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Mikey, you seem like a great guy - and I enjoy your posts; but I am so tired of hearing this myth about Rhode Island being so much more ethnically diverse than the South.
Providence is, but outside of there, it just doesn't hold true. If it does, why is it that the last Census Bureau had SC coming in at 69% white, and Rhode Island coming in at 83 white? Simple: Because Rhode Island is actually far LESS diverse than most Southern States!
EVERY time someone visits me up here from FL or GA, they can't believe how "white" it is. There is nothing wrong with this, of course, but it CAN get a little boring at times. Fortunately Providence itself happens to be very diverse and these different groups like to express themselves through the art of cooking.
Yes, yes and yes. I grew up in South Kingstown and then lived and worked in Barrington for several years...when I was there, Barrington would 98.something (depending on the year) % white. Yes, I know that's Barrington, but many of the Rhode Island suburbs were similar. I can literally count on both hands the number of African American students I had in 8 years, with Asian Americans coming in only slightly ahead of that.
Meanwhile, here in the 'burbs outside of Austin, my son's top ranked public elementary school (highest rating from the state and listed as one of the top districts in the state) is like a mini-United Nations. I love it!
Totally agree that Providence is wonderfully diverse, but I wish that diversity would extend beyond the big blue bug!
Yes, yes and yes. I grew up in South Kingstown and then lived and worked in Barrington for several years...when I was there, Barrington would 98.something (depending on the year) % white. Yes, I know that's Barrington, but many of the Rhode Island suburbs were similar. I can literally count on both hands the number of African American students I had in 8 years, with Asian Americans coming in only slightly ahead of that.
Meanwhile, here in the 'burbs outside of Austin, my son's top ranked public elementary school (highest rating from the state and listed as one of the top districts in the state) is like a mini-United Nations. I love it!
Totally agree that Providence is wonderfully diverse, but I wish that diversity would extend beyond the big blue bug!
By the blue bug are you referring to the one on I-95 set by an exterminating company? LOL.
Maybe Rnrboy and I will never fully agree on what diversity is but, whatever it is, I hope the OP enjoys his stay up there. Maybe I have been gone far too long to still be in the loop...
Yes, Barrington will always be white...Wasp or Jewish, but RI is a "ghetto" type state, no offense meant, as the ethnic groups tend to cloister around a religious center and each other until they feel comfortable about heading out to the burbs.
In any case I am a North Carolinian now and have been for about 12 years, and I sure as heck don't miss the cold and the snow. Soon, RI will just be a memory of things past and a big part of my history.
I glad that you are going to school here but if you plan on raising kids here move on..It is very exspensive to live here now. Housing is crazy, wether you live in woonsocket or westerly. Unless you plan on making over $100,000 a year, get out after school! I was born in 1966 and can see the writing on the wall..we are looking to relocate to south carolina..It is true about our relaxed attitude, "if it ain't broke don't fix it"
I will miss the beaches, del's lemonade, "coffe milk" and of course clam cakes!!!
I glad that you are going to school here but if you plan on raising kids here move on..It is very exspensive to live here now. Housing is crazy, wether you live in woonsocket or westerly. Unless you plan on making over $100,000 a year, get out after school! I was born in 1966 and can see the writing on the wall..we are looking to relocate to south carolina..It is true about our relaxed attitude, "if it ain't broke don't fix it"
I will miss the beaches, del's lemonade, "coffee milk" and of course clam cakes!!!
Enjoy the state!!
I agree with that, and that is one of the reasons we got out.
Don't forget Olneyville NY System Weiners, cold pizza slices, Federal Hill and Roger Williams Park !
Do post in both Carolina forums as folks down here are rearing to help you find your own paradise.
This will be my last post in The Rhode Island forum as by continuously posting in here I see my fond memories of RI slipping away and they are too precious for me to let that happen.
Although i find it hard to leave The Red Sox, Patriots, Bruins and Celtics behind it is time to put my former home in the rear view mirror, so to speak.
Happy New Year to everyone in this RI Forum...God bless and drive carefully.
I glad that you are going to school here but if you plan on raising kids here move on..It is very exspensive to live here now. Housing is crazy, wether you live in woonsocket or westerly. Unless you plan on making over $100,000 a year, get out after school! I was born in 1966 and can see the writing on the wall..we are looking to relocate to south carolina..It is true about our relaxed attitude, "if it ain't broke don't fix it"
I will miss the beaches, del's lemonade, "coffe milk" and of course clam cakes!!!
Enjoy the state!!
They sad part of that .........is that it takes $100,000 a year in most places to survive - not just Rhode Island. The are killing the middle class in America, we are a country of rich and poor now.
You may find some rural towns in the far North (Maine), down south (Georgia), or out West (Neb), but they will lack many of the things you are used to. I have traveled a great deal in the south (I would never move way up north), and many areas lack things people from more built up areas of the country take for granted. My advice is to real look at the area you want to move to, the honeymoon is over quick when you live there.
lol - after the outgoing friendliness and graciousness, Rhode Island might seem very cold and impersonal. That's not to say that Rhode Islanders are cold and impersonal, but in my opinion, there's not much use for superficial pleasantries. It took me some time to get used to everyone making eye contact and smiling and saying "hello, how are you?" when I moved to Texas. I was used to everyone minding their own business in Rhode Island!
