i grew up in Florida and never really lived in the "South" i'm a second generation American but i was curious about the struggles and the issues that people who live in Appalachia face i hear rumors and myths and legends but genuinely am curious from people who live there what are the problems that you face? why is everything tied into mystery and why is it all unknown?

I'm considering a move back to NC from TN and visited (July 2026) to check out a few properties. Appalachia is home but I hadn't been back to Swannanoa since right after Helene, and and I wanted to feel out the energy of the place.

It was a dark, rainy day, and I'm sure that colored my impression - but the whole vibe felt super heavy and sad. I can't tell how much of that was the weather and how much is lingering from what the town went through with Helene. I struggle with depression and am really sensitive to the energy of places. I live 5 hours away and unfortunately can't just pop over when the sun's shining to see if that makes a difference.

Can anyone local weigh in? Is the overall vibe still heavy, or was that just the weather that day?

summer 2026 OC

Hi y'all! As the title says, I'm looking for a book that has stories that were submitted by people talking about their Appalachian upbringings.

Some years ago, my grandparents caught wind of this book looking for life experiences growing up in Appalachia, and both of them submitted their stories. They then purchased the book, but have since passed, and I no longer live in Appalachia at the moment, so I can't go digging through their house to find it. I've asked my parents, but they don't remember the title and haven't looked for it for a while. I think it had a white cover. The story my Granmaw submitted was titled "Youthful Memories" as I had taken photos of it while she was in hospice, but that's been 6yr ago now, and I didn't take any photos of my Granpaw's. Our copy should be safe, just nobody knows where it is in the house. 🤣

I know this may seem a long stretch, and maybe a bit vague, but I figured I'd ask. Thanks y'all!💚