So my dh has been interviewing all over the country for a new position. I had been praying for atlanta (in btw our families + best friend just moved there + great job market for me). Atlanta looked good and then yesterday they told him he was overqualified .

So now he has decided to take a position in Connecticut. I have nothing against CT except it is 1000 miles away from family and friends, I know nothing about the place, and the job market is not so great. It's a great position for my husband but I was so set on atl until yesterday when we got the horrible news and now reality has set in that we are moving to CT. I have done next to no research on the place.

Please CC family help me. Please tell me wonderful things about CT. Please tell me I am not going to freeze all winter and will somehow learn to adjust to cold weather. Please tell me a firm will just love to hire me. Any folks from CT I would love to hear from.

You may end up having your friends and family move to CT after you find out how hip and great it is! You can hop a boat to NYC and see the sights!

I live a 30 min train ride from NYC and it's awesome. You're near the hubbub. CT is gorgeous and there are seasons. Woohoo!

You may find that you like it there better. Sometimes having family close is a blessing and a curse at the same time. (I live just a few miles away from mine--) You never know maybe CT will lead to something bigger and better down the road. Everything happens for a reason, we just don't always grasp why. (don't you just hate that overqualified stuff--that happened to my DH too)

Well, the upside is you don't have to worry about your buttercream icing melting

I don't mean to sound insensitive because if I were in your shoes I would be freaking out right now.

I've heard it's a beautiful part of the country and like the other poster said you are very close to NYC - I would love being that close to Broadway plays!

I'll be sending you positive thoughts!

I spent a year in Connecticut and loved it! The food, architecture and views are amazing!

I am a San Diego native, and I have to say the leaves in the fall ALMOST made up for the winter in Connecticut! Make sure that you have a good jacket and boots!

I am currently in Atlanta, and can't wait to get out. I would take Connecticut any day of the week. The humidity down here makes me want to sit down and cry (preferably once I've gotten indoors!). Plus, I can't even buy any wine on Sunday to drown my sorrows!

I don't know where you are now, but Connecticut is great! The proximity to NYC, and places like Vermont or the Maine coast is wonderful.

They have a New England magazine called "Yankee". It is the equivalent of "Southern Living" down here or "Sunset" on the West Coast. Check them out online. There might be a story or a picture or a recipe or something that will look interesting to you.

Good luck, you soon-to-be Yankee, you!

J.

Connecticut is a beautiful place! I live in Texas and I think CT is great! I'm not sure where you live know but CT is definitely less "landlocked" than Texas. You'll have a ton of access to really cool places, and all sorts of cool history stuff.

I've heard the fall is absolutely breathtaking in CT, with the changing leaves...They were really pretty in Ohio but I've heard they are even better up there.

What exactly does "overqualified" mean anyway?? Does it mean that his time is worth too much money for their budget or something??

Good luck. I'm sure it'll be difficult...but hopefully you will make a new life for yourself there and will love it

I live in Massachusetts. (Just above Connecticut ... but I'm way in the north of Mass near New Hampshire.) You will definitely freeze in the winter; but that's what they have heat for. New England is the OLD part of the country. There is character in homes and architecture that is unmatched. And the trees in the fall are beautiful ... but you have to rake up the leaves.

You didn't mention where you are from.

As much as I hate the cold in the winter, I enjoy the changing seasons. Your wardrobe is more fun going from pastels and short sleeves to dark colors and long sleeves. Coats, hats, sweaters, you can have it all for a few months at a time and move onto the next season.

Atlanta has bugs all year ... we just have them for about six months.

My sister lived in CT then moved overseas traveled the world and now is moving BACK to CT. That says something doesn't it It is really beautiful there! I think you will learn to love the change of seasons. It will be hard to be far from family ( I would personally love being far from mine ) but CT is great really. It is almost like a picture perfect post card in my mind. Good luck

I was born in Stamford, CT and lived there until I was 12. It really is a gorgeous state. As mentioned, the proximity to the city is fantastic so you get the perks of city life and the comforts of suburbia.

