ready to move (Morristown, Athens: homes, neighborhood, college)

[doc1]

I can understand the apprehension of the TN natives when they hear from people in certain so called "progressive" states expressing a desire to move to TN. I'd be apprehensive too. "Hi, we're from <nanny state> and we're here to make your state more like what we left".

Speaking for my family, we live in one of those states and only because my career brought me here and it's our desire to leave for a markedly different cultural atmosphere when the time is right.

If it's any consolation to the natives, many people are leaving the nanny type states to get away from them, not drag them along and inflict them on others.

If we move to TN or anywhere, the last thing I'm going to want is what I left.

Honest.

[Angelrocks]

I know some think Florida is a 'progressive' state but Miami is a third world community.

I hate going down there and last time I did I felt like I was an American visiting Mexico. Everybody that walked by me stared as they kept eyeing my automobile out. Like what they do to American's in Mexico! They acted as if they never seen a nice car before.

Here's another:

I like Tennessee because I think Tim McGraw and Faith Hill rocks!

I like Tennessee because I will not have to have to listen to loud latino music when I go anywhere. I would rather listen to country music anyday! At least I can understand it!

I will not have them staring at me either looking at my Corvette as if it was a spaceship from outerspace! I think Brentwood and Franklin is a much better fit for me!

[Shenandoah]

The number one reason why hubby and I are looking elsewhere is for no state income tax, but many more reasons why we chose TN.

1. Friendliness
2. Convenient for relatives to visit
3. Convenient for us to visit relatives
4. Southwest Airlines flies out of Nashville, and hopefully, we'll be within a 2 hour drive of Nashville
5. Green Grass - we also looked in Texas and Nevada
6. Friendly people
7. Warmer and milder weather in the winter

Hubby and I are looking at the calendar, checking and planning how many days to spend looking for real estate and a job for hubby in the Crossville/Jamestown area, and how many days to spend looking for real estate and jobs for hubby in the Chattanooga/Cleveland/Old Fort areas. Plus squeeze in some site-seeing while driving around. We're looking to stay in cabins in a state park (CHEAP and SCENIC !!).

blessings, Shen

[jguillot]

Originally Posted by Angelrocks

From what I noticed many people are moving to Tennessee. It's becoming pretty normal to hear that a person from Florida moved to Tennessee.

Our best friend just moved to Columbia. I can't wait to go visit. He couldn't purchase anything like that in Florida. I believe he got 7,000 square foot home, on 23 acres.

Can't find anything like that in S. Florida; we've run out of land. There isn't anywhere left to develop in Miami and Broward County, except for trailer parks and low-income neighborhoods. That means poor people are becoming displaced. I feel sorry for them. I heard so many people complain in the trailer parks that big devopers are coming in, and building condo's and townhomes. They get kicked out of the trailer parks and can't rent. See, they only pay $400 a month or $500. They can't afford to rent anything down here and they either go homeless or leave altogether.

Then there are just others that want out. It's so crowded. Next time you have to drive 13 miles...and it takes you two hrs...then you will wonder why people are moving to Tenn. That and much of the population in Dade county can't speak English. Seriouly! Even in the hospitals! I'd rather be in Tennessee anyday and have a doctor that spoke English than get stuck in an ER room with a man that can't understand a word I'm saying! I thank God that only happened once, but um, you can understand why people are leaving Florida for Tennessee.

And it get's better. Now imagine teachers and nurses can't afford to live in S. Florida....so they move!

Well, the schools are too cheap to pay a teacher what their worth. So, they find teachers from Puerto Rico to teach your kids.

They are bringing in people from other countries to teach in the public schools. Sorry, I want a person who was raised in America to teach my kids. Unless, it's Spanish or a foreign language.

I like Tennessee becaue the people speak English...even in the emergency rooms!

I like Tennessee because I can call up my medical insurer and they will actually be able to communicate with me! I will not have to try to interrupt every other sentence asking, "What the heck did you say?" That's important when you have to talk to somebody regarding your medical insurance. Try doing that with somebody that speaks mostly Spanish and a few phrases in English.

I like Tennessee because the kids will be taught by an American! Not by a foreigner whose second language is English!

I like Tennessee because I don't have to wait in ten hr. gas lines (due to the possibility that a hurricane might occur) and have senior citiznes trying to pick fights with everybody in the line. Then, after the senior citizen cuts into the gas line, right in front of you...and tells you and everybody else off, you pull up, only to find the gas station just ran out of gas. Your on empty (cause you waited in the heat for hrs. on that line) and beg people to sell you an eighth of a gallon of gas, just so you can make it home. Everybody else ahead of you is filling up their gas cans and tanks...and wouldn't sell you a drop of gas, even if you were pregnant and needed to be rushed to the hospital. I wasn't pregnant at the time...but it's a true story. I was in near tears begging people to buy just an eighth of a gallon....nobody would do it...even for a younger woman, all alone. That's when I made the decision - I want out! I waited in a two hr. line that day, but I've tried to get gas in ten hr. lines as well. You can see cars stretched father than the eyes can see...miles and miles down the highway. Now, tell me, would you want to live like this? I called the sheriffs office and they confirmed that during the day, the line was about a ten hr. wait. At 5Am it was possibly a four or five.

