Moving to North Carolina Coast from MA for a better life, where should I go? (Raleigh: fit in, transplants)
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This is the first post on any forum I have ever made. My name is Adam, I am 35, and currently live in Massachusetts. I've already made my mind up to move to North Carolina for many reasons. My friends/family don't know yet, because I want to do it smart, and try to find a job before I go.
I've traveled all over the country, and really like the people in the South.
One of my teachers in college was from NC, and was very patient with my numerous questions, (it was Physics...). Anyway, sometimes, you just feel like you need to make a change, and the time has come. I've owned my own business for many years, and it is always go, go, go up here.
Forget being north of Boston after 3pm and having to go south, like 30 minutes south. It can take 2 hours some days... Who wants to deal with that every day???
I am 35, single, no kids, never been married and have two college degrees. One in Biology and the other in Education. I want to teach High School Biology, and wondering if jobs are still abound.
Also, looking for a place to call home.
I'd like to live on the coast, so I can do some saltwater fishing, relax on the beach, and just enjoy my life more...
I'm looking for a place/town/city that's nothing like Boston or NYC.
I don't want to constantly rush around all the time anymore.
I'm not lazy, I just want to be around people that are more friendly, and slow my life down just a tad.
Any suggestions for cities/towns on the NC coast?
A place with a few bars, under 60,000 people, good economic growth, near the ocean, a shopping center or two, and nice people. That is ALL I'm asking for. The rest will fall into place...
I appreciate your time in answering my question...
Check out Wilmington. I think it's the largest city on the coast, but not by any stretch Boston or NYC large. Teaching is difficult right now since the state budget is in shambles but it never hurts to send off a resume. Someone may be quitting just as your resume hits the desk. Good luck to you!
I've been living onlong the southern Outer Banks since 2008 with my family. Like you I'm new to this foum as this is my 2nd post. The Carteret School district is one of the best in NC and I know a few of the teachers. My wife and I chose to live here for that reason, so our daughter could obtain the best education available.
Claud605 is correct about the econmic issues that plague our state and local school systems. It might be challenging finding a teaching position at this time but you never know unless you try. Here are a few links about Carteret County.
This is the first post on any forum I have ever made. My name is Adam, I am 35, and currently live in Massachusetts. I've already made my mind up to move to North Carolina for many reasons. My friends/family don't know yet, because I want to do it smart, and try to find a job before I go.
I've traveled all over the country, and really like the people in the South.
One of my teachers in college was from NC, and was very patient with my numerous questions, (it was Physics...). Anyway, sometimes, you just feel like you need to make a change, and the time has come. I've owned my own business for many years, and it is always go, go, go up here.
Forget being north of Boston after 3pm and having to go south, like 30 minutes south. It can take 2 hours some days... Who wants to deal with that every day???
I am 35, single, no kids, never been married and have two college degrees. One in Biology and the other in Education. I want to teach High School Biology, and wondering if jobs are still abound.
Also, looking for a place to call home.
I'd like to live on the coast, so I can do some saltwater fishing, relax on the beach, and just enjoy my life more...
I'm looking for a place/town/city that's nothing like Boston or NYC.
I don't want to constantly rush around all the time anymore.
I'm not lazy, I just want to be around people that are more friendly, and slow my life down just a tad.
Any suggestions for cities/towns on the NC coast?
A place with a few bars, under 60,000 people, good economic growth, near the ocean, a shopping center or two, and nice people. That is ALL I'm asking for. The rest will fall into place...
I appreciate your time in answering my question...
- Adam
a place with a high school, and a bar. i think any place on the NC coast would suit. the only thing that's difficult to find is "good economic growth"
right now that is pretty much only happening in Jacksonville, NC, which is a military town.
You may not be aware, but most of NC's coast other than Wilmington and Jacksonville (military town) are vacation/resort towns. Of course they do have full-time residents and high schools, but the likelihood of finding a teaching job there is less, the less population there is.
You might look just over the NC border in either direction, to Myrtle Beach, SC or Virginia Beach/Norfolk, VA. Both are real "cities" which, while of course being seasonal places, also have real "cities", especialy Norfolk. OOPS--I just saw where you want to avoid cities, but Norfolk is nothing like Boston or NYC, at any rate.
NC is deeply in the red in the state budget ($3.7 billion) and the governor has already said there will be carnage among state positions, which includes teachers. It's true that science teachers are the one most in demand, but with no experience, you might have to go through some (Bulls***) training to become certified in NC (just FYI).
"Good economic growth" is going to be your biggest hurdle in North Carolina, especially on the coast.
I moved here (coastal Carolina) a little over a year ago from Worcester for all the "romantic" reasons that you now have in your head.
Visiting here, and living here are two very different things.
First, they think they are still fighting the "War of Northern Aggression" and HATE Yankees... I keep telling them I am a Red Sox fan and we don't like (the) Yankees either. The humor is lost on them.
The gene pool is very shallow here.
Jobs are very hard to find and if you have a "northern" accent you will be lumped into the group from NJ,Long Island and NYC..... That will make it even harder for you to be hired unless they are in dire need of your particular services.
That said, Carteret schools are the best outside the "Triangle" area (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill).
I would suspect the job prospects are better in that area than out here on the coast. But, it is 2 1/2 hours or more from the coast. Also, you have to drive a LONG distance for EVERYTHING out here.
I don't want to burst your bubble, but my experience being here the last year has been NOTHING like I would have expected.
As mentioned above, there are NO cities out here on the coast anything like back home. In fact, it has been a little like moving to "Oz".
First, they think they are still fighting the "War of Northern Aggression" and HATE Yankees
That's not true; only the obnoxious and difficult ones. Oh, and especially the ones who act like they know everything.
If a person takes care to inform themselves and subsequently avoid the 200 years or so of accumulated "yankee stereotypes", then they'll get along fine. I'm shocked at how many transplants assume that the south is just "the north with better weather."
If the OP does his research, he can certainly end up happy here, like my transplant friends from all over the northeast.
That's not true; only the obnoxious and difficult ones. Oh, and especially the ones who act like they know everything.
If a person takes care to inform themselves and subsequently avoid the 200 years or so of accumulated "yankee stereotypes", then they'll get along fine. I'm shocked at how many transplants assume that the south is just "the north with better weather."
If the OP does his research, he can certainly end up happy here, like my transplant friends from all over the northeast.
Sorry,
I thought we were all in the same country. I didn't realize I had to change me to "fit in" to the "south".
So, are you saying the "northerners" should avert their gaze - not making eye contact, not question the "southern authority" and otherwise act dumb?? Interesting, I know a group of people that do that down here. What a shame nothing has changed in the south for over 200 years...
Thanks, you made my point.
Thank you for all of the responses. Dadsdiesel, I am originally from Woonsocket, RI, so we were practically neighbors. I am still thinking it through. I have a lot of time, and I want to weigh out the pros and cons. I'm thinking if coming for a 10 day visit first, then look for jobs online if I like it.
The main thing that irks me is the go, go, go mentality of the East Coast...
It's very tiring...
I thought we were all in the same country. I didn't realize I had to change me to "fit in" to the "south".
So, are you saying the "northerners" should avert their gaze - not making eye contact, not question the "southern authority" and otherwise act dumb?? Interesting, I know a group of people that do that down here. What a shame nothing has changed in the south for over 200 years...
Thanks, you made my point.
Huh?? From where did you infer ANY of this? Sounds like YOU'RE the one who has a beef with Southerners, not the other way around.
Quote:
The main thing that irks me is the go, go, go mentality of the East Coast...
Um, I don't want to be the first to tell you this, but...North Carolina is ON the East Coast...
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