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I think it's a matter of wanting to fit in. Political values are one component of finding someplace that you'll feel accepted.
When my husband and I were looking for someplace to move a few years ago, there were some lovely, affordable old houses in areas of our state that are close to state and national forests. That was a draw since we like outdoor activities. Driving around there and seeing the number of Confederate flags and Pentecostal churches, we knew it wouldn't be a good fit. Who wants to move somewhere that they'd be an outcast? Same with some picturesque historic towns that, upon researching on places like City-Data, I read were very cliquish if you weren't from there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by topher5150
I guess I'm a little clueless, but I never understood the reasoning for having such high priorities about living in a place that has such concentrated political values for one side or the other?
I think it's a matter of wanting to fit in. Political values are one component of finding someplace that you'll feel accepted.
When my husband and I were looking for someplace to move a few years ago, there were some lovely, affordable old houses in areas of our state that are close to state and national forests. That was a draw since we like outdoor activities. Driving around there and seeing the number of Confederate flags and Pentecostal churches, we knew it wouldn't be a good fit. Who wants to move somewhere that they'd be an outcast? Same with some picturesque historic towns that, upon researching on places like City-Data, I read were very cliquish if you weren't from there.
While reading opinions, such as Sperlings or CD etc. they can be so misleading; everyone has their own wants and dislikes. After 8 years I couldn't take the H/H that Florida had to offer, after research and a couple of visits , relocated to the mountains of Western NC, even family members told us of so and so and how he hated it, and couldn't wait to sell and move back up North, told of Bible Belt dislike of Yankees and on and on and on.
We found just the opposite, we were welcomed from the get go, when we moved and our furniture arrived, the driver was afraid to drive up our long driveway, we agreed on leaving our belongings in my barn at the foot of the driveway, from there my neighbor along with me and a couple of his Buds moved it up my mountain in his pickup, good, very accepting people in these hills.
My religious affiliation has never been questioned in the 2 years living here. Sure there's Confederate flags waving my neighbor flies one, as does a few others in the area, I never mentioned them, and neither did they, neighbor's family has been here for 6 generations. Lot of pride!
I'm a firm believer in treating people like you expect to be treated and you'll be OK.
I don't know maybe I'm one of those few people left that can let people be who they want to be as long as they let me be what i want to be. I never lived very farm from home, but each city was just as different as they are the same, but other than some gloom and doomers at work I felt things like politics and such never really came up to much unless you brought it up.
I think it's a matter of wanting to fit in. Political values are one component of finding someplace that you'll feel accepted.
When my husband and I were looking for someplace to move a few years ago, there were some lovely, affordable old houses in areas of our state that are close to state and national forests. That was a draw since we like outdoor activities. Driving around there and seeing the number of Confederate flags and Pentecostal churches, we knew it wouldn't be a good fit. Who wants to move somewhere that they'd be an outcast? Same with some picturesque historic towns that, upon researching on places like City-Data, I read were very cliquish if you weren't from there.
Religions are easy to deal with. Join the biggest church in town for social networking, or the richest church in town for business networking. Pick your clique. If being liberal is your religion, quakers and unitarians are everywhere. That's like hanging a sign around your neck.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,737 posts, read 58,090,525 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry Caldwell
Religions are easy to deal with. Join the biggest church in town for social networking, or the richest church in town for business networking. Pick your clique. If being liberal is your religion, quakers and unitarians are everywhere. That's like hanging a sign around your neck.
I like to attend the church with the best and most frequent potlucks!
There you will also find good cooks and gardeners / food preservers / BBQ jockeys / wild game hunters / ranchers.
While reading opinions, such as Sperlings or CD etc. they can be so misleading; everyone has their own wants and dislikes. After 8 years I couldn't take the H/H that Florida had to offer, after research and a couple of visits , relocated to the mountains of Western NC, even family members told us of so and so and how he hated it, and couldn't wait to sell and move back up North, told of Bible Belt dislike of Yankees and on and on and on.
We found just the opposite, we were welcomed from the get go, when we moved and our furniture arrived, the driver was afraid to drive up our long driveway, we agreed on leaving our belongings in my barn at the foot of the driveway, from there my neighbor along with me and a couple of his Buds moved it up my mountain in his pickup, good, very accepting people in these hills.
My religious affiliation has never been questioned in the 2 years living here. Sure there's Confederate flags waving my neighbor flies one, as does a few others in the area, I never mentioned them, and neither did they, neighbor's family has been here for 6 generations. Lot of pride!
I'm a firm believer in treating people like you expect to be treated and you'll be OK.
Would a Black family moving in two doors down from those Condederate flags be afforded the same welcome and courtesy as you've received? The golden rules doesn't easily translate for everybody.
A couple folks said Silver City, NM, which is not a bad idea, but also Las Cruces, NM, which is larger and warmer, more job opportunies for MSW type jobs.
ANd yes, VA.gov has a lot of openings for social workers.
Just hit my 69th birthday and I may be even MORE liberal than I was 40 years ago. And I now live in rural, conservative land. SW TN, the Ohio Valley that still supports the twittering twit.
I don't like calling someone a spammer based on one thread. But I have no problem referring to the OP as a dreamer. More like Alice in Wonderland concerning the rural and salary.
I'll let you know when I hit my late 70s if there's a transformation. I can't see it happening. I come from a long line of liberals - my grandmother, born in 1897, supported women's rights and possibly would have burned her bra but she didn't wear one. She taught me about standing up for one's rights and I hope I have passed it down to my children, grandchildren, and greats when they are old enough.
Yes, you are missing something. You are missing the difference between average and real. Average means mid-point. You don't want a big-city so you're already lower than the average; you want warm weather, so now you're even lower; and you want semi-rural for hiking, etc. Take your average and drop it by half. That's if you're lucky. You want a low COL area so now drop your average even lower. You will have zero experience so you're lower still. Your piece of paper saying Master doesn't get you a whole lot. That average of $40K is the average low end; and the average high salary is $60. Seriously, look at salaries, not a range of averages.
If you want to avoid a city, your options and opportunities for employment are fewer; especially without the real criterion - experience.
I'm not trying to burst your bubble or dissuade you from your dream; but you most likely will need to put at least one absolute must have in the closet while you gain some experience.
Locations: once you move out of the northeast, east coast, and west coast, COL drops by a lot - as does income. Move away from a big city in the warm states and you are looking at COL and income even further down the ladder. Much of TN has at least some snow and freezing temps during the winter - which is generally Jan and Feb; but this past year it started in Dec and went through March. Here in SW TN, we saw freezing rain, snow, ice on the roads, and generally icky weather for twice as many days last year as any other days since we moved here 6 years ago. We are in the country.
You said:
There are places where you can easily buy a one-bedroom condo - $50K and there are few "fancy" restaurants or expensive stores at which to shop. Want a Saks, Williams-Sonoma? head back to the cities - there isn't anything like that in most of the smaller cities in the south so at least you won't miss them. But those are the places that your income is comparative to costs. You don't get high salary without the high col. Sorry - and that's why people are saying you're dreaming/missing.
College, sadly, does not prepare one for reality. I had a huge awakening when I headed into the working world.
Why mention the bolded?
Is it your view that only liberals stand up for their rights?
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