Considering Wisconsin (Green Bay, Appleton, Neenah: fit in, house, job transfer)

[JeffMurdoch]

I currently live in a town of about 200,000 in west central Georgia. I was born and raised here (spent some time in Atlanta) but I do not fit in. First of all, I can't stand the heat. 85 degrees combined with high humidity, gets me soaked from head to toe with sweat after I mow my yard. If your home or car A/C breaks, you're screwed. I love the winter but it only lasts a few months here and it snows only once every 4 years if we're lucky. Culturally, I don't fit in either. Our city (as with many southern cities) have strong hip-hop culture that I can't stand (We have a redneck culture too, but that doesn't sit well with me either). I hate listening to cars drive by all hours of the night with their stereos going BOOM BOOM BOOM rattling my windows and waking up my children. By looking at our streets you'd think we had a law against NOT littering and people drive through the neighborhoods at 50mph or more! Armed robberies are out of control and half of them occur in broad daylight. Our education system stinks too.
Some years ago I had a good friend (a black guy from Chicago) that told me I was too "white" and that I should move to Wisconsin. I guess he was joking at the time but since then I have met people from Wisconsin and they tell me it's a great place to live (if you like the cold). I've also done some research on the Midwest and I'm sold on the Badger State! Your friends in Minnesota came in second. I know someone from Appleton, so I have zeroed in on the Fox Cities. Anyone here live there?
My wife and I have 2 small children and just want a better life for them. I'm pushing 40 so the next place I move to needs to be the last. My wife told me I could go get established and come back to sell the house and land. So whats some good advice for a stranger who rides into town (just like the old west) looking for work and a place to crash? Any advice would be appreciated.

[JoshB]

I don't know a whole lot about the Fox Cities. I can tell you this though, Appleton is like a leave it to beaver place. Wisconsin's landscape is awesome, then again it's hard to compare to the Blue Ridge Mountains of N. Georgia. Don't worry though Wisconsin offers one of the most diverse landscapes in the midwest.

Don't get me wrong though, a huge part of our culture is drinking. Kinda gets depressing in the winter unless you drink. Or you can be like me and hike and do all the winter activities Wisconsin offers. I'd check it out.


Good luck!

[FormerCaliforniaGirl]

If you read through some of the threads here about relocating to Wisconsin, you'll get mixed reviews.

I've posted in a couple of threads about my experience relocating to Wisconsin, but I'll post here as well since you might not see my other posts.

I moved here two and a half years ago from Southern California (and I live in the Fox Cities), and while I do have some valid complaints about the Fox Cities (lack of good restaurants, downtown areas that are in decay, and a very high smoking and drinking rate), overall, I really like it here. I'm happier here in Wisconsin than I had been in Southern California for years.

But don't understimate just how COLD it is here in the winter. And winter lasts a looooong time. You have to adjust to the bitter cold, the treacherous driving conditions, and having to be indoors for months on end. And while that sounds negative, it actually isn't all that difficult. This is my third winter here, and I've found that I love catching up on movies I've been wanting to see, reading books I've put off reading, and trying those great recipes that I've always wanted to try.

I've been to Georgia, and it's a lovely state. But Wisconsin is lovely too. Soooo green and lush in the spring and summer, and absolutely stunningly beautiful in the fall. Even the winter is pretty (the snow can be beautiful).

I could go on and on about my experiences here, but I'll just leave it at this: Come to Wisconsin for a few weeks in January and see if you really can deal with the cold and snow. If you can, then it's a piece of cake from there. There's a lot to love about Wisconsin.

[tet tea]

It's a beautiful state with lots to do especially if you have family. I've settled right in here and have met some wonderful people who are really friendly and not afraid to speak their mind. The school system in most areas is very good too.

I lived in GA for several years. It had a lot of good points but just wasn't for me. I too wasn't a fan of the heat and a lot of the racial cr*p that I witnessed. I found a lot of stuff very false ... sugar coated you could say.

[BacktoNE]

I live in Appleton, having moved here from Maine 2 1/2 years ago.

