Living in Louisiana

[macallan25]

......and that should be your first clue.

[_Lisa_]

Yes, it's a clue. But it isn't helpful when we may be moving there anyway & will need to decide on a city. I'm not familiar with Louisiana at all, but I hate the idea of living anywhere near a large body of water, so I just ask that it isn't close to the gulf by 90-120 miles (or roughly 1.5-2 hours.)

[dekeguy]

I suppose it depends on what you are looking for. Louisiana is not really a totally French oriented state. New Orleans, Lafayette, and the Acadian Country are largely French derived. Baton Rouge is mostly Anglo and further North is almost purely Anglo in its ambiance and traditions.
New Orleans, with all its problems, is probably the most interesting and livable city in North America. After N.O. you probably need to consider some Canadian cities for French/international ambiance.
I strongly suspect that despite the disaster of the hurricanes of 2005 it will be another two to three hundred years before the city faces another such problem.
If you are moving to Louisiana you need to consider the reason for the move. If you are a professional (Doctor, Lawyer, CPA, etc.) you have more flexibility than if you are a gourmet chef or petroleum engineer. More info would be helpful.
In any case you should invest some time in checking out the possible locations and see what appeals to you. Its quite a diverse state and there is plenty to enjoy, but different parts of the state are radically different from eachother.

[OleMissGlitter]

I am from New Orleans (born and raised) and my family is still all down there...I honestly can't imagine living anywhere in the state other than New Orleans...I've heard Lake Charles is pretty nice and Baton Rouge has grown recently (obviously) because of Hurricane Katrina but I think it's pretty nice in BR too....Alexandria is alright, not very interesting or pretty but it's there....Shreveport is okay too....I hate to say this but pretty much anywhere in the state of LA if there is another "big" hurricane you are going to feel it in some aspect...just my thoughts

[f8nacn]

Well people who have visited could give you valuable input so don't limit yourself. (That was the point of my question).

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by f8nacn

Well people who have visited could give you valuable input so don't limit yourself. (That was the point of my question).

They may be able to offer some input, but I would really take it with a grain of salt. I've visited Aurora/Denver, CO several times, but I don't feel qualified to access livability like say, DA would be able to.

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by f8nacn

Well people who have visited could give you valuable input so don't limit yourself. (That was the point of my question).

Are you from Louisiana? If so, then you should be able to help instead of lecturing about limitations. Have you ever visited Louisiana? If so, what can you offer about living in Louisiana? Seriously. If you have neither lived in nor visited Louisiana, what concern is it of yours as to whom she CHOOSES to accpet advice from? If I were moving somewhere, I would want imput about someone who has personal experience, not a tourist.

[RedefinedDiva]

Nearly every city in Louisiana has it's own culture. New Orleans will ALWAYS be New Orleans. No explanation needed. Baton Rouge is nice. Lafayette offers a lot of French/Cajun culture. Shreveport isn't one of my favorite places. Lake Charles is OK. I don't know much about Monroe, so I can't help too much with that....

[_Lisa_]

Originally Posted by dekeguy

I suppose it depends on what you are looking for. Louisiana is not really a totally French oriented state. New Orleans, Lafayette, and the Acadian Country are largely French derived. Baton Rouge is mostly Anglo and further North is almost purely Anglo in its ambiance and traditions.
New Orleans, with all its problems, is probably the most interesting and livable city in North America. After N.O. you probably need to consider some Canadian cities for French/international ambiance.
I strongly suspect that despite the disaster of the hurricanes of 2005 it will be another two to three hundred years before the city faces another such problem.
If you are moving to Louisiana you need to consider the reason for the move. If you are a professional (Doctor, Lawyer, CPA, etc.) you have more flexibility than if you are a gourmet chef or petroleum engineer. More info would be helpful.
In any case you should invest some time in checking out the possible locations and see what appeals to you. Its quite a diverse state and there is plenty to enjoy, but different parts of the state are radically different from eachother.

We'll be moving because Trevor will have accepted a position that will require him to live in Louisiana. We'll have final say over the city we live in because he'll have a home office & won't be required to check in at a local office (he'll be recruiting students for a school in TX.) With his new job I'm actually going to try to go back to school. I may work part time in retail or waitressing, but I'm not going to be picky about that.

You did bring up something that I haven't thought about-the cities & their origins. Are there parts of the state that mostly speak a dialect of French? I will definitely look into this because I only know enough French to order off a menu!

I'm really not so concerned that another hurricane the size of Katrina will hit anytime soon, but I will admit that it lingers in the back of my mind. As far as natural disasters go, I currently live in an area that experiences very few (maybe a tornado or two per year.) So moving close to a large body of water greatly increases those chances & its something I want to be cautious about. I'm willing to expect lots & lots of rain & some flooding & some damage, but I really don't want to live so close that I can see the waves coming up on the beach.

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

I am from New Orleans (born and raised) and my family is still all down there...I honestly can't imagine living anywhere in the state other than New Orleans...I've heard Lake Charles is pretty nice and Baton Rouge has grown recently (obviously) because of Hurricane Katrina but I think it's pretty nice in BR too....Alexandria is alright, not very interesting or pretty but it's there....Shreveport is okay too....I hate to say this but pretty much anywhere in the state of LA if there is another "big" hurricane you are going to feel it in some aspect...just my thoughts

I don't mind to feel the effects of a hurricane, I'd just prefer not to bear the brunt of it.

I'll look into Lake Charles & Baton Rouge, thanks for the suggestions! I may PM you if I have any other questions-if you don't mind?

[dekeguy]

English is spoken universally in Louisiana but one is liable to run into more people who are of French descent and speak it as a second language in the traditionally French sections of the state.
I wouldn't limit my choice of locale by proximity to water because you would eliminate the most interesting parts of Louisiana.
Also, if your husband will be recruiting it will be a lot easier if located in the major population centers.