Tell me about Greenville? (Raleigh, Wilmington: chapel, co-ops, hotel)

[lkpetrolino]

Hello,

I am currently in Portland going to medical school. I have lived lots of places and am orginally from the south and wanting to go back desperately. I'm looking at transfering to either ECU, UK or MUSC. I don't know much about Greenville and would like to learn more?

Is it a very pedestrian/biker friendly city?

good hiking/ outdoor activities?

active community?

cultural life?

anything eles that might help me decide between the three schools

Laura

[Sunnydee]

My brother lives in Greenville and works at ECU and is quite happy there.
(Note: He wasn't sure he wanted to move there initially, but now doesn't want to leave.) We visited him last year and found the campus and town to be quite lovely. He lives in a gorgeous home that is in a cute little walkable neighborhood with tree lined streets. The housing in Greenville is very affordable. He is big on outdoor activities, hiking, parks, etc. and has found lots of those things to do. He says there's always something going on at the university and he's attended quite a few cultural things there - concerts, recitals, plays, etc. He swims at the pool on campus and I must say the gym there is fabulous. The weather is much better than his other locations, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, South Bend, and Wilkes Barre. The people there are very friendly, too. I think all of your choices are good, but I wouldn't hesitate for a second to go to ECU.

[lkpetrolino]

thanks that is helpful........anyone else?

[Bethanytedder]

I live about 18 miles from Greenville and the medical facilities are top notch. Before the medical school if you got really sick, you had to go to Chapel Hill which is about 2 hours away. But I would trust these people in Greenville with my life since they saved it about 9 years ago from a pulmonary embolism. As for the cultural parts of the town, I don't usually get that involved with it but it seems from what little I have seen to be pretty standard. They have the halloween thing going as a party for the kids instead of trick or treating if you wish and the Fourth of July is pretty standard with the fireworks and the like. I think Winterville which is nearby has some Festivals although I can't remember if it is the collard or the shad so maybe someone can help me out here. We have the Agfest in late Sept. or early Oct. and Farmville which is about 11 miles from Greenville has the Dogwood Festival in April.
Since I don't actually live there I don't know too much about the schools but I have been told they are pretty good.
I think you would be making a good choice to accept ECU as a place to go to but let me warn you in advance that Greenville is subject to flooding and the like during hurricane season that runs from June 1 thur November 30th every year. Last year we got absolutely nothing along with the rest of the United States. But 1996 was bad with Fran and Bertha and 1999 was the worse year I can remember with Floyd flooding nearly everything in the entire 42 eastern counties in the state. So just know that it can happen although Wilmington to the south of us or Morehead City to the east would have to take a direct hit to affect us some 90-100 miles in either direction to do another Floyd or Fran for that matter. The worse storm we have gotten in my life time was Cat. 4 Hazel in 1954. I don't remember much since I was only 3 but I do remember it being scary and the like. Welcome to North Carolina. I hope you enjoy it here.

[mhogan10010]

I am originally from Detroit, but lived in the South for 17 years and Greenville for 7 years.
ECU provides a pretty good selection of Cultural events. The downtown is pretty dead. Not too much walkable street life kind of areas. Mostly a suburban feel with lots of chain restaurants etc.
Its an old Tobacco town, that has been on the rise now for decades. ECU and Pitt Hospital are the two real powerhouses economically.
About the only good outdoor activity I found was canoing. The County doesn't have any natural lakes. The Tar river and lots of smaller rivers and canals and the main water locations.
I don't really know if you would call it a bike friendly place. If you are comparing it to Portland, I would say no. It is a very car dominate place for sure. Public transportation is pretty weak. Much of the terrain that is not already developed is swampy, so not great for hiking. Plus, in those areas you often have to be conscious of snakes.
Summers are brutally hot and humid. Winters are mild and pretty wet.
For my money, the Western part of NC is a much more interesting and outdoor sports friendly environment.
I'd advise giving UK a close look before going to Greenville.
PM me if you like.

[lkpetrolino]

hmm..interesting. Are there any Organic/health food stores there, like Whole foods?

this sounds stupid, but is important

are the people fairly active in the community?

[mhogan10010]

Originally Posted by lkpetrolino

hmm..interesting. Are there any Organic/health food stores there, like Whole foods?

this sounds stupid, but is important

are the people fairly active in the community?

I don't know about Whole Foods specifically, but I can assure that the kind of culture you are describing would not be typical for Pitt County. It always seemed to me that you had two very divergent cultures. There was the University and then everything else. The University is like most public Universities, very progressive and liberal. Much of the remaining culture is very traditional, old South and conservative. Outside of the University and the Hospital, you will find much more affinity with Tobacco and Pork, than with organic food, and environmentalism.

People are very active in the Church in Pitt Co. That becomes the backbone of most community involvement. Of course, there are pockets of activism.
Small towns outside of Greenville have a pretty strong community feel. However, those towns tend to be harder on outsiders.

[lkpetrolino]

yikes! This is scaring me, it surprises me that Greenville, with its location wouldn't have farmers markets or food co-ops or anything.......this gives me a lot to think about

[gigimac]

There IS a health food store in Greenville, south campus near the stadium at the shopping center. Laid-back, small-town living. Charleston is much different, big-city life, distinct historical flavor.

I graduated from ECU in 1974 and have been back several times over the years. You see, I loved that university, biked to class every day, lived on and off campus, made lifelong friends, all of it a beautiful memory. Low-key, safe town, easy to get around everywhere near the main campus. Summer school was peaceful. Best place to live is the lovely old neighborhood across from the University on the 5th Street side. Get you a two-story house in case the river runs high. Since it is a small, rural town, if you're not connected to the school, not much to do, but you can get to the Outer Banks in just a two-hour drive down country roads, and I went there often.

I've visited Charleston. Now, the Charleston, SC, Medical School locale, that's the REAL South, moss on the trees, plantations with gardens, a walking historical downtown, horse-drawn carriages. It's a good-sized city, defined by two large rivers, beaches just minutes away. The Medical School is on the same peninsula as downtown, so it's convenient. Charleston is even just a great place just to visit, the Mills House Hotel is very nice. If you like a busy historical city and lots of activities, you will like Charleston.

I hope this clarifies what you want to know.

[Creatively]

Hi, Laura.

There is a Whole Foods in Raleigh, which is about 90 miles away from Greenville.

My husband and I are considering a move to Greenville (based on a possible job opportunity) and have many of the same questions you have. From what we've learned so far, it seems like we will need to travel to the Raleigh area for some of the amenities we would like (like Whole Foods, etc.)

I'd love to hear more about cultural events in Greenville, if anyone else is willing to share. Is there, for instance, an arts theater or movie theater that shows independent and foreign films? Also, are there any Indian or Thai restaurants in town?

Thanks!