OT- Good news! (and questions about the South)

Whistle
1

Okay- just wanted to share this with you all-A few days ago I got a phone call and was informed that I have been accepted to Duke University as a doctoral canidate in Religion. I won a fellowship that will pay for everything- I am really stoked because I never dreamed I would actually be accepted to such a good school.
Anyway I am currently finishing up my Master’s at Harvard- I have never lived outside of the Northeast (where i have gone to college and Divinity school) or the Southern California area (where I grew up) and I have never been to the South- so anyway- I was wondering if anyone would share with me what the it’s like living in the South- also is there an Irish music scene in North Carolina? I have been so spoiled on that end being in boston and everything.. but just wondering if anyone had an idea on that aspect…

-Angela

2

Congratulations!

I grew up in Alabama and found that there were some people who were the kindest, gentlest beings around, and some who’d be friendly to your face and cut out your heart from the back.

See, it’s rude to be confrontational, and if you’re doing something wrong (in the social context) no one may tell you. Your social antennae will have to be all the way out to navigate through this transition.

Consider it an anthropological study.

I’m sure other folks can offer a different perspective–I was the goofy, bookish, hippie-type who didn’t fit in. The cheerleaders who still live there might disagree.

Very best of luck,
M

\

Marguerite
Gettysburg

[ This Message was edited by: mvhplank on 2003-02-08 18:26 ]

3

Odd…I would have given the same advice to someone moving to Minnesota!

N, sheep in wolf’s clothing

4

Congratulations–I think you are going to like it there. I went to Duke for undergraduate, and that was after growing up in Pittsburgh. It is definitely different, culturally, but it’s not as much as some other places like Texas, for instance. In fact, the university community is largely made up of people from the Northeast, so I don’t think you’ll have any problems whatsoever there. And I know Duke has a lot of cultural venues of all kinds. Also check out Chapel Hill/UNC, it’s a neat little town.

I don’t know anything about the Irish scene there, it was a long time ago!

The only thing I didn’t like there was the heat in the summer. If it wasn’t for that, I’d be back in a minute.

Robin

5

You’re going to one of my most favorite places! We lived in Durham for 10 years (our daughter was born there), and we loved it. The only reason we moved is our family is all out here on the West Coast. Duke’s graduate school in religion is one of the best in the country. You’re going to have a blast!

I know the Episcopal chaplain at Duke, BTW…she was also a member of our parish (St. Luke’s, Durham), and a really neat lady.

If you’d like, feel free to email or PM me. I don’t know much about the Irish music scene, but I can sure fill you in on such things as restaurants, stores, good places to live, local customs, etc. Durham rocks!

Redwolf

6

Ah, Redwolf, do you remember those funky vegetarian restaurants in Durham? I’m not veg, but they were really good–something like Tabouli, or Tahini, or I may be completely off the mark! And a couple of good ice cream places, if I remember correctly, and some good imported beer pubs, too…

I’ve just gotta go back for a vacation there sometime; I’ve been saying that for years!

Robin

7

On 2003-02-08 19:14, spittin_in_the_wind wrote:
Ah, Redwolf, do you remember those funky vegetarian restaurants in Durham? I’m not veg, but they were really good–something like Tabouli, or Tahini, or I may be completely off the mark! And a couple of good ice cream places, if I remember correctly, and some good imported beer pubs, too…

I’ve just gotta go back for a vacation there sometime; I’ve been saying that for years!

Robin

A lot of them aren’t there anymore, I’m afraid…or have become “non-veg.” Anotherthyme and Pyewacket, two of our favorites, now sell more seafood than vegetarian options, I’m afraid, and my beloved Regulator Cafe, in Hillsborough, closed when the owner got remarried.

Ninth Street Bakery’s still going strong, however…and if you’re at Duke, you can’t miss PieWorks (that may be after your time, Robin…I think they opened just about five years ago)…best pizza anywhere! And oh, how I miss Wellspring! Our local natural foods stores aren’t nearly as good.

Ah, now I’m getting homesick! 'Course, when I lived in Durham, I was homesick for California…I guess I’m just bicoastal at heart!

Redwolf

P.S. Atarango: Here’s a basic NC vocabulary primer:

“Hey” = “Hi”
“Y’all” = “you guys/you folks”
“Might could” = “maybe”
“Sunday Week” = “Next Sunday” or “a week from Sunday” (not the one that’s coming up tomorrow)
“Thanksgiving” is pronounced THANKS-givn (stress on the first syllable)
“McDonalds” is pronouced MAC-donalds (stress on the first syllable)

[ This Message was edited by: Redwolf on 2003-02-08 19:23 ]

8

I can’t speak for the Carolinas, not being from there (though my mom’s family emmigrated from Hickory, North Carolina, around the turn of the century), but I can affirm that where I live, most of the above advice would also be quite accurate.