I am a firm believer in things happening for a reason. I live in St. Louis and a few years back, my hubby was offered a promotion in Atlanta. My brother and sister live there and I was so excited about it. I spent hours online house hunting and was so excited at the idea of moving there. I was pushing for him to take the job. He declined and I was so bummed. It really wasn't the best position for him and he ended up leaving the company instead but I was more focused on the move and not what would make my hubby happy career-wise. Now, when I look back, I can totally see that we're so much happier and so much better off where we are. Moving would not have been right for us but it seemed so right at the time.

There are silver linings in Connecticut and you will find them. Get excited! This is a huge adventure and it will be what you make of it.

I am so jealous I would love to live there. So close to the city and beautiful landscapes hughhh take me with you please. I have Dallas to look at & would love to live on the east coast

annoris3: Do you have children? Where do you currently live?

I've been in CT for 5 years, coming from Northern CA. CA was too crowded for me and I love CT.
I grew up in Miami, so the snow factor is new for me. My girls and I look forward to winter. You can ice skate on ponds and the sledding is great. I look forward to stocking up on fun foods when a big storm is coming. It's all what you make of it.
I live in a rural area, we have Walmart, but it takes 40 minutes to drive to Target and the mall, but the drive is so beautiful that I don't mind.

Anorris3- where about in CT?

I completely understand. For me it doesn't matter how beautiful a place is or what it has to offer, if it's too far from family - it's too far. I once moved to a different time zone from my family and swore never again. Moved back after three years. I've since informed my DH that he can never consider a positon that is north of the Mason Dixon, west of the Mississippi, or Florida. All lovely places, just not for me.

What you have to do, though is make the best of it. Connecticut is beautiful. There are opportunities you might not otherwise have, and get a good long distance calling plan. You might find that you like it more than you ever imagined.

Oh my gosh!! I got so busy and totally forgot about this thread .
Thank you so much for all of the comments. I think I have come to grips with the move. We will be out of here (Knoxville, TN) two weeks from now.
I have lived in the South my whole life so I have learned to deal with the heat and the bugs but I can't say I won't miss them terribly. I am still kind of freaked out about the cold weather. All my coats are down south coats which just means I need to go shopping .
To answer some of the questions (sorry so late) we will be moving to Hartford and will be staying in University of Hartford housing (great perk of the job is NO living expenses!!). We also have two boys 16m and 8y. The big draw to CT was the fact that our son would be able to go the arts and sciences magnet school on the campus.
I have also calculated flights from there (or JFK anyway) to Nashville and the average about $150 roundtrip on a low air fare carrier so going home a few times a year will still be feasible.
Thanks again to all of your kind words. I really needed it a week or so ago but now it is just very encouraging!

The part about the coats is so funny - we're the same way. I had to visit family in Cleveland and they made mention that we might need our boots. I laughed for about five minutes. Boots? We didn't even own gloves, much less a coat that is heavier than lined denim or light weight leather.

Welcome to Connecticut, I am eastern CT, you will love Hartford, there is so much to do, ( TRAFFIC SUCKS BE AGGRESSIVE) great cake decorating shop in Wetherfield, Christmas tree shop ( GREAT STORE_ usually has cool cake decorating stuff cheap a couple times a year. IF i can be of any help let me know, i am in Farmington for training at least once a month ( near Hartford)

Laura

[quote="LauraS"}( TRAFFIC SUCKS BE AGGRESSIVE)[/quote]
Ha Ha, Laura, same here in Massachusetts. Those who hesitate are lost! Drivers from other states call us Massholes!

Thanks for the driving tips ladies. I have kind of figured some of it out already. I was honked at for not turning at a RED light! Normally I am all about breaking traffic laws especially when no ones looking but I didn't know what the vibe in CT was and my husband would kill me if I got a ticket so soon!

