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.
I spent some time on the Knoxville forum here on C-D last year when we were trying to decide where to purchase a vacation rental. The vibe I got from the locals on that forum was that, while the larger cities such as Knoxville and Chattanooga are pretty accepting of Yankees and other outsiders, once you get outside of the big cities, that isn't always the case, and the people can be kind of insular and resistant to non-locals.
My husband and I attended a NASCAR race in Bristol, TN, which is in eastern TN but north of the bigger cities, last spring. Now, Bristol is a fair-sized town, and NASCAR events tend to draw people from all over, but we were still questioned over and over by people that we spoke to where we were from, and when we said "Michigan", with some of them there was a subtle or not so subtle reaction. I can't explain it really, just a sort of "Oh!" thing and then a look like maybe we had brought something evil down with us. We paid to park in a garage across the road from the track that was owned by a local church and we had a nice discussion with a gentleman from that church who was equally nice. When I expressed that I thought it was great that there was a church that ministered to NASCAR fans and drivers right next to the track, he acted a bit surprised that someone from Michigan would endorse any kind of religion, much less be a Christian, and he then made the comment, "Well, I bet you would never find this at the track up there in Michigan, huh?" Sure, because everyone in Michigan is a raging, liberal atheist, right? He wasn't mean or anything, it was like he was just stating a foregone conclusion, but it told me worlds about why people down there tend to be suspicious of people from the North.
I also live near Monroe, Michigan, which has a very large contingent of transplants from eastern TN and their offspring in its population, because they moved up here back in the day to work in the factories and stayed. My boss once told me that her father owned some land down in the town of Tazewell, TN (not very far from Bristol and the town where seemingly half of Monroe migrated from) that she would someday inherit. I asked her if it would make a good place to build a vacation cabin, because the area around Tazewell is extremely pretty, and she stated, "No way! If an outsider came down there and built anything in those mountains, the crystal meth people would burn it down!" Apparently, based on what her relatives down there have told her, the hills of eastern TN contain a fair amount of meth labs, because of the isolation and lack of fear of police involvement. That doesn't make TN bad of course, and there are meth labs all over this country, but it made me think when she said that she would be afraid to build something there because of their presence. That's kind of scary.
Just my $.02, take it for what it's worth to you, and best of luck in whatever you decide to do.
Last edited by canudigit; 09-20-2012 at 08:23 AM..
I have relatives who go there to camp....love it and want to move there pretty badly. "Its so beautiful" they say.
It's a nice place to visit. The scenery is beautiful. The climate/weather is usually nice. I love the mountains & the lakes. I've adopted a lot of stray kittens around here & I love them to death. It's the phony people that totally ruin it. If it weren't for the people I'd love it here too. But I'm worn out, tired of fighting the people here. Tired of dealing with the constant lies & non-stop bull****. Tired of being manipulated & jerked around. Tired of trying to reason with them because they're totally unreasonable. Tired of never getting anything accomplished because the people around here are unreliable & just LOVE to blow sunshine up your ass.
A guy in my church told me we were gonna go scuba diving in Watauga lake. NEVER HAPPENED!
Another guy told me he'd take me down to the lake to go water skiing. NEVER HAPPENED! I've been wanting to go water skiing my entire life. It was very important to me. I was hoping he would keep his word. But he was full of **** just like everybody else.
There's really no point in talking to these people at all. It's a complete waste of your time. It won't go anywhere. They'll basically tell you everything you want to hear but there's no truth to their words. You won't be able to count on anything they say & you won't be able to accomplish anything. And you can forget about setting any goals if it involves other people. For most things, you're alone, you have to do everything by yourself, hard to find any help around here. And if you do get some help they make sure to let you know they're being put out & inconvenienced. My car broke down one time & I called my so-called friend for help. I was with my mother. We both picked up on his attitude. We both could tell he was pissed off that he had to drop what he was doing. He didn't try to hide it at all. So from now on if my car breaks down I go straight for the tow truck. I don't bother with these pricks anymore.
