Does anyone live somewhere that others have a negative opinion about?

[lecach]

I live in Durham, NC. People that dont live here think its horrible - crime ridden, scary, etc. There ARE some bad areas but I live in a good one. And really you can find bad areas in most any city. We get a lot of bad press about people on city busses getting shot and gang activity. But I really think its just the press blowing it up because they know people already think negatively about our town. Anyway my office is moving to downtown Durham. To a very nice, recently renovated historic area. And the people I work with are freaking out "oh I wont be able to walk to my car alone, I am afraid I will get shot", etc.

This really bothers me. I live there. I know its got its problems but its not that bad. And honestly it bothers me when people form a negative opinion about a place based only on what they see on tv. When you live somewhere you dont want to constantly hear from others how horrible it is. Regardless, I am very happy to cut my commute to 6 miles.

So - do any of you live somewhere that others consider horrible?

 

[ilovepcot]

I've heard the bad press Durham gets as a NC native. Actually lived in Durham for 6 months. Yes, it DOES have some terrible areas, so does Charlotte (lived there several years) but Durham somehow makes the news more often with the negative things for some reason. And you're right...there are some gorgeous areas I'd be proud to live and have friends who do. As for where I live now, *I* seem to be the one doing the most negative talking about it!!!

 

[MAKmom]

I never knew any of this . I alway thought all of NC was relly nice... I have no idea why.

 

[Aurora63]

I live in South Florida. People seem to either love it or hate it. It's congested, their's a fair amount of crime, cost of living is high...but I've found most people think that we're always at the beach, enjoying the weather...so I guess I don't, to answer your question. But once you visit you might have a negative opinion of it, if you don't like a fast pace.

 

[Minnesota!]

I never knew any of this . I alway thought all of NC was relly nice... I have no idea why.

Agreed. I have never heard anything bad about NC - well, except from my friend whose house was built on Black Widow Nesting Grounds. See...we don't get those nasty things around here, so take a MN transplant and put him with all those spiders - NOT GOOD.


As far as where I live - people tend to think we live in igloos, and that it snows year round...

 

[SC Minnie]

Everytime you see something about SC on TV or in movies people are portrayed as rednecks with everyone flying a confederate flag in their yard. And the way they talk they don't sound very intelligent.

DH's family used to make little sarcastic remarks about me because I am originally from here. Whatever.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

The city I grew up in. Very negative image.

 

[malibuconlee]

Funny that you should ask. Lately, especially on the boards, I've been getting the feeling that *some* people that live in the city look down on those that don't.

I've lived near downtown SLC, I've lived in suburbs of Dallas and Chicago, as well as other urban areas. I've also lived in a town of 3,000.

Each place has something going for it. That makes it special.

I've just moved again, but don't really know what people think about the other Manhattan.

 

[JVL1018]

I live in NJ, enough said. LOL

However, I love love love it!!
There's a reason it's so expensive and so many people live here..because it's a fantastic place to live!
I have the wonderful shore just an hour away, mountains an hour away, great food, great shopping, I get to live in a nice suburban town with one of the biggest cities in the world just 10 miles east of me.

What's not to love, except the prices? LOL So make your jokes -doesn't bother me a bit.

I think people see that stretch of the turnpike by Newark airport and think that's what all of NJ is..and believe me it's not, even we think it smells and is nasty there, my town is NOTHING like that area.

 

[GEM]

I live in Arkansas. Enough said.

 

[FayeW]

Yeah....Canada.

Americans often think we are either A)Snowbound year round B) Cowards for not participating in the Iraq War (guess they forgot about Desert Storm and Afghanistan) or C) Dependant on government handouts because we have "free' healthcare. "Free" my eye! We pay a pile of personal income tax for the security of not having to "schedule" an illness.

 

[Crankyshank]

Not exactly since I live in Rhode Island - the forgotten state.
You wouldn't believe how many people think it's part of Massachusetts.

 

[mark&sue]

I live in London in the UK and we are all trying to get out and be anywhere else in the world while all the time asylum seekers are risking their lives to get here as they believe the streets are "paved with gold".


Susan

 

[Hillbeans]

I live in NJ, enough said. LOL

However, I love love love it!!
There's a reason it's so expensive and so many people live here..because it's a fantastic place to live!
I have the wonderful shore just an hour away, mountains an hour away, great food, great shopping, I get to live in a nice suburban town with one of the biggest cities in the world just 10 miles east of me.

What's not to love, except the prices? LOL So make your jokes -doesn't bother me a bit.

I think people see that stretch of the turnpike by Newark airport and think that's what all of NJ is..and believe me it's not, even we think it smells and is nasty there, my town is NOTHING like that area.

I completely agree with you! Just a few weeks ago I went to NYC to see the christmas tree (1 hour) and went to Atlantic City (1.5 hours away). I'm an hour to the beach as well as an hour to the Poconos. Some parts of NJ are congested and not very nice, but most of NJ is really beautiful. There are lots of jobs and great schools and universities.

 

[Missy1961]

I live on Long Island, work in NYC, so I hear it all. We're a place you either love or hate--I love it.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Well, I'm originally from Peoria, Illinois...

 

[Microcell]

Yeahhhhhh....

I lived in Detroit. I have you all beat! Murder capital of the world most years.

 

[Galahad]

We live in Indy. Most people have a completely biased and inaccurate negative opinion of Indiana. But hey, at least that means we won't be overcrowded any time soon.

 

[Pixiedust34]

Yeahhhhhh....

I lived in Detroit. I have you all beat! Murder capital of the world most years.

And we're right behind you! Baltimore. The #2 most dangerous city to live in, following Detroit. At least our cities earned their reputations, right? I mean, the crime rate is indeed sky high.

Seriously, when we were in WDW and people asked us where we were from, the response was nearly always....."Oh." Like, they couldn't think of anything nice to say.

 

[VSL]

I live in London in the UK and we are all trying to get out and be anywhere else in the world while all the time asylum seekers are risking their lives to get here as they believe the streets are "paved with gold".


Susan

So true !

Also, I get sick of going on some US-based forums (not this one ), and see conversations like
Poster 1: 'I'm moving to the UK - anything I need to know?'
Poster 2: 'OMG! Take soap and toothpaste with you! No need to abandon personal hygeine while you're there!'


Also, there are some issues between England and Wales (not hugely, but there are a small group of people who seem to think that the Welsh are fair game for making fun of..). It's historical though - probably goes back to when the English overtook us and placed the oldest son of the English monarch to be Prince of Wales (almost as an insult to the Welsh). All English people I have personally met have been lovely though

FayeW - we have 'free' health services as well