The Moving Planner Blog

The 3 men that came to move my son were excellent. Very professional and fast.

The guys did a great job packing up my belongings and I really felt like it was a great experience. I’m not fully moved into my new place yet so the move is halfway done.

The entire experience was surprisingly easy. The movers, especially Ivan, were courteous, knowledgeable about the move, and very professional from pick-up to delivery several days later. I was especially impressed with the excellent manner in which my furniture was wrapped for the move. I have had movers before, but FlatRate’s method was far superior to the others. In addition, knowing that the quoted rate is the rate one pays (and not some inflated rate at the end) was the best part. I would definitely use FlatRate again

Mario, Domingo, Estebaya and Matildo were terrific. They worked well as a team and made this painless. Thank you

From the initial meeting with the estimator to the moment we waived good-bye to the truck pulling out of our driveway our experience has been excellent. We were extremely impressed by how diigent and hard working your staff was the day of the move. The group of guys that came to pack up our home were true professionals. Our household goods are now on their way from CA to NY under your care and I could not feel any better about it. You have an excellent organization and I will recommend you to everyone I know who moves! I am confident our items will arrive in NY as scheduled.

Our movers were very professional, hardworking, and efficient. We would highly recommend Flat Rate Movers and will also use Flat Rate Movers again for our next move in a few years.

Cory, Lazaro, Charlie, and Alex were courteous, hard working, and respectful. They worked very hard. Cory was organized and a good leader. The other guys were very helpful and polite. They did a great job! All four were extremely professional and efficient. They took great care in protecting our belongings. I would highly recommend them to my family and friends. If I have to move again, I will use Flatrate again, and would request those four guys! It was the easiest and smoothest move ever!

Your crew chief and workers were all very polite, professional, and hard working. They were very personable

I had 2 moves booked - one for Monday and then another for the following day, Tuesday. The first day not only were your men there on time, but they were there early. The second day they were there right on time. All five of the movers I dealt with on both days were very professional and pleasant. They were all quick, but not rushed. Nothing was damaged and the packing job they all did was excellent! Thank you!

The movers were great! I have moved over 10 times in 7 years and this was the easit move ever. The best part is I did not have to do anything, just sit back and let them do there job. Also the individuals that helped me move myself were very pleseant and hardworking. I could tell that they cared about the work they did. If I have the capability to use Flatrate again, it would not even take a second thought!

Our mover, Gerson, and his helper where great. On time and moved quickly. I was very satified.

The move was a fantastic experience overall. The movers misplaced one of the pegs for supporting a shelf in one of our bookshelves (I didn’t notice this until after they had left), but that was about the only negative thing from the entire day. Great job all around — THANKS!!

Our movers were fast, professional and thorough. They packed everything well and nothing got broken! Because of the excellent service from the movers, I would use flat rate again, and I will highly recommend flat rate to others.

Corey, Lazaro, Jason, and Charlie were the best movers we’ve ever worked with. They were not only thorough and professional, but wrapped every potentially fragile item in bubble wrap, wrapping paper, quilting, AND shrink wrap. As the shirts they were wearing said, “no stress, no surprises.” Well, actually we were surprised - we were pleasantly surprised that the move was so easy and that the cost was exactly the same as had been quoted.

The workers headed by Boris Torres were all extremely hard working courteous and responsible with our belongings. My wife and I were very pleased and relieved for our move to be handled so professionally and with extreme grace considering how difficult the work can be. We would not hesitate to use Flatrate again or recommend it to anyone. Best Regards Nancy and FrankScerbo

Reasonable prices! Great and helpful staff! Fast and efficient! And I LOVED the guaranteed price (NO surprises!!). EXCELLENT experience!

Thanks for a seamless move. I was concerned since I was off-site and you were moving my children’s belongings from one apartment to another, but your drivers handled the job efficiently and were very friendly and helpful. Thanks for taking care of everything!

This is the first time that I moved using movers instead of myself and friends, and with the price you gave me and the time it took and the little I had to do it was amazing! The salesperson on the phone was very nice and professional. The movers knew what they were doing and packaged everything neatly and securely in a very short time. GREAT MOVERS! I would definitely recommend you for my friends and will use you if I move again!

