01-19-2013, 08:29 PM
A little about me - I am on loan from NYC to the Appalachian Mountains - very rural and very, very economically depressed.
Town consists of two stop lights and 3 fast food chains - a (very bad) Chinese restaurant and that's about it - not even a movie theater - or any form of entertainment for that matter.
The local residents for the most part were born and raised in these mountains. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to move here on purpose; there is no industry/work for the local population, outside of a few very small town jobs.
Once you get past the initial shock, the people here are like people everywhere open and closed - good and bad, but the one thing they all have in common is they are part of these Mountains and live the mountain ways; which means largely tending their families. Thus, leaving a single person with not to many options.
I will say - this mountain range does rival the Swiss Alps in it beauty an majesty; but there is where it stops for me.
I do get back to my home in NY and travel quite a bit - however, they call this place 50 miles from anywhere - and it is - closest airport 1-1/2 hours away. We are talking 100 miles round trip to see a Movie - or eat in an nice restaurant.
Sometime I feel like I am going to have a culture breakdown!
Town consists of two stop lights and 3 fast food chains - a (very bad) Chinese restaurant and that's about it - not even a movie theater - or any form of entertainment for that matter.
The local residents for the most part were born and raised in these mountains. I cannot imagine anyone wanting to move here on purpose; there is no industry/work for the local population, outside of a few very small town jobs.
Once you get past the initial shock, the people here are like people everywhere open and closed - good and bad, but the one thing they all have in common is they are part of these Mountains and live the mountain ways; which means largely tending their families. Thus, leaving a single person with not to many options.
I will say - this mountain range does rival the Swiss Alps in it beauty an majesty; but there is where it stops for me.
I do get back to my home in NY and travel quite a bit - however, they call this place 50 miles from anywhere - and it is - closest airport 1-1/2 hours away. We are talking 100 miles round trip to see a Movie - or eat in an nice restaurant.
Sometime I feel like I am going to have a culture breakdown!