I will definitely have to check the cake shop out but sadly enough I haven't done any baking (or cooking for that matter) since I have been here. Too much to do. I have a brand new KA in the box just waiting to be christened.

We have been trying to find things to get the kiddies involved in. So far we have been surfing local parks but are seeking a football league to get my son in. If you know of any please share! Good churches too.

How old are the kids? If any are preschool age, try the local library for story hour. It's a good way to meet other moms of kids their age.

I have a 17 month old and a 8 year old son.

You will come to love CT (I live in the NYC metro area and worked in Hartford for three years). The landscape is fantastic, you are by the ocean, NYC, MA, lots of cultural places, great changing of the seasons, close to outdoor activities, terrific schools and, I think, still no state tax.

Moving is always tough - did it constantly for the first 30 years of my life. But everytime I found great friends, new experiences, etc... Let a little serendipity run your life when you first move there and I'm sure you'll learn to welcome the change.

lol, don't worry i get honked at all of the time, couple of things to note as for Grocery store, whole foods or trader joes is great.

here at a couple of links, for you, and you just have to come over to the mystic aquarium , it is awesome, and the shops in old mystic village are great pricey but awesome there is a wonderful store call Gray Goose Cookery, not a ton of baking stuff but a great store just the same. I am attaching the link to both of them for you.

http://www.thingstodo.com/states/CT/index.htm

http://www.tourism.state.ct.us/

http://www.mysticaquarium.org/

http://www.graygoosecookery.com/

http://www.traderjoes.com/

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

IF you want your groceries delivered , Stop and Shop does Peapods, it is wonderful, especially in the winter.

http://www.stopandshop.com/

If your 8 year old likes dinosaurs

http://www.dinosaurstatepark.org/

http://www.enaturesart.com/



we have wonderful state parks, Gillette Castle State Park, devils Hopyard are both wonderful, for hiking and picnics. let me know what you are looking for and i will see what i can find for you. sorry this is so long.

ok, i have to tell you one more thing, the first time i drove in Hartford, President Clinton was in town, and i was going to the airport to meet my husband. and traffic was detoured and i was stuck in a lane going to to a very very bad part of Hartford and i was crying, seriously crying, I HATE TO DRIVE IN HARTFORD, I go down 95, catch 9 and come up on the other side onto I84. lol so the fact that you are already driving there, big huge brownie points. lol.

sorry i forgot about the football.

here you go. if this is not the league oyu need they will be able to send you to the right one.

http://www.whyfl.com/

Thanks for all the links. We have done all our grocery shopping at Waudbaums (sp?). I am not particular about it but its close. I actually don't recognize any of the grocery stores here. I am not sure if they are chains or locally owned. I don't even have the dreaded walmart to fall back on. I am actually very interested into how Hartford has kept super walmarts from here.

I think I can adjust to the driving but its one thing that is killing me. It seems like no one knows how to merge. Everyone waits til the last second to get over and it slows everything down. Oh well not too much I can do about that.

I haven't ventured out much so I haven't got a feel for the area. It seems extremely homogenous. I don't know what to expect with each block. I hate to assume an area is bad because it seems to be inhabited with poorer people. Are there areas of Hartford to avoid?

Thanks again.

the industrial areas, when you are alone or with just the kids, as a general rule keep your doors locked when you are in your car, all of the doors, it is a large city, just a good rule of thumb, that is all, no Hartford is a beautiful city, I love the colt building. well when you get settle, maybe we can meet half way for coffee, i have a 8 year old grandson, Jacob .

Today is a super bad day. One of the main reasons (really only reasons for me) that we moved all this way is because they told us they would be able to get our son into this really good magnet school. Well that fell through today. Today is the first day I have really regretted the move.

I am so freaking frustrated. Had we known this we never would have uprooted our family and moved 1000 miles away from our friends and family.
Today sucks bad.

I am so sorry to here that you have had a horrid day, The magnet schools are a touch and go, we have friends that thier daughter made it and my niece is on her second year of lottery. Hartford does have some great private schools.