FLAT RATE movers did a great job! They made the moving experience seem effortless. They were professional, organized, and efficient. I was quite impressed and would definitely use their services for future moves. Thank you to Gerson, Omar and Alex!

Boris and his team were great to work with and I was very impressed with how smoothly everything went. Great, great job.

Manny and the gang were awesome! Quick, very professional, polite and even fun! It was the best moving experience we have ever had. We will recommend you to our friends and family and use you again in the future. Thank you so much for all you hard work and making moving so much easier.

Your guys were very careful, curteous and really hustled. I would highly recommend Flat Rate to anyone needing relocation - Great job!

Great Company! Would use their services for my next move for sure.. very happy and highly recommend them to anybody who wants to have a smooth move Roz

I was extremely pleased with the move. The moving crew was professional and worked very hard. I hope the delivery of the items is just as great!! I will definitely recommend very highly!!!! And will use FlatRate again. Thank you very much…. Mary Kay Gilmore & Kris Klabacha

Your movers, Boris and his crew, were very nice and very friendly. They took extra time to help us and make the move run smoother. I hope you commend them and let them know how much they were appreciated. I did tip them but I did not have as much money to tip them as I would have liked. They were worth much more than they made!!

The three movers themselves were the best I’ve used. Very smart, considerate guys. Salespeople tend to be good anywhere. But the three moving guys you sent were what made the move the best I’ve had.

Richard, Julio and Ernesto (?) were my movers and they were awesome from start to finish…i will absolutely recommend you guys to my friends.

The guys who came were early, professional, and nice. Definitely worth the money and surprisingly proactive to do the job correctly and considerately. I rarely leave feedback on websites but I was definitely that impressed.

First off, you probably want to e-mail my mom, Mary Kay, at j-k.gilmore@comcast.net, for her feedback, as she’s the one who organized everything and worked with Troy, and was also the main contact with the movers. The freight elevator in my apartment broke shortly after the team arrived but they persevered and continued to be in good spirits. I can’t say enough about how friendly and helpful they were. Every single person on the team worked hard, and they worked extremely well as a team. I wish we could have afforded to tip them more! That’s what I was mostly concerned with - making sure they earn enough money for everything that they do. They packed everything so carefully and thoroughly, and never rushed, even though the move took longer than expected. I was blown away by their ability to disassemble my Ikea furniture. I thought it’d be near impossible, but the foreman knew exactly how to handle each piece, and took time to communicate to his team how to dismantle and pack the parts. They were able to take the furniture apart easily and without any damage. I hope that the movers on the other end are as good as these guys are! Again, I wish that we could have offered them more money as a tip. Please give them all a bonus. They’re great guys, and dealt with a difficult situation (the broken elevator, the heat, things taking longer than they had planned) with ease and maintained a great attitude. Lots of people would have taken it out on us, or would have griped or complained, making us feel uncomfortable or guilty somehow. Not these guys - they were there to do the job and were committed to a high standard of work and professionalism. In addition, they were very personable, which made me and my family feel comfortable and at ease during the move.

We actually did two moves, one on the 8th and another on the 1st April. We jumped around a lot changing our dates many times and Troy just flowed with it all. We had Cleo and his team both times and they worked really really hard, but did everything we asked with a good attitude. We used them for both moves because they did such a good job on the first, we wanted to work with somebody we knew again. Good guys, good attitude and good job. Thank you FlatRate.

Very professional as they did an amazing job of protecting and wrapping all my furniture. I would highly recommend them and wouldn’t hesitate to use them in the future.

I love that my customer service rep, Richard, was friendly and called me… also to work with my budget… also I loved that the movers on the day of the move were early and moved everything in amazing time… and also helped me with all of the little things… they were very nice and respectful! I loved that when they unloaded they ask me where I would like things placed. I would highly recommend FlatRate moving to anyone who is planning to move… it was the easiest move I have ever had… thank you!!

