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I'm sure coastalnc doesn't really "hate" the triangle.
Actually, we do. No, we didn't "choose" to move here. But we went into our move here with optimism and open minds. It would take me far too long to list the disappointments we've experienced here. Besides, everyone is looking for something different. What might be disappointing to us might be exactly what someone else is looking for. So, since posters are asking for opinions from people who live here, I expressed mine.
I'm sure coastalnc doesn't really "hate" the triangle.
Actually, we do. No, we didn't "choose" to move here. But we went into our move here with optimism and open minds. It would take me far too long to list the disappointments we've experienced here. Besides, everyone is looking for something different. What might be disappointing to us might be exactly what someone else is looking for. So, since posters are asking for opinions from people who live here, I expressed mine.
I'm sure that most of things here annoy you, but there has to be things that you enjoy as well (hopefully). I use to have the same thought process as you, where I focused on the things I hated about NC (lack of lighting on roads, no reflectors, conservative alcohol laws, weird taxes, etc). However, since I've changed my attitude and focused on the good things that the Triangle offers, it's starting to grow on me. Sure, I miss the big city stuff, but I've never lived in a safer city than Raleigh, so that part of it is a HUGE plus. Then again, if I had a choice of anywhere to live, I'd still pick SoCal
Don't get me wrong. I love NC! Just not this part of it! This state has so much to offer! We love the coast...love the mountains...and we'd move back to Wilmington or Charlotte if we could.
My expectations weren't sky high to begin with. I thought I'd prefer Charlotte. I'm a Richmond, VA native and never knew there was much to love in Raleigh. So I have to say that yes, the area did meet--in fact, exceeded--my expectations. We weren't coming to escape anything, it was a pretty simple job opportunity that ended up not working out, but now we'd like to stay.
We moved here this december from long island. needless to say any traffic here pales in comparison, and the housing prices/taxes/general cost of living is significantly lower. I did not even take much of a pay cut.
It is somewhat difficult meeting new people, but i think that is true initially wherever you move & the more effort you make, the easier it is! People are very friendly and welcoming (even to a NYer like myself). everything seems very new & clean to me & I am in love with the place. There seems to be a lot of different activities that are available and a big focus on outdoors. If you love big city life, it might be a little slow for you_- but personally, having grown up 20 minutes from NYC i still seem to find plenty to do (even ny style pizza & bagels!!).
So good luck & I would highly recommend it-
just remember- wherever you go, there you are.
I thought you stated in a previous post you live in Creedmoor.
It's hard to know what you are refering to when you are saying "here" since Creedmoor isn't part of the Triangle. IMO, life in Creedmoor isn't very representative of what it is like to live in the Triangle.
We have an acreage 4 miles east of Creedmoor but I'm working in the Research Park so I'm driving in every day. I pretty much utilize all the amenities of either Raleigh or Durham. I'm in the habit of coming down Hwy. 50 (Creedmoor Rd.) so I've been doing most of my shopping in North Raleigh. Creedmoor is only like 20 miles north of Raleigh. I guess I considered myself close enough to be part of the Triangle.
Maybe the Triangle worked out so well for us because we didn't spend 18 months analyzing every facet of what our life here would be like. We just packed up and moved. It was less than 4 months from our first scouting trip here to the moving van pulling up to the house we bought. This was 2003-if City-Data existed I didn't know about it yet. We just went with our gut.
I firmly believe that it is up to you to make the life you want to have. It is easier for my wife and I to do that here than it was in Metro NY for many reasons-
Less Traffic
Lower Cost of Living
More Favorable Weather
We didn't run into employment pitfalls. We didn't come here with children-we started our family here. We are fortunate that some of our family chose to follow us here. We have adjusted to some of the differences that seem to weigh heavily on some unhappy transplants. We found a way to fit in.
Some people are simply not cut out for the kind of change it takes to make this work. They can't let go of their "geographical identity". I don't know how you go about doing that unless you truly want to.
If I start talking to someone about life here I usually end up saying that part of me wishes I was born here and the other part knows that I wouldn't appreciate living here nearly as much if I hadn't spent most of my life in an area that I can't imagine ever going back to. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
"I firmly believe that it is up to you to make the life you want to have."
And this, no matter where you're from or where you're going, is the key.
I'll be moving to Fuquay in May, from Montana (2 years here), and 30+ years in the DFW area. I have absolutely no expectations except that it will be more humid and populated than living 50 miles from Nowhere, MT, and not as crowded nor as surrounded by cement as Dallas. I am excited to begin this new experience!
My opinion is life is an adventure which can be a lot of fun, if you make it so!
We moved here three years ago after about 5 years of research and thought. NC has lived up to our expectations and more. We expected nice weather (check), inexpensive property with lots of land (check), closer proximity to family in MD (check), good schools (check), friendly people (check).
We wish for better roads during rainy weather...I don't know what it is but it's so hard to see the roads here if it's raining!? We wish for beautiful, state of the art libraries. But otherwise, NC has met or exceeded everything we hoped for and we are very happy here.
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