sacrificed the architectural charm of Grandin Village area and South Roanoke because the quality of schools are so much better in the county than the city. The Botetourt/Daleville/Troutville area is beautiful with rolling hills and larger homes for the money, but the schools didn't impress me at all. The SW county schools are a little snobby and clicky but I can't decide if it's just teenagers or the economic bracket. Our oldest daughter, who grew up on the west coast and went to a much more diverse school (both economic and ethnic) had a hard time at Cave Spring HS because it's mostly white, upper-middle class. But she's an introvert and creative so it was harder for her. If you have more outgoing children, it shouldn't be as hard for them, especially if they play a sport. Sports are REALLY BIG in this area.

It's an uphill climb if you are liberal-minded. Here, it's pretty much Republican and right-wing leaning. We joined the Democrats but even they are pretty conservative. I have yet to find any politically active people who really act. Plowshares is the only group who does something; and they just hold silent peace vigils -- no marches, no demonstrations, just occasional letters to the editor. If you want to know where the people are who still support Pres. Bush, this is where they live!

Oh. There's a thing about "Southern Hospitality" that I have to warn you about (sorry, all you natives): southern friendliness is very superficial. Everyone says hello and asks how you are (and how's your family, etc) but you need to know they ask EVERYONE that...it doesn't mean they like you or want to be friends. It's part of the normal greeting. You can't just say hello here; you have to ask, "Hey! How are you doing? How's your mom/dad/child?" I'm not sure I'm explaining how misleading this is. But when you've lived in places where people ask you how you are when they really want to know or where people are friendly but don't pretend to be your friend if they really don't want to be, you will be disappointed if you think they are doing it because they want to be your friends. They are just being polite.

People in the south only tell you what you want to hear. They call it "being polite." It's more than non-confrontational. For example, they won't return your calls if they have to tell you something they think you don't want to hear. They will tell you they will call you back, but they won't. Maybe that won't bother you, but don't get your hopes up thinking the friendliness is true friendship. It's not. If that's okay with you, great!

We get ice here; more than snow (but it does snow!), I think. We lived through the blizzard of 1996 and that's the worst we've seen since we moved here. Because of the hills, ice is a hard thing to drive on. All of you Northerners and Midwesterners, who drive in the flat streets of Buffalo/Chicago/Hartford during snow storms, be careful when they call for snow here. The roads turn into glass long before the snow sticks and, with all the hills, it can be very dangerous.

We also have a lot of humidity. For those of you from the desert or Pacific Northwest, be prepared for long, hot, humid summers. It's not as bad as Florida, and nothing that air conditioning can't help but you should be aware that your clothes will stick to your body when you jog or hike during the summer months.

Roanoke is a small town. Be sure you're ready for that. The nice part is that you don't always have to lock your doors or your car, walking at night is still a pleasure. Bank tellers and grocery store cashiers remember your name and EVERYONE goes to the Friday night high school football games.

Someone asked about garages or carports. The expensive homes mostly have them, but we haven't had a garage since we moved here and it's not too bad. We usually have had to scrape our windshields in the mornings during December and January.

Someone else mentioned the drivers/driving here. Yes, they do drive much slower than in the big cities (DC, Baltimore, Chicago, Atlanta, LA) but the hardest part is when they STOP at the top of an on-ramp! No concept of merging or pulling into an intersection when waiting to turn left. But, they will also let you move in front of them in line and some people will actually stop their cars and wave you out of a driveway or let you cross over their lane of traffic to make a left-hand turn when the lanes are backed up. That doesn't happen much in big cities!

If you choose to buy a home up on Bent Mountain or any other "rural" areas, be sure you watch out for deer as you drive; particularly in the early evening and at night. There are lots of deer and they don't seem to know that they should be afraid of cars.

Guess that's all I can think of right now. I hope this helps some of you in making your decision about Roanoke. It's a great place to live if you want a smaller southern city nestled in the foothills. The four seasons are gorgeous and the people are friendly, even if it is a shallow friendliness.

Oh! Before I forget: the cooks around here are very heavy handed with the salt shakers. Watch out when you go through the fast food restaurants! The fries are really coated!
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Old 11-17-2007, 08:30 AM
 
Location: Rochester, NY
134 posts, read 517,844 times
Reputation: 46
Quote:
Originally Posted by happygal0000 View Post

It's an uphill climb if you are liberal-minded. Here, it's pretty much Republican and right-wing leaning. We joined the Democrats but even they are pretty conservative. ........ If you want to know where the people are who still support Pres. Bush, this is where they live!
Now I think that's funny! I currently live in upstate New York... where our Republicans are considered Liberal-lite.

Hmmmmm..... maybe I would feel more at home there than here.

