Questions about Tennessee and Tennesseans (Memphis, Knoxville: transplants, living, legal)

[Caelestis_]

Hey ya'll

I'm getting married in February and my future husband and I are planning on moving to Tennessee. I have had an obsession with Tennessee since I was a little girl and I am very excited about finally getting the opportunity to move there. My fiance and I both live in New York City. He used to live in a small farming town in Europe and moved to NY when he was in his late-teens. I have always lived in New York, but I have spent a lot of time in Europe in a small mountain village, so we are both excited to be moving somewhere like Tennessee. We both feel very out of place up here in the North because of the kind of people we are.. we are very friendly and hospitable folks

Anyway, we have visited TN and loved every bit of it. I did however notice that there are a lot of Northern transplants living there. My question is, has that affected the Tennessean lifestyle at all? Are people still kindhearted, well-spoken, and respectful? It's very important for me to be around kind people, I am tired of all the typical impolite and impertinent people that I currently have to deal with on a daily basis. Also, do Northern transplants usually take on Southern ways after a while or not? Do people still use the phase "have a blessed day" and ring your doorbell to invite you to church?

If this matters at all, I am interested in moving to either the Nashville area (Mount Juliet or Franklin) or Knoxville (Knoxville itself or Maryville). We also are in our mid-twenties (don't know if that matters or not). I would also like some opinions on these areas, are they well enough for folks like us?


Thank you very much in advance.

[BirdieBelle]

Some Tennesseans are kindhearted, well-spoken and respectful. Some are not.

"Do people still use the phase "have a blessed day" and ring your doorbell to invite you to church?" I am not trying to be impertinent, but this sounds like something out of a movie.

I am a native Tennessean, and in my lifetime I have only heard a few people utter that exact phrase. I don't open the door to those who ring my doorbell to tell me about their religion. And I'm a Methodist myself.

To be honest, the pace is a tad slower here, and people are generally more personable. But it's not Paradise. Coming from where you are, I think it would seem like a welcome change. If you are friendly and open, and it sounds like you are, then you should do well anywhere.

Knoxville would probably be a good match because it has fewer transplants and a growing creative class.

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

"Do people still use the phase "have a blessed day" and ring your doorbell to invite you to church?" I am not trying to be impertinent, but this sounds like something out of a movie.

I am a native Tennessean, and in my lifetime I have only heard a few people utter that exact phrase. I don't open the door to those who ring my doorbell to tell me about their religion. And I'm a Methodist myself.

I've actually heard that one quite a bit, maybe because I'm in retail and get to hear hundreds of polite (and not so polite) greetings and such every day. Mostly seems to be older women that use it.
And... I had someone ring my doorbell to invite me to the local church within days of moving to this area. Told them I was atheist and haven't had an invite since, guess news travels fast, lol.

[BirdieBelle]

At least "that" word travels fast, T!! LOL

To be clear, I hear plenty of polite greetings too, just not always that particular one. One thing lots of "northerners" seem to be surprised by is when store clerks greet and say "bye" to you.

Anyway, that is part of life here.

[straw71]

Imo , people have been a lot friendlier than where I was in Florida. I have not had anyone knock on my door to invite me to church , but people do mention their church, like things going on, VBS whatever. Oh, Franklin, Spring Hill is the area I am mentioning , I have only driven thru Knoxville so don't know much about it. I think you would like the Franklin area

[2mares]

Originally Posted by Caelestis_

Hey ya'll


Anyway, we have visited TN and loved every bit of it. I did however notice that there are a lot of Northern transplants living there. My question is, has that affected the Tennessean lifestyle at all? Are people still kindhearted, well-spoken, and respectful? It's very important for me to be around kind people, I am tired of all the typical impolite and impertinent people that I currently have to deal with on a daily basis. Also, do Northern transplants usually take on Southern ways after a while or not? Do people still use the phase "have a blessed day" and ring your doorbell to invite you to church?

If this matters at all, I am interested in moving to either the Nashville area (Mount Juliet or Franklin) or Knoxville (Knoxville itself or Maryville). We also are in our mid-twenties (don't know if that matters or not). I would also like some opinions on these areas, are they well enough for folks like us?


