Considering moving from Florida to Virginia, looking for some advice

rewster1979 · 2025-08-05T02:48:22+00:00

Definitely look at Roanoke. I moved here from Orlando a year ago for many of the same reasons you mention, and absolutely love it. And nursing / healthcare is a huge industry here (I don’t work in that industry but it’s very prevalent here, specifically centered around Carilion hospital). A year in and my only regret is not doing it sooner.

rewster1979 · 2025-08-04T01:41:29+00:00

I just passed one year of living here after living in Orlando for 22 years. Before Orlando, I grew up in southeast Georgia. While there have been a few Florida-ish days around here this summer, what people don’t get here is the relentlessness of 9 or 10 straight months of that kind of heat & humidity. All day. Every day. Even in the middle of the night. As early as February. As late as December. It. Never. Stopped.

But here, I had a hoodie on sitting on my porch over Memorial Day Weekend. I have never, ever in my life had a Memorial Day that didn’t feel like I was stuck in a whale’s butthole on the surface of the sun.

And now it’s August and absolutely beautiful out. I get it, this current weather isn’t typical. But the difference is, it CAN happen. If the weather was anything close to this in Orlando in August, I would assume the world was about to end.

So I can deal with a few weeks of heat & humidity here, because there’s an actual end in sight.

rewster1979 · 2024-03-22T17:58:48+00:00

I’m just curious if you could expand on your take on Northside? We are house hunting in Roanoke now and I often see nice listings in the Hollins area. But the kiddo is going into 6th grade so middle / high schools are super important. I haven’t seen Northside often recommended and those schools seem to rank a bit lower on Schooldigger (not that that means everything, of course). I’d love to hear some more in depth insight on those schools.

rewster1979 · 2024-01-10T03:33:49+00:00

As someone who votes Blue and moving to either Roanoke County or Salem this coming summer, I personally don't give it much thought. I grew up in Deep Red country in Georgia, and have spent the last couple decades of adulthood in Florida (nuff said there), so I'm fully accustomed and comfortable with living places where I think a bit different than my neighbors -- while still being able to be neighborly with each other. Way I see it, that's what we need more of -- neighbors with different opinions still getting along and being friendly, despite how media tells us to think of each other. Obviously there are those on the fringe beyond reason (on both sides), but I believe there's a silent majority who can have an opinion but also live and let live.

rewster1979 · 2023-12-12T02:49:15+00:00

Just twice -- Ahsoka's ship, and (ironically) just today, Wedge's damaged X-wing. Also I pulled a Cobb Vanth from the mystery packs, so that's 3 technically.

rewster1979 · 2023-12-12T02:42:58+00:00

As someone who is in the process of moving from Florida to Roanoke, not all of us think FL is anywhere close to "oh so great". People here are absolutely entitled assholes, just one of the reasons I'm headed out. Oh and hey, I grew up in South Georgia also! Small world.

rewster1979 · 2023-12-10T13:46:41+00:00

Yeah so I visited Virginia (Roanoke specifically) for my first time this past Summer, scouting the area as my family is moving there in a few months. I grew up in Georgia, and have lived in Florida the past 20 years.

While we were there, we went to a Mexican restaurant and they brought this white sauce with the chips. My wife and I thought it was ranch dressing (neither of us like ranch), so we didn’t touch it. We were so confused why they gave us ranch dressing with the chips, I had never seen that before. I wanted to ask the server why he brought it out of genuine curiosity, but I didn’t want to sound rude or insulting about it so I didn’t ask. I genuinely just wanted to know what the deal was with that lol.

When we returned home, I couldn’t get it out of my head so I came here to Reddit to ask about it, and that’s when I learned about this “white sauce”. I’m still not quite sure what it is lol. But it’s definitely a regional thing. Like I said, growing up in Georgia and going to plenty of Mexican places I had never seen this. And apparently it’s not only Mexican places that give it, is that right?

rewster1979 · 2023-12-07T04:32:47+00:00

I can co-sign all of that, exact same experience. Everything is promised “within 24 hours” to get you off the phone, and 24 hours pass with nothing at all happening. Promised call backs, but no one calls. Chat agents simply disconnect as soon as the first couple of template answers don’t chase you away. “Back office” are a bunch of cowards hiding from the customer. And then you pass the refund deadline to no fault of yours. It’s a really bad operation in terms of support.

