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As a northerner who has been here 3 years, I have figured out this whole "rude" northerner thing. Basically its all hogwash. Southerners tend to be slow and dim witted in my experience. They put a positive spin on this by referring to their lifestyle as being "laid back". Laid back is a PR term for SLOW (physically and mentally). At some point, you as a northerner will become frustrated by this (perhaps in line at the bank or grocery store, or trying to get an employee to move a little faster), and voice your displeasure. That is when you get labeled a rude northerner. It doesnt seem to affect making friends and what not, so I wouldnt let "acceptance" hold you back from moving at all . Just know that people are slow slow slow here and you will have to deal with it. It sounds great if you are on vacation but not when you are trying to get wotk done.
I personally wouldn't generalize southerners as being slow.
The people who reside in the south just realize that there is more in life than impatience and having to feel hurried all the time.
I can't remember the last time I heard the honk of a car. Can you say that about up north?
As a northerner who has been here 3 years, I have figured out this whole "rude" northerner thing...
If it took you 3 whole years to figure it out, you must not be a true yankee, or else just dumber than most. All the yankees I've met down here instantly knew the answer to everything. Most of their solutions begin "This place is great, BUT...." then go on to explain how they did it up north.
Dear Lord, thank you for blessing me with dim wits.
Thats just it, while being "in a hurry" is probably annoying when you are sippin tea on vacation, moving with a degree of efficiency and purpose is pretty much required for many of us. My wife is a professor and has had to change all her goals for the year to account for the slow support staff ( across the board) at USC. Its not just one person but rather an overall malaise in the way they do things here. Im a physician and can see only about 2/3rds the number of patients due to staff that move at a snails pace ("laid back" right?) It directly affects productivity! I mean the deep south is dead last in just about everything for a reason (education, poverty, health). No offense, but being slow is objectively more counterproductive than being "in a hurry".
bigmig, I think it is unfortunate that you have run into this type of work ethic, but you shouldn't generalize "the south" with these employees. You could have run into workers as these just about anywhere.
You are also living in the south now so the last thing, in my opinion, that you would want anyone to ever do is to say bad statements of where you chose to open an office and where your wife chose to teach.
If I were you, I'd slowly begin to replace my staff. You have a very important job! You need to have a good staff!
I've read through this thread and I'll throw in my 2 cents.
I grew up in Baltimore, Md. I'm not even sure if that is the North or not, but I was called a Yankee initially by my Wife's family (Alabamians!). After living all over the South, from Texas to Florida over the past 21 years I will tell you that it is not about quantity. Its about quality. It is really that simple.
I lived through Katrina over in Gulfport, MS. and you learn the value of patience and Southern Hospitality when nobody has nothing and you have to wait to get it. People fed, clothed and offered their homes to complete strangers. My entire neighborhood was just one BIG family. There is nothing like people from the South...anywhere.
I've met nice people all over the world. Sorry -- nice people in the south but they don't hold the rights.
As for slow pace in the south -- I would attribute the pace in Charleston to coastal living not southern living. Here in Atlanta -- not so slow and still southern.
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grab some popcorn folks.