After about 20 years I'm at the point where all I ever say to them is "OK". It's nothing but "Hi, how are you?" "OK". That's it. In other words "get the **** out of my face!!!" I'm like Ash from Army Of Darkness. lol I don't even waste my time trying to talk to them anymore. I'm really hoping things will change once I get back up North. I need to get back in with human beings that know how to "keep it real".
Oh yeah, and I also hear there's a huge problem with meth in this area. I believe it because all the people around here seem to care about is smoking, drinking & drugs. I live on Highway 91 & I always hear cops racing away from the city going towards the sticks. A bunch of them always fly by my house. I asked why that is & the answer is always the same, "they probably found another meth lab".
We paid to park in a garage across the road from the track that was owned by a local church and we had a nice discussion with a gentleman from that church who was equally nice. When I expressed that I thought it was great that there was a church that ministered to NASCAR fans and drivers right next to the track, he acted a bit surprised that someone from Michigan would endorse any kind of religion, much less be a Christian, and he then made the comment, "Well, I bet you would never find this at the track up there in Michigan, huh?" Sure, because everyone in Michigan is a raging, liberal atheist, right? He wasn't mean or anything, it was like he was just stating a foregone conclusion, but it told me worlds about why people down there tend to be suspicious of people from the North.
You can be polite but still be an ignorant dick at the same time. If you're totally ignorant like this guy seems to be then you won't even know you're a dick. You'll just freely pass ignorant comments & rub everybody the wrong way & never even know you're doing it. Kinda feel sorry for people like that. They don't know the trouble they're causing themselves. They think they're being friendly & social but they're really pissing people off.
Originally from IL, currently living in a suburb of Nashville, TN, and...
I'll confirm that a LOT of the people down here are very, very into church, and they look down on you if you're not. If you're anything other than evangelical Protestant, some people won't even speak to you, and be very, VERY careful admitting out loud if you're an atheist (my friend's husband worked as a sub in the local school system. When she was quoted in a local paper about being an atheist, he was never called for another job ever again. They ended up moving away, they couldn't take it any more, and I can't blame them). Many people will be very nice until they learn you're not exactly like them, and then you're absolutely nothing, to the point where they'll look at you and walk away if they see you in a store, or they won't allow their kids to play with yours anymore (both things that have happened to some of my friends here).
It's very strange down here. This is not what I was expecting when I moved down here. We've made friends, eventually, but all of them have said the same thing when they got to know us- "I thought I was the only one!", meaning, the only non-religious, non hyper-conservative in the area. TN is hugely conservative, just so you know. The state recently passed laws saying that abstinence only sex education is the only thing that can be taught about sex in the classroom, AND that any "gateway sexual activity" (their words, not mine) cannot be mentioned- so, in theory, a teacher can be fired for talking about kissing or holding hands. No jokes. And don't even bother trying to talk about evolution, because you're Satan personified if you do (husband is a scientist. You can imagine his frustration).
We're hoping to eventually move back up north. It's not all bad, but...It's different than any other place I've ever lived, that's for sure.
I see a lot of posts where liberal/non-religious Northerners talk about not feeling like they fit in in the Southeast because of the strong conservative/Evangelical presence there, but not all Northerners are liberal and/or non-religious. If, in fact, a Northerner who is conservative and an Evangelical Christian and is actually looking to be involved in a church were to move to the Southeast, would they be accepted more readily than those who are not, or is it still an "us vs. them" thing because of the whole "Yankee" thing?
We struggle with the fact that we moved to a small town in SE Michigan three years ago and are still looking for a church that is warm and welcoming to new people. It seems that if you didn't grow up in this town or have family in the church, people are very slow to be welcoming and friendly and they really don't care if you are there or not, they already have their little group of family/friends and don't need anyone new. I would actually be THRILLED if I moved somewhere where people showed up at my door and invited me to attend church with them, not put off at all. IOW, quite the opposite of a lot of Northerners who try to live in the Southeast and end up hating it because of the strong Christian culture they find there.
