Reply #15: Hey, Doc

[nannygoat]

I'm a native Illinoisan so believe me it was hard at first (came to school in Chapel Hill and have been in NC for 23 years, though).

I live in Chapel Hill now but lived for 11 years in really rural, conservative areas in NC (Smithfield, Benson, Dunn, Newton Grove) where I worked with migrant farmworkers. I can't say that I ever really had any good friends from the local community but I also never felt really threatened . I also had significant others who were from races different from my own and never had any trouble.

Most local folks just thought I was strange because I worked with those "foreigners" (Haitians and Mexicans) and African Americans. Instead, I hung out with the people (lots of students) who worked at the local migrant health center and legal services office and had lots of friends in the farmworker community. It always amazed me, though, at how openly local people would think they could say racist stuff to me because I'm white.

Chapel Hill/Carrboro is a great place for liberals so I'm kinda spoiled now (Jesse Helms once said that the state could save some money on developing a state zoo by putting a fence around Chapel Hill--HA, HA)!

I think you should be ok in Charlotte. It's a large enough city that there are all kinds of folks.

You might want to check out United for Peace (http://www.unitedforpeace.org/) for events and like-minded groups if you move to Charlotte. They're a national group but have events listed by state.

Good luck whatever you decide!