FlatRate prices are very reasonable for the service that you are provided. Not only was our furniture moved with care, but we even had to store our stuff for a month and a half and the price could not be beat. Our crew was the best and a great group of guys. They were very easy to talk to and very friendly. Of course, they were very hard workers as well. Upon delivery to our new house, we had just got new wood floors put in. The movers happily carried all of our furniture without using equipment that could damage the floor. Even with the heavier pieces, the smiles never left their faces. We definitely had a great experience with the company and wouldn’t hesitate to use it for our next move. With all the horror stories about moving companies out there, we are happy to have found a professional, trustworthy business that we can count on.

This is our 2nd move with FlatRate.. both times have been 100% perfect. Very friendly movers.. My wife and I are very happy. We appreciate their excellent sense of integrity & professionalism. Thank you very much!

I really appreciated Ilia, my sales person, driving down from LA to do a complete walk through of my house in San Diego. The movers arrived promptly as expected on the day of the move. The crew was very pleasant and respectful of my furniture and items. They packed most of my items for me, and I was amazed at how quickly and efficiently they did it.

Excellent movers, polite and helpful, went above and beyond to make my move easy and painless. thanks omar and jerson!

Hi Flatrate Moving Team, Thank you very much for your support! It was the most professional, convenient and the fastest move ever. Your guys are friendly, fun, and very professional! We can only recommend your service and performance to everyone who doesn’t want to stress out. We’ll book you again for our next move, no question! Take care.

The team leader, Cory, was great. Nice and polite man, and good with his team He anticipated everything I needed and more. Terry and Travis were also excellent. Nice guys who were very skilled at their jobs and very strong! They packed everything carefully and I had NO PROBLEMS what so ever. I will recommend you to all my friends and coworkers. I am so glad I used your company. I think your men went above and beyond., they really cared about my move and you could tell. As we know, moving can be stressful but they made iit (almost haha) easy. Thank you for a great service!

I wanted to take a moment and thank all of the movers which came out and moved our Corporate office. They were all very professional, courtious and very helpful . All of the movers had good attitudes and worked well together. We had many very heavy and expensive pieces and were pleasently surprised with the amount of care taken to ensure everything was moved without any damage. Thank you again Alison Belvin

I have moved more times in my life than I care to think about. My most recent move (with FlatRate Movers) was, without a doubt, the easiest, fastest, and most professional move of them all. Every detail was carried out with precision, care and speed. FANTASTIC!!

Every aspect went smoothly. It was a pleasure to not have the movers hold my furniture and valuable hostage while they raised the price of the move on me. All involved were very professional. I must admit I was surprised though to see in the contract papers on the day of moving that a 15% tip was customary and expected. I gave 10% and thought that should be verbalized before the movers arrived. All in all I was very pleased and would most definately use Flat Rate to move again.

You guys are awesome. Everything from the initial contact with the salesperson Ilya to the excellent service of the foreman and the other 2 movers, you have done a tremendous job. Moving can be quite a stressful activity and FlatRate made it as easy as possible with your well trained staff. The people who work at FlatRate had positive attitudes and were knowledgable. I would highly recommend FlatRate to anyone who is moving and will use you guys in the future. Cheers, Cliff

Straight-forward, timely, professional, customer-service oriented, flexible, kind and relatively stress-free. all the things you want your move to be.

The crew that you sent to do our move was EXTREMELY professional. The worked very efficiently. I will definitely use your service again, I would LOVE to have the same guys!!!! You exceeded our expectations (we move a lot, and have used several companies)

I’d like to commend Gerson for his personal attention to detail and reassurance. As any one of us knows, it’s hard to watch your property being handled by others, but he thoroughly explained the team’s plan, and was confident in what they were capable of doing. Great leader. The team seemed to work well together, and were exceptionally friendly. Thanks guys, very much.

Our pick-up,delivery and set-up was handled very professionally. The consultant and moving day supervisor helped me feel at ease and made sure I was pleased with the entire moving experience. I would use FlatRate again and recommend their service to my friends!

No doubt, cab drivers and movers knows better than anyone what we calls “their game,” and how easy it is for them to get the other side of the city, the busy hours, and gas expenses. Writing these lines seating by Mexican cab driver (”what is the permitted speed?”) the radio said: “Alton Road on Miami Beach does not work. Traffic is clogged, pedestrians cannot cross, and bicyclists cannot ride safely…”. These guys (cab drivers and moving companies) know exactly the right and easiest path to go!

