I'm bored in NC.

[onesweetone]

Hi Bachata,
I think you should give ole NC a little more time. I think it would be hard to meet people from your neighborhood in the winter months because NC people don't like to be outside too much in the cold weather but spring and summer are very different because people are outside more during the warm seasons. You would have a better chance of meeting people in the mall (Crabtree, Triangle Town Center, North Hills Mall, The Streets at Southpoint) during the winter months. Especially during the holiday season. Just sit down on a bench in the mall and before long someone will sit down and just start talking to you. Just give it a try. Also try to attend some sporting events if you like to meet new people.

The "downtown" area in Raleigh has never really been the focus for meeting people it really is just a place to work, that has changed only in the last few years. If you visit the Glennwood Ave area just outside of downtown you will find a lot of downtown activity with new restaurants and condos. I know in a lot of latin countries the "Plaza" tends to be in the center of town and everyone gathers in this area for meeting friends or having fun, but in the south activities are spread out all over the area a little more. You have to be willing to go to different cities for fun activities. The Triangle area has a lot to offer if you look in the local newspaper to see what is happening in the community. If you visit el centro (the hispanic credit union) you could receive a lot of information about things that are happening in the community (not just the latin community but the whole community).

If you have time may I suggest that you attend one of the community colleges or the local Parks and Recreations in the area and take a free English as a Second Language course. This way you will have an opportunity to meet more people in the area and have someone to speak English with on a regular basis which will help you learn the language faster.

If you would like more information on where to meet cool Carolina people just send me another PM. Take care and don't give up.

[jrzyguy]

Both of my sisters moved to NC years ago (whilmingon). The finding friends and community is not just a latino thing. They have had a hard time making new friends and a social network because they are "yankees" (from the north).

I will say this tho...i have seen things change there since they first moved there. 10 years ago people would wear KKK and White Knight T-shirts and talk about cross burnings.

Things have changed on the outside

I disagree with the other poster tho who say that americans are miserable. Ok...perhaps we are more miserable after 8 years of Bush....but we have hope in our new Prez. (hope it works!!!!!)

To the OP I would give the NYC area a shot. You have many friends etc here and the latino community is very strong here. Unfortunately the job market sucks right now here. So if you have a job you might just want to sit tight in your misery in NC till things improve.

Oh...and BTW...i've met quite a few latino folks at Carolina Beach.

[cuas]

My daughter went to college in Greensboro and is living there now by herself but she goes to Raleigh to visit my uncle and to party with her cousin. She went there for Thanksgiving dinner. I do not know your wife's age but my daughter is 24. If they are in the same age range and your wife also wants to make new friends PM me with your names. I will ask my daughter to call you. I am planning to go to Greensboro for Christmas and maybe I will visit my uncle. I am planning to move to NC when my children (twins) leave for college

Two years ago I went with my children to visit my daughter in the summer. I went to the mall with a Dominican T-shirt. Nobody approached me.

[SKing]

Do you guys know that this thread is old???????
SHALENA

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by SKing

Do you guys know that this thread is old???????
SHALENA

No I didn't know that. It started in August (less than 4 months ago). Didn't it?
And everyone who has been around a while either knows JJ or knows of him & what a great reputation he had for going out of his way to be helpful when he lived here so even if it was 4 years old, it's still ok in my book.

Originally Posted by bachata

Thank you!!!!
Yes sentences construction is my headache, I never could imagine that English and Spanish where so different, some time is so hard to express my self that I have to repeat the same sentence two or three time using the same words in a different order so that other other people can get the meaning of my conversation.
I have a hard time every day writing a daily report that I send to the office informing of any situation with the computer system or with the customers during my shift. JJ

All expats here can relate to this JJ, unless they arrived as fluent speakers of Spanish. Seems to me you're doing pretty well, your posts are better than some native speakers of English who post on DR1.........really! In some ways it's easier for expats here in DR because speaking with your body/hands/shoulders/eyebrows is more easily understood here than it would be for you in the US. Keep persevering, you obviously have what it takes.

[simpson Homer]

What do you mean "you co-workers are black" ?

The problem is that you are not willing to integrate into a different society, you have to learn to live your life without Dominicans what was the point of moving to the USA was not to make the USA your new home, better and new life? You should had stay in DR. Not offense for those who live in the Dominican area in NY are living like in the DR, I saw the same behavior and not respect for the public or other, garbage all over the place.

