Is there a difference? How do the people differ? Are the people in the south more hospitable? What is the weather like?
I'm going to try and take a stab at things but remember these are based on my own opinions. You may feel differently one way or another but these are my experiences so far. Also remember these are the feelings of a girl raised in the south.
Is there a difference? Yes. Not one of huge proportions but there is one. The following will help you to understand why I feel this way.
But first a little back history. As a girl raised in the south I'd already assumed there would be one. One of my friends back home but it best, "When I was growing up anything north of I4 was considered yankee in my family."
How do the people differ? I'm finding them to be a little stuffy. Not as friendly as the people I'm used to back home. It may be because I grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone. I don't know. I am finding that southern people are more hospitable. Two stories.
I was grocery shopping the other day in Super Stop & Shop here in Stamford, Connecticut. I was cruising through the aisle when I came across an older lady. I was trying to squeeze by and politely told her excuse me. Her response was a huff and then she rolled her eyes. A seventy year old lady rolled her eyes at me. This is when I became confused.
Yesterday, I decided to do a little exploring on my own. I went into Greenwich, Connecticut. I had heard there was fabulous shopping down on Greenwich Avenue and wanted to see for myself. I strolled down the street occassionally stopping into stores and finding out I couldn't afford anything in there. Then as I walked closer to the end I noticed a statue in a church garden. I stopped and began reading it. It was a statue of a soldier and carved in the stone were the names of all the fallen soldiers from WWII who lived in Greenwich. I then heard a man say hello. He was a friendly older man who was sitting on a bench with his pet maltese. He told me I had a nice smile. His next statement threw me. "You aren't from around here are you?" We continued on and he explained that people from up here don't smile and that possessions are what mattered. He thanked me for making his day and that is was refreshing to see a young girl smile.
Moving on to the weather.
The weather is totally different. My roommate and I have only turned the AC on once. The nights dip into the fifties and the past two weeks haven't got out of the seventies. According to the meterologist we should be seeing the eighties this week.
So is there a difference? You've read my feelings and experiences but you decide.
3 comments:
You are so right! I've always noticed, especially in humor that northerners are much different from southerners. I love your observations!
I generally agree with what you're saying. There is a difference, but I have a little something to add. Many people in some parts of Connecticut are known to be a little stuffy and stuck up. There are some areas up there with nice people too. Maybe not in the "good 'ol Southern hospitality" sort of way, but nice enough.
Also, I should warn you that July's in NY can get pretty brutal.
I can tell you don't feel quite at home, but that's just normal. Hopefully, by the end of this experience you'll feel really good about your time there. And I hope everything's going well.
Having grown up in the north and then spending the last 10 years in Richmond, I don't think there is really much difference in the people. Maybe the only difference is that it seems like people up north tend to move a lot faster while southerners seem content to "take it easy."
There are stuffy parts up north, like some parts of Connecticut (as Sergio mentioned) and upstate NY. But there are some very pretentious people in Richmond as well. On the flip side, I know a lot of Richmonders who are down to earth and exhibit "Southern hospitality" to it's fullest. Likewise many of the people I grew up with in Jersey are some of the friendliest people I know.
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