It will be nice if you get me mobile phone number of cab driver or movers truck
 

Helpful links to get you faster in Miami, FL

Where To Find Florida Maps and Directions  - http://www.mapathon.com/fl.shtml

Miami Traffic Reports - http://www.traffic.com/Miami-Traffic/Miami-Traffic-Reports.html

Map of Miami, FL by MapQuest - http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?city=miami&state=fl

Map of North Miami, FL by MapQuest - http://www.mapquest.com/maps/North+Miami+FL/?ua=traffic

Just wanted to post a good experience (for a change!). After the very bad experience we had with Peace Movers, about which I posted on July 19, we called FlatRate Moving of Rockville. They had a move date available 2 days later, showed up in their own clearly marked truck, with 3 guys for both pick-up and delivery, as promised. And they showed up on time — 9 am on the dot, in fact — on both ends! The movers — Warren, Mario, and John — were very courteous, careful, with our stuff, and fast in both loading and unloading. And there were no issues with the price — they collected what was on the contract, no arguments. What a relief, and such a change from our first almost-experience. They helped us every step of the way, and everything came out right on time it was perfect. Thank you Flatrate moving.

My name is Jack Holmes and I have just recently moved to LA from Florida. At first I had many difficulties arranging my stuff, I didn’t even know where to start. So I call up one of my friends which moved not to long ago himself. He told me that as he was searching the Internet last month, he saw this company called FLATRATE they don’t charge by the hour and they move over long distances. So I took my friends advice and I contacted Flatrate.

Ever since I did that, my moving process couldn’t have gotten any easier. The guys from Flatrate helped me all the way from arranging the technical details, to the actual packing. They told me “If you ever need any help at all, with anything that has to do with packing we are always available”. The next day by about mid day every thing was unloaded and in its place. All the big things were pretty much in their place. They had such good service that the guys even started unpacking kitchen utilities and more things.

If you are looking for a reliable moving company Flatrate moving is it.

I truly recommend Flatrate moving.

I have searched Google  How do I, or What to do with me nice blinds and shades while moving to a new house? Not much information though… I guess, nobody is taking them on his move. What do you think? 

I did find a company you can call and will tell you for free what to do! Their website is http://www.shadesco.com/ ann the phone number in NYC is (toll free): 888-454-4344 

I copied their thing: The Shade Company specializes in all window adornments such as blinds new york, shades New York, shutters, solar shades, silhouettes and custom drapery for all windows. Their wide selection will accent & improve your room appearance while allowing the perfect flow of light through your windows.

What If My Mover …

Won’t Deliver My Goods?
Increases the Agreed Price?
Disappears with My Possessions?

What If My Mover Won’t Deliver My Goods?
If you have paid the mover 110% of the non-binding estimate or 100% of the binding estimate and the mover fails to deliver your goods, they have violated the Federal regulations for the protection of household good shippers. You should call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) to file a complaint.

What If My Mover Increases the Agreed Price?
If the mover increases the price you are not required to pay no more than 100% of the binding estimate or 110% of the non-binding estimate. The mover is required to bill any additional charges 30 days after delivery of your goods.

What If My Mover Disappears with My Possessions?
You should call 1-888-DOT-SAFT (1-888-368-7238) to file a complaint. You may also contact the State Attorney General’s office or appropriate enforcement agency in your State.
Source: http://www.protectyourmove.gov/consumer/awareness/faq/faq.htm

Two weeks ago I moved into my new apartment and had lots of fun assembling IKEA furniture and getting my stuff on-site. Now that the flat is furnished just marvelous, I enjoying it a lot. (However, it will get even better when I get my Internet connection set up Because of all that, I  decided to move into an apartment I can afford to rent on my own. For the sake of the curious, I’m documenting the move. (I’ll add stuff as I go along, but I’m pretty busy, so please be patient.)

Today, for the fun of it, I moved a bunch of stuff (Surprise, surprise). Mostly more kitchen stuff, and the food from the fridge. I also took some nice naps.

