Monday, August 3, 2009

Duluth, Georgia and Hubby's Job Update

Anyone from Duluth, Georgia out there (or close to it)? My husband was "invited" last week to move with his company down there. We have until the end of September to make a decision and it is something we intend to seriously consider. If we turn down the offer Dave has until July 2010 (thank goodness for that cushion of time) to find a new job....which could land us anywhere.


Now, the farthest south I have ever lived is in NW Virginia. I really don't know what to expect from Northern Georgia. I see it is close to the mountains, rivers and lakes; which is appealing, but I hear the traffic is bad and we are a family where crowds make us uncomfortable. In the next few weeks we will probably take a visit down there to see if it will suit our family. Any information about this area would be greatly appreciated; especially the more rural areas.
Oh, and by the way, Araina says she is not moving to Georgia, she is staying here in Ohio with her Lincoln Log House.
Lisa :)

20 comments:

Tammy said...

I'm glad you have time to consider and make a decision; I'm sure that takes a lot of pressure off.

New possibilities... :)

Jane said...

It will help a lot to be able to see the area for yourself! I wish I could help you but Im in NW Virginia myself. :) But just from the experience we have had in our many moves being able to see the area first does help alot. I wish you all the best in this effort!

Mom 'n' More said...

Bless her.

Good luck with decision. I lived in Southern Georgia as a child. Fort Benning. We moved from UK and stayed for 2 years. A wonderful area, right next to the woodlands, with small canyons a plenty. Can't recall Northern Georgia, but hopefully someone can point you in the right direction.

I am wanting to relocate back to the UK from Texas, and with two young girls like yourself, I can empathize. So many decisions. xxx

Cam said...

Well, I just so happen to have spent all my childhood summers in Norcross, Georgia with my grandparents. It is in the same county (Gwinnett) as Duluth. I remember going to the mall there, in Duluth, but can recall little else. I know that Norcross was a concrete jungle. We lived in the city, and I don't recall seeing much countryside. I did enjoy that we were just a short drive (35-45 min, I think) from Atlanta, and all the culture and activities.

It is too much city for my taste. Move a little farther south!! It's really peaceful here!

Joy said...

Good luck with your decision Lisa! I know that's a big change, but I'm confident you will make the right decision for your family. :)

The Magic Onions said...

Decisions, decisions... trust in your instincts, be brave... everything is what you make it.
Blessings and magic.

Mandy said...

oh how i love those lincoln logs!

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for the update! Is it important to you to be surrounded by like-minded people as well as appealing scenery? If so, looking for yahoo groups (seeking out veggie families, homeschooling families, etc.) or connecting with Mama's on mothering(dot)com discussion forum (the "tribes" by state area) is one way to learn more about the area before making the big leap. I fear I know little of Georgia except that my girls (Indigo, that is) are from there, and so is our champion and dear, like-a-brother, friend here in Seattle. If they are any example of the sort of folk you might meet and get to know there, I'd give it a thumbs up! :-)

likeschocolate said...

left comment under wrong section check polka dots for my answer to your question.

Tara said...

Sorry I have no info. to offer about northern Georgia. I'm glad you have some options to explore now and after a visit you'll have a better idea of the area. Good Luck!

Sorry Araina is feeling sad about moving.

Pussnae said...

Good luck with the decision making Lisa. I've never been to Georgia. That would certainly be quite a change from Ohio! I'm sure that would be quite exciting having a whole new area to explore. Glad you have some time to decide.

Alicia said...

I think it really comes down to your family. My parents live in SC and LOVE it, swear they would never move. I absolutely despised it! I personally would never live in SC, NC, or GA ever! They may have different names, but really they are all three the same in to many ways.

Let me tell you a few thing about the south that you won't see/hear/learn when just visiting:
1. EVERYONE waves. If you pass another car, you wave. If you walk past someone on the sidewalk, you speak.