Thanks for this post. My wife & I are still working on our plan to relocate to this area in a few years. Excellent information & insight.
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Old 11-17-2007, 10:24 AM
 
Location: PA
102 posts, read 524,994 times
Reputation: 38
As a southerner who is currently in PA but will be moving to Roanoke next year, I read happygal's post with great interest. I truly don't understand the concept of southern hospitality or friendliness being superficial. Having spent most of my life in Arkansas and Tennessee, I don't see that at all. Why is it wrong to be friendly and kind to everyone even if they don't become a close friend? There is surely no region where everyone is truly friends. If you don't greet and speak to others, how will you ever find out who is someone you can become friends with? I have a new friend who is from Philly. We met while our kids were playing at a Chuck E. Cheese type place. She said that if I wouldn't have started the conversation she would have never said anything to me. Long story short, we've become great friends. I truly hope those who are southern bred aren't superficial! You are right on the salt! We like to fry everything too!!

Happygal...I appreciate your info on Roanoke. We have three kids and are making decisions about where to buy a house. We are trying to decide between Salem schools, Cave Spring or Hidden Valley. Did your children attend an elementary school in Roanoke County?
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Old 11-19-2007, 08:27 AM
 
126 posts, read 322,639 times
Reputation: 81
Default SW Co schools

Yes, our children did attend elementary school in SW Co. They went to Cave Spring Elementary and loved it. The PTA there is a well-oiled machine! Amazing parent support (both financial and physical; lots of volunteers) and the teachers are great.

I have friends who had/have children at Oak Grove Elementary and Back Creek Elementary (up Bent Mountain, but still in SW Co) and they say the same things. Green Valley doesn't have the same parental support, it has more working moms than Cave Spring and Oak Grove.

We now have one child at Hidden Valley HS and one at Cave Spring HS (even though we live in Hidden Valley district, she's a transfer student at Cave Spring; an easy and free process if you live in the county and want to attend another county school. Just remember that it's very difficult to transfer into Hidden Valley HS because it's the "new school" and everyone wants their children to go there. Also, as a transfer student, you have to provide your own transportation to and from school).

We also had one child attend Community School (for elementary and middle school), across the street from Hollins University on Williamson Road. It's an alternative school (but don't let that scare you) -- I would highly recommend it! They are so loving and nuturing there. They really want all their students to love to learn. Science and math aren't their strong subjects (but both are wonderfully taught with lots of hands-on learning). They are really a more Humanities-based emphasis that allows the student to fully participate in their education.

Also, Community isn't a high-profile, monied school like North Cross in SW Co. It was started by the staff at Hollins Univ. and there are lots of Birkenstocks at there! But it's a great place, especially for those students who are already academically motivated but need an environment that allows them to explore and think "outside the box" academically-wise. It isn't as full of "rules" as public schools are. Children can really learn and grow without a lot of pressure on them.

Hope this helps...let me know if you have any other questions!
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Old 11-19-2007, 09:09 AM
 
Location: Roanoke, VA
50 posts, read 181,625 times
Reputation: 47
I am another former notherner in Roanoke and my wife teaches at Community School. It is a very unique, interesting, and wonderful school. The kids are divided into age groups and separted by reading level. For instance, my wife teaches 6-8 year olds and switches certain kids with another teacher for certain subjects.
It's interesting because I always have comments about the clash in cultures from the people I work with; religion, politics, even sports. But my wife never sees these things from her co-workers because the majority of teachers at Community School are northerners too.
Southernmomto3, I've seen you posting on the PA forum and my wife and I actually plan on moving to the LeHigh Valley area. What is your impression of it? Why are you leaving?
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Old 11-19-2007, 10:34 AM
 
126 posts, read 322,639 times
Reputation: 81
Default Southern Hospitality: it's bittersweet and unsettling

You know, when I wrote about Southern Hospitality, I knew there would be some people who would take issue with my experience(s). So, let me clarify: I'm not talking about general friendliness and speaking to strangers. I will call this "neighborliness." It's wonderful to meet people who are gregarious and warm and display "neighborliness"!

But in my previous post, I was referring to meeting people that act like they want to do more: have lunch or go shopping, etc. (often they initiate the invite). It's those who act as if they want to be more than "neighbors" or acquaintances. They say they are going to call and then...it never happens. Even if you follow up with a quick email or phone call, still....no response. I still maintain: southerners do not want to tell you what they think you don't want to hear. They only tell you what they think you want to hear. I believe it's so pervasive, they don't even realize they do it.

At first, I thought this was just a Lynchburg thing (ugh). But I've been in Roanoke for almost 10 years now and I assure you it happens here, too. I don't get it and my transplanted friends don't get it, either, so it's not just me...

This will happen in business as well as in personal relationships. I've had professionals -- contractors, volunteer coordinators, restaurants, doctors offices, oh lord, so many people from all areas of the community, who shake your hand, say they will put together a quote/figure out the details/let you know the date of the event and you never hear from them again. And if, for some reason, you run into them at the store or school or go by the restaurant, they will say they are sorry they will get right on that and get back to you by "Monday" or "next week" -- well, you can stop waiting; it's not coming. It's almost like people act when they owe you money...you know how that is? Nice to you while you are standing there, but the minute you are out of sight, that's the last time they think of you!