The following pictures show the great guys that helped me move in. Everything was so smooth and all my stuff came with no damage! Here is some pictures of the great people that moved me in:

Step 1 - Planning

When you have made your decision and are sure you are going to move within the next two months, find a reliable moving company that will help you plan your move.You may think what does planning your move mean ? The answer depends on you. You may want to plan with the movers how to move the fragile objects, and where to put them in your new apartment. You may also want to plan the details of the moving hours (what will be moved, to where, how, and when).The planning  strictly depends on you.

Step 2 - Packaging

The packing process to me was a difficult task because it seemed endless. As a single guy  I had a huge mess in my apartment, and I didn’t know where to start. So I called up some experienced friends, and they told me to call the moving company I was using to help me through this messy crisis. I called the movers, and they told me:”The first step to moving is getting the right boxes”. Start by packing the things you need the least such as old clothes and furniture, and slowly move on to things that are needed but you can survive without them, till you move to your new home.

The major work starts when you get to fragile objects such as glass cups china and silverware. Before you start packing these fragile objects you must cover each cup, plate, and anything else that might break with paper(any paper),this is to make bumping in the box softer so that nothing cracks in the box. This is frustrating work because you must make sure that everything is covered with paper from all sides and is packed well into the box. 

When you already packaged everything in the house, the last part in the packaging process is the kitchen. Pack all your pots and food on the last day. Package your food well so it doesn’t spoil.

Step 3 - Moving

On the day you move, make sure you go over the plan you made with the moving agent, and make sure the movers know it well. Make sure the movers see the fragile signs on the boxes, and that they place them on top of the other boxes so their fragile content stays whole. Also make sure that the movers are working efficiantly and are on schedule. All you have to do now is set up your new apartment, and enjoy it. 

Here is another story received today from Santi Meinthes.

My long-distance move, made in January 2007, was from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Mill Bay, Canada. A distance of about 10,500 miles as the crow flies - much further as the plane flies.

Moving myself and my husband was easy - we got on the airplane and flew via London and Vancouver to Victoria, then rented a car and drove to our house which we had purchased some three months earlier.

Moving the cats was a different matter.
Moving the rest of our belongings was easy at first then turned into a pain.

Firstly we had to consider whether it was worth the expense and the time to do what everybody else does, namely, pack everything into a shipping container and ship it. Despite the assurances of the moving agents, anybody who looks at the world map and the shipping routes can work out that it takes a lot longer than the 3 months (!) that they quote to move from Johannesburg to Mill Bay. In fact, even 6 months is an optimistic estimate.

What are you going to sleep on, sit on, cook in, etc during that time? Taking even sufficient clothes, toiletries and just the essential important documents with you personally fills your baggage allowance so you can not take one pot and a set of cutlery as well! (We were way over our limits as it is and had to pay for the extra weight). Maybe you can buy “just the cheap essentials”? What’s the point of doing that, really?

The argument above plus the fact that most of our stuff was old and needed replacement in any case resulted in our decision to fly rather than ship - only the personal and essential small stuff - and to buy completely new furniture and other accoutrements in Canada.

We asked two moving companies who operate internationally (yes, they both operate in the USA as well) to give us quotes. One was not too interested and the agent’s attitude eliminated them almost from the word go. The other was much more helpful and enthusiastic and we selected them. Very well-known but I won’t divulge their name.

They arrived on the appointed day and packed - very well done, they took great care with paintings, fragile paraphernalia, CD’s and so forth.

Now here’s the rub: the contract we signed in South Africa included unpacking, and rearrangement of goods in the destination dwelling, and removal of all packaging material including the crate(s). When it arrived in Vancouver however, we were told that this is NOT included. While trying to sort it out, a truck stopped in front of the house, dumped one 6×9x4 ft wooden crate and one smaller crate in the driveway and left.

It was raining - this is Canada in the winter, remember. I was alone at the house, newly arrived, don’t know a soul. I supposed I should be thankful that at least the goods were delivered to the house and that I did not have to fetch it in Vancouver. I had a screwdriver and a hammer - no crowbar, no trolley, no nothing.

I opened those crates with the screwdriver and hammer (don’t ask), hauled the boxes out (do you know how heavy is a 15×35x30 inch box stuffed with books?), carried the boxes inside and unpacked it. It took two days, and I ended up with a mountain of cardboard and an avalanche of Styrofoam. But at least our stuff was out of the rain.

