Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Visit Italy during the holidays and leave the nostalgic feelings behind. Enjoy the country where you live, the people and their traditions. If you are still sentimental, there are a lot of fake Italian restaurant where you can get fettuccine alfredo, pesto&chicken pizza, and meatball pasta.
I'm telling this as an Italian that moved in Us four years ago and couldn't be more happy!
well said. and it is no wonder you have settled in so well. A great attitude.
I lived in Germany as a US southerner and it took awhile to adjust but once I lived as a German, the way the Germans did, it went well. Adopting the culture was the best thing I ever did.
Almost any city of size in the South has something like this (Atlanta, Birmingham, Nashville, Raleigh, etc.). It obviously won't be what you're used to because international communities don't serve the purpose that they once did, but at least it would be a way to connect with people of similar heritage.
We are growing more and more fond of the Charlotte Area as our research continues. We know to what to expect to an extent, as it pertains to social differences. What I hear a lot of people saying, in other forums, as it pertains to "culture" in the south is that there is only one real culture; Southern. Beyond that, since there are not segregated ethnic communities (Greek, Irish, Italian, Polish, etc etc etc) like there are in the north, the only real determinate factor of what kind of area you live in is money. In other words, what others have said, is that your community will be defined by your income and housing budget, not by your ethnicity or culture.
Does this stand true in the Charlotte area? If so, that is certainly fine with me, I am simply curious since it was mentioned elsewhere, and I am trying to paint the most accurate picture possible in my head.
You will find many threads here discussing at length how "authentically southern" Charlotte is. I'll skip over that, but say that Charlotte and Raleigh are the two cities in NC where people don't care too much "where you are from" because there has been so much in-migration. You will bump into *many* people who came here from other states or countries, who are learning to adjust to living in the south.
I would say that community is somewhat "chosen with" money. Someone of affluent means can decide to buy property close in to the center of town, or way out beyond the 485 ring.
For some people, a HOA with a nice pool and kids activities is important. Others want to live in a historical tree lined suburb, or maybe a "hip/trendy" kind of neighborhood. Charlotte offers a fair amount of choice in that regard.
I read somewhere that only 1 out of 60 people here are local. The rest coming mostly from other states & some immigrants. B/c there are so many newcomers it seems everyone wants to be friends. Naturally that happens in subdivisions where there are HOA's & they send out invitations for group gatherings, unlike in the NE where there are no HOA's & less of a sense of community. That said you are bound together socio-economically b/c of that. However in my experience b/c the cost of living here is low, all classes get along b/c people don't have to struggle with housing/property taxes as they are in the NE.
It seems like there are hardly any American Italian's here. If you wear the map of Southern Italy on your face you will stand out like a sore thumb, for better or worse. To me living here I've had to abandon most all of the culture I grew up with, however I try to embrace the South the way my grandparents did-emigrating to a new place for a better life for myself & my family. I love here & do feel the values are much more in line with European Italians (having lived in Italy) than American Italians.
Good luck whatever you decide
Quote:
Originally Posted by SonoCucuzza
Thank you to everyone again.
We are growing more and more fond of the Charlotte Area as our research continues. We know to what to expect to an extent, as it pertains to social differences. What I hear a lot of people saying, in other forums, as it pertains to "culture" in the south is that there is only one real culture; Southern. Beyond that, since there are not segregated ethnic communities (Greek, Irish, Italian, Polish, etc etc etc) like there are in the north, the only real determinate factor of what kind of area you live in is money. In other words, what others have said, is that your community will be defined by your income and housing budget, not by your ethnicity or culture.
Does this stand true in the Charlotte area? If so, that is certainly fine with me, I am simply curious since it was mentioned elsewhere, and I am trying to paint the most accurate picture possible in my head.
Thank you everyone, this information continues to help me out.
As it pertains to the above contribution from "ChessPie", I can assure you, we are not "that" type of Italian-American family. We are not "Staten Island Chic", and we would never aspire to be. None of us will ever be found "wearing the map of Southern Italy on our faces"......in other words, we are not gaudy or over the top. We embrace and love our culture, not the perception of embracing our culture. There are no blowout haircuts here, no fake tans, and no pride in being obnoxious. Instead, we simply grew up going back and forth from Sicily to the states, were active in our Catholic parish, and were raised in houses where we had Italian newspapers, studied Sicilian history, and we as in tune with political dealings in Italy as we were in tune to the U.S. presidency. We were, basically, raised in a Sicilian home which happened to have an American address. That is the best way I can describe it.
As to the helpful comment from "Sean_CLT" regarding the choices offered pertaining to housing in the area, I would like to know more about that. We are definitely "tree lined suburb" people, as we have a deep admiration for high hedges and privacy. However, we also are not opposed to other types of communities. What is most important to us (in regards to housing) is safety, schools, and privacy. Also, my fiance loathes HOA's. I am sure he would pay them if they were reasonable, but he lived in Miami for a decade, where having resided in an over the top Miami condo, he paid 1200 dollars a month just in HOA's. Granted, it was a beautiful home, and his income allowed for it, but having been there and done that, he would like to avoid such absurdity again. That being said, we're trying to stay in the 350K range for a house (he would prefer 300K but would go to 400K) and we would love a private tree lined street in the suburbs. Any suggestions on where it would be worth looking? Tree lined suburbs would be great, but other types of communities would be okay too as long as there aren't "Miami-esque" HOA fees attached.
From my limited experience, you won't find the HOA fees being as astronomical here as in other places. You definitely won't be paying $1200/month... probably not even $1200/year in most suburbs that we've looked at. (Don't quote me on that, though )
Thank you everyone, this information continues to help me out.
Instead, we simply grew up going back and forth from Sicily to the states, were active in our Catholic parish, and were raised in houses where we had Italian newspapers, studied Sicilian history, and we as in tune with political dealings in Italy as we were in tune to the U.S. presidency. We were, basically, raised in a Sicilian home which happened to have an American address. That is the best way I can describe it.
I didn't mean that look at all, what I meant was that if you're not of the fair eyed/headed Sicilian type; if you're dark & your facial features look more typical Southern Italian-your looks are going to stand out.
I do think you'll greatly miss your culture. I know it's not the same but if you think you might be able to apply your same passion to something else you might do alright.
I didn't mean that look at all, what I meant was that if you're not of the fair eyed/headed Sicilian type; if you're dark & your facial features look more typical Southern Italian-your looks are going to stand out.
I do think you'll greatly miss your culture. I know it's not the same but if you think you might be able to apply your same passion to something else you might do alright.
ChessPie, sorry I misconstrued! I didn't take offense, and wasn't trying to sound overly presumptuous, I simply read in to your comment inaccurately. Sorry!
As for my family and I, we are sort of a mixed bag in that regard. My family is from Siracusa, and the settlement there was mostly Greek historically (as was most of Eastern Sicily). Thus, I do carry dark features, an olive complexion, and black as night hair. My fiance is from Mazara Del Vallo by way of Marsala (Western Sicily). That was an entirely different historical settlement (Byzantines, Anglo-Saxons, Normans). He is tall, has a lighter complexion, and black as night hair. He can pass as an American, whereas I cannot. Truth be told though, that facet doesn't worry us much. However, I sincerely appreciate you being honest about perhaps sticking out a bit.
I think the culture piece remains the largest obstacle for us. Charlotte seems lovely, but we still have alot of thinking to do. Helpful people such as yourself however really help me along in the process. Thank You.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