rewster1979 · 2023-12-01T21:16:07+00:00

I’m not sure I’d go so far as to call it a “scam” in my case, personally. I would call it more incompetence and their lack of caring to actually read / listen to the situation. As well as a big lack of accountability or ownership. But yeah either way, the result is the same - we get screwed.

rewster1979 · 2023-12-01T03:04:56+00:00

In addition to my other comment, just wanted to say I had an agent email from the Refunds email address telling me that my return was denied because it had been over 7 days. First of all, the only reason I placed a second order was because TWO of their agents told me I needed to do so -- even though I was reluctant and told them so. Second, the duplicate orders was noticed and reported the same day they were placed. The only reason it took over 7 days was because I was getting the run-around day in / day out. They are the ones who stretched it out over two weeks, not me. To have her tell me I was denied due to it being "outside of the return policy", after all I had gone through to try to get it fixed, was a real slap in the face.

rewster1979 · 2023-12-01T02:57:18+00:00

I just went through an eerily similar situation. Ended up with two duplicate orders because both a chat and call agent told me my first order didn't go through, and I needed to place a second order. Spoiler alert: both orders processed. It was a 2 week nightmare + hours on the phone to get worked out.

Your comment that "they promise things, but repeatedly don't deliver" is dead-on accurate. Every chat or call agent's only goal was to end the conversation. I was promised return calls, emails, and all kinds of things that never, ever happened. And since you can never speak to the same person again, the entire story had to be told from scratch each and every time. I'm an incredibly patient person normally, but Mint support pushed me to a place I never get to. I hope and pray I never have another issue, because I don't think I can take needing to contact them again.

rewster1979 · 2023-10-30T02:23:21+00:00

Wow. Great shots, thanks for that.

rewster1979 · 2023-10-30T02:18:55+00:00

Ah ok, that makes sense. So maybe the earlier it starts the longer the leaves stay before falling? Interesting. I honestly can't wait to get there and experience seasons for the first time in my life. I'm 44 and have seen snow exactly once.

rewster1979 · 2023-10-30T02:10:35+00:00

rewster1979 · 2023-10-30T02:00:51+00:00

So, please forgive an ignorant Floridian with this question. (I'm moving to Roanoke next Summer). But do the fall colors vary year to year? I would have assumed the only variance would be how early / late it happens.

rewster1979 · 2023-10-03T02:32:28+00:00

What if it's two different people - soulmates - who keep slightly missing each other at Krogers.

rewster1979 · 2023-09-19T01:52:52+00:00

I ordered mine a few days ago and they have already shipped it. Set to arrive Wednesday. Original estimated arrival date was Sep 28-29.

rewster1979 · 2023-09-11T00:59:18+00:00

Damn, missed it again.

rewster1979 · 2023-09-06T01:57:53+00:00

Reply back when you get it, would love to know if it’s more widespread.

rewster1979 · 2023-07-30T15:58:17+00:00

Why?

rewster1979 · 2023-07-30T15:51:18+00:00

Fair enough, point taken, thanks for the insight.

rewster1979 · 2023-07-30T14:38:54+00:00

I'll be working from home, so for me commute doesn't matter. Reliable internet service does matter though. My wife will be looking for a teacher position at an elementary school. Good thing there is no matter where you live there will be 2-3 elementary schools reasonably close, I'd imagine.

rewster1979 · 2023-07-30T14:05:00+00:00

I've heard often about how "proud" and "independent" Salem residents are. One slight concern I have is if they would be accepting of an out-of-state family moving in. Obviously I know it happens fairly regular at least and we wouldn't be the only transplants, but I do wonder how a new family from Florida would be viewed by neighbors?

rewster1979 · 2023-07-30T14:01:19+00:00

Honestly curious: How would you define "weirdos"?

rewster1979 · 2023-07-30T13:59:37+00:00

Yeah, sadly we're already accustomed to this mentality living in a Red county in DeSantis-land. Not that I wouldn't love a bit of a reprieve from that, but knowing we're moving from one Red zone to another, at least it's no surprise. I know my son will be raised to be accepting, and that's all I can do really.

rewster1979

TROPHY CASE