And there stood the crates - I can’t move the newly purchased vehicle into the garage, and I can’t move the crate by myself - I tried, it was way too heavy.

Fortunately, our calls and emails, and finally, my husband’s personal meeting with the manager back in Johannesburg, resulted in another truck pulling up to my door, and they dismantled and removed the crates and all the packaging material.

Will I recommend this company to anybody else? Of course not. On the contrary.
Will I recommend this kind of move? Yes - we have purchased quality new furniture but all our personal little treasures are still with us and at least the house was transformed into a home within two months.
Will I move again sometime soon? Not bloody likely.

Packing 

Start with the items that are least used and, if possible, pack the items in one room at a time. Make sure you use strong boxes for packing. Always fill the box to the top and close the lid. By doing so, you can stack the boxes on top of each other. Before you start packing your items in the box, ensure that the bottoms of the boxes are well taped to hold the contents. Masking tape is not recommended as the packing tape because it is easy to tear it off. The best type of tape to use is plastic of a width of approximately 1.5 to 2 inches. Never pack the boxes too heavy such that they cannot be lifted safely. Keep each box below 20kg. Try to balance the weight by packing heavy items with some light bulky items such as linen, towels, cushions or soft toys. For boxes that contain both heavy and light items, always place the heavier items at the bottom, graduating to the lightest items on top. Use bubble wrap to pack fragile items. Alternatively, you can use newspapers for packing breakable items. However, do take note that the ink on the newspaper may be smudged onto the packed items. Label all the items in each box clearly. This will come in handy when you unpack the boxes in your new house. Boxes containing fragile or valuable items should also be clearly marked. Pack a bag of daily items that you may need to use 1 or 2 days before and after the move. Do not pack any flammable goods, explosives, and perishable foods with the other items in the boxes. Pack them separately, label the boxes clearly and inform your mover.

Fridges/Freezers

Consume/dispose all groceries in the fridges, if possible, so that you do not need to worry about bringing these groceries to your new house. Empty, defrost and dry out your fridge/freezer one day before the moving. Switch on the fridge/freezer only a few hours after moving to your new house to let the coolants settled down.

Moving your pets

If possible, make arrangements for your pet(s) to stay with a friend, relative or neighbor whom it is comfortable with. As pet(s) are sensitive animals, they may be distressed with strangers coming into the house for the move. If you cannot find a suitable candidate to take care of your pet(s) during the move, then you may secure your pet in one room to minimise any inconvenience. Make a tag with your name, new phone number and place it onto its collar for the day of the move. In the event that they do really escape during the move, this will increase their chances of getting back to you.

Moving your fish

Never move your fish in their tank. Take the fish out and then remove the water from the tank. Fish should be transported in clean, strong, polythene bags part filled with the tank water. Make sure that you seal the bags leaving a good air pocket above the water. Secure the bags with 2 strong rubber bands and try to use double bags to reduce the chance of leaks. Gently place the bags into a box and clearly label the box with the position arrow or the words “this way up”. Do not feed your fish for at least 24 hours before the move. By doing this you will minimize wastes in the bag. This could harm the fishes, especially those larger fishes that regurgitate food when stressed. Do not forget to keep living plants also bagged up with enough tank water to keep them moist.

Moving your plants

Plants are one of the items that will take up most space in the truck. Cut off any protruding branches/stalks, which might break off or cause a problem during the move. On the moving day, drain off excess water from the plant pots/vases. Line a box with plastic sheet or newspaper. If the pots are breakable, separate them with newspaper and clearly label the box “fragile”. Do not shut the lid so that the moving team can see that there are plants inside and won’t stack anything on top of the boxes. Large pots should be placed inside plastic bags to prevent the soil from falling out.

Born Yankee

OK so I’ll admit it. I’m a New Englander through and through. Snow is my favorite season and if you are fortunate enough to live in New England, you know that it doesn’t just fall in the Winter. It has its own season, hence my remark. I love the laid back atmosphere of small town New England life where everybody makes a point to know everybody and his siblings. And even though I wasn’t used to it at the time I encountered it, I also like the aloofness of New England city life. It was in Boston after all that I learned help won’t magically fall deus ex machina style onto you in times of need like it would in the country. However, in a pouring downpour with no umbrella and nylons falling as fast as the rain, if you but speak to a passing person you’ll not only receive directions to your interview but use of their umbrella as well. You see, New England is just that way city or country. And I’m still of the impression there is no better place for me than there.

