Consulates
Mexico (Honorary)
Though the crime rate is not astronomical, Charlotte is still a city -- don't let your guard all the way down. If you are uptown, the biggest worry is auto theft/break-in, which is hardly rampant. Violent crime is relatively rare in the central district, as well as the affluent southern side of town. The most dangerous areas are the west and east sides.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police CMPD almost always maintain a visible presence in crowded areas. If you have trouble, look for an officer. Note that in certain parts of the city the police are deployed on bikes as well as cars.
libraries
Library branches are scattered across the city, and vary in size and function. Typically there are street signs nearby to direct you toward the nearest branch. Also, there are substantial libraries at each of the local universities.
contact
The city of Charlotte has mandatory 10-digit dialing, so you must include the area code even on local calls. Charlotte has two area codes: 704 and 980.
There are some public pay phones scattered around the city, but they are becoming increasingly rare with the predominance of cell phones. It is not safe to assume you will be able to find a pay phone at any given time.
All ZIP codes in the city of Charlotte begin with 282. The central district's code is 28202.
international visitors
Compared to large tourist destinations, Charlotte has a relatively small international population. Locals are usually quite friendly toward foreign visitors, especially those who are able to speak English. Speakers of other languages may find the language barrier more difficult to break than in "international" cities though Spanish-speakers will likely have an easier time. It is recommended that international visitors keep their passport handy at all times.
Charlotte's sister cities are Arequipa Peru, Krefeld Germany, Baoding China, Voronezh Russia, Limoges France, Wroclaw Poland, and Kumasi Ghana.
International House
322 Hawthorne Ln, +1 704-333-8099, (http://www.ihclt.org). International visitors to Charlotte are strongly encouraged to begin their visit at the International House. Though it is worth the trip south of Uptown to visit the historic neoclassical mansion and meet the friendly staff, the IH can also be very helpful in finding interpreters, translated documents, travel information, etc.Immigration and Naturalization Service
210 E Woodlawn Rd Ste 138, Bldg 6, (http://www.ins.gov). M-F 7:30AM-2PM.Armenian Cultural Association of the Carolinas
+1 704 334-5353 x239.Bosnian Organization
+1 704 921-9080.Cambodian Community Association
+1 704 566-0155.Chinese American Association
+1 704 593-0897.Eritrean Community Organization
+1 704 563-9000.Ethiopian Community
+1 704 343-6629.Filipino-American Community
+1 704 541-5944.Ghana National Association
+1 704 567-2510.Haitian American Club of the Carolinas
+1 704 537-1785.India Association of Charlotte
+1 704 948-7664.Iranian Group
+1 704-321-3578.Islamic Society of Greater Charlotte
+1 704 568-0907.Japan-America Society of Charlotte
+1 704 687-2727.Korean Association of Charlotte
+1 704 376-8820.Laotian Cultural Center
2208 Rowan Way, +1 704 393-3588.Laos American Association of North Carolina
+1 704 393-7363.Metrolina Phoenician Club
+1 704 846-2269.Taiwanese-American Association of Greater Charlotte
+1 704 847-6340.Vietnamese Community Association of Charlotte
+1 704 568-8744.
worship
Like most cities in the American South, Charlotte's communities have historically been centered around Protestant Christian churches though this is changing as the city diversifies and urbanizes. A complete list of worship sites is impractical; below are listings which don't fit into a as of yet specified district so be sure to check out the district articles.
There are many foreign-language places of worship in the Charlotte area. For information about them, contact the International House (http://www.ihclt.org) at +1 704 333-8099.
Hindu Center of Charlotte
7400 City View Drive, +1 704 535-3440. A Hindu temple performing Hindu rituals and practices since 1982.Wat Lao Buddharam
1824 Toddville Rd, +1 704 597-5037. Laotian community of Buddhists in a relatively large temple grounds. Services are in Laotian.Ash-shaheed Islamic Center
2717 Tuckaseegee Rd, +1 704 394-6579. Primarily an African-American Islamic community, located on the city's west side.Masjid Ali Shah Center
1230 Beatties Ford Rd, +1 704 377-9010, (http://www.pluralism.org/...). Smaller community in western Charlotte.
breathing
Charlotte is not a good allergy city, due to the abundance of flowering trees and greenspace.
Smog has become an increasing concern in recent years, as the city becomes more populated and in turn hosts more auto traffic. Local authorities monitor ozone levels and make public announcements (http://http://daq.state.n...) "vulnerable" groups children, the elderly, etc. are at risk. These announcements are carried on local television, radio, and newspapers.
smoking
North Carolina is known as "Tobacco Road", and cigarettes are almost ubiquitous in Charlotte. However, due to changing attitudes about smoking, North Carolina passed a law that went into effect in January 2010 banning smoking in all bars and restaurants in the state. It is still legal to smoke on the street, though you may want to be considerate of others if you are in a crowded area. Smoking is also permitted at most nightclubs provided they do not serve food. At concert venues such as Bobcats Arena there are outdoor decks for smokers.
In general, it is a good idea to be polite about smoking... whether you smoke or not. If you smoke, try to do it in an area in which others won't be bothered by it. If you are a non-smoker, be aware in advance of whether you will likely be bothered by smoke in a particular place. In North Carolina people tend to be much less sensitive to smoking than in other parts of the country, so you will likely be received with a bit of bewilderment if you make a scene about it.