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Wondering what Asheville would be like for a turning 57-year-old single woman. Have been living in the Triangle - first Durham, now Raleigh for about 12 years. I'm originally from Miami, FL and lived in the Cleveland, OH area for three years. I came down to NC from Cleveland to earn a TESL certificate at Duke. I've never fit in here and nothing has ever come together for me. Have been doing office/temp work and subbing by day and teaching ESL at night to adults.
I visited Asheville twice as a tourist, went to the Biltmore Estate and visited shops around that area. I absolutely hate Raleigh. Can't stand the traffic, apartment life, and that this area has no character at all. I've been thinking of entering a Master's program in TESOL up in Ohio but the idea of getting a loan, into debt, having to finish at nearly 60 and then not sure about finding employment other than as an adjunct with more part-time than full-time opportunities. I've been thinking, listening to some advice, etc. and wondering maybe the thing to do is not go for a master's but see about finding something with a benefit package, even if it means a job in something unrelated to what I've been doing. Like...working at a retail specialty store or food market, or...I don't know. Being that many people retire in Asheville, would workplaces be a bit age friendlier there? I'm not looking for a career, per se, but a job in a tolerable/peaceful environment to be able to enjoy life.
I've looked at room shares and cabins on Craig's List and I think, what a dream it would be to live with a view of a forest, have serenity, not have cars on my tail all the time and hear police sirens daily, etc. like here in Raleigh. I love the arts - visiting galleries, outdoor concerts, theater, live music, having water nearby, be it a river or lake if not the beach. I've also been thinking if I didn't do the grad school thing in Ohio, maybe I'd return to the Cleveland area or some cultural area there like University Square, Lakewood or similar area. I can better deal with the weather now than when I lived there at first, coming then from Florida. But, I also think, could I find what I'm looking for in the Asheville area? What are the people like there? The Raleigh area is great for being fresh out of college, a young family, or young single, but it's not for me. I've tried it, and I've never fit in here. It's hard making friends here too not having grown up here or having come here for college. By the way, my college days were in Miami at the University of Miami, but Miami is not the Miami I grew up in.
Hi MiamianinNC, I agree with the view of the forest and serenity
WNC is so much nicer than Florida especially in the summer. Can't wait to follow you journey.
I think WNC is a great place to settle.
My mother would trade places with you. But actually if she visited Miami like I did maybe she wouldn't. I wouldn't live there for free. Fort Myers on the other hand is great especially before Spring break. It is nice living around beauty. All I have to do is turn over in bed and I'm looking miles off into mountains and forest with no other house in that direction. Even where I live far from any known town the baby boomers are everywhere and they're from Florida more than other states. There are similar cities with better economies like Charlottesville, VA the climate is probably similar to Asheville because its closer to the gulf stream yet also more north.
Can Asheville be a place to start over? To reinvent one's self? That's what I would like. Like I say, I've been in the Triangle for over 12 years now. Life has never really worked here. I've been trying to make it work but this isn't the kind of place to come to as a transplant for someone like me. Coming to the Triangle to go to college or right after college works. Or, coming here as an established executive, or researcher also works. I've had my share of contract jobs here, but not at that level because my BA isn't in an area conducive to that. Heck, I got my degree in Communications back when we still use IBM Selectric typewriters. I came here to get the ESL certificate at Duke but haven't made a decent living doing that solely. So what have I done but fall into the staffing agency trap and the rut I've been in all these years. At 56 I'm not ready to be put out to pasture just yet, being alone and having no spousal support either. I've tried to knock on all sorts of doors here but it has been one door slamming after another. Is it age-related? Is it not having a network/contacts? Is it having the wrong degree that's not marketable anymore due to being older and never ever having become strong as a techie? All of the above. I feel washed out, and I also feel like I don't belong here - never have. I'm not a transplant in any of the fields I've mentioned. I don't have a family. I don't have southern roots. Being born in Miami makes me different. We aren't southerners in Miami.
Asheville seems like a place where none of the above matters like here. Yeah, there are the baby boomers for sure. That's appealing, and also it's appealing that there are a lot of Floridians there too. Again though, I have no contacts there. I'd love to work in a tourism-related place there like the Biltmore, or like Grove Park Inn, or some cute gallery or Earth Fare. Could I move there and find something like this in my situation? It's still a city, but it has the character I'm looking for. Or do I go back and try the grad school thing in Ohio? I want to but I'm also feeling like do I really want to start this now? I just want to find some happiness being somewhere that offers what Asheville does. Or even a coastal place, but definitely not back in Florida. I went back in 2013 to Florida to look around areas I was familiar with in the central part of the state, where I lived for seven years when my dad retired. They're all the same - strip shopping centers, heavy traffic, snow birds, year-round beach scene and sadly people that are street folks that have run away from something, hanging out at the libraries, walking up and down AIA with shopping carts, etc. I don't want to be in any of those places. Miami either. I visited there about 4-5 years ago and Miami isn't the Miami I was raised in. It's people wanting to compete - going to parties every night, wearing fashion designer clothing, driving BMWs, etc. And talk about traffic. Wow. Traffic with flaring tempers too.
Yes, Charlottesville also seems to be a popular place people are moving to. I don't know anything about it though. Ditto for the other really popular place - Austin.
I'm sure you could get a tourism or retail job in Asheville, but I doubt you could support yourself on it.
As gently as I can, I suggest you get some life and career coaching, and possibly some general counseling before you make any major decisions on a career or residence change.
Since you don't know me, carolinadawg2, I'll say that I have seen a life coach, but that was not helpful in making the determination of what to do in my particular situation. Like anything else in life, one must make their own decision. No one will make it for you. I happen to be a person who by nature analyzes too much and is afraid of taking a chance. Which, obviously is why I am in the rut I am in. This is precisely WHY I have not made a major change. Obviously I must make a change. My only reason for getting on this board was to inquire what Asheville is like for others, baby boomers, who have moved there.
My only reason for getting on this board was to inquire what Asheville is like for others, baby boomers, who have moved there.
What you have to accept is that once you post on this (or any other) board, you will get:
1. Helpful advice and feedback
2. Irrelevant advice and feedback
3. Advice you didn't ask for
4. Advice you may not want to hear
That's the nature of discussion forums. So take everything with a grain of salt and use what's helpful to you (whether or not it's positive or negative) and try to ignore anything you want to, including what I've written.
Yes, roadpony. I know. I've been on the forum for years now. This is nothing compared to what I have seen between/among others - the battles between people, pretty nasty at times. Your points are correct. All five apply to all of us on here. For me, point #2 applies to the previous posting. Life/career coaches are not a revelation - been there, done that.
Actually I had a life coach a few years after college. Did some testing, ext.. It helped a little, maybe a lot. Told me where my strengths were. And I have used that information thru the years. Kind of like reading a book, try to get at least one nugget of knowledge.
I also found City-Data a few months back and first focused on Asheville. Read a lot. Also looked at other areas of the country, read a heck of a lot. Asheville pulls me back.
On to your main topic. To find work in Asheville does not look easy unless you and I have some specialty someone wants. And what are our costs of living, etc.. Would be nice if we both had a friend there we could crash with for about a week, birddog the area so to speak. Without that best to scour Craigslist and any other resource we trip upon. Reading Craigslist can actually be a sleeper when looking for a job. Not all employers are super savy at finding employees and many small employers look to Craigslist. I have read more than one CR success story.
I sincerely hope Asheville works for you.
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