It's taken me a long time to realize they were just "being polite" and they don't really want to be more than acquaintances or they don't want my business. It's the southern way of saying NO. It was a hard pill to swallow because I don't say, "Let's get together for lunch" when I have no intention of ever meeting them for lunch. And I certainly won't waste my professional time with someone who doesn't want to do business!

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm whining.

I just wish someone had warned me about this particular quirk before I moved to the south. It would have been easier if I had known. I think it's always better to be forewarned -- especially when you are new to a community and are trying to unpack a million boxes, get the kids settled in school (and arrange all their suggested mandatory activities), learn where everything is (and the fastest way to get there, a holdover from my time on the west coast), find doctors, dentists, hair salons, grocery stores...

I don't know if I should mention this, but (please please please don't jump on me for this): there is a loophole to get people to call you back or actually go to lunch with you (again, my apologies to natives): If you have something to offer besides being nice, that may get you some real invitations. Ooooh, I know that sounds cold. But, here's the thing: EVERYONE in the south is nice. It's required, expected, automatic (think: "Yes, ma'am" and "Yes, sir"...yes, they really do it!). It's only when you have something MORE that you move to the head of the class. Am I the only one who didn't know that you will have an easier time if you are wealthy or you/your husband are in a position of influence?? Then, you have something people need or want you for, they are better at getting back to you. This is where the superficial part comes in, I suppose.

Again, I apologize for how this sounds.

It isn't my intention to offend anyone out there who is southern or who likes/accepts/agrees with/practices Southern Hospitality.

I simply want to let newbies know it may be different here, socially, than you are used to.

I've made some wonderful friends since moving to Roanoke and hope to make more. But I'm still trying to navigate the minefield. If you (especially the last poster who has lived in the south and understands Southern Hospitality) have any helpful hints, I'd sure love to hear them!

Please, though, don't scold me if you have had better experiences than I. I'm the first one to admit I'm still making it up as I go along. I have worked very hard to "fit in" and tame my outspokenness (a holdover from my years in NYC). I bake casseroles and cookies for church and school, practice good hygiene, dress well, write thank you notes, and remember anniversaries and birthdays. I'm thoughtful and considerate and implement all my Emily Post good manners (my mother would be so proud). That doesn't seem to be enough here.

And because this social life is just so foreign to me, I thought the best thing I could do was give everyone (who isn't southern) a heads-up so they could prepare themselves and not have to learn the hard way, like I did.

These are my thoughts for today. Thanks for listening.
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Old 11-19-2007, 12:41 PM
 
Location: Manchester Township, NJ
474 posts, read 1,254,267 times
Reputation: 319
Default I Am Vindicated!

"They say they are going to call and then...it never happens. Even if you follow up with a quick email or phone call, still....no response. I still maintain: southerners do not want to tell you what they think you don't want to hear. They only tell you what they think you want to hear. I believe it's so pervasive, they don't even realize they do it."

Thank you, happygal1000. You have just vindicated a post I had made previously about employers NEVER responding back to phone calls and emails. Even if they initiated the call in the first place! Guess they figure if they don't respond long enough, you will go away. Well, they're right. Who wants to deal with people like that?

His was about employment and I think you were making a general sort of statement, but the end result is the same. They won't even give you the courtesy of a return call, even if it's to tell you to go to...well, you know where.

Maybe now more posters will believe me when I related about my husband's attempts to get a job which would have allowed us to resettle to Virginia.
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Old 11-19-2007, 01:51 PM
 
Location: Apex, NC
1,341 posts, read 6,166,080 times
Reputation: 617
Quote:
Also, Community isn't a high-profile, monied school like North Cross in SW Co. It was started by the staff at Hollins Univ. and there are lots of Birkenstocks at there!
Community School is a great school! North Cross is certainly high profile, but the reality is North Cross didn't have a marketing director until last year, so I wouldn't call it a high profile school unless you count the North Cross Seal car window stickers around town And North Cross tuition isn't _much_ more expensive than Community School (+/- NS $7,700 compared to CS $6,525 for elementary grades). North Cross's staff leans (in my observation) heavily towards the Democratic side of the aisle, while the parent population leans moderately to the left (increasingly so as time passes). And since I lean moderately to the left (social progressive / fiscal conservative), I find we fit in nicely. North Cross is now working with VMDO Architects to build a new Middle School using a 100% sustainable approach. Not many people wear Birks at North Cross, but the school's plan is to be the emerging leader in sustainable green building methods within the Roanoke Valley. I think that's pretty hip

I wouldn't call North Cross a monied private school, especially as a northerner transplant. For example, North Cross's current headmaster - who has been at the helm for around 6 to 8 years - was just headhunted by Princeton Day School in Princeton, NJ. Paul was originally from up North and is returning, no doubt because a good deal of money was waved under his nose. Princeton Day School's tuition starts at $25,000! That's $15,000 more per student per year than North Cross. Now that's what I would call a monied private school

Sean
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