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I think relocating here (or anywhere) depends a lot upon 1) Where you're coming from, and B) Your attitude. We came here from FL 6 years ago. Originally from CT, we're known as 'half-backs'. CT is too expensive, crowded, and cold. FL is too crowded, expensive, and hot. Like Goldilocks, we've found the upstate to be 'just right'. It can be brutally hot; even hotter than FL on occasion, but only for a few months, and it can get pretty cold, but again, winter is fairly short, with plenty of nice days. It is humid in the summer, but not as bad as FL.
We're in a rural area, about 15 miles north of Greenville. We like the countryside and privacy. The downside is having to drive everywhere, and of course, lots of work on the property. Downtown Greenville, or even some of the smaller towns would be nice, as you could walk to stores and restaurants. The flip side is that they are more expensive and crowded.
Greenville is a very nice small/medium city. They've gone to a lot of effort to make the downtown area very nice. There are a huge number of restaurants with a lot of variety. There are a fair amount of cultural opportunities, with concerts, shows, festivals, and a symphony orchestra. Like any city, there are sketchy areas. Crime statistics are somewhat skewed, because the actual city limits of Greenville are quite small, but it is the center of a metro area with 10 times the population. On paper, Greenville looks a lot smaller than it actually is. I've always felt quit safe when downtown. A lot of the crime is in certain areas, between drug factions, and domestic violence.
I'm not up on specific areas in town. Out where we are, it's pretty quiet. We keep things of value locked up, as we would anywhere. Others on here will chime in with more specifics on the better/worse parts of town.
Culturally, the area is pretty conservative. You can't throw a rock without hitting a stained glass window (lots of churches). For us, our church is where we meet people, and is the social hub for rural areas. We've never had people 'bother' us with religious advances, but some people have mentioned it. Greenville itself is more cosmopolitan and accepting of differing beliefs and cultures than the rural areas.
^^^ What MushCreek said, especially in the first sentence. If you’re open to Southern culture and ways, you’ll do fine. If you come flaunting a Northern attitude of “we do everything better and we’re so much more sophisticated, educated, etc” or trying to duplicate living experiences, you won’t like it.
Visit as much as possible in several areas of the upstate and you’ll figure out rather quickly if you’ll like it because ultimately opinions of strangers on the internet are worthless.
After you’ve visited and can ask specific questions, people can be more helpful.
I've lived in cities in VA, IL, IA, CT, NC, and SCover the decades. I wouldn't have retired here if I didn't like the area and the people. Whether it's a good match for anyone depends on what they're looking for and their expectations.
I lived up in Maryland and northern NJ near Manhattan for a few years, and I didn't see a cultural difference between living in SC and up there.
I had previously lived my entire life in the DC area, born/raised in Maryland, Virginia for the last 20. I find it very different.
Just in the last 24 hours, I’ve had several young children tell me “yes, ma’am”, an older (even older than me), black gentleman (not employee) at the grocery store offer to return my “buggy” for me, and a cashier tell me to “have a blessed day”. That doesn’t include all the warm and welcoming people at our church yesterday, inviting me to two separate events.
It’s very different here and I embrace it with a grateful heart.
Oh, and I almost forgot . . . About a month or so ago, I received TWO hand-written Thank You notes for something I did. I don’t remember the last time I received a written Thank You (other than a wedding present) in the last twenty five years. It’s different.
Last edited by LynchburgLover; 10-14-2019 at 10:38 AM..
One other way the culture here is different is the influence of churches. In just one month, I have seven social commitments through church, not including Sunday services and Wednesday night supper/small group Bible studies. And, I am not involved in half the things offered!
Can you be happy, make friends and not be involved in a church — of course. We have made outside-of-church relationships, but you’ll have to work at it.
Just remember, you are entering their culture and do not expect them to bend to you. Don’t ever start a sentence with “Up north, we . . .” Don’t brag about the pizza, the crab cakes or whatever. It’s the South. Embrace it and you’ll do fine. Be open and friendly and remember, YOU have to make the effort to meet and fit in, not the other way around.
In two years I’ve had all kinds of parties inviting neighbors, church people, whoever. I’ve done dessert & wine parties, Mardi Gras parties, Christmas Open Houses, a meet & greet for a political candidate, anything I can think of to invite people over. For a couple hundred bucks, here and there, I’ve meet most of my neighbors. We also have a great church, where we jumped right in — joining a small group, the ladies group, husband joined the retired early morning mens group, helping with picnics, Fall Festival, whatever.
Sit on your rear end watching tv, you’ll be miserable. Get out, join in and be VERY polite and NOT pushy. You’ll love it. I think you said you’re from Southern Maryland so the leap won’t be so big. DC to here was quite a (wonderful!) change.
Just remember, you are entering their culture and do not expect them to bend to you. Don’t ever start a sentence with “Up north, we . . .” Don’t brag about the pizza, the crab cakes or whatever. It’s the South. Embrace it and you’ll do fine. Be open and friendly and remember, YOU have to make the effort to meet and fit in, not the other way around.
In two years I’ve had all kinds of parties inviting neighbors, church people, whoever. I’ve done dessert & wine parties, Mardi Gras parties, Christmas Open Houses, a meet & greet for a political candidate, anything I can think of to invite people over. For a couple hundred bucks, here and there, I’ve meet most of my neighbors. We also have a great church, where we jumped right in — joining a small group, the ladies group, husband joined the retired early morning mens group, helping with picnics, Fall Festival, whatever.
Sit on your rear end watching tv, you’ll be miserable. Get out, join in and be VERY polite and NOT pushy. You’ll love it. I think you said you’re from Southern Maryland so the leap won’t be so big. DC to here was quite a (wonderful!) change.
Smile, be friendly and best of luck.
I thought you had previously said that people in Greenville are not friendly but people in Spartanburg are friendly.
I wouldn't have a problem with transplants talking about how something was done up north. I can't see any person I know that grew up here having a problem with that. We might not agree with the opinion.
I've heard a lot of transplants say pizza is better up north. That's not going to be a problem for anybody living here. The pizza thing is kind of confusing because most of the local places seem to be owned by people from the north or another state outside of the south. Many of them advertise their pizza as NY style but then some people from NY/NJ will say it is not authentic New York style.
When I lived up in northern NJ, I went to local pizza places and it was in the ballpark of what I get down here.
Last edited by ClemVegas; 10-14-2019 at 06:49 PM..
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