I am moving to Savannah and encourage everyone to join me! (Atlanta: find a job, school)

[offthefence1]

Originally Posted by gamecock43

So I have been on the fence about making the move from FL to Savannah for over a year now. I have visited Savannah as a tourist a few times and fell in love. These boards scared me. I tried to find a new city to love. But I love Savannah.
I have decided to make the move. I am traveling to Savannah in July to 'really' look around the city, and check out areas to live. I hope to actually move in the fall/winter.
For a long time I have watched this board and many strong, open-minded, starry eyed, risk-taking, diverse people have been scared away from moving to Savannah due to the racism and crime. I have hoped desperately that one of these people would get over their fear, make the move to Savannah and report back to the rest of us fence-sitters how it really is in Savannah.
Wait no more. I am going. I encourage everyone else to as well. I cant help but think that if all the people who get scared away from Savannah actually moved to Savannah then maybe things in Savannah would be different.
Over the past year I have watched the board and seen people over and over scared away from Savannah. A year later, the problems are the same. Scaring people away from Savannah and keeping the status quo does not seem to be changing Savannah insiders perspectives of Savannah, so maybe getting an inflow of outsiders into the population will help the crime, racism, job problems and poor education.
I am going to Savannah, and all you fence-sitters are welcome to join me. I am determined to enjoy the unique features that I have only found in this city, I am determined to keep my optimistic attitude that people are polite in the south, and that I in turn will become a nicer and better mannered person. Finally, I am determined to find a spot on the map where trees line the street, the pace of life is slower, and I do not have to pay the equivelent of feeding a small country for a month of rent.

I currently live in Los Angeles and have been here for 5 years. Before I moved here I lived in a city in Indiana roughly the same population as Savannah. My husband recently lost his job in LA and got a new one in Savannah & loves it. I have been 'on the fence' so to speak about moving to Savannah because of what I have been reading all over the internet about crime.
At the moment I live in the historic part of L.A. downtown. My building is in walking distance of skid row & can't imagine that crime could be worse living in Savannah. I have yet to see any serious crime & I have walked around by myself during the day & at night. The worst thing I have seen are homeless shooting up heroin on the streets.
So I have to ask...Savannah cant be any worse then downtown Los Angeles?
I am hesitant also because I love diversity! I have friends all ages, races & religious backgrounds. I love learning about different cultures & having eclectic & open-minded people around me. I hate the thought of living right in the middle of racial bigotry. I am white as they come but couldn't care less about it. In fact, I hate the idea of only being around 'one race', I think that's where the past & the present collide. So if this is really how it is in Savannah, please let me know.
Otherwise, I appreciate gamecock's attitude & enthusiasm I will try it out too!
But please forwarn me on where not to go!

[Just Plain Al]

"But please forwarn me on where not to go! "

In twenty words, or less?
Don't go into the lion's den when he is hungry.

My posts give some people "makes my head hurt".
So I'll just say...
Read some of the other threads.
I'm new to the area.
I asked alot of questions on this forum before I moved here.
I made some friends.
Now I'm here.
And I flat-out love it.
And now I'm asking the questions that I shoulda asked before I got here.
So that others will know what this area is all about.
I don't think that you will be sorry for "stepping off the fence".
Good people (For the most part. And I ain't met the bad part yet.).
Great climate.
A wish come true.

Drop me a PM.
Or drop me a line...
justplain_al@yahoo.com
I'm outta San Diego, and I know where you're coming from.

[ellie]

Originally Posted by offthefence1

I currently live in Los Angeles and have been here for 5 years. Before I moved here I lived in a city in Indiana roughly the same population as Savannah. My husband recently lost his job in LA and got a new one in Savannah & loves it. I have been 'on the fence' so to speak about moving to Savannah because of what I have been reading all over the internet about crime.
At the moment I live in the historic part of L.A. downtown. My building is in walking distance of skid row & can't imagine that crime could be worse living in Savannah. I have yet to see any serious crime & I have walked around by myself during the day & at night. The worst thing I have seen are homeless shooting up heroin on the streets.
So I have to ask...Savannah cant be any worse then downtown Los Angeles?
I am hesitant also because I love diversity! I have friends all ages, races & religious backgrounds. I love learning about different cultures & having eclectic & open-minded people around me. I hate the thought of living right in the middle of racial bigotry. I am white as they come but couldn't care less about it. In fact, I hate the idea of only being around 'one race', I think that's where the past & the present collide. So if this is really how it is in Savannah, please let me know.
Otherwise, I appreciate gamecock's attitude & enthusiasm I will try it out too!
But please forwarn me on where not to go!

Piece of cake. You'll be fine.

[Just Plain Al]

"Piece of cake. You'll be fine."

What she said!
And now that Kroger's has fresh made Sushi every day, and I don't hafta drive all the way over to PUBLIX on the other side of the island (Hahaha...), I ain't ever leaving.

[mrsnespy]

Originally Posted by ellie

Piece of cake. You'll be fine.

I agree. We're really not as bad as people make us out to be. We're no more bigoted than anywhere else in the country. Sure, you'll find some bigots from every race you encounter around here, but you'll also find plenty of people who are content to be around everyone else.

Don't worry...

Forget what you've seen/read in movies/books like To Kill a Mockingbird and Mississippi Burning. I won't tell you that those realities are a dirty part of our nation's past, but they are by and large in the past.

Good luck and welcome (hopefully) to Savannah!

[bgnzsavnh]

Read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
for the more up to date version of life in Savannah
It helped my wife understand my family..............

[Just Plain Al]

Originally Posted by bgnzsavnh

Read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
for the more up to date version of life in Savannah
It helped my wife understand my family..............

Finally!
And if you don't like reading, see the movie.

[kizi]

I've just joined the forum. We are moving to Savannah in less than a week and plan to spend New Year's Eve in our new condo! We fell in love with Savannah a couple years and decided it was the perfect place.

We just got a puppy to join us in our new adventure and are wondering if there are any beaches nearby to take her to run. We will keep her on a leash but love to be by the water.

The diversity of Savannah is what makes it so attractive. We can't wait!

[Just Plain Al]

"We just got a puppy to join us in our new adventure and are wondering if there are any beaches nearby to take her to run. We will keep her on a leash but love to be by the water."

In a word...
Nope!
Savannah is not really "pet friendly".
A dog park on Tybee...
And a drive to Hilton Head will give you some space.
But other then that, you are pretty much confined to your yard.
Or a few walks around town.
On a lead.

[mrsnespy]

Originally Posted by Just Plain Al

Finally!
And if you don't like reading, see the movie.

I'd still recommend the book...much better than the movie. The movie just couldn't fit everything in and left out a lot of stuff that makes Savannah unique. That's my humble opinion of course.