Questions about Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue: apartment, to rent, how much)

[endersshadow]

Hi all,

I don't know much about Nebraska so I can't ask questions about specific parts of the state. However, since most of you live in Nebraska, could you please share what town or county you live in while answering the questions? That would be a huge help for me to organize the responses.

-Are there any specific parts of the state that are not accepting of nonwhite races?

-Many teachers nationwide are having trouble finding work. Is that the case in Nebraska? Any specific parts that are in need of teachers?

-How much would I have to make to live in the part of Nebraska that you live in? I read teachers don't make much there but I heard it doesn't cost much to live there either.

-How bad are the natural disasters? Are tornadoes more prominent in certain areas? Are there areas that almost never see one? Blizzards I can live with.

Thanks!

[endersshadow]

I guess the whole thing about Nebraska being a very friendly state is a whole bunch of...

I actually got a lot of my questions answered by someone else. However, I was hoping for other people's opinion.

[mattpoulsen]

Umm...ok. You posted your question last night at 2:37 am and people here have jobs. Sorry they didn't immediately take off work to answer your question. People would have certainly answered your questions but it may have taken a day or two. Jeez!

[John08]

The only area I'm really familiar with in such specifics is the Omaha area. Non-white races are fine as far as I'm aware. I think OPS might be on a hiring freeze (probably since they're firing people), and I do not know anything as far as the other parts of the area (there's about a dozen school districts in the area). As a teacher, you will be able to get by, but don't expect to live in mansion. The city proper of Omaha and Bellevue haven't actually had contact with a tornado, as far as I'm aware, in almost twenty years.

[SunshineSanity]

I live in Lincoln. I will try to answer your questions - though I'm certainly no expert.

-Are there any specific parts of the state that are not accepting of nonwhite races?

Of course - You find places like that in every state.

-Many teachers nationwide are having trouble finding work. Is that the case in Nebraska? Any specific parts that are in need of teachers?

I have a friend that recently graduated and it took her quite a few tries to get a position, but she did get one. The recession hasn't hit us as hard as most places.
Our school website is lps.org if you want to see what positions are available. (that's just the public school - there are quite a few private ones.)

-How much would I have to make to live in the part of Nebraska that you live in? I read teachers don't make much there but I heard it doesn't cost much to live there either.

It depends on what your defination of "live" is. I see in your profile that you're single and you have no children - this of course makes it easier to live off of what you make.
Do you want to rent a house? Buy a house? An apartment? What's exceptable to YOU? Are you going to travel, ect...
Though off of a teachers salery here - if you don't live a high profile lifestyle you can probably live pretty comfortably.

-How bad are the natural disasters? Are tornadoes more prominent in certain areas? Are there areas that almost never see one? Blizzards I can live with.

The Grand Island area has the highest instance of tornadoes I believe.
It's not bad where I live. We've had tornadoes very close to the city limits, but we have yet had one hit the city in 50 or more years.
I think in the pan handle tornadoes are more rare, but I could be wrong.

[endersshadow]

Originally Posted by John08

The only area I'm really familiar with in such specifics is the Omaha area. Non-white races are fine as far as I'm aware. I think OPS might be on a hiring freeze (probably since they're firing people), and I do not know anything as far as the other parts of the area (there's about a dozen school districts in the area). As a teacher, you will be able to get by, but don't expect to live in mansion. The city proper of Omaha and Bellevue haven't actually had contact with a tornado, as far as I'm aware, in almost twenty years.

Thanks. This conforms to what I was told earlier. It's more difficult to find work in Eastern Nebraska as a teacher.

Since deciding on becoming a teacher, I gave up all dreams of living in a mansion. That is, unless I can snag a special lady. A simple house down the road is more than enough for me.

I'm VERY elated to hear that tornadoes don't hit in the East part of Nebraska. I'm told that tornadoes don't really hit the Western part either.

Originally Posted by aerahrtlu

I live in Lincoln. I will try to answer your questions - though I'm certainly no expert.

Of course - You find places like that in every state.


I have a friend that recently graduated and it took her quite a few tries to get a position, but she did get one. The recession hasn't hit us as hard as most places.
Our school website is lps.org if you want to see what positions are available. (that's just the public school - there are quite a few private ones.)


It depends on what your defination of "live" is. I see in your profile that you're single and you have no children - this of course makes it easier to live off of what you make.
Do you want to rent a house? Buy a house? An apartment? What's exceptable to YOU? Are you going to travel, ect...
Though off of a teachers salery here - if you don't live a high profile lifestyle you can probably live pretty comfortably.


The Grand Island area has the highest instance of tornadoes I believe.
It's not bad where I live. We've had tornadoes very close to the city limits, but we have yet had one hit the city in 50 or more years.
I think in the pan handle tornadoes are more rare, but I could be wrong.

I was wondering if you knew of any specific town names that were known for racial hostility. I've read of certain towns in Penn. so I figure some towns just develop reputations.

When you say that it took your friend several tries before she got a position, do you mean that it took her several years or several interviews/applications?

I'm glad to hear the recession hasn't hit your area too much. It's certainly hit the DC Metropolitan area hard! I'll have to check that website. Thanks.

I live a very moderate/conservative lifestyle. I can get by with a low salary... I'd just like to be able to save up money while living. I'd probably rent while I first move out to Nebraska to see if I can first handle the cold climate. I like cold but I've never experienced Nebraska cold before.

Again, extremely happy to hear about the lack of tornado incidences. I'll be sure to stay clear of the Grand Island area (ha).

[John08]

I'm VERY elated to hear that tornadoes don't hit in the East part of Nebraska. I'm told that tornadoes don't really hit the Western part either.

No, they hit the East, just not the city proper.

[itsMeFred]

LOL!
enders--whomever told you they don't get tornadoes in the eastern part of the state is pulling your leg. Almost as much as whomever said as much of the western part.

[Alicia Bradley]

I grew up in Omaha (BTW, OP, your racial question is just silly, at least as it pertains to Nebraska *specifically* and not any random part of the US - I'm about half AA and was never, ever, ever, ever even looked at twice in NE, even in the rural parts of the state) - yes, Omaha gets actual tornadoes. The odds are pretty low, though, since the odds of a tornado touching down on any specific locale within Nebraska are pretty low, and Omaha covers a fairly small geographic area, relatively speaking.

But yes - I remember afternoons when the sky would actually turn green, everyone running for the basement (and then being stuck there, bored, all afternoon/evening).

[itsMeFred]

-Are there any specific parts of the state that are not accepting of nonwhite races?

(American) Indians have trouble in some areas, especially along the SD state line. But otherwise, I've lived all over the state and have seen a few people of various colors and don't know that they've had any specific complaints.
But, that could just be white-person ignorance. I just don't realize it's there, maybe...
You'll also find a lot of us that wish different colors were more common so we could expose our kids to the fact that most of the world isn't quite so homogeneous as our corner is.

-Many teachers nationwide are having trouble finding work. Is that the case in Nebraska? Any specific parts that are in need of teachers?

Rural areas seem to be more lacking in good teachers. Go to the Department of Ed. to see job postings.

-How much would I have to make to live in the part of Nebraska that you live in? I read teachers don't make much there but I heard it doesn't cost much to live there either.

So long as you didn't have much debt, or a family to raise, you could probably get by in my area on $20K just fine...

-How bad are the natural disasters? Are tornadoes more prominent in certain areas? Are there areas that almost never see one? Blizzards I can live with.

Again, having living all over the state, it seems like the further west you get the less common they are. The northwest part of the panhandle almost never sees them. Anything from central to the east and they're expected spring/summer weather.

~Erin
Nebraska teacher