Is Asheville a good place for a single mom? (moving to, childcare)

[VagaBond12]

Depending upon your expectations...a place can be heaven or it can be hell...that being said...i am a westerner at heart...lived in AZ, CO, WA for many years...five years ago left asheville after living here for 3 years... i recently returned to asheville from colorado, my home for a total of 15 years...Believe me, i would not have returned to asheville if it were not a very pleasant place to live...it all depends on what is important to you be that weather, recreation, scenery, occupation, etc...the asheville AREA (not just the city) is a very lovely place....
best of luck

[The Mule]

The kook factor can be a little daunting in Asheville, but when I don't feel like being around them I can find plenty else to do and never see them.

The kooks mostly congregate is specific areas (like downtown) so I can choose to rub elbows with them or not. The odds of a chance encounter with them that is anything but harmless (other than me mumbling what the h*@# is that) is very remote.

Truthfully, the 85-year olds that somehow still have drivers licenses are a bigger problem than the kooks. They are out there in sufficient numbers that the odds of a chance encounter with one of them involving some element of danger is much higher.

[AshevilleJJ]

Can you explain what a "kook"is??

[Catbirds]

My brother and his family have lived in Asheville for over 30 years and our father and grandfather were from Asheville so I know a little bit about the town. Of course there has been changes over the years, but most have been good. We went downtown for the whole day a couple of weeks ago and I was telling my brother about all these posts about pan-handlers. Not one beggar did we encounter. Not one, and we were all over the city. We saw street performers, like the guy in the clown suit making balloons, or the blues singer, or the kid playing the guitar. Yes, they all had their hats on the ground for some change, but here in Boone, that is how the famous Doc Watson got his start. He is now one of the most known and beloved musicians, not just in this country, but in the world. There is interesting and different people all over the city here and that, in my opinion, is what I love about it. Yes, you have UNC-A,which, by the way is considered one of the best public Univ. for the money in the country, but you have Warren Wilson College near by, where my sister-in-law went to school. She just retired as a teacher. She loved every minute of her college career at Warren Wilson and she was from Conn. We always tease her when we see some of the kids in their weird get-ups, and ask her if she thinks they go to Warren Wilson. There are some well known musicians that went to school with her there. One guy has a store in Black Mountain selling his beautiful dulcimers and played for the President of the U.S. with his partner at the time. There is Montreat College near by as well. Diverse, dress funny, maybe, people from all over the country, yes. Are there problems in Asheville? yes. Like anywhere there is a growth boom, traffic is horrible at times. Housing is too expensive. Good paying jobs are a problem and is a problem anywhere that is considered a service industry area. There are some glimmers of hope here, in that I read an article that Asheville has a need for machinists. Also, in the article, there are needs for people in hospitality. You have the VA Hospital here that has grown and all the other medical offices here that are considered excellent. My nephews went to school here and are not on drugs nor have they impregnated anyone. Are there gays? Yes, and some of the best people I know that contribute greatly to their city. Those of us that can not imagine living anywhere else on earth, will work two jobs or sacrifice just to be here. If those of you that want all white, dress conservatively, and think a like, and do not come with an open mind, should probably not come here.

[AshevilleJJ]

Catbirds: Couldn't have said it better!

[The Mule]

Originally Posted by AshevilleJJ

Can you explain what a "kook"is??

What many call freaks.

[AshevilleJJ]

So is a "kook" and a "freak" someone who just looks and maybe acts differently or are these terms based on personal knowledge of those people?

[The Mule]

The term is based largely on their actions. For example, last year one guy wrote a letter published in the Express complaining that during Bele Chere he was asked to leave a restaurant simply because he wasn't wearing a shirt or shoes. What an unimaginable outrage. That is an example kook. We have more than our share of them.

[blloyd]

Asheville is a boring, dull town that dosen't have any decent jobs, culture, educated people, interesting archetecture, ethnic diversity, universities (oh, yeah - UNCA! world class institution, that one!), sports teams, or nightlife. On the other hand, it's a nice place to panhandle.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by blloyd

Asheville is a boring, dull town that dosen't have any decent jobs, culture, educated people, interesting archetecture, ethnic diversity, universities (oh, yeah - UNCA! world class institution, that one!), sports teams, or nightlife. On the other hand, it's a nice place to panhandle.

I hope others are noticing how all you do is revive older threads so that you can respond with the cr*p you keep repeating - no one will take you seriously when they realize this is all you are doing. Don't you have anything better to do with your time?