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I'm from the South. Raised in Augusta, GA. Went to Ga Southern. I currently live in Oakland, CA (which makes you miss Augusta, lol), got here in 2009. All of my family is from North Carolina (Charlotte/ Jackonsville/ OBX) so I want to move back home within the next 2-3 years.
My boyfriend is from the Bay Area and aside from a brief encounter with Ft. Gordon has never been to the South. I'm admittedly biased towards the South in general and NC in particular. So I'd love some perspective from people who've moved to NC from other parts of the country too.
Where you are working- He's a security guard (armed/unarmed). Has a HS diploma. Out here Guards make 40k+/yr, he works 45-60 hrs a week. He also has some federal certs for package screening at airports. He's considering police work if possible. They have armed guards here everywhere: wholefoods, fastfoods, the auto part store. Not sure if it's because the police aren't very effective or if crime is just way worse overall. Just this week he was attacked at work.
FYI I'm an engineer, mostly worked in construction project management on the greener side of things (solar, energy efficiency HVACR, lighting, etc.) My sister is a GC and I have some leads in Charlotte and Raleigh. Could also possibly keep my current position as we do work nationwide.
How long of a commute you're willing to tolerate - seems we both have jobs that involve site visits but less than 45 minutes from the main office.
no kids
Neighborhood enviroment - that "small city excitement".
Other important things
His concern about racism: I'm a black girl, he's a white guy, both early 30's. In my opinion the Bay area has WAY worse racism, but SF is 5% Black and I'm admittedly tired of being the "only educated black person".
In the Bay where a 1 bedroom in Oakland rents for over $2k a month and buying a house together even with his steady work and my non-Google engineer's salary is impossible. Nothing liveable under 500K. He owns in Richmond, CA and I own a little 5-figure house in West Charlotte. He'd probably rent his house out and we'd eventually buy a modest home, aiming under 250K. I know Charlotte well and have lots of family there so I'm less concerned about neighborhoods and having a fixer-upper. I've visited the other major cities but don't have a real feel for the scene there.
Honestly engineers in my field don't make enough to afford the lifestyle ones in the South do(own a house, etc. I can now just afford a car) Literally have been offered jobs in the Bay Area that pay exactly the same in their Southern counterparts. We both enjoy our chosen careers and are hard workers but we're getting at the point where we don't want to need to hustle so hard to just get by.
On my shortlist Asheville, Charlotte, and Raleigh. Asheville is kinda small but I thought the weather, nature, and that folk I know from Northern California seem to love it, would make it a good candidate. I know allot of towns have grown while I been away. Any other suggestions?
ETA: We're going for a visit in October for 5-7 days and want to see if we should add anything to the docket in NC. Planning on flying into Charlotte, visiting Asheville, Raleigh, and flying out of Atlanta (bc he thinks Atlanta is amazing though he's never been there)
I'd check out Greensboro and Winston-Salem, too. When I read "small city excitement" I immediately thought of them. Both are nice, smaller cities, larger than Asheville, smaller than Charlotte or Raleigh. Asheville is nice, but the job market is tough, wages are low and housing is expensive.
I'd check out Greensboro and Winston-Salem, too. When I read "small city excitement" I immediately thought of them. Both are nice, smaller cities, larger than Asheville, smaller than Charlotte or Raleigh. Asheville is nice, but the job market is tough, wages are low and housing is expensive.
Thanks for the suggestions!
My mom(just finished here Ph.D) got offered a professor position at a school up there near Asheville and she had to turn it down because the pay was a joke.
Asheville does have a notoriously bad job market. Very few professional jobs available. It's a great city, but I would take it off your list unfortunately.
As your boyfriend is used to bay area and has never been the the south, Durham or Carrboro would probably be the easiest adjustment culture wise.
I'd say your job will be the toughest, so I'd stick with Charlotte. Have you checked out Duke Energy? I know its quite the good ole boys club, but I'm sure someone in HR would salivate over a black female engineer. I'm pretty impressed with the solar sites in the area though. U.S. States - Maps - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Not a lot of engineers in NC though...they're all to the South in Greenville, SC. Fluor, Jacobs, CH2MHill, KBR, Mustang, etc all have offices there. Not sure how we've kept Bechtel out. Hubble HQ, Michelin, and BMW are also there. Lots of engineers! PM me if you want.
I'd say your job will be the toughest, so I'd stick with Charlotte. Have you checked out Duke Energy? I know its quite the good ole boys club, but I'm sure someone in HR would salivate over a black female engineer. I'm pretty impressed with the solar sites in the area though. U.S. States - Maps - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Not a lot of engineers in NC though...they're all to the South in Greenville, SC. Fluor, Jacobs, CH2MHill, KBR, Mustang, etc all have offices there. Not sure how we've kept Bechtel out. Hubble HQ, Michelin, and BMW are also there. Lots of engineers! PM me if you want.
Really? That's good to know. I've been assuming his job would be the toughest. Every couple years I get sick and tired of the Bay and start interviewing for jobs back home. Usually 80% of my applications get interviews, I get those "you're 2nd" offers but nobody seemed to believe I'd "give all this up" to move to Charlotte or Raleigh, including Jacobs Raleigh a sweet building science position.
Actually Jacobs offered me a similar job out here...with the exact same salary as the Raleigh position... which would qualify me for the low-income rate at the YMCA near my house - so I had to turn it down.
I worked at Ga. Power out of college and I'm in construction so I can run with some good ol' boys :-). I'll travel/stay there for projects but can't live in South Carolina, I really can't. (no offense, just not for me) KBR, Jacobs and CH2MHill have offices in the Raleigh-Durham area as well I know. But maybe the Greenville offices are bigger/easier to get into.
I think Raleigh or Charlotte seem like the best markets for you. Both areas are exploding with growth. I'm sure they're probably the best markets (largest cities) for his security job, too. Also the biggest airports.
I love Asheville, but unless something just falls in your lap I'd plan on keeping that as a nice place to vacation.
Being a biracial couple or "educated black girl" won't be odd at all in the larger metros of NC. Seems like I've heard of email lists/web forums for black women scientists? Maybe someone on one of those knows about the scientific job market around here and the work as well as living culture?
Ok, looks like unless serendipity intervenes Asheville will be for vacationing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Francois
Being a biracial couple or "educated black girl" won't be odd at all in the larger metros of NC. Seems like I've heard of email lists/web forums for black women scientists? Maybe someone on one of those knows about the scientific job market around here and the work as well as living culture?
I know that and you know that. But he isn't convinced. Without getting political, the Bay Area media circus has fed him some crazy stories. I really think he believes we're going to wake up to burning crosses in our front yard. Even though I told him about the Battle of Hayes Pond.
This is one of these things that he'll just have to see for himself.
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I know that and you know that. But he isn't convinced. Without getting political, the Bay Area media circus has fed him some crazy stories. I really think he believes we're going to wake up to burning crosses in our front yard. Even though I told him about the 