My decision to leave not only New Hampshire but New England behind was a difficult one. In the Fall of 2006 I’d met the man of the dreams or the man of the hour, after only two months of knowing him I could hardly be sure which. Where he was due to be stationed in Virginia by New Year, our sprouting relationship was doomed to fail if I didn’t agree to make the adventurous 16 hour drive to visit or more sensibly to live. Neither of us wanted a distance relationship. Without a doubt the hardest part of leaving Manchester behind was the life I’d created for myself there. After four years of living in the area, I’d finally found myself in a happy, single state with an urban family to keep me occupied on the weekends when I didn’t quite make it home. My parents, who lived only three hours away would visit and would view Manchester with awe, like I had before living there for awhile. Coming from the woods to the city is quite an experience! In Manchester I had dates and dinners, invitations to bonfires and people who sung to me over the phone and urged me out on special occasions. I hadn’t experienced such acceptance since college. I had a job that paid more than I deserved for work that I loved. My best friend had moved next door. I took walks through the woods before heading to Barnes & Noble. If my life was tea, I had steeped.

In the end it wasn’t me who made the decision to move. My company announced a merger and I was laid off with severance on November 15. The apartment I’d had for just under a year would no longer be affordable without commuting into Boston and I didn’t want to commute into Boston. In retrospect I could have moved into a more affordable place once my lease expired, but what would I do for work? Could I afford a cheaper apartment? Would it be safe? Cheaper apartments are usually in the bad parts of town and I hadn’t had roommates since I graduated college in 2001. I didn’t want a roommate. Perhaps I wanted a relationship?

I convinced my boyfriend to remain in New Hampshire through Thanksgiving. As much as I love New Hampshire anyway, having him enjoying the area with me made it all the better. We shared a meal with my parents in Northern New Hampshire and all too soon I watched him start on his long drive back to his parent’s home in Alabama for Christmas. It was hard watching him go. The small studio I’d rented seemed even smaller without his few items stuffed here or there. I decided to spend as much time with my family as I could before the move and practically lived with them during my final month of the lease. Eventually I did have to make the drive to my silent apartment to start packing. Seeing everything around me gradually disappear into Public Storage boxes and tote bags felt like I’d pulled the plug on my life all too soon. It had taken me four years to create that happy life and here I was leaving it all behind for the unknown. I had very little faith the relationship would last longer than my apparent six months maximum and I’d only been to Virginia once before moving there! What was I doing?

The night before the move I received a phone call from my boyfriend. He was on his way to Virginia from Alabama and we’d meet at the apartment we’d both selected on an earlier trip down the next day. For all intents and purposes it was a done deal. My car was packed and the only thing I kept on hand was a pillow and the phone. I tearfully explained I “couldn’t do it”. I couldn’t leave my family, my friends and my life behind. Going to college was only two hours from my Mom and that was hard enough. How would I see her, my nephews and everyone else? I’d never flown and they wouldn’t fly or drive that distance. I wasn’t too keen on driving it myself honestly. I told him no. He hung up on me only after asking me the unanswerable “what am I supposed to do now?” I cried myself to sleep but felt relieved. At least I had made the right decision for me. Mom was pleased when I told her too by phone. It had to be the right decision. My best friend next door agreed it was a good decision too and he’d been the one most encouraging about giving things a chance “down there.” In the morning I awoke to the phone. It was my boyfriend. He said he’d been thinking and it was OK if I didn’t want to move but we shouldn’t be apart on New Years Eve. He asked me to come down “just for the weekend” and while I was reluctant, I felt I owed it to him. He’d been so good to me. He deserved this. I left the next morning with my car still packed. He was so good to me he agreed to drive extra into Maryland and meet me at the hotel we’d stayed in on our one and only trip down. He knew how nervous I was about getting lost on the last leg of the trip.

