A big smoke joins the hayseeds
There has been much written about peeps moving out of our cities to more regional places this year. Almost all have been written from the big smoke’s perspective. Only a few journos have bothered to look at the other side of the coin.
I am, these days, a hayseed. We moved to a small village, an hour south of Hobart, before Covid and it was part of a long-term plan. We have been planning this move for over ten years.
So, if you are seriously considering a similar move – but not to Tasmania please as we are now FULL – then here are some things that we have learnt so far.
Don’t talk about money or your financial situation. The locals don’t care, they aren’t impressed, and it is the quickest way to ostracise yourself.
If you have personalised licence plates or are into similar shows of, well wankiness, then you might really ask yourself if moving a regional town, especially a small one, is really for you. Best drop all wonkiness too!
If you think the move will change you, or your relationship, the maybe take a breather and think again, old habits die hard, leopards don’t change their spots. You get the drift. We weren’t going to get a TV screen when we moved. Work as much. Go out a lot more. Etc. Etc.
Don’t complain. The local café, and other such businesses, open their set hours, there is often little choice and folks take their time turning up, especially when you employ them.
Worse still don’t make enemies. What might be done, even encouraged, in the big smoke, could make your life hell in the hayseeds. Drop flipping the bird, loud hooting of the horn, cutting in at the grocery line or stealing parking spots.
On a more positive note, if the weather is good embrace it. The locals do.
Ask the local store owners what’s what and who’s who. Don’t announce your arrival, they can smell the newness on you from a mile away. And this is important, support all their businesses. It will cost you more but well that’s surely one of the reasons you moved isn’t it, for that sense of community. If so then you will have to support local things, including business.
Having said that, and to misquote Dylan, “the locals don’t need you and they expect the same”. So, don’t get any ideas – well not too soon – about how you could ‘change the town’. Think them sure, wax lyrical plenty at home but don’t air that shite in public. This is another sure way to ostracise oneself. And if you are going to get involved, which is to be encouraged, slowly slowly.
Pay your bills on time and don’t be too much of a pain in the arse if employing tradies, yard help and when receiving deliveries or similar. Yes, the locals want your work and brass, but they aren’t slaves, they aren’t below your standing and, well in small places, the word gets around fast. Spend time talking to them too, ask them who they are, what they know, you they recommend, it will pay dividends in the end.
It will take at least two generations for you to be ‘accepted’ as a local. So, don’t even try. It’s their town, you are a blow in. You might think you are putting down some roots. Deep ones even, but the locals will think otherwise.
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