Well, I'm a born-southerner who hated it, and the churches weren't "normal". Perhaps for a few folks the no makeup, no pants, no cutting your hair, no secular music church is normal, but it wasn't for me even as a Southern Baptist.
The answer to your question is: it depends. To which town or county are you thinking of relocating? It matters a great deal. Higher population areas will be more welcoming. For example, my parents live in a very tiny town outside a college town (MS not TN). I went to church at a small (~150 people) church all my youth and never felt like I fit in because I wasn't born here. Now, when I went to my friends' churches in the college town, it was different. People were more accepting because there are a lot of outsiders. Churches in Chattanooga or Knoxville will be more accepting. Churches in rural Tennessee won't because of the same problems you've already encountered. That's just small town life.
Don't assume finding a church will be easier in the South. The church hunt is the church hunt whether you're in Huntsville, AL or Seattle, WA.
Move to a bigger city like Nashville or Knoxville and you will find the transition to be better. Rural TN is like an entirely different world compared to the bigger cities in TN and has enormous problems with poverty, poor health, poor educational attainment, and job losses. Also, you can find plenty of smaller towns nearby Nashville or Knoxville if you aren't into living in urban environs.
I am a Southerner in NC one county over from East Tennessee. Im actually on here looking around because Im trying to get out of the South. I just have to comment on the "Southern Hospitality" illusion that so many people have about the southern states including TN. It IS fake..it is a constant mind game...talking sweet and friendly so they can talk about you behind your back as soon as you leave the room. It is exhausting. Is every single southerner that way? No, but it IS kinda the southern way. If you are not from the south they will always consider you an outsider even if you live here 20 years. Meth, fake pot and bath salts are a HUGE problem in WNC/East TN region. As far as religion.. "What church do you attend?" is usually in the top 3 questions asked when you first meet someone. If you say you don't attend church you will get the raised eyebrow and that look.(I hate to say this, but if you say a Catholic church you'll get that look too.) I personally don't attend church and Ive seen that look my whole life. Some people will actively pursue you to go with them to church and others just may tell you if you don't accept Jesus you will burn in hell. Yes...they say that. Ive even heard it at work, a place I don't think religion should be discussed. TN and NC are beautiful and have endless options as far as hiking, swimming, fishing, hunting etc...just don't be fooled by the sweet southern accent of the people...if you do you may end up regretting it. Of course everything I said is just my opinion..and 39 years of personal experience
Has anyone in here ever lived in Tennessee?? A possible job opportunity may lead me out of Michigan for this southern state. (eastern side of Tn) I have spent alot of time in Tennessee and love the states people and natural beauty. I also love my home state of Michigan, but having a good job is important too. The thought of leaving everyone I know behind is un-nerving to say the least and I think I will miss alot about living in Michigan. In all honesty Im still hoping to not have to do this, but Im thinking the whole thing through best I can. If anyone has lived there, is it as nice of a place to live as it is to visit?? THe people in Tn have always seemed so friendly to me, is this for real or fake?? And a question for anyone who has left Michgian, how much do you think about missing your home state??? I have also heard that in some growing sunbelt and western states there are so many economic refugees from Michigan who have moved in that resentments exist toward them. Is this true, or just a bunch of nonesense. I really dont want to find myself being like a modern day Okie that no one wants around.
