A-Town Vision (Atlanta, Forest Park, Clayton: fit in, transplants, homes)

[Scott Summers]

I am a first time poster, so bear with me. To start off I am from the A originally but I moved to East TN back in 2002 and I still get homesick, a lot. I had a discussion with a guy I worked with and I was telling him the good things about Atlanta and he got all upset and started trashing my city and being ignorant (this guy was only here briefly). I grew up in Atlanta, my mother is from cental FL (also spent half her life in western NY) and my father is from Cincinnati and I grew up spending my holiday vacation/summer breaks in my parents hometown. I grew up on the dreaded (according to some) southside and Forest Park then moved to NE TN and immediatly was an outcast. I thought to my self "How do New Yorkers do it", I know Atlanta is flawed but at least I got along with people from other regions and what not. I would like to see Atlanta turn into a place where people from all over the US can come and talk and chill with each other, up here in TN these folk hated on me because they thought I was from up top (the North) but I had to let them no that I was from deeper South then they were and what did it matter anyway.I could add to my novel but I won't, my question is, What do you want Atlanta to be in your eyes?

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by BravoFan

ITo start off I am from the A originally but I moved to East TN back in 2002 ...I would like to see Atlanta turn into a place where people from all over the US can come and talk and chill with each other, up here in TN these folk hated on me because they thought I was from up top (the North) but I had to let them no that I was from deeper South then they were and what did it matter anyway.

Well, Gawd knows I may catch hell for this, but here goes...

You moved to East Tennessee. Now what images do we get from East Tennessee? Somewhat rural (though they do have Knoxville), lots of nature, mountains, small country towns, and oh - white.

Now, you grew up in South Atlanta which you call "the A", and you complain that people don't "talk and chill" with you up there, and they "hated on me because they thought I was from up top".

Ok - again, I'm gonna cross a line here and I'm NOT insulting you personally, but SOME people are going to read what you typed, determine how you supposedly talk (based on how you type) and say that your style of language and communication is (here I go).. "somewhat on the urban side".

Now, in um.. "The A", Baltimore, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Cleveland, etc... this isn't really that much of a problem. But, if this is how you communicated with the typical resident of East Tennessee, I can see how they weren't real warm and fuzzy. You moved from a "chill place in the A" to a "howdy y'all how are ya doin' darlin?" kind of place. That's kind of like plopping Martin Lawrence in some rural cowboy town in Texas. Oil and water - don't mix.

If you move back to Atlanta you will certainly find the large urban culture you miss. You will also find that in recent years, a good number of people from places like Jamaica, Haiti, Africa, the Middle East, India, and varied Asian and European countries have moved here as well (though they tend to be scattered throughout the metro and not centralized). Atlanta is less "chilled" than it was, and though it's a very slow process, slowly becoming more international. Some will jive with you, others will think you're from Mars. Large groups of people from all corners of the Earth do not automatically cause all to hold hands and sing "Kum-ba-ya" - this isn't a music video. Sometimes varied cultures mix it up very well, while others don't. But in a larger urban environment you stand a better chance of finding that nitch.

You're certainly going to find more folks to relate to and communicate with than you will in East Tennessee, unless your name is Vern and you like horse riding and watching monster truck rallies and listening to country music. There's nothing wrong with that, either - my sister lives up there and loves it, but that kind of stuff is her thing. It's obviously not yours, so you need to get back to a more urban cultural area obviously, or you'll never be satisfied.

[ajax general]

I hope you're at least in Knoxville, although I read somewhere that it was one of the "whitest" cities in the country.

Funny though, the last time I was in the smaller towns (Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg), everyone I met was Russian!!! That was weird and totally unexpected.

Dude, I agree with atlantagreg. Unless you're wearing a Daniel Boone hat and can skin a deer with a pocket knife, you'll never fit in up in them hills. And don't you dare wear anything yellow with a bumble bee on it, or red with a doggie on it.

If you really want to make friends, try wearing orange everyday, and learn the following song: (you'll instantly become family guaranteed!)

Wish that I was on old Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee hills.
Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain't no telephone bills.
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top
Half bear, the other half cat,
Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda-pop
I still dream about that.
Chorus:
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good old Rocky Top,
Rocky Top, Tennessee.
Rocky Top, Tennessee.
Once two strangers climbed old Rocky Top
Lookin' for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top,
Reckon they never will.
Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top
Dirt's too rocky by far.
That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar.
(Repeat Chorus)
I've had years of cooped up city life,
Trapped like a dog in a pen.
All I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again.
(Repeat Chorus)
Rocky Top, Tennessee!

disclaimer: to all my kin up in chattanooga, if you're reading this, i still love ya, please don't come kill me, i don't taste real good and it's not even bow season yet.
and... GO DAWGS!!!

[Scott Summers]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Well, Gawd knows I may catch hell for this, but here goes...

You moved to East Tennessee. Now what images do we get from East Tennessee? Somewhat rural (though they do have Knoxville), lots of nature, mountains, small country towns, and oh - white.

Now, you grew up in South Atlanta which you call "the A", and you complain that people don't "talk and chill" with you up there, and they "hated on me because they thought I was from up top".

Ok - again, I'm gonna cross a line here and I'm NOT insulting you personally, but SOME people are going to read what you typed, determine how you supposedly talk (based on how you type) and say that your style of language and communication is (here I go).. "somewhat on the urban side".

