About Me

In Feb. 1998, the company I worked for offered me a nice relocation package to move from New York City to the work at their location in the Research Triangle Park. They gave me 3 days to visit and a few weeks to decide.

I knew little about Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill (AKA Triangle) back in those days and I was under the impression that the area was a group of small rural and isolated towns with little cultural diversity and, worse yet, that I would be the only foreigner walking around (Asian descent). I had also heard that down south they rolled up the sidewalks at night and everyone stayed home in the evenings and on weekends because there was nothing to do. This was much different than NYC and I must admit it was also a bit scary. But I wanted to give it a chance. So I decided to make a one-year commitment. But the night before my relocation, I had a nightmare . . .

In the dream I rented a hut – in Raleigh – and it was in the middle of a grass field surrounded by a jungle tribe. Throughout the night they were chanting and dancing around my hut with spears and arrows – waiting to eat me alive! I woke up in sweat with a renewed fear of moving there. But It was too late to change my mind because the moving truck had gathered all my belongings the day before and was already en route to Raleigh.

Now I laugh about that story. Looking back, I am so glad I did not change my mind or I would not have discovered such a wonderful place which I now call “home” nor developed a taste for Southern “sweet tea”. And I truly appreciate the smiles of people everywhere I go and their common patience as they take time to talk and listen, not just rush by. Here I learned what “Southern Hospitality means.

I hope my experience as a former outsider and transplanted North Carolinian at heart will help you see Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill in a personal way, with all its character and personality.

With Warmest Regards,

Sherry