2. EVERYONE looks into your car as you drive. Do they know you? Are you with someone you shouldn't be? Is your white daughter in the car with a black guy? Is someone in the car with you that they don't know?

3. If they know you, but there is someone they don't know in the car expect one of two things, either they will
a. call or stop by to be nosy and see who it is
or
b. make the main character in very nasty rumors.
Depending on if they are a reasonable person or not.

4. You WILL see rice in 50 pound bags in certain grocery stores. When I was moved there as a child I thought it was animal feed, I simply could not comprehend 50 pound bags of rice.

5. If you don't go to church, don't let people know that! You will be told more times then you can count "Oh I'll pray for you!" as if not going to church means you are broken.

Essentially everyone is nosy, but only some of them for the right reason, to be nice.

I don't mean to make it sound horrible. But to me it was. And I admit on vacation it can seem awesome, so I wanted to give a friendly head's up on what's usually beneath the surface.

Oh an one more thing- Be prepared for everyone to think you're insane with your herb stuff. While they may pour beer on a bee sting because it supposedly heals it, the idea of an herb or plant helping is a strange idea to them. My husband who was born and raised in the south swears to this day that drinking beer will kill tape worms, but refuses to put lavender oil on a cut!

I'm sure though there are SOME really nice areas. And where you're looking at may be one of them.

Half of this comment should be deleted, but I hate typing and wasting it. I'll sum it up by saying it isn't for everyone. Once again my parents LOVE it there, but I wouldn't move back there if you paid me.

dongdong said...

Changes always bring new possibilities. It'll be another chapter in your life. Wish you best of luck, Lisa. I know you will make the best of it. :)

Stephanie said...

Sending many hugs and loves to aid all of you in feeling safe and snug.
Steph

Anet said...

Big decisions!
I've drove through Northern Georgia.
It seemed nice...
The older children get,the hard it is to get them to accept the idea of moving.
Try it with preteens or teenagers. You will see a FIT a mile long!
I hope all the best for you and your family!

kyndale said...

doesn't your sister live close to you now? What a bummer. I have never lived in the south. Will you be able to get a cool yard there too? Best wishes with the decision. I know this must be very hard for you. Hugs, Kyndale

Toni said...

I have a friend who lives in Savannah- not northern - Georgia and it is nice there, close to the ocean.We had considered moving to Texas a while back and I went on a few Yahoo Homeschooling groups sites from the area we had our mind on. perhaps that could be a way to get more information, moms in the area are full of all kinds of info on whats there, where to and where not to go etc../ Also you can subscribe to the local newspaper to get a feel for the area- jobs, entertaiment , real estate, crime, etc..

Anonymous said...

Duluth is a suburb of Atlanta. It's a nice place. While you're visiting and checking it out, I highly suggest that you take a trip east to Athens, GA. It's a laid-back, artsy, progressive, hip community and home to REM, the B-52's, Widespread Panic and many, many more world famous and locally famous bands. It's also home to UGA which brings the symphony, the GA Museum of Art, theatre productions, sporting events and more. It's full of beautiful greenspace: forests, rolling fields, with art galleries in old barns and lofts. And, the homeschool community is kickass. It would be about an hour's commute to Duluth for your husband, but I think it would be a great fit for your family. I don't really see you in a heavily populated, suburban setting.

Lisa said...

Thanks everyone.
Anon, thanks for the Athens recom. We will for sure check it out! I'm off to research right now.

Lisa ;)

FrontierDreams said...

ahhhh yes, georgia. i use to live there, in atlanta which is near duluth..kinda. i had friends in duluth. i was a huge animal rights activist at the time and constantly doing civil disobedience and getting arrested so i don't have the best memories of georgia... but it was beautiful there, lots of nice hiking and vegetarian options, oh my! check out 'return to eden' grocery/health food store <3
i personally can't take heat so it was too hot andmuggy for me but if you like the heat then i say go for it!!
hope that helped some and didn't just confuse you!!! :p