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I am a 26 years old male, currently living in southern California. San Diego to be more exact. I have been a shop hand working at my father's auto repair shop for the last 8 years or so. That being said, I need to get away from this place.
If you walk down the street where I live, you would be better off not to say "hi" or make direct eye contact with people. That really drives me a little insane. I also really dislike the "go go go" mentality of the big city. It is also infuriating that I am getting passed up on a job, while being more qualified, more experienced, and speak better english, because of the fact that companies need to fill a "minority quota" to avoid looking discriminatory.
I was looking around at smaller cities in South Dakota and I've been drawn to Madison for a number of reasons. It is a small city and just over 6,000 residents. It is a stone's throw away from Sioux Falls. And it is in South Dakota! Not to mention that I LOVE cold weather, and while I hear SD has some nasty summers, I think the bitter cold winters will more than make up for it. I'm in love with snowboarding. Love hiking. Love people...at least people that are safe to look square in the eye and say "hello" to.
So does anybody here have any information that I should know about Madison or South Dakota in general before I decide to make a move?
Also would anybody have any advice on how to make a move if you are really pressed for cash? Business is getting really slow and I doubt that "saving up" money is an option anymore as my bills outweigh my income. I got a very late start on building credit for various reasons.
My only experiences are during the summer festival (can't remember what that is) and I attended a funeral there. As an outsider I see it as a pretty nice little town.
I lived there as a kid and my parents just moved away 2 months ago, just ask me and I can answer pretty much any question you have. The jobs there are really crappy, not many open jobs, I think there are two car dealers in town and maybe another 2 auto repair shops if that's what you want...I think the biggest employer is Gehl and I think they just finally got their 40 hour weeks back after the slowdown...
It's a nice town. Do you know anyone in South Dakota? If you're starting over somewhere new I'd pick Central WI over South Dakota.
You can get apartments in brookings without a credit check. Not sure about Madison. Summers really are not brutal here. In my opinion it should get up to 90 in the summer.. that's why it's called summer. It's breezy in South Dakota and the humidity, although moderate, is nothing like areas further east and south. Not a big deal. Winters ARE cold, but I don't know where you'll be able to snow board anywhere close to Madison, SD. That's why I mentioned Central WI. The driftless area is beautiful. Should be able to find a place.
Easy enough drive to sioux falls... nice state highway that leads to the interstate. Not much in the way of stores in the town itself.. they have a grocery store, farm supply store, a lewis which is like a small version of wal-mart, but I like the town. Nice town.
Another nice town that is a bit warmer year-round is Mitchell. Farther from Sioux falls but all interstate to get there, plus more stores to begin with, including Cabela's. Disclaimer: I reside in Brookings, and lived in WI most of my life. I prefer WI, particularly around the Dells/Baraboo, but I have a good job here, so I stay here.
This isn't directed toward Jesse25 or any one specific poster but nevertheless is probably applicable. All people who are considering moving to South Dakota from 500+ miles away need to make a realistic assessment of their chances of getting a job that will support them. Sometimes people living on the coasts or in a large city see relocating to SD as the chance for a simpler, less complicated way of life in small town America. It very well could be but you need to consider what you are going to do for a living first.
Take an inventory of your skills, work experience and education. Writing a resume may help, even if you are applying for jobs that require applications instead of resumes. Check online for possible employment opportunities and check the price range for rentals, where available. The appeal of a small town is undeniable but it needs to be balanced with a strong dose of reality. Many of the small towns just aren't going to have employment opportunities to match your skill set. You also need to be realistic about how far you would be willing to commute, not during June but during January and February.
SD could be a great fit for the right person or family from California or the East Coast. I'm hoping to move back myself in the next few years (I'm presently in central NJ). However, it can be a very difficult place if things don't work out and you don't have family and/or friends nearby that you could fall back on in a pinch.
Thank you for the replies everybody. Yes, I am expecting to have a very hard time starting out. Mostly due to my lack of money or access to money. I know that jobs can be tight in the smaller towns, so I am defiantely going to try to get a job lined up before I make the move.
I do not know anybody in Madison, SD. I was more or less just looking for a small town in the north-central USA. There doesn't have to be any snowboard access, that would just be a really big perk. I've always been drawn to South Dakota, but that doesn't mean I won't look at other states.
It depends on what kind of work you are presently in, or are open to doing. Rapid City, Spearfish, and Belle Fourche are the bigger towns in the area, I think Deadwood (which is close to Terry Peak and Deer Mountain(snowboard heaven)) usually has casino jobs open you may check into that.
auto repair shop is something that can be started up anywhere, if that's what you're looking to do. I'd say there's enough of them in Brookings, and Madison has it's share too. As far as jobs, yeah you'll have an easier time finding one in brookings or sioux falls compared to just about anywhere in the country, but there's more to life then money and work particularly if you're single like I am. I work at 3M, which for a manufacturing job, pays probably about as good as I'll find, in South Dakota or anywhere else I'd move for that matter. I'd take a pay cut if I left, no doubt. If I didn't work at 3M, and worked anywhere else where I made less then $15-20 per hour, I'd probably leave and persue my dream of finding the ideal living spot, starting with Central WI or maybe East TN.. Bend or Brookings, Oregon? Scottsbluff, NE or somewhere near Denver, CO? So many choices. UPS drivers make good money, though it's said you have to work years in their distribution centers before you can be a driver, and even then, driving in highly populated areas all day? I'd go insane.
Rapid would be a nice choice too, though I prefer green humid summers over brown ones.
Last edited by sholomar; 10-13-2010 at 09:11 PM..
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Not to mention that I LOVE cold weather, and while I hear SD has some nasty summers, I think the bitter cold winters will more than make up for it. I'm in love with snowboarding. Love hiking. Love people...at least people that are safe to look square in the eye and say "hello" to.