I have lived in the middle Tennessee area, in Murfreesboro, about 30 miles from Nashville for about 15 years now. My family and I moved here from the U.P. of Michigan in 1997 while I was still in high school (11th grade). My father moved here for work. I moved here with an open mind but have never liked it from day one. I would have to agree with Peppermint and even somewhat with Nukem. The weather is extremely hot and humid starting in early spring and not usually ending until mid October. When the kids are out of school for summer vacation it is really too hot to even want to go outside. It ocassionally gets cold in the winter(lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s) and it seems like it rains all winter long while rarely getting any snow. My feeling is if it is going to be cold and getting dark early it might as well be snowing. It is a completely different culture here. The majority of people here that are from here seem to pretty much hate everyone who is not exactly like them. They don't like minorities of any kind, catholics, Jews, or worst of all, anyone from the north. Even the high school kids use the word Yankee (which here refers to anyone from above the mason Dixon line) almost like a swear word. I am white and somewhat religious and have struggled to really fit in. Many times have watched the expression on someone's face change as soon as they hear me talk. They seem like they are still stuck in civil war times. Even the ones who are well intentioned people are often so uneducated and brainwashed from previous generations that they honestly believe that if who drive 100 miles north of here that everyone is living on top of each other in big cities, traffic is terrible, and everyone is terribly rude. Any other former southerners on this forum can probably attest to this. I have one friend who was amazed after vacationing to St. Louis. He told me that the people were very friendly and that it reminded him of how things used to be before everyone (Yankees) started moving in here. Then he went on to tell me that he has been told ever since he was a child how bad things were up north. Obviously there are a few educated and cultured people here who are different but the vast majority really are this bad. I wish I were exaggerating! Not only are they hateful, but very phony as well, even among each other and including family members. It is really hard to even describe or figure out the mindset even after being here as long as I have. Southern hospitality is a myth. I go home to visit at least once a year and I can tell the difference in attitudes every time I stop along the way. People in the north and midwest are much friendlier, down to earth, and more sincere by far. I can even tell a difference in the way people interact on the roads. The most pleasant people I've met here are always from somewhere else. The economy is pretty good here as many manufacturing companies keep moving in. Probably because everyone is anti-union here and property is still fairly cheap compared to many other areas. Tennessee also has no state income tax and has the 46th lowest wages in the country. There is a major gap between rich and poor here which probably extends back to slave days. Then on top of that illegal immigrants have flooded this are bad which has depressed the wages even more. If you have kids or plan on having kids, you should know that while a couple of the really richer areas may have okay schools, education as a whole here is absolutely ridiculous! These schools are so behind it is scary. The entire southeastern region of the country consistently has the lowest education rankings. All the focus is on sports even at very young ages. I am a pretty big sports fan but people here are obsessed especially with youth sports up into college. Many kids have no childhood whatsoever beyond playing the same one sport year round. Whats worse is they realize this and continue to try to change things only to make everything worse. The best teachers my children have had here are not from here. I would really urge you to look at some statistics and not just take my word for it.The south has the reputation for a reason. They are the most hateful, laziest, fattest, sickest, uneducated, highest divorce rates(despite being supposedly so religious and being in the bible belt), you name it. I probably sound hateful myself, and I don't mean to but it can be frustrating living here as an outsider. The reason companies are moving here and the economy may be better than in some northern states is the same reason why companies are moving to Mexico or China. Lower cost of doing business PERIOD! Despite what the locals think, it's not because it's so damned great here. Some of the landscape is scenic but also very over crowded and heavily polluted compared to Michigan. I could write a book about this place if I wanted to. I married a girl from here who is not the stereotypical southerner but I'm having a hard time talking her into leaving here or I would be back in Michigan now. I can't speak too much for the lower peninsula, but in the U.P. people are genuine and real. The land is beautiful and if I was there and making a living okay, there is no way in hell I would come down here.
Last edited by TENNYOOPER; 09-29-2012 at 03:40 PM..
