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One thing is for sure, different people experience different things! We were only explaining what we have experienced about that "North Carolina/Charlotte friendliness" since we have lived here. 99% of the time, I have initiated the conversation or "Good Morning", not someone else!! But, we guess that that 1% of "friendliness" is better than none at all. And, there is a difference between living in a housing development and a apartment complex. The only people who seem fairly friendly here are the office people who rent out apartment.....again, because they are paid to be that way.
When we lived in a townhouse (when we first moved here) no one was friendly at all. Ever. Maybe it is just that you live in an apartment complex. Maybe you need to find a different place to live.
It is never easy meeting new people and forming friendships when you move to a new area - I know - I have done it quite a few times myself. But it is easier if you are in a neighborhood as you then at least meet your neighbors.
Well. This is very interesting! Maybe this is part of the evolution of the New South. Southerners get to mouth off now and then and that is okay. Hmmmm. I like this!
I just hope none of you drive a new black Infiniti w/ New York plates.
Nah Ani I think your right on not being this way: ani - Once a person like that says something nasty to you, you're entitled to say anything that comes to mind -no matter what! Don't let being "Southern" hold you back in any way - use the choicest invictives you want!
I think that while EM has some good points, I've played that game and in all honesty you seldom come out the winner. Besides I prefer to "kill someone with kindness" b/c you know what, even if they are rude in the beginning of our conversing, chances are by the end they will be nicer. IT is usually all in the initial response. Like the postal worker, I wanted to punch her in the mouth b/c she was sooooooooo rude, while my toddler is crawling all over me from impatience, but hey I was just as pleasant as can be.
Yeah I have to agree with some of the others on this one, what part of NC do you live in where strangers are continuosly waving at you? I think this may be somewhat of a multiple illusion. So needless to say, I am sticking to my initial thoughts about rude/nice people being in both places. Don't kid yourself folks. The only thing I think you may be referring to is the cultural differences in S. FL which I have never had a problem with.
I totally agree with you about the friendliness of NC (well, I've only been to Charlotte, but my experience there was wonderful!). My husband and I will be moving to Charlotte (from San Diego, CA) in about a month--he just accepted a job there last week, and we are so excited to be moving to such a great place.
Anyway, here's my point:the company flew us out to Charlotte and put us up in a hotel, and the entire trip was filled with polite encounters. People everywhere were friendly, said "excuse me" and "please" and "thank you" , but best of all: they acknowledge that other people exist, and they are NICE to you! Where we're from, "other people" are considered inconveniences, people cut in front of you in line, bump into you and never say "excuse me"--and then give you a dirty look, things like that.
When I was in Charlotte, our rental car ended up being an SUV, which I'm not used to driving. While my husband was at his interview, I drove around town. Once, while I was tentatively pulling out of a parking spot, a man walking through the lot stopped and actually helped guide me out of my spot! I was amazed!! At home, I would have gotten a dirty look--nobody ever takes time out of their day--not even 3 seconds--to help out a stranger with a tiny task (just so you know, I am the type of person who smiles and says hello to people...I'm not an overall negative person, but it eventually brings you down when nobody returns your smiles). It feels so good to be in a place with friendly, polite people. We're excited to move to Charlotte!
I totally agree with you about the friendliness of NC (well, I've only been to Charlotte, but my experience there was wonderful!). My husband and I will be moving to Charlotte (from San Diego, CA) in about a month--he just accepted a job there last week, and we are so excited to be moving to such a great place.
Anyway, here's my point:the company flew us out to Charlotte and put us up in a hotel, and the entire trip was filled with polite encounters. People everywhere were friendly, said "excuse me" and "please" and "thank you" , but best of all: they acknowledge that other people exist, and they are NICE to you! Where we're from, "other people" are considered inconveniences, people cut in front of you in line, bump into you and never say "excuse me"--and then give you a dirty look, things like that.
When I was in Charlotte, our rental car ended up being an SUV, which I'm not used to driving. While my husband was at his interview, I drove around town. Once, while I was tentatively pulling out of a parking spot, a man walking through the lot stopped and actually helped guide me out of my spot! I was amazed!! At home, I would have gotten a dirty look--nobody ever takes time out of their day--not even 3 seconds--to help out a stranger with a tiny task (just so you know, I am the type of person who smiles and says hello to people...I'm not an overall negative person, but it eventually brings you down when nobody returns your smiles). It feels so good to be in a place with friendly, polite people. We're excited to move to Charlotte!
