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Hi everyone. I'm Kuturah-Elizabeth. I'm thinking about moving to Minot after talking to a job recruiter at Trinity Health Hospital. I am scared being that I am a single African American woman with a four year old in tow. I dearly desire change but I heard a place to live and childcare is hard to come by. I live in Memphis TN, born and raised although most of the population here beg to differ. I never felt like I belonged anyway so please chime in with any advice you would have for me. I know it gets cold. Anything other than this factor....Please....
It gets cold like you can't believe (average Jan overnight low is around 0, and weeks with a HIGH below 0 aren't uncommon). The wind on that stretch of prarie can be rough, as can the snows since it blows across the highways even when there's not a lot of accumulation. And since things don't melt, accumulation is pretty normal.
It's also rural on a scale that will boggle your mind. The south has rural towns, but Minot is out there. Nearest city of any sort is Fargo -4 hrs in good weather. Winnipeg is next, and then the Twin Cities.
I suppose race could be an issue, but it's not going to be your primary hurdle. African-Americans are only 3% of the population, but it is a college town and there's an AFB nearby.
Your big issues are going to be cost (2BR apt will run you 1500+) and even availability of housing, culture shock, and isolation. Unless they're paying you above industry median wage or there's some other distinct long-term career advantage, I'd probably pass. At the same housing price you can go to the Twin Cities, or Portland. You could rent a house in Rochester MN (Mayo Clinic) for much less.
Even in ND Grand Forks or the Fargo area would make for an easier adjustment for any southerner. If you did want to go to the rural north there's lots of other places I'd opt for. I've lived in the upper midwest and plains for over a decade, and Minot would be a hard adjustment even for me.
Trinity is a dump imo. Much of the patient care areas are starting to appear very dated and old, I don't think they have redecorated/re-carpeted anything for at least 40 years. Trinity is the only hospital in Minot, so they have a stranglehold on the city of Minot and the surrounding area, unless residents want to drive to Bismarck or Fargo for medical care ( many who can DO). A typical statement made by Minot residents about Trinity is this: "If I am having a heart attack, drive me to the Garrison turn and call the hospital in Bismarck to come and get me." Guess that gives you some idea of the amount of loathing many in Minot have for Trinity.
After having been to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN. a few times in the last year, I can't even find words to compare Trinity to Mayo. Rochester as a town is also much more diverse, more food choices, more entertainment choices, and I did talk to a few residents while we were there and it seemed that their housing costs were much less than here in Minot. Their weather is also more mild than Minot. If you like to give good, quality patient care, Mayo Clinic is the place for you - there are also hospitals that are connected with the clinic.
I would think long and hard about working for Trinity Health. If there is anyway possible to get some unbiased references from others who have worked for Trinity, it would be worth it. Yuck, yuck, and more yuck is all that comes to mind when I think of Trinity Health. My opinion only.
The good and the bad. First, apartment rents have come down significantly. As more apartments being built, rental rates are dropping. As for Trinity, it is dated, but they do not have a stranglehold. We have several small medical centers now, but Trinity is the largest. In the near future, Trinity will be building a new medical facility in southwest Minot.
A factor that has not been mentioned is the difference in humidity between N D and Tenn. If you like the humidity of Tenn, you will probably not like any part of N D. Vice versa would also apply.
Wow, a lot of harsh criticism of Minot in this thread. I've lived here since 2005, and am originally from Bottineau, a small town of about 2500+ an hour northeast of here. For this region, Minot is a pretty big city with lots of restaurants, recreation and places to stay, but it would probably seem dinky compared to places like Nashville or other large cities in TN. Bismarck, the state Capital, is also only a few hours south, and they're a city of 60,000+ which isn't small by any means. There's absolutely no reason you'd ever need to drive all the way to Fargo or the twin cities for anything - unless you're looking for shopping/dining alternatives or a larger sporting event/concert venue. Minot has a lot to offer now compared to when I first moved here.
As far as cost of living, for rent, you're realistically looking at anywhere from $750 to over $1500 per month for an average, 2 bedroom place. Rent has gone down a bit as a lot of new apartments and hotels went up in the last few years to accommodate the influx of people from the oil boom. Jobs are aplenty, and Trinity always seems to be hiring. I've heard a lot of complaints from locals about the quality of care at Trinity, but I've never personally had a bad experience there. The only problem I've encountered is with their billing system, but I think that's mostly fixed now. Either way, it's always easier to lose a customer with bad service than to win them back with an apology.
People were also busting on the weather, which admittedly can be rough at times. Your body pretty quickly adjusts to the lower temps, so by the spring after your first winter, you'll be sweating and throwing on some shorts and a tank-top when the temp hits 40 degrees... Seriously! Summer is beautiful and green here, with temperatures consistently in the 70s and low 80s. Summers are also fairly dry humidity-wise, so it makes them crazy comfortable. The air here is fresh and crisp, and the blue skies that melt into purple and gold sunsets in spring/summer never get old. Please check ND out if you get the chance, I think you'll enjoy it!
I'm thankful to all of you that chimed in but I want to especially thank you Dope fish for your response. It seemed to have a ray of sunshine in it. I love your description of the sky as I tend to feel overwhelmed by nature's beauty. I hope that I become great friends with optimistic people such as yourself....
Can anyone elaborate on childcare options please....
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