[MRVphotog]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

Some nice things I noticed (or is it wishful thinking?). My son started school yesterday and both bus drivers were willing to pick up and drop off our son right in front of the house starting tomorrow. (never in NY...). I said to my husband once they see you are a modest person (not someone flashing money around like a rich tourist with 2 summer houses) they seem more accepting in Vermont.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks again guys. I need the cheering up.

Don't get too hung up on this income level view, most Vermonters couldn't care less about that and I bet the bus driver would do the same thing if you lived in a fancy house and drive a fancy car.

[GypsySoul22]

Here's yet another post from me...
I found Pricechopper today is better (price wise and choice) than Shaws in my opinion. I like the fact they carry a lot of natural items & a good homebrand of soymilk (my son only drinks that now). Some items are costly, again, compared to Long Island (very surprising, really) but others are the same or cheaper.

Fortunately we eat 'pretty simply' with my husband and son both vegetarians.

Any suggestions where else I can get 'cheaper' but good food in the Upper Valley/border of VT let me know, guys. Are farmers markets a good option or a scam? I know where I used to live, all the tourists would go out East to the 'farms' and prices were a scam. What about here in Vermont?

I shopped in West Lebanon by the way. In our village (yep it's a village) we only have a deli and some overpriced tourist shops. When you get down to near I89 there's a Mobile store (kind of like a 7-11) with gasoline. (I haven't been inside, but my husband has).

We're still getting a heck of a lot of rain (I'm used to rain that goes on for days because I used to live near the ocean). Yes, Arel, it was hard saying good bye to the beach/ocean. The last time I was at our town beach, a little dinky place, I said to my husband and son, who knows when we will see this again?

I lived about 10 minutes from the beach but we didn't go too much to the 'real beach' (Robert Moses).

Now we can go to lakes, I guess. There are some nice ones here and in NH.

My son seems to like his school and the teachers/staff are really helpful. They seem to be bending over backwards which is nice after the indifferent staff at his old school.

[Lilybeans]

Shaws and PC are the only supermarkets up there. Farmers markets are good deals. You might get involved next year with a vegetable co-op which can be nice. There is a co-op grocery in South Royalton that has a lot of good things, but isn't the cheapest, although some things are.

I think you really must work at getting out of the NY mindset. Vermont is very different, and the worst thing you can do is start comparing one place to another.

Take it for it's worth in Vermont. Enjoy the quiet, the outdoors, the fact that people are not trying to scam you every time you turn around. You can take people at their word.

Get out and drive around and visit as many places as you can. Go to the church suppers in the area. They are lots of fun.

The Woodstock Farmers market is Wednesday. Go to it.

Definitely go to the Worlds Fair in Tunbridge this weekend.

The Chelsea Farmers market is Wednesday. It's just 8 miles or so up the road from Tunbridge, so you can see where the fair is the day before. This fair is a big deal.

Bottomline is just enjoy where you are. It will seem different, but it is a better place.

[MRVphotog]

If you get a Shaw's card and shop for the deals my family saves money there. The farmers market up in Chelsea is pretty small which means they might have good prices.

That Mobil station you mentioned has some cheap cassette tapes, I usually buy a couple when I am down your way. Traffic will increase some on Rt 4 in a couple of weeks once the foliage season starts. Quechee Gorge is fun but very touristy, check it out before the foliage or mid week to avoid the crowds.

The Hanover Co-op is pretty amazing place to shop, abit pricey but if interested in splurging abit the produce there is top notch.

cheers

[arel]

Originally Posted by looking4home

Gypsy, what you are experiencing is very common to those who have made a drastic move and/or lifestyle change. It happened to me about 23 yrs. ago when I moved from So Cal to Nor Cal - moving w/in the same state was like moving a world away! In Cali, North and South despise each other (it's like the Civil War all over again!). We were not welcomed at all, and for our part, we really looked down on the rubes we were now living amongst. It was very tough the first year, and I often cried, and thought we had made a mistake. But then, I got a job, and was accepted by my co-workers, started to make friends and felt comfortable with my surroundings. It didn't help that we had moved from "The OC" suburbia to the Sierra Nevada foothills. I imagine that type of culture shock is what you are also experiencing. The things we thought were cute and quaint when we visited the area as tourists, suddenly became annoying and frustrating. Fast forward to the present, and we couldn't be happier here. You couldn't pay me enough money to go back down there and live. The only place I'd consider moving to now would be upstate NY, where I'm originally from.

