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Having lived in the Midwest, I have found that for some unknown reason, people in CHI seem to think that Southerners typically are racists, secret KKK members, fly the Confederate Battle Flag, spit, are married to their cousins, have bad teeth, wear mullets, are uneducated and eat only fried foods. Or, they think we women wear too much make up, got pregnant at 16, dropped out of high school, have bleached blonde hair and basically talk like Dolly Parton.
So I am not surprised about the OP's trepidation at moving South. However, I wish I knew why Southerners get such distorted rep in Chicagoland.
Thanks for the clarification - and sorry if I snapped This is a sore subject for some of us southerners - when some folks claim it's only so great to live here now BECAUSE there are more northerners than southerners. Since the shoe doesn't fit in your case I apologize for trying to force it on you!
No problem at all. Trust me, I understand your stance. Actually, even though I'm a transplant, I find myself in a southern defensive mode quite frequently.
What I don't get are the northerners that move here and complain about what Charlotte's not.
Well, A) you moved here because you couldn't find a job in the north to pay your bills or B) you moved here because you got tired of the dirty cities, gray skies and declining economies.
Why not just embrace the fact that you get a fresh start in a beautiful, clean and economically sound city?
My advice to all of my northern friends that have moved down here is this; "Remember where you are from, love it, but understand that is your past. Embrace your new city, for what it is , or isn't. Love your new surroundings, the people you meet in the process and truly become a Carolinian. If you do, it will eventually become...you."
Charlotte and the surrounding areas have become quite diverse with people from all over the country. If you purchase a home in a newer community vs an older one, you'll be more likely to be surrounded by other transplants as well. That might not be true for all communities, but that's just my experience.
In terms of work people, I've worked mostly with Southerners from both SC & NC and I can say that they are the kindest, nicest people I've ever delt with. I'm sure there are exceptions, but I just haven't come accross them. There are the occaisional jokes that go back and forth between us occaisionally about Yankees and Southerners, but it's all been just for fun. I'm not going to get offended if they make fun of the way I say 'sauce' and I'm going to pick on them for eating Grits and Fat Back. They made me try it once.... I didn't care for it at all, but I love that country fried steak.
Anyway, just to give you an idea of what's around here, my backyard neighbors consist of a gay couple on one side and an inter-ratial couple on the other. No one on my street is from NC or SC originally and I think less than 10% of the whole sub-division are. But whether you're in the midst of natives or transplants, generally the pace is slower here and people are much nicer than other parts of the country.
My husband and I just moved here from Chicago. Honestly, the only hostility to outsiders I've encountered has been here on the boards. We tend to be pretty laid back though, I imagine if we were typical Wrigleyville yuppies that moved down here and complained that may be different, lol. Now, some people do have stereotypes of northerners and will be surprised if you don't fit the mold, but it's not a mean thing, just different expectations... for example, my neighbors were very surprised that I play the fiddle and am into bluegrass and that my husband and I are doing are own home repairs, because that's not what they expected of city people, lol.
That being said, this area IS NOT like Chicago in that in Chicago no one cares where you are from or what you think of the city or if you compare it to where you came from... at least in my experience Chicagoans really weren't fazed by stuff like that they have pretty thick skins (unless you're talking about sox fans vs. cubs fans, lol!). Natives here are more sensitive, nicety is valued a little more than honesty from outsiders so far as I can tell. And just know that although I've met a lot of great people here there are many many people on these boards that have an extraordinarily low opinion of outsiders.... they'll help you learn about the area, but god help you if you talk about where you used to live. If you say you miss your old area they'll say you aren't assimilating enough, if you say you really like it in Charlotte they'll say you're a naive outsider. Overall I am happy we made the move, but I am only in a 2 year school program here so I know we can always go elsewhere after that so there's not as much pressure on us.
Having lived in the Midwest, I have found that for some unknown reason, people in CHI seem to think that Southerners typically are racists, secret KKK members, fly the Confederate Battle Flag, spit, are married to their cousins, have bad teeth, wear mullets, are uneducated and eat only fried foods. Or, they think we women wear too much make up, got pregnant at 16, dropped out of high school, have bleached blonde hair and basically talk like Dolly Parton.
So I am not surprised about the OP's trepidation at moving South. However, I wish I knew why Southerners get such distorted rep in Chicagoland.
Okay, I'm not saying that those stereotypes are true across the board but... I have seen WAY MORE confederate flags than I have ever seen before, some of the women do have big hair (I just wish I knew how to do mine like that, sometimes it looks really good lol!), and after being surrounded by stupid expensive Thai and French food it does seem like there's a whole lotta fried Chicken around here. As far as racists go, in Chicago people wouldn't admit they were racists whereas here people are more open about it if they are but I prefer that, at least I know what I'm dealing with. Now I don't think those things represent typical southerners but they are more common in the south than in Chicago so it is natural for us Chicagoans to notice it.
And anyways, the OP wasn't concerned that she wouldn't like Southerners, she was concerned that southerners are prejudiced against outsiders. In general I haven't encountered that while out and about, but on these boards I think it is undeniable that natives posting here have AT LEAST as many stereotypes about northerners as northerners do about them.
This can be very disconcerting for someone from Chicago that is used to people from all over living in their city and still maintaining their original culture. There, there is not this idea that you have to "become a Chicagoan" or "embrace the culture," while Chicago has a very distinct culture it is accepted that its culture largely came from people moving there and NOT forgetting about where they came from.