Okie Dokie people...really???? But you haven't even lived in Charlotte yet? Where is this part of Charlotte that is Somewhere over the Rainbow, where everything is so wonderful?? Honey, let me just say this quote of yours:
Where we're from, "other people" are considered inconveniences, people cut in front of you in line, bump into you and never say "excuse me"--and then give you a dirty look, things like that. Okay well in my part of Charlotte this is reality too. Now mind you everyone at the local Harris Teeter is great, although not the shoppers, they are usually rude. This weekend we were at a tennis court which had 8 courts there. This lady comes from nowhere and starts playing tennis on one of the courts where my toddler is running around. Mind you there are 6 empty courts but she choses this one. Next, she continued to give me dirty looks until I finally took my toddler to another court, b/c it just wasn't worth it. I was there first so I don't care if she was playing tennis or not, there were many other free courts she could have done this on. So open your eyes guys, really there are RUDE, INCONSIDERATE, POMPUS people living in Charlotte as well. BTW, I have never been to CA but I do know some people from there and guess what, some of them are rude, inconsiderate, and snobby, and they now live in Charlotte. See where I am going with this. With the current influx you can no longer say people from Charlotte are so wonderful, b/c the truth is many people are not originally from here anymore. And you don't just move here and become instantly wonderful, although that would be nice
I believe that what you give out, is what you get back. People are different in all parts of the country. S. Florida is culturally diverse, while this area is not. I really like the Charlotte area, but what I have noticed is with this lack of diversity comes a lack of tolerance.
Don't know about Charlotte, I am referring to LAKE NORMAN area; where I live.
Anyhow, just out of curiosity, when I am walking in the Broward Mall with my wife and daughter who is in a stroller and a large group (I'd say around 8-10) thugs walks by and makes me walk around them with our stroller and one shoulder checks me, how is that "giving out what I get back?" I guess I should have known better and just crawled into the fetal position on the floor and let them stampede over us? Note taken!
Don't know about Charlotte, I am referring to LAKE NORMAN area; where I live.
Anyhow, just out of curiosity, when I am walking in the Broward Mall with my wife and daughter who is in a stroller and a large group (I'd say around 8-10) thugs walks by and makes me walk around them with our stroller and one shoulder checks me, how is that "giving out what I get back?" I guess I should have known better and just crawled into the fetal position on the floor and let them stampede over us? Note taken!
Well in that case you give them a hug and say, "yo hommie, long time no see bro." They'd probably start running thinking you were such a nut job.
Anyhow, just out of curiosity, when I am walking in the Broward Mall with my wife and daughter who is in a stroller and a large group (I'd say around 8-10) thugs walks by and makes me walk around them with our stroller and one shoulder checks me, how is that "giving out what I get back?" )
Let's analyze.
"Thugs"- City-data code word for black people of any socioeconomic background.
You obviously seemed startled at the fact that a large group of black people were around you. You probably showed that on your face. If I was walking with a group of friends in the Broward Mall and some guy just gave me some kind of dirty look for no reason, I would probably shoulder check too to make sure you aren't about to stab me. No, I don't wear oversized pants or have dark skin but if I did, that wouldn't make me a bad person and I would probably feel threatened by the vibe you were almost certainly giving off in that scene (you probably did not realize it, but the fact that you shared that to us tells me a lot, considering I saw no mention of armed robbery or theft).
Yes, a lot of black people shop at Broward Mall. That's nothing new in the past four years. Some of them wear baggy clothes and listen to gangsta rap. A lot of white people do too, both in Charlotte (probably not in the Lake Norman area) and in South Florida (probably not so much in Cooper City or Davie, or Parkland, or Weston). If you don't like black people who dress a little different from you, you can shop at Galleria Mall (which was dead before you left, by the way, so I guess that's one place that didn't decline), or even Pembroke Lakes, but you probably wouldn't want to go there because you probably don't like Hispanics. At least you don't have to deal with those pesky, upper middle class, family oriented, well educated Hispanics from South America in Charlotte! All of the Hispanics, fortunately for you, probably stick to their own up there and many haven't found much success.
Last edited by compelled to reply; 04-20-2008 at 08:27 PM..
Don't know about Charlotte, I am referring to LAKE NORMAN area; where I live.
Anyhow, just out of curiosity, when I am walking in the Broward Mall with my wife and daughter who is in a stroller and a large group (I'd say around 8-10) thugs walks by and makes me walk around them with our stroller and one shoulder checks me, how is that "giving out what I get back?" I guess I should have known better and just crawled into the fetal position on the floor and let them stampede over us? Note taken!
Okay, I'm not going to turn this into a crime thread or anything, but here in Charlotte we have had problems in our malls too.
December 2006: Gunfire at Eastland Mall in Charlotte, N.C., sent Christmas shoppers ducking for cover and left one man shot in the neck. The shooting erupted in the busy mall about 8:15 p.m., after an argument between two groups of men. Investigators believe four shots were fired from two guns. One struck a 27-year-old man in the base of his neck, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said.
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Don't let being "Southern" hold you back in any way - use the choicest invictives you want!
I noticed how nice people in Charlotte are, too!!
. I really am though 
.