I have read others who have posted on these forums who are immediately so delighted with their new homes, and the choice they made to relocate. Everything is wonderful! I always view those joyful proclamations with some skepticism. I think there are those people who cannot admit to themselves or to others that they are feeling insecure, or frightened, or unsure, or that they may have made a mistake. This type of person will just suffer in silence...and then one day just pack up and move, leaving a lot of excuses in their wake. I'd much rather hear the honest gripes and complaints of those who value the concept of "place" too much to gloss over the reality they have been confronted with.

Just know that it WILL get better, with the holidays just around the corner, and Vermont's fall glory yet to be seen, it will be an exciting next few moths for you and your family. Keep looking for the positives in things that will remind you every day of why you chose to make Vermont your home.

Great post!

It is so easy to get caught up in the moment when you are upset, and to lose one's long-term perspective. Moving can mean culture shock and culture shock is painful. I found it so encouraging to read about people who have experienced it, and also who moved beyond it to became happy with their new location.

GypsySoul22, I hope that post was helpful for you, too.

You will get through this.

Meanwhile, your postings will help. Others on the forum will validate and encourage you, and your experiences will, in turn, validate and encourage others.

And, from a purely selfish perspective, your experiences may be a preview of coming attractions for me. I am reading them eagerly.

Keep posting! We're here for you!

[GypsySoul22]

I have another question for you natives...
How formal do you have to dress for job interviews? Do you have to wear a skirt/dress or so forth if you are going for a 'part-time job' or 'casual job?' I am not sure of how it works.

My husband has an interview at a temp place and he's going to dress up (dress shirt/pants and a tie).

It seems pretty casual here. I am curious 'how dressed up' you have to be for work. I prefer casual myself!!!
Thanks!!

[Lilybeans]

Originally Posted by GypsySoul22

I have another question for you natives...
How formal do you have to dress for job interviews? Do you have to wear a skirt/dress or so forth if you are going for a 'part-time job' or 'casual job?' I am not sure of how it works.

My husband has an interview at a temp place and he's going to dress up (dress shirt/pants and a tie).

It seems pretty casual here. I am curious 'how dressed up' you have to be for work. I prefer casual myself!!!
Thanks!!

It's like anywhere else. If you are looking for a professional job, dress like a professional. Vermont may be rural, but DO NOT make the mistake of equating rural with stupid, or unsophisticated. You still want to make a good first impression.

[vter]

Gypsy....welcome to Vermont. I gotta say....get used to the gray weather. Winter is coming . We don't see much sun during the winter months.
Re: job interviews. Definately dress to impress. Like Lilybeans said, you want to make a good impression.

[VTeratheart]

For a great farm stand, try Killdeer's on Rt.5 south, headed toward Wilder from Norwich, it'll be on your left. Great produce, etc., but not cheap. I wouldn't consider any farm stands in VT "scams" so much as hard-working farmers trying to make a little moola. Some you'll find less expensive than others, feel your way around. Also, there's the Norwich Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings, from May-Oct. I believe. Also on Rt.5 south, just a little further up than Killdeer.

[GypsySoul22]

I wasn't trying to be insulting expecting to wear 'overalls' to work or whatever. I just wanted to know how it worked. Everyone I have seen from real estate agents to office workers seem to be 'under-dressed' so I was wondering.

The same for farm stands. I expect farmers to get good money for their produce and hard work. I just know sometimes 'tourist' places do tend to overprice things. I was looking for authentic places--I do want to avoid tourist traps.

I appreciate your advice and comments, everyone of them.

Today we drove to Woodstock and saw a part of the town. It was very nice.