Okay, I'm not saying that those stereotypes are true across the board but... I have seen WAY MORE confederate flags than I have ever seen before, some of the women do have big hair (I just wish I knew how to do mine like that, sometimes it looks really good lol!), and after being surrounded by stupid expensive Thai and French food it does seem like there's a whole lotta fried Chicken around here. As far as racists go, in Chicago people wouldn't admit they were racists whereas here people are more open about it if they are but I prefer that, at least I know what I'm dealing with. Now I don't think those things represent typical southerners but they are more common in the south than in Chicago so it is natural for us Chicagoans to notice it.
And anyways, the OP wasn't concerned that she wouldn't like Southerners, she was concerned that southerners are prejudiced against outsiders. In general I haven't encountered that while out and about, but on these boards I think it is undeniable that natives posting here have AT LEAST as many stereotypes about northerners as northerners do about them.
This can be very disconcerting for someone from Chicago that is used to people from all over living in their city and still maintaining their original culture. There, there is not this idea that you have to "become a Chicagoan" or "embrace the culture," while Chicago has a very distinct culture it is accepted that its culture largely came from people moving there and NOT forgetting about where they came from.
CHI is huge. It is big enuff to have whole communities of Polish, Vietnamese, etc. No way to compare the two. The burbs, however, are very comparable as far as amenities and housing. At least I think they are.
CHI is huge. It is big enuff to have whole communities of Polish, Vietnamese, etc. No way to compare the two. The burbs, however, are very comparable as far as amenities and housing. At least I think they are.
I'd say the burbs here are comparable to burbs there, although here the burbs seem newer and fewer have "downtown" areas. Also, there is much more variance in price range here and prices drop more sharply as you get away from Charlotte compared to Chicago.
I'd say the burbs here are comparable to burbs there, although here the burbs seem newer and fewer have "downtown" areas. Also, there is much more variance in price range here and prices drop more sharply as you get away from Charlotte compared to Chicago.
True. I always have thought, tho, that I could relocate to a CHI burb and be very happy there. Of course, I loved Kansas City (well, I lived in a burb, not urban KCMO) . . . and frankly, KC seemed bigger than CLT to me - especially w/ the much more extensive highway system. When I moved back to CLT, it felt too small. That is another reason I like the burbs around CHI . . . things are built up and more infrastructure.
CLT's burbs are basically new. Some are tiny towns that have boomed in the last ten years (i.e. Huntersville). So many are neighborhoods that are totally artificial - such as those in UC and most of Ballantyne.
Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Comfort Food
The OP brings up an interesting point. I have relatives in the NY metro area that trumpet all the culture, etc it has, but they live way out in the burbs and rarely experience it. Though the sheer amount of arts and culture in Charlotte may be substantially less than in NY or Chicago, it is way more accessible.
And, as far as how well accepted someone from Chicago might be in Charlotte, as many have pointed out you would not have any problem there. Now, you wander out to Cleveland County, slightly different story. No one would be outright hostile to you, everyone would be polite, but they probably would not be too eager to be your friend either.
I'm buying in Kings Mountain & as you said, everyone is polite, in fact some people who've seen me around stop me & talk with me in the stores. If people are not too eager to be my friend, that's OK, too. Do you think that all Yankees are needy? I'll make enough friends, thank you.
As long as you don't complain to locals about how much bigger or better Chicago is or how we don't have this or that you will be fine. That's obnoxious and we don't want to hear it. Just be respectful. You won't have a problem meeting people and making new friends. Charlotte is a melting pot and people are very friendly here. I love NC!
I'm a native North Carolinean but I have lived all over the country and world over my lifetime and I try not to judge other people or places based on what we have in NC. Sometimes there are things from back home I naturally miss but I try to embrace the new culture as much as I can and appreciate what they do have. It then becomes a part of me which is cool. Even if I am feeling homesick I don't complain to natives. That's just rude.
I will admit I do get defensive when outsiders complain about NC. We just don't want to hear it.
Furthermore, the stereotypes go both ways. When I was in South America visiting family some Americans (they obviously weren't from the South)spoke to me in Spanish. I spoke to them in Spanish right back. Then they asked where I was from and I said USA and yes I do speak English as well and we continued to speak a little Spanish but then they spoke English to me since their Spanish wasn't so great. As soon as I opened my mouth in English they almost fell out of their chairs! They couldn't believe that someone educated like me who spoke fluent Spanish with a Spanish accent NOT a southern English accent and who didn't look "country" could possibly speak Spanish like that. I explained that Spanish and English are totally different languages with two sound systems that are nothing alike. I learned them as two separate languages. One guy thought I was from New York until he heard me speak. Why? I do not know. Well then they started in on the stupid Southerner jokes and were asking me about all the different stereotypes and made fun of my accent so I only spoke Spanish for the remainder of the conversation which they barely understood and when they didn't understand the local natives (at a restaurant) I sat there and watched them struggle to order and take care of matters and afterwards they asked why I didn't help and I just matter-of-factly said in English "What do I know! According to you I'm just a stupid Southerner. You think you're so smart! Figure it out yourself!" Then I got up and left.
I had something similar happen in Costa Rica and in Mexico as well. The locals were great and inviting, yet the Americans I happened to meet on the way were not only loud and obnoxious but they again made fun of my accent and started in on the Southern issue. As far as I am concerned, I have no problem with people no matter where they are from or how they speak. But when people openly make ignorant remarks just because of my accent or where I am from, then yes I do get defensive because it angers me that so many people are that stupid and 9 times out of 10 they have less education than I do. OK I'm off my soapbox now.
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This is a sore subject for some of us southerners - when some folks claim it's only so great to live here now BECAUSE there are more northerners than southerners. Since the shoe doesn't fit in your case I apologize for trying to force it on you!