Now, in um.. "The A", Baltimore, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Cleveland, etc... this isn't really that much of a problem. But, if this is how you communicated with the typical resident of East Tennessee, I can see how they weren't real warm and fuzzy. You moved from a "chill place in the A" to a "howdy y'all how are ya doin' darlin?" kind of place. That's kind of like plopping Martin Lawrence in some rural cowboy town in Texas. Oil and water - don't mix.

If you move back to Atlanta you will certainly find the large urban culture you miss. You will also find that in recent years, a good number of people from places like Jamaica, Haiti, Africa, the Middle East, India, and varied Asian and European countries have moved here as well (though they tend to be scattered throughout the metro and not centralized). Atlanta is less "chilled" than it was, and though it's a very slow process, slowly becoming more international. Some will jive with you, others will think you're from Mars. Large groups of people from all corners of the Earth do not automatically cause all to hold hands and sing "Kum-ba-ya" - this isn't a music video. Sometimes varied cultures mix it up very well, while others don't. But in a larger urban environment you stand a better chance of finding that nitch.

You're certainly going to find more folks to relate to and communicate with than you will in East Tennessee, unless your name is Vern and you like horse riding and watching monster truck rallies and listening to country music. There's nothing wrong with that, either - my sister lives up there and loves it, but that kind of stuff is her thing. It's obviously not yours, so you need to get back to a more urban cultural area obviously, or you'll never be satisfied.

No offense taken I agree with what you said. I do know how to talk like a professional but that can come across as being fake sometimes. I wasn't looking for the "Kum-ba-ya" thing but just real people, I mostly hang out with the transplants though, thanks for the response.

[Scott Summers]

Originally Posted by ajax general

I hope you're at least in Knoxville, although I read somewhere that it was one of the "whitest" cities in the country.

Funny though, the last time I was in the smaller towns (Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg), everyone I met was Russian!!! That was weird and totally unexpected.

Dude, I agree with atlantagreg. Unless you're wearing a Daniel Boone hat and can skin a deer with a pocket knife, you'll never fit in up in them hills. And don't you dare wear anything yellow with a bumble bee on it, or red with a doggie on it.

If you really want to make friends, try wearing orange everyday, and learn the following song: (you'll instantly become family guaranteed!)

Wish that I was on old Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee hills.
Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain't no telephone bills.
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top
Half bear, the other half cat,
Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda-pop
I still dream about that.
Chorus:
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good old Rocky Top,
Rocky Top, Tennessee.
Rocky Top, Tennessee.
Once two strangers climbed old Rocky Top
Lookin' for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top,
Reckon they never will.
Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top
Dirt's too rocky by far.
That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar.
(Repeat Chorus)
I've had years of cooped up city life,
Trapped like a dog in a pen.
All I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again.
(Repeat Chorus)
Rocky Top, Tennessee!

disclaimer: to all my kin up in chattanooga, if you're reading this, i still love ya, please don't come kill me, i don't taste real good and it's not even bow season yet.
and... GO DAWGS!!!

I'm a GT fan, so I'll never wear the prison uniforms, ever. Living in the SEC country is alright but I like the ACC, they try to convert me to being a UT fan all the time. I go back home all the time, but it kills me to return to NE TN. Thank you for your reply also. I'm out.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by BravoFan

No offense taken I agree with what you said. I do know how to talk like a professional but that can come across as being fake sometimes. I wasn't looking for the "Kum-ba-ya" thing but just real people, I mostly hang out with the transplants though, thanks for the response.

Well, you don't have to talk "like a professional" in order to tone down the "urban slang", either.

But here's something to keep in mind... people move to larger cities when they want a taste of varied cultures, to mix with different types of people, and experience something new from the people all the time or find a nitch group that's like them. People move to more rural areas to get away from all of that, and to be in a more homogeneous area, where there's typically not a huge variation in cultures/lifestyles, etc.

If I wanted varity, an international feel, urban environment, etc., I'd pick Miami, New York, San Fran, Chicago, etc. I'd pick East Tennessee if I wanted to get completely AWAY from all of that.

[Scott Summers]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Well, you don't have to talk "like a professional" in order to tone down the "urban slang", either.

But here's something to keep in mind... people move to larger cities when they want a taste of varied cultures, to mix with different types of people, and experience something new from the people all the time or find a nitch group that's like them. People move to more rural areas to get away from all of that, and to be in a more homogeneous area, where there's typically not a huge variation in cultures/lifestyles, etc.

If I wanted varity, an international feel, urban environment, etc., I'd pick Miami, New York, San Fran, Chicago, etc. I'd pick East Tennessee if I wanted to get completely AWAY from all of that.

LoL. I'm only 22, but I'll tone it down. I had no choice but to move up here, now I do have the option to go ( I'll transfer to GSU or Clayton State). I have a lot of family down there so the situation looks good.

[plessthanpointohfive]

What program for college are you going into? Clayton and GSU are very different schools...

[Scott Summers]

What I meant by "chill and talk" with each other is not giving outsiders the cold shoulder and losing the Civil War mindset you've never lived the "culture" of way back. In my US History I class I learned that the people around here were not even with the South. I don't really want to start anything by this because I have seen the millions of threads on this while doing research. This is a pretty good site overall.

[Scott Summers]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

What program for college are you going into? Clayton and GSU are very different schools...

PR/Advertising is the major I'd have have to do furthur research and talk with the academic advisor again. Was that what you were lookig for?