Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Tiger Beer]

Anyone been there or spent much time there?

I drove through Charleston a number of years ago.. and was very impressed with West Virginia scenery.. the mountains and highways are gorgeous.

I was also surprised to read elsewhere that West Virginia solidly votes Democratic.. as they were more labor (northern) oriented in many ways. But at the same time, have that southern accent and all that as well - so not sure what thats all about - anyone for clarification on that?

Also interesting is the tourist bureau of West Virginia strongly focuses on River Rafting as a major focus. Now River Rafting is downright fun! Interesting.

Is WV actually a kind of cool hidden gem? Or am I imagining it to be much more than it actually is, and focusing way too much on its supposed good points? (Take in mind, I've probably only spent a couple days of my life in that state, most everything else is just by reading).

Negatives might be way too rural.. even the capital city is only around 30,000 people for population.. meaning a bit more isolated.. and maybe in more ways than just one - perhaps in attitudes, although I just don't know not having spent much time there.

[Demonicat]

I was actually raised there. WV is very rural, many people livce down in the "holla" and some don;t have electricity. White water rating and hiking are done frequently by tourists and they have lots of fun. You should be aware that WV is populated mostly by half-crazed mystics and..."sons of the soil".

[funplanet]

It's a beautiful state, no doubt about that but it is very rural....good people, though...I have met some very down to earth folks and even in many communities today they still go to bed with their doors unlocked...

[gmat]

Damn you Tiger Beer, I have had the John Denver song "Country Roads" in my head all evening and couldn't understand why until I realized I saw this thread title a while ago

West Virgina , mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

[desultude]

[chi-chi]

[guangho]

One of the most astonishingly, jaw droppingly beautiful African-American women i have ever know is from WVa. Thought i'd share that.

[andrew]

.....

[zappadelta]

Asheville is nice, especially if you are a hippie type. Andrew, where did you live in SW Va? I went to Virginia Tech, which is in that area.

[Tiger Beer]

Is Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA? I was reading about that city recently and it seems kind of interesting - well it seemed very well-educated, a small asian poplulation centered around the tech industry I suppose, and in a gorgeous location. Unfortunately rents/housing is quite a bit higher than anywhere else in the Appalachian Mountain region as well.

Regarding West Virginia.. I'm getting a sense that the few almost urban areas - Charleston, Huntington, and Wheeling aren't that great - if they are industrial areas and boarded-up storefronts and such.

WV sounds like a better place to visit as a tourist moreso than actually living there. The scenery, rafting, skiing, etc. I can't imagine finding much work anywhere though, particularly if the rural mountain areas are the most desireable areas.

I'm curious about Demicat's "WV is populated mostly by half-crazed mystics and..."sons of the soil"".. that sounds interesting. Whats that mean exactly?

On a separate note/question.. I was reading about Tennessee recently.. and it made a mention of 'heart of the Bible Belt' with a question by locals of 'what chuch do you go to?'.. (which kind of scared me a bit).. does WV have that same element to it? Or is just a bit too northern to be like that?

One other note.. this year apparently the RAINBOW GATHERING is being held in the mountains of WVa this year.

[zappadelta]

Yea, Virginia Tech is in Blacksburg, which is a great little town that has recently exploded due to the success of our football team. The real estate there is cheap, but I'm sure more than the rest of SW Virginia. But, compared to the rest of Virginia, super cheap. It's definitely a college town, so most of the people there have some connection to the university. There's not much to do there for jobs unless you are a professor or business owner of some sort.

[zappadelta]

By the way Tiger Beer, you seem to do a lot of research and reading about different locations. That's funny, what's up with that?

[guangho]

[Tiger Beer]

Haha.. I just have a curious sense of 'location of places'.. what goes on there, etc., etc.

Also, just thinking of potential places to live post-Korea. Oregon and Hawaii lead the list.. (despite the high costs of HI).. I'm also in the U.S. right now and exploring various places.

I finally went to Honolulu.. absolutely love that city.. everything about it!

Also finally went to Washington DC.. I'd never live there.. (considered it before). Drove around Northern Virginia as well.. didn't care for it.

Don't know why I'm curious about West Virginia though.. its just one of those places that I've always occassionally thought about. This website is great as there always seems to be someone who knows something about somewhere! (But if its just river rafting and scenery thats good, then its in abundance already in the NorthWest).

Oh, and guangho, I ruled out Corpus Christi.. did extensive research on it.. and learned more than enough to really consider it.

Nice to teach at a university and have the time off to do this kind of thing. So far, Oregon #1 and Hawaii tied #1. The rest are just curiousities..

[jlb]

I hiked through it briefly on the Appalachian Trail and spent about a day in Harper's Ferry. Good times all around....that whole WV/Maryland/PA section of the AT is some great hiking.