The actual air temperature this morning is -3*. I didn't hear what the windchill is but probably at least -10*. I would strongly suggest that you plan a trip up here in January, planning to stay a couple of weeks, to see if you can truly tolerate the cold and the wind, plus look around at housing, schools, etc.

While many people settle in fairly well, others do not. The move has proven to be a big mistake for us and we are planning to return to New England in 2009.

[susancruzs]

Research, research, research plus spending time in Wisconsin, definitely in the winter, January would be good. You will need warm clothes, layered, a good jacket plus boots, gloves, hat, scarf!

I moved to Wisconsin from NE Illinois last year, weather issue wasn't a problem and I'm alone so I did not have other people to consider. I've adjusted very well and would never go back to Illinois other than to visit and I'm so happy when I'm driving back here and leaving the congestion of Illinois behind.

Bring the whole family and come visit this spring/summer, too so your wife can get an idea what it's like and whether this is really doable. Wisconsin is very different from Georgia and "hotlanta".

I had a friend who moved from California to Georgia and she never adjusted to Georgia. She tolerated it but was not happy. She had to move due to a job transfer, it was very hard for her.

Just make sure the whole family is on the same page and onboard with a move.

[JeffMurdoch]

Thanks for the responses.
You make a good point about Ga Tea Tea. There is some racial tensions still and they are on both sides. You may find it hard to believe, but yes, I have had problems because I was white. I won't elaborate on any instances because I never made a big deal out of it. I just simply chose to leave, walk away or turn my back on the problem. Don't get me wrong, there is some racial harmony in parts of the South which is why we are in the midst of the second great migration. African Americans are returning to the South after leaving during the Civil War and the Jim Crow years. It's nice because they are reconnecting with old family ties and as my friend once put it, "my ancestors are from Africa, we don't get much snow and ice there". I guess that's why he and his family left Chicago for Atlanta.
I'd like to say hello to the guy from Maine. I love New England and have considered moving there. My grandfather grew up in Dorcester Mass. I've been to RI, Mass and Conn but missed going to northern NE and I regret that. NH, VT and ME are very nice. If you read this, what do you think about the deal with Lewiston and Auburn?
Also, thank you California girl. That was quite a climate change for you. If you think SD is hot though, you should come to south GA in July or August during the "dog days". The air is so hot and humid sometimes you do actually have to breath through your mouth to avoid passing out. I realize if we moved to WI our wardrobe would change. I wear the same stuff all year. Jeans and Short sleeves suit me fine. If the temp drops below 35f, I throw on a light jacket. I had to sell my leather jackets because it just doesn't get cold enough for me to wear them here. I'm glad to hear education is good up there though. Moran Quitno rates GA number 41 as far as education goes. The entire South is ranked pretty low though.

One thing I would miss is the fact that I can drive to the Gulf Of Mexico in 3-4 hours. We call it the "Redneck Riviera".

[JeffMurdoch]

Wisconsin is very different from Georgia and "hotlanta".

I had a friend who moved from California to Georgia and she never adjusted to Georgia. She tolerated it but was not happy. She had to move due to a job transfer, it was very hard for her.

You hit the nail on the head there. I lived in Atlanta and it was hot. The concrete seemed to generate more heat and the traffic made the air dangerous at times. I moved north of Atlanta and it wasn't as bad.

[EastSideMKE]

Appleton/Fox Cities area is really nice. They have about 350,000 people in the region, not including the Green Bay area. Different cities give different vibes IMO. I would recommend Appleton or Neenah because they are the largest cities and have the most to offer in terms of jobs, shopping, and other amenities. I grew up in Menasha which is sandwiched between Neenah and Appleton.

[#Littledog]

I agree with the other posts-come and do several visits before making a decision. Wisconsin is a wonderful state but the winters do get very cold and last a long time. I think the hardest time of year here is February through April when in most places it's beginning to look like Spring. The taxes are also very high. Some people don't think it's a problem and claim it goes to the great schools, parks, highways, etc. I've only lived in higher taxed, rust belt states so I really don't know if we're getting all the bang for our high taxes or not. People are friendly here but in terms of making close friends, if you're not from here, it can be hard because there's not a lot of newcomers. I love so many things about Wisconsin but I wanted to give you some potential drawbacks so you can make an informed decision.