In-Country Experts - British Expat Forum

Hi I'm currently still living in England and am intending to move with my family to Georgia next year as my husband is hopefully going to be teaching over there. I was just wondering what you you think about living in Georgia i.e. the pro's and con's. we've been there a few times on holiday but that's not the same as living there.
The school he will be teaching in will be south of Atlanta so that's the area we will be living. What do you think of the lifestyle in America? Any info would be greatly appreciated please write as much as you like, I'm trying to find out as much as I can. Do any of you know of any good websites about Georgia or of any other forums?
Look forward to hearing from you.

Hi Sydney,
well, that's a difficult one to answer. I think what you get out of living here depends a lot on your outlook and tolerance.

One can only report on their own experiences so I'll try to just give some facts without letting my opinions creep too far in:

Georgia's state motto should read: "Georgia - where they put the 'fun' in fundamentalism". Be prepared to be called to prayer at the most bizarre moments. (I found I couldn't even attend an amateur radio club meeting without the proceedings starting with the pledge of allegiance and then some prayer - or was it prayer and then the pledge of allegiance? - can't remember, by then my eyes had glazed over and I was planning the trip home...).

The people are very polite and friendly - on the face of it. This works fine for me because you will always get a friendly smile and welcome at any store or establishment. Now, when they talk incessantly about "Getting together", do yourself a favour: agree keenly and then forget it. It'll never happen.

Eating out is very cheap - service generally excellent and always polite - this is the South after all...

The driving standard is breathtakingly bad. If you see an indicator flashing, it can only mean they hung something on it. I have a theory that some time in the future, American cars will have this strange, stunted unidentified stub of a thing sticking out from the steering column. Upon judicious enquiry, you may be informed that it is a vestigial remnant from the old days. They used to call it a turn signal, but, like our appendix, it's shrunk through lack of use. Georgia cars have special indicators fitted either side of the front of the car. They are black, round and generally can be relied upon to point in the direction the car is intending to go. (This is not a hard and fast rule though).

3 lane freeways are fine because you can use the inside lane and get along quite well - no one else uses it. 2 lane highways send me nuts
There is a permanent rolling road block. This seems to be the local custom whereby 2 cars make the tacit arrangement to run side by side at 2 miles under the speed limit for the duration. Try as you may to shift them, it's very unlikely they'll even know you're there (mirrors are another vehicular appendage destined for vestigial midget-dom).

Conversely, those bloody American flags seem to be getting bigger, bigger and more prevalent. Have you noticed car bumpers worldwide have been getting bigger and bigger over recent years? This is a global trend started by the Americans because there wasn't enough room to fit "Proud to be American", "God bless America", "I'm a Vietnam Vet" and "My kid is an honor student at Boondock Heights Elementary school" all on the same unit. I think the future lies in scrolling led displays...

Talking of bumpers, it's no coincidence that their term for bumper: "Fender" is the same as the famous American guitar sharing its name. Regular gigs are held at mall parking lots where they pluck and strum at each others "fenders" and the effect can at times be quite musical. Usually at the larger of these events, the local police turn out to provide sound and light. Never forgetting their civic duties though, they station officers at strategic points where they commence dancing and waving hysterically at you to drive the very direction you are already going! Quite a spectacle really...

Anyhoo, I seem to have digressed...

Consumer goods are very reasonable. Your local Wal-Mart (and you will have a local Wal-Mart - right near the McDonalds) is a godsend where you can buy a garden hose at 3:00 in the morning. At mine I was a little dismayed to find that they carried 27 different types of bible and not one dictionary though... These are great stores though and are remarkable for having 150 checkouts and 3 cashiers, 2 of which are usually away to get someone else because they can't sell you that bottle of wine because they need to 36, you need to be 80 and you need to be ashamed of yourself... It's Sunday this week...

Oh dear, here I go again... somebody stop me

Not sure how much use this drivel is to you, but feel free to ask some specific questions and I'll try to my best to answer them. Make sure you contact when you get here...

All the best,

Alan.

Somebody help me off the floor...I think I've cracked a rib...

Kay - think we need a new column on the main site - Something along the lines of survival techniques for the most inhospitable places on earth...

Rich, you beat me to it. I cracked up when I read Alan's posting and shouted to Dave to come and read it too. This would make a brilliant new page for the website if Alan agrees.

It's so funny I was wondering if we need to put some kind of warning on it.

Thanks, Alan. You've brightened up my day.

Kay 8)

Hey, Strat, where did you get the emoticon? It's great!

Kay wrote:new page for the website if Alan agrees. Kay 8)

Sure, I was just rambling before the drugs kicked in

That does sound like a good idea though. Comment on everyones place of expatness...

Alan.

Savannah_Alan wrote:Sure, I was just rambling before the drugs kicked in

Sounds more like after if you ask me...

Thanks, guys

Kay

I've uploaded the new page now: http://www.britishexpat.com/travel_moving/georgia.htm

Do any of the regulars here have any Georgia-related links they'd like to share? Local newspapers, your own business, etc... I'll add them to the page.

Would-be Spammers please note that the invitation is to "regulars". Please don't join up just to post your Spammy link.

Kay 8)

Hi again, thanks Alan for your insights.
How long have you lived in Georgia? I presume there are things that you really like about living there or you would have moved on. I am hoping that life will be better than in England. Do you get much of an outside life or is it too hot to enjoy?

PLEASE PICTURE THIS

its 8am boxing day here in louisiana, presents are all over the house, its quiet, very quiet only the sound of road kill simmering in the oven when all of a sudden laughter echos from a little house surrounded by trailer homes, dogs bark, chicken run for cover, people come running out their homes with gas masks and duckt tape, a cajun woman wakes walks to the front door and shouts " its ok just my English husband again !!"

why all this fuss

i read Alans post

Fanbloodytastic Alan

id sum it up by saying whatever you preconceptions of the place are (ie dukes of hazzard/ cletus the slack jawed yokal) they would be completely wrong...

... its like that but x10!

i went to cleveland (where?!), in january. full of hillbillys, i saw/heard (but politely declined fireing) the first gun i ever have, drank real live moonshine and ate at zaxbys...

... it may as well be a different plannet than just a different country, but i embrace the bizzareness, and am going back on a visa in june!

on the plus side it is truely beatiful in the mountains, up near helen particularly and there is still some wild life which hasent been shot. also the particular hicks who i was staying with were less than satisfied with bush and had the attitude towards the religious types that is was too easy to sin thru the week and repent at weekends, which was refreshing.


my thoughts,
Tom

p.s. i am new here so go easy! ill do an introduction thread when i have time!

[quote removed by Site Admin - please read our guidelines. - Dave]

Tom, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Some kind Georgians have you stay with them and you re-pay them by calling them hicks? Most Americans I've met have been extraordinarily kind--any British accent seems to sound posh to them, and they just love the accent--and go out of their way to be hospitable. I wonder how long they'd continue being hospitable if they realized their hospitality was being re-paid so unkindly.