I like Tennessee because I don't have to drink warm water and take cold showers. Try doing that down here after a Hurricane here in S. Florida!

I like Tennessee because they don't try to rip people off and charge them $400 a ticket to see a show. Literally, I checked concerts in most of America. The most expensive tickets are in S. Florida...and people are stupid enough to pay it! Go to Orlando or Atlanta...ticket prices for the same show are much less!

I like Tennessee because your property taxes and homeowners insurance can possibly be up to 80% less. The car insurance is about half price, too!

Should I go on?....

The foreign language issue is a big problem here in California as well. I experience this almost on a daily basis. Millions of tax dollars in California pay for thousands of documents to be printed in multiple foreign languages. The liberal politicians in this state support this so that they will get the votes of people whose primary language is not English. Everywhere I go, I hear people speaking Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, or some other language. My feeling is that every immigrant should be required to learn English. Leaving California for Tennessee can't come too soon for me.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by doc1

I can understand the apprehension of the TN natives when they hear from people in certain so called "progressive" states expressing a desire to move to TN. I'd be apprehensive too. "Hi, we're from <nanny state> and we're here to make your state more like what we left".

Speaking for my family, we live in one of those states and only because my career brought me here and it's our desire to leave for a markedly different cultural atmosphere when the time is right.

If it's any consolation to the natives, many people are leaving the nanny type states to get away from them, not drag them along and inflict them on others.

If we move to TN or anywhere, the last thing I'm going to want is what I left.

Honest.

That is such an excellent post, and I hope you're able to escape from your nanny state and come back to Tennessee. And you're right, it seems most of the people I've met from those People's Republic states are moving to places like Tennessee to escape the nanny state mentality.

[northcountrygirl]

Just spent four days in Tennessee and the list of reasons I like Tennesse is endless but here's a few
1. People are friendly AND respectful
2. The country side is alot like it used to be here a long time ago
3. We are from farming families
4. A different set of priorities for people (family values not stuff, etc.)
5. Simplier life style (no body is in a hurry)
6. Crazy about wildlife
7. Few (if any) restrictions or zoning in some areas (local government pretty much keeps their nose out of what you do on your own land)
8. Traveling major highways without paying tolls (and the roads are in better shape than ours, I wonder how they do that)
9. Going to state parks without paying a ridiculous entrance fees
10. And on and on and on

Truthfully, we do not want to come to Tennessee to escape where we are but rather to get back to what we used to have. If anything some us would probably fight to the death to help preserve what Tennessee has now. If we only knew then what we know now we'd still have it here. Live and learn ya know!

[Shenandoah]

Originally Posted by northcountrygirl

Truthfully, we do not want to come to Tennessee to escape where we are but rather to get back to what we used to have. If anything some us would probably fight to the death to help preserve what Tennessee has now. If we only knew then what we know now we'd still have it here. Live and learn ya know!

AMEN to that!!

blessings, Shen

[GARYNJANET]

Originally Posted by LauraC

I don't know about the people of Tennessee but I'm really hating that so many of you are moving to Tennessee, not for what it offers, but to get away from something where you live now. Try this - I like Tennessee because... (without saying "it's not" or "it doesnn't have").

If you are only coming to Tennessee to flee an intolerable condition where you live now, the new place will become what you left. I'm waiting to hear why people want to move to Tennessee, you know, what is it about Tennessee that's attractive to you - beyond that it doesn't have the bad things from your old state.

WOW! LauraC you sure don't sound like the friendly people from TN we've been hearing about. You sound more like the people here in CA. Yes, that's right, the ones we are trying to get away from. Had you read my entire message you would have read the part where I mentioned "we want what you have". If that doesn't sum up all the great reasons there are to live in TN, then I don't know what does!

[Braves_fan]

Its nuthin personal but ever stop to think were a lil tired of all the families from either up North or out West moving in our small close nit communities and trying to make us change our ways to adjust to theres?.. Im not saying ALL families, but alot of folks dont like our pace and our ways of doing things and look kinda akward trying to fit in.

For example one of the best friends I've ever made moved down here to Athens Tn in McMinn county 2 years ago from Upstate New York. He came by himself with a carload of clothes and thats it. Didnt know a soul, didnt talk with our "Southern twang". He presented himself with a job resume, gave honest truthful reasons why he transplanted himself here and it has worked out perfectly for him. The key is.. he didnt go around asking all the natives why do ya'll do this? or how do ya'll do that?
He just blended in quietly, learned the ways of the local folks without losing his own personality. I guess some folks are different and they have an agenda for everything.
Point Im trying to make is,East Tennessee is what it is. It wont ever be Atlanta Ga, or Houston Texas and hopefully it doesnt get too over-crowded.

[tricker]

janelle-Two families recently moved into my neighborhood from CA. I think it is wonderful that people from other states appreciate what Tennesse has to offer. When I was in college and traveled to other states many people I encountered thought people in TN lived like the Beverly Hillibillies before they struck oil. I have lived in Morristown TN my entire life and I think it is great that people from other states are beginning to appreciate what we have here.