I have lived in the middle Tennessee area, in Murfreesboro, about 30 miles from Nashville for about 15 years now. My family and I moved here from the U.P. of Michigan in 1997 while I was still in high school (11th grade). My father moved here for work. I moved here with an open mind but have never liked it from day one. I would have to agree with Peppermint and even somewhat with Nukem. The weather is extremely hot and humid starting in early spring and not usually ending until mid October. When the kids are out of school for summer vacation it is really too hot to even want to go outside. It ocassionally gets cold in the winter(lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s) and it seems like it rains all winter long while rarely getting any snow. My feeling is if it is going to be cold and getting dark early it might as well be snowing. It is a completely different culture here. The majority of people here that are from here seem to pretty much hate everyone who is not exactly like them. They don't like minorities of any kind, catholics, Jews, or worst of all, anyone from the north. Even the high school kids use the word Yankee (which here refers to anyone from above the mason Dixon line) almost like a swear word. I am white and somewhat religious and have struggled to really fit in. Many times have watched the expression on someone's face change as soon as they hear me talk. They seem like they are still stuck in civil war times. Even the ones who are well intentioned people are often so uneducated and brainwashed from previous generations that they honestly believe that if who drive 100 miles north of here that everyone is living on top of each other in big cities, traffic is terrible, and everyone is terribly rude. Any other former southerners on this forum can probably attest to this. I have one friend who was amazed after vacationing to St. Louis. He told me that the people were very friendly and that it reminded him of how things used to be before everyone (Yankees) started moving in here. Then he went on to tell me that he has been told ever since he was a child how bad things were up north. Obviously there are a few educated and cultured people here who are different but the vast majority really are this bad. I wish I were exaggerating! Not only are they hateful, but very phony as well, even among each other and including family members. It is really hard to even describe or figure out the mindset even after being here as long as I have. Southern hospitality is a myth. I go home to visit at least once a year and I can tell the difference in attitudes every time I stop along the way. People in the north and midwest are much friendlier, down to earth, and more sincere by far. I can even tell a difference in the way people interact on the roads. The most pleasant people I've met here are always from somewhere else. The economy is pretty good here as many manufacturing companies keep moving in. Probably because everyone is anti-union here and property is still fairly cheap compared to many other areas. Tennessee also has no state income tax and has the 46th lowest wages in the country. There is a major gap between rich and poor here which probably extends back to slave days. Then on top of that illegal immigrants have flooded this are bad which has depressed the wages even more. If you have kids or plan on having kids, you should know that while a couple of the really richer areas may have okay schools, education as a whole here is absolutely ridiculous! These schools are so behind it is scary. The entire southeastern region of the country consistently has the lowest education rankings. All the focus is on sports even at very young ages. I am a pretty big sports fan but people here are obsessed especially with youth sports up into college. Many kids have no childhood whatsoever beyond playing the same one sport year round. Whats worse is they realize this and continue to try to change things only to make everything worse. The best teachers my children have had here are not from here. I would really urge you to look at some statistics and not just take my word for it.The south has the reputation for a reason. They are the most hateful, laziest, fattest, sickest, uneducated, highest divorce rates(despite being supposedly so religious and being in the bible belt), you name it. I probably sound hateful myself, and I don't mean to but it can be frustrating living here as an outsider. The reason companies are moving here and the economy may be better than in some northern states is the same reason why companies are moving to Mexico or China. Lower cost of doing business PERIOD! Despite what the locals think, it's not because it's so damned great here. Some of the landscape is scenic but also very over crowded and heavily polluted compared to Michigan. I could write a book about this place if I wanted to. I married a girl from here who is not the stereotypical southerner but I'm having a hard time talking her into leaving here or I would be back in Michigan now. I can't speak too much for the lower peninsula, but in the U.P. people are genuine and real. The land is beautiful and if I was there and making a living okay, there is no way in hell I would come down here.
Agree with every thing you said Tennyooper ...and I AM Southern...trying to get out of the south and head to Michigan. From the things Ive read about it on CD and the pics Ive seen Michigan looks gorgeous and the people seem friendly and sincere
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.
He wasn't mean or anything, it was like he was just stating a foregone conclusion, but it told me worlds about why people down there tend to be suspicious of people from the North. 