I love the DR but the moment I left the country to a new one I have to integrate to the society and culture. People are very independient here and mind their own, after work people want to relax and prepare for next, there not time to hung out.

my first week in Canada was challenging nice, every thing clean and organized. then started missing the moto concho noises, the black outs, strikes, and the ongoing problems of the society and politics, the rice, the warm people. Then I got to the
point I confused most black people I saw for Dominicans who did want to speak Spanish.

I said one Day, well I wont go to far here if I dont stop thinking about DR and the DR people. I will have rather to stay there. My crowd Whites, blacks, Chiness, Filipinos, Pakistanies, Arabs all kind of Nationalities I prob. never heard before.

At work is like UN but most are Blacks.

Certain thing have to stay in DR.

In this culture people call you house before showing up!, many people say thank you, have a little bit of respect, a little bit more right than DR.

I know many Dominicans but I rather to leave with distance.

Do not take me wrong, I also have family in NY and I cant believe how over crowd looks the Dominican areas. Many Dominicans livng for more than 15 years in NY and still cant speak English still playing loud music. YES THERE ARE MANY WHO ARE VERY
RESPECTULL TO OTHERS.

I might be wrong but too many Dominicans together in a different country there is always a prob.

My opinion stay where you are be patient and socialize, you can learn a lot of thing
about the Culture to survive in you new home country. People get homesick, culture shock all immigrant got thrue those simptoms if Im not wrong.

I used to complain about the weather, I could not change it, so either I go back or deal with it. So Im dealing with the weather and I call this place home. Same way I cant bring snow to the Dominican either. I love both place but I have to be in one at the time.

But your head has to be in one place and socialize with other.

sorry if my words hurt some people here

[spanky27312]

The El Rancho has been closed for months in sanford; there is Caribbean cafe in Raleigh i believe owned by a dominican lady,really is good.
2645 E. Millbrook rd.,raleigh,nc

[bachata]

[QUOTE=simpson Homer;704512]What do you mean "you co-workers are black" ?

The problem is that you are not willing to integrate into a different society, you have to learn to live your life without Dominicans what was the point of moving to the USA was not to make the USA your new home, better and new life? You should had stay in DR. Not offense for those who live in the Dominican area in NY are living like in the DR, I saw the same behavior and not respect for the public or other, garbage all over the place.

I got a mistake no all my coworker are black, some of them are white, my managers is Peruvian, but those that work in the same position as I are African Americans and some of them feel that Hispanics are taking their jabs here in the US so some of them are no friendly at all…. NOT ALL OF THEM….
Yes I’m trying to adjust to my life stile to the new country, but it is no easy for me as this is the first time I am out of the DR and faraway of my family and let me tell you something my case is a little bit different than most of the immigrants to the US I was running my own business in the DR living in my own nice house in El Embrujo Tercero middle class neighborhood ( NOT MORTGAGE ) some of the DR1 member can be my witness as they visited me in the past time.
For the past two month I’ve been doing things that helped me a lot with my new life stile, for example I’m working overtime, this way I keep my mind busy and I make some extra money, my wife all time is researching for activities or any special events. For example Last night we visited past weekend we visited the Natural Historic Museum last night the Historic oaks view park and today the Joel Lane museum in downtown. My new phone plan gives me free long distance to the DR so I can be in touch with my family and my friends over there. I’ve been downloading a lot of my favorite bachatas, merengues and romantic music. I’m buying a lot of mechanic tools I have great mechanic skill so I can fix my cars and I’m thinking that I can make some extra money this way, I bought a mower a trimmer and all I need to do “ landscape “ in my house but now is too cold and the grass is dry and does no grows like in the summer time.

JJ

[Hillbilly]

That's is good JJ, I am proud of you for doing the extra things it takes to adjust to the new culture and community.

Also good that you and "Paloma Linda" get out and see things...there is a lot to be learned.

Best wishes for the Holiday Season to you and Rocío and Chrystal...

HB

[bigbird]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

.......Best wishes for the Holiday Season to you and Rocío and Chrystal...

HB

Same from me JJ, hang in there because you have what it takes to make it!