Thank you very much in advance.

As far as transplants, some are friendly, some arent, some take on southern ways and some try to change everything, complain about everything and make fun of local folks. Overall people here are friendly and helpful, although I have seen changes with the influx of legal transplants and other transplants. As far as saying "have a blessed day" wiccans are the only one's I hear say that particular phrase. I do hear alot of "bless your heart".

[Capt. Dan]

I think the Yankees that move down here from the rural north do just fine. The ones that come here from the northern cities seem to have a hard time adjusting to things like being patient when they get behind farm equipment on the road.They dont seem to grasp the concept of taking 2 hours to grocery shop because you "visit' with all you friends who are in the store. They have to come to terms with the fact that opening day of deer season IS a holiday. And they have to get used to driving with 1 hand and waving with the other. Oh yes! One more thing. Guido from Brooklyn may talk a good game when it comes to guns. But Bubba will actually shoot you!

[hiknapster]

I'm from a fairly rural/suburban area. Very small town, anyway. Maybe that's why I do so well here. We lived about an hour out from Boston and a world away, it seemed. I've probably only been to Boston five or six times. Where I lived people seemed to be stuck in a time warp and when the mills closed progress passed us by.

Pushy transplants make me cringe. I was raised to be very polite and I like others to do the same.

I use to deal with a lot of people from Memphis and "Have a blessed day" was de rigeur. It's the only place in the state that I've heard that. I never heard it in Arkansas, West Virginia, Virginia or northeastern Tenn., either. Just Memphis. Frankly, it seemed to be common with black Memphis residents. I liked it a lot.

[knucklehead_vol]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I'm from a fairly rural/suburban area. Very small town, anyway. Maybe that's why I do so well here. We lived about an hour out from Boston and a world away, it seemed. I've probably only been to Boston five or six times. Where I lived people seemed to be stuck in a time warp and when the mills closed progress passed us by.

Pushy transplants make me cringe. I was raised to be very polite and I like others to do the same.

I use to deal with a lot of people from Memphis and "Have a blessed day" was de rigeur. It's the only place in the state that I've heard that. I never heard it in Arkansas, West Virginia, Virginia or northeastern Tenn., either. Just Memphis. Frankly, it seemed to be common with black Memphis residents. I liked it a lot.

It's funny you say that. I was thinking the same thing. Not sure if you know who I am talking about, but Dontari Poe's (number 11 draft in the NFL this year) dad always responds to he's blessed when asked how he's doing. The reason I use him as an example is I see him quite a bit.

[leonard]

Originally Posted by Caelestis_

Hey ya'll

I'm getting married in February and my future husband and I are planning on moving to Tennessee. I have had an obsession with Tennessee since I was a little girl and I am very excited about finally getting the opportunity to move there. My fiance and I both live in New York City. He used to live in a small farming town in Europe and moved to NY when he was in his late-teens. I have always lived in New York, but I have spent a lot of time in Europe in a small mountain village, so we are both excited to be moving somewhere like Tennessee. We both feel very out of place up here in the North because of the kind of people we are.. we are very friendly and hospitable folks

Anyway, we have visited TN and loved every bit of it. I did however notice that there are a lot of Northern transplants living there. My question is, has that affected the Tennessean lifestyle at all? Are people still kindhearted, well-spoken, and respectful? It's very important for me to be around kind people, I am tired of all the typical impolite and impertinent people that I currently have to deal with on a daily basis. Also, do Northern transplants usually take on Southern ways after a while or not? Do people still use the phase "have a blessed day" and ring your doorbell to invite you to church?

If this matters at all, I am interested in moving to either the Nashville area (Mount Juliet or Franklin) or Knoxville (Knoxville itself or Maryville). We also are in our mid-twenties (don't know if that matters or not). I would also like some opinions on these areas, are they well enough for folks like us?


Thank you very much in advance.

I moved here just short of 3 years ago and love it. People are very friendly. Yes it is the Bible belt and several churches ring doorbells. Say hi, won't hurt you and is an example of being friendly. I would avoid West TN and look at Middle or East TN. I chose near Knoxville and think you would like it. One friend said the area near the Smokies reminder her of the forest areas of Scotland, only nicer.