Also, I feel Texans (and especially Dallas) value appearance much more. If you've lived in Dallas a long time, you might be taken aback by the general appearance of Rhode Islanders. I don't mean that to sound superficial or snobby - I was just genuinely surprised when I moved to Texas at how much more appearance-conscious people are here. I was used to running to the store in windpants, a ponytail and no makeup in Rhode Island - and I can still do that in Austin, but according to my Dallas friends, that's a major faux paus (one of my dearest friends from Dallas came to visit me and marveled over all the women in flip flops with no makeup in Austin).
Oh, and kids are much more respectful here. Everyone from my teenage grocery baggers to the other kids at my own children's sporting events to the neighbor's kids call me "ma'am" and my husband "sir", make eye contact, and are friendly. I never experienced that in Rhode Island!
Having lived in both TX and RI, I can shed some light on some differences. I can say that the differences are extraordinary.
Texans, particularly big city Dallasites and Houstonians, are MUCH more influenced by personal appearance. In that way, Texans are more like Californians. New Englanders are much more functional and less superficial in regards to personal appearance. Less fashion, more function in RI. In Texas, women in heels are seen everywhere, for example.
Style in RI is essentially either urban, preppy, or generic middle class. Texans are much more into social climbing and flaunting status (faux and genuine), especially in Dallas. In RI and throughout New England social class is usually more subtly conveyed and personal appearance often belies actual wealth.
Housing in Texas is newer, bigger, and flashier. It is older, shabbier, and smaller in RI. Texans will easily great you with a hearty "How are yeeeewwww?" that is spoken as sweet as honey and as insincere as can be. Rhode Islanders, like most New Englanders, are less generous with impersonal platitudes but more genuine in their true relationships.
Violent crime, particularly random crime against victims who do not know their attacker, is more common in TX than RI. Dallas is booming economically; RI is stagnant. Texas is all about "bigger, faster, more"; RI, and most of New England, is all about "save, protect, preserve"
Having lived in both TX and RI, I can shed some light on some differences. I can say that the differences are extraordinary.
Texans, particularly big city Dallasites and Houstonians, are MUCH more influenced by personal appearance. In that way, Texans are more like Californians. New Englanders are much more functional and less superficial in regards to personal appearance. Less fashion, more function in RI. In Texas, women in heels are seen everywhere, for example.
Style in RI is essentially either urban, preppy, or generic middle class. Texans are much more into social climbing and flaunting status (faux and genuine), especially in Dallas. In RI and throughout New England social class is usually more subtly conveyed and personal appearance often belies actual wealth.
Housing in Texas is newer, bigger, and flashier. It is older, shabbier, and smaller in RI. Texans will easily great you with a hearty "How are yeeeewwww?" that is spoken as sweet as honey and as insincere as can be. Rhode Islanders, like most New Englanders, are less generous with impersonal platitudes but more genuine in their true relationships.
Violent crime, particularly random crime against victims who do not know their attacker, is more common in TX than RI. Dallas is booming economically; RI is stagnant. Texas is all about "bigger, faster, more"; RI, and most of New England, is all about "save, protect, preserve"
I could go on for hours...
I agree with some of this, but would caution against grouping all Texans together. I extensively researched and talked to people before choosing Austin - Austin is very very different from Houston and Dallas. For example, you comment about women wearing heels everywhere is NOT true in Austin. Austin is incredibly laid back - even my husband, who works in one of the largest law firms in the city, does not wear a tie to work.
Also, while there can be an element of insincerity to some of the Texan friendliness, I wouldn't say that is generally the case. Most Texans I have met are genuinely friendly.
Having lived in both TX and RI, I can shed some light on some differences. I can say that the differences are extraordinary.
Texans, particularly big city Dallasites and Houstonians, are MUCH more influenced by personal appearance. In that way, Texans are more like Californians. New Englanders are much more functional and less superficial in regards to personal appearance. Less fashion, more function in RI. In Texas, women in heels are seen everywhere, for example.
Style in RI is essentially either urban, preppy, or generic middle class. Texans are much more into social climbing and flaunting status (faux and genuine), especially in Dallas. In RI and throughout New England social class is usually more subtly conveyed and personal appearance often belies actual wealth.
Housing in Texas is newer, bigger, and flashier. It is older, shabbier, and smaller in RI. Texans will easily great you with a hearty "How are yeeeewwww?" that is spoken as sweet as honey and as insincere as can be. Rhode Islanders, like most New Englanders, are less generous with impersonal platitudes but more genuine in their true relationships.
Violent crime, particularly random crime against victims who do not know their attacker, is more common in TX than RI. Dallas is booming economically; RI is stagnant. Texas is all about "bigger, faster, more"; RI, and most of New England, is all about "save, protect, preserve"
I could go on for hours...
I'd love for you to go on! This is exactly the type of thing that fascinates me. I guess it reminds me of my Swedish friend who once said to me: "I can't grasp the fact that a land as big as America is all one country. Don't the people drastically differ from place to place?"
Oh yes.
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Lifer looking to get out!!
One last post
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