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I have posted before, but just wondering if anyone on here made the move from the midwest/plains to Raleigh or surrounding area? We are seriously considering my husband volunteering for a position with the Air Force there. I am a physical therapist and would search for a part-time job there.
My question is, coming from Fargo, North Dakota and Minneapolis, MN....would I like it?
Is it clean and safe? Is everyone as friendly as it sounds? Would I find enough to keep me busy so I don't miss my friends and family all the time?!!
So, again....anyone that has made the move from the midwest care to offer their two cents?
Hi, Katie! I've never been to Fargo or Minneapolis, but I'm from the plains (Oklahoma originally), so maybe I can help.
When we moved here last year, the biggest difference for me was the trees. There are soooooooo many trees here! And they're quite tall, too. Gorgeous! To be honest, though, I was overwhelmed by the trees and sometimes felt a little claustrophobic because of them. After a couple of months I got used to it (we ended up buying a house that is surrounded by scores of tall trees). However I'll admit that, for me, part of the appeal of driving out to the coast is that I get to see that great, big blue sky again, uncluttered by enormous pine trees.
I adjusted to the area pretty easily. The people here are just as friendly as I experienced back home. It's just as safe & just as clean & offers pretty much everything I'm accustomed to. There's plenty to do, too: plays, concerts, festivals, gallery crawls. The beneficial thing about the Triangle is that it is made up of multiple communities - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary, etc. - and they all have different things to offer, so there's always something to do. You just have to look for it. I like to pick up The Indy - the local, weekly, free-press paper - to see what's happening in the Triangle. All of their arts calendars & articles can be found on their website, too. Independent Weekly
Moving away from friends & family is extremely tough. The first 6 months can be quite brutal. But if you get out there & enjoy your new area, you'll adjust & come to love your new home. Good luck & keep in touch!
I had to laugh about the trees! Fargo, well N.D. is general is mostly fields with few trees. So, big open sky and you can see for miles - partly because of the trees, but also because it is sooo flat (at least in Eastern N.D)
However, my family has a lake place in Northern Minnesota that is just 2 1/2 hours away but completely differently. Pine trees everywhere! My husband is from Norther Alabama and he says it reminds him of home. But, I think I would be like you - escaping to the coast for some wide open space!!
I have never been away from my family for more than 3 months at a time. So, I know the adjustment would be hard. However this job for my husband would only be for 4 years, 5 max. So, I am tempted to try somewhere fun and different....knowing that we can come back to the midwest by family in the end.
Everyone on this board has been so nice. We are researching a few other cities currently, too. And, the people from Raleigh are definitely at or near the top with helpfulness!!
I'm a native of NC, but I lived in St. Paul for almost 10 years and came back here in 2003. My mother grew up in southeastern MN and has lived here since the mid-60s.
I think the Triangle has a lot of similarities to the Twin Cities. It is made up of several metro areas and people tend to champion the area where they live. However, as a whole it is slightly smaller and does not have quite as much in the way of museums and theaters, though there are a few good ones. The quality of life is very similar. There are a lot of farmer's markets and people tend to enjoy simple pleasures and are very big on the State Fair (but here it is in October, not August). The weather is dramatically different. Spring and fall are much longer (it always amazed me how short they were in MN). Winter is much much shorter and warmer. Summer here is very hot and humid.
When I lived in MN I'd hear about "Minnesota Nice" and people were very nice, but I found it very hard to break into society because everyone still hung out with the people they met in high school and college. My theory was that because there were not a lot of immigrants to MN, people there didn't realize that newcomers didn't have an existing social group. There is not that problem here; there are a lot of newcomers, everyone knows what it is like to be new, and people aren't just courteous, they'll actually invite you for coffee or a get-together.
There is a local Scandinavian society that has a lutefisk dinner (and I've been) but they don't sell it in the grocery store like Minnesota, and I'm thankful for that .
Let us know if you have more questions!
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