9

On 2003-02-08 19:36, Walden wrote:
I can’t speak for the Carolinas, not being from there (though my mom’s family emmigrated from Hickory, North Carolina, around the turn of the century), but I can affirm that where I live, most of the above advice would also be quite accurate.

Small world! I used to write the ad copy for a mall in Hickory (not to mention Northgate Mall in Durham).

Wait until you see Duke Chapel, Atarango…it is sooooo lovely! And the acoustics! The Durham Choral Society does “Messiah” there every Christmas, and it’s absolutely luscious…tickets sell out almost as quickly as they go on sale!

Another nice thing…you’re only about three hours via I-40 from some of the best beaches on the East Coast!

Redwolf

10

The chapel is gorgeous, and they have an amazing organ. I also remember some little mom and pop place where you could get barbecue, and all the fixings. And of course Pete Rinaldi’s fried chicken which was pretty disgustingly greasy but for some reason I couldn’t stay away–I think it was the biscuits. One thing I really miss is the Duke Gardens, which are beautiful, and I used to take my dogs over there to play fetch all the time.

Yeah, I was thinking of Anotherthyme, and it’s predecessor (the Thyme something…) I graduated in 1987, so I’m sure that a lot has changed. I can still smell the tobacco aroma that used to blow by my apartment when the wind was right…not exactly pleasant, but there you have it.

11

There is indeed Irish music activity in the Triangle area. I try to make a pilgrimage to Raleigh whenever possible on Sundays for a trad session at one of the pubs. There are other sessions around, but I haven’t been to them.

By the way, there’s a neat little Irish pub about a block away from the Duke campus, called The James Joyce. It’s too tiny to host a session, but they have great Guiness and good food (if you’re a carnivore). :slight_smile:

12

The major item to know in Dixie (especially for a divinity student!), is this:

Q. What’s the difference between a Southern Baptist and a Methodist?

A. The Methodist can be seen with a drink in his hand on the FRONT porch …

Seriously, tho, I hope your studies go well; you are right as rain, to be all enthused. Be sure to read Rushdoony’s THE ONE AND THE MANY, if you haven’t already …

'luck now,
brian_k

13

All of Redwolf’s pronunciations will work in Louisiana too.

14

On 2003-02-08 21:28, brian_k wrote:
The major item to know in Dixie (especially for a divinity student!), is this:

Q. What’s the difference between a Southern Baptist and a Methodist?

A. The Methodist can be seen with a drink in his hand on the FRONT porch …

Seriously, tho, I hope your studies go well; you are right as rain, to be all enthused. Be sure to read Rushdoony’s THE ONE AND THE MANY, if you haven’t already …

'luck now,
brian_k

Well, it is a Methodist school, so I guess that’s ok!

15

I don’t know if you like Scottish music, but I seem to remember there is a big clan gathering in the mountains every year. We had a couple of pipers who were members of our parish…really spiced up the music program!

Most important, however…you’ll be where you can get Moravian sugar cake at Christmas! I have dreams about sugar cake…

Redwolf

16

Wow,
all this sounds great- I am excited. I will be visiting for a weekend at the end of the month- the university is flying me out- I guess so I can try and get the feel for the place…

I am excited- I hear that in North Carolina I might actually be able to afford my own one bedroom apartment, rather then live with three other people in a slanted, mouse infested top floor of a three family home…(the mice around here seem endless- I love Boston). I also want to get my own dog finally and expand my fish tank from 5 gallons to 20- ohhh the excitment.. all the plans- not to mention the actual degree. When I told my parents the good news my mom cried and said “My baby’s gonna be a real Doctor- a PhD” and my father’s reaction was “Oh good, finally you can get out of the cold snowy Northeast”

it sounds better everyday :slight_smile:
-Angela

17

You’re gonna love it.

I don’t know what apartments are going for in Durham these days…last time I lived in an apartment there, we had half a duplex with a small fenced yard on Byrd road and paid $400/month, but that was 1990-91…I imagine it’s gone up a bit since then. Still quite a bit cheaper than California, however, and I imagine cheaper than Boston. And yes…the weather is a lot more tolerable as a rule. They’re having a snowy winter this year, but most years it doesn’t snow at all. Spring is magical! What I miss the most, however, is the lightning bugs…I used to look forward so much to that special night each spring when they’d just suddenly explode out of the ground and rise up to fill the trees with whirling constellations…

Redwolf