Seeing him again through that ground floor hotel room window (even before he threw open the door) changed everything. I knew once I’d stepped through that door that I wouldn’t be going back to New Hampshire without him. He teased that he’d force me to leave on Monday but by Sunday we were unpacking my car together. That was it. I’d arrived in Virginia Beach and I’d be here for three years. We didn’t have furniture yet but we, being happy to be reunited, had fast food picnics on our floor. We watched movies on his laptop and I called my Mom from his cell phone.It wasn’t too long before things came together down here too. He took special liberty to bring me home to get my cat who had been living with Mom during the move stress. I found employment in the Human Resources of a publishing company albeit temporary. It was only once here that I realized how very different, even Virginia is from New England.

I suppose Southern Hospitality applies even this far “North”. They’re quick to state they aren’t “Southerners” here, but I believe differently. The most notable characteristic of Virginians is their ready friendliness. Everyone talks to everyone and seems to want to know everyone. It’s happened to me in laundry mats, at bus stops and even in grocery stores. People converse with strangers here. At first I thought I’d found Mecca, a big city with small town values. Over time I learned it’s a little different. Over time I learned that the initial Southern Hospitality displayed was their way of sizing you up. From answers you gave to specific questions you’d be pegged into likable or dis-likable categories. Without the realization that this was the reasoning behind the friendliness, I answered everything exactly as I would have back home. I’ve since learned to be less open. Perhaps it’s a negative thing to say but I just simply prefer the New England trait of people only associating with people they have a genuine desire in being friends with. You’re not sized up in New England unless someone is genuinely interested in you. The sizing might not happen right away. Down here, everyone is sized up almost equally and always immediately. Like I said, it’s a bit different.

The other challenge I had to contend with was the fact that everyone I seem to encounter here is extremely conservative. In a prior job I was in the process of being sized up (unaware I was of course, I thought we were just chatting casually) when I mentioned something about having a Wiccan Gay friend back home. Jaws dropped literally and before I knew it I was back to work alone and virtually ignored the rest of the day. To this day I don’t know which part offended them more. I don’t want to say that everyone who is religious is conservative, but it seems that those I’ve encountered here want you to either be Baptist or dead. Things don’t bode so well for those of us with no religious affiliation at all. It appears you only have spirit here if you actively attend, kind of like you can only be a true Southerner if you love grits. It’s rare you travel anywhere here without hearing God spoken of as often as food. It’s a cultural thing that took a few months to get used to. Back home religion is more “personal” from my experience. I definitely never heard a coworker up North stand up and say “God spoke to me and told me I was a prophet” followed by a fellow coworker’s “Praise Jesus!” I had to hold back my quite New England reaction of “Well if you’re truly a prophet, why are you working in a debt collection’s agency?”

I’ve lived in Virginia Beach a full year now and that’s enough to make me realize that most people in this area aren’t even from this area. It’s an area populated primarily to support the War On Terror it seems and there’s nowhere you’ll be able to go without seeing evidence of a military lifestyle. In a way the area reminds me of a letter I once received from a Malaysian pen pal I once had. She praised God and her President in the same breath. It’s that way here too. God and Bush, Bush and God. My motto can no longer be “Live Free or Die”. It has to be “Love Both Or Leave”. Forgive me for saying this, but “I’m Still Here!” And as for the family and friends I left behind when I left New Hampshire…they’re still here too. Technology is a marvelous thing and I’m able to talk to Mom on the phone every morning. My friends I keep in touch with via email and regular letters and on those rare occasions I have made it home, sure it seems impossible to gather together friends in three different states for a brief period of time on a workday when I happen to be able to swing through but you know something, it happens. Sometimes I think they were more distant when I lived next door.

The point in all of this is that even when you don’t expect or want to make a long move away from life as you’ve known it so far, that life doesn’t vanish with the packing of your car or a really expensive moving truck. You don’t lose friends or family once you hop on the turnpike. Sure you may find yourself in an area with different beliefs, values or customs then you’re used to but that doesn’t mean you should rule out the possibility that even here, in an area so remote from all you love, that you can’t make another new and good life. People are downright people. Eventually you will find friends and you will find parts of your new city that remind you of your old one. I like to go to a park nearby and sit on the grass. It reminds me of the fields near Mom’s and on a quiet day I can go back without ever having to pay a toll.

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