Floridians in Columbia

[sunstate]

Down to the wire...closing and moving on the 15th! I did find a house there that is on 2.5 acres with a main house and a cottage (for a rental). It is near the lake and my family. Lots of work to be done but it will be nice to go from 1/3 acre to 2.5. It figures...I sold my riding mower here (thinking I would not need it) and now have to buy another. Ah well...

[Dave O]

Originally Posted by sunstate

I worry about culture shock....

I'm from NC and Columbia is a bit of a culture shock even for me. I've heard many things come out of people's mouths regarding race, politics, handicap, and religion that just shouldn't be said, especially among strangers. That said most Columbians are the friendliest people you'll ever meet but I have to wonder if I would be treated the same way if I were not a young, white, professional and from the South.

[waccamatt]

I have to wonder what area Dave O moved to. I moved here from New Jersey a number of years ago and have not seen those things.

[Dave O]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

I have to wonder what area Dave O moved to. I moved here from New Jersey a number of years ago and have not seen those things.

Exactly my point. People say things to me that they wouldn't say to you, because I'm white, male, heterosexual, professional, Christian, from North Carolina (by way of Texas and Georgia), etc. People assume that I'm a good ol' boy.

Here are a couple of concrete examples. I have many more.

1) On a job interview the subject of golf came up in conversation. The interviewer said that Augusta National shouldn't be forced to accept people that they don't want as members. I said "Well, Augusta is a private club and they can't be forced to accept women as members if they don't want to do so." The interviewer said "No, I mean the blacks." I didn't take the job. (Lexington County)

2) My office had lunch catered last week. Before we ate, the area director said "Who wants to say the blessing?" No one raised a hand so he proceeded with the blessing himself and ended with "...in Jesus' name, Amen." I respect the fact that he wanted to bless his own food before eating but it was wrong to drag the rest of us into it, especially since he is the area director. (Downtown Cola)

BTW I'm not knocking Cola. I really do like it here and I think that the place has a lot going for it. I've also met a number of progressive minded people. In fact, the same interviewer who didn't think that Augusta National should be fored to accept "the blacks" wanted the Confederate flag removed from the state house grounds.

[justNancy]

Thank you for your frank & honest answer, Dave. I grew up near a Country Club where Jews weren't allowed. I was too young to understand, but in retrospect, I'm sure glad I walked my dog there after school. She loved making poop in the sand!

Is there the same animosity against Yankees and/or people who do not practice Christianity? I've read posts that say it will be tough for me to get a job and that some prospective employers come right out and say "We don't hire Yankees."

However, in MA and NH I worked for a company based out of Chicago for over 20 years and they never once hired a Black salesperson. I heard many bigoted remarks from managers throughout the years.

I've heard quite a bit of racism in Florida too. That said, lately I've been hearing more bigotry from Black people toward Whites. It's all really sad.

[Dave O]

Originally Posted by justNancy

Is there the same animosity against Yankees and/or people who do not practice Christianity? I've read posts that say it will be tough for me to get a job and that some prospective employers come right out and say "We don't hire Yankees."

I'll be frank with you Nancy, I can tolerate a lot of things but I don't like what the large scale migration of Yankees have done to my home in recent years. I went out to breakfast with some friends in Charlotte on Sunday and the number of pushy, loud talking, Yankees there nearly turned my stomach. That said, my 2 best friends in HS were from NY and NJ. I just get upset over the lack of respect that some transplants express toward natives.

[justNancy]

As always, I appreciate candor in a post. I agree with you Dave, but not 100%. I was born in Boston and when I moved to Bonita Springs it was still a quiet place to live. Now there's too much traffic and everyone is always in such a rush. Still, there are good & bad people everywhere.

I keep hearing how rude people from the north are, yet look at all the heartwarming stories about people helping each other during and after the WTC attacks in New York. A lot of people from New England invited victims of Katrina into their homes. Please read this article from my hometown newspaper if you get a chance.

Volunteers head south to aid Katrina victims - The Boston Globe

[waccamatt]

Originally Posted by Dave O

Exactly my point. People say things to me that they wouldn't say to you, because I'm white, male, heterosexual, professional, Christian, from North Carolina (by way of Texas and Georgia), etc. People assume that I'm a good ol' boy.

Here are a couple of concrete examples. I have many more.

1) On a job interview the subject of golf came up in conversation. The interviewer said that Augusta National shouldn't be forced to accept people that they don't want as members. I said "Well, Augusta is a private club and they can't be forced to accept women as members if they don't want to do so." The interviewer said "No, I mean the blacks." I didn't take the job. (Lexington County)

2) My office had lunch catered last week. Before we ate, the area director said "Who wants to say the blessing?" No one raised a hand so he proceeded with the blessing himself and ended with "...in Jesus' name, Amen." I respect the fact that he wanted to bless his own food before eating but it was wrong to drag the rest of us into it, especially since he is the area director. (Downtown Cola)

BTW I'm not knocking Cola. I really do like it here and I think that the place has a lot going for it. I've also met a number of progressive minded people. In fact, the same interviewer who didn't think that Augusta National should be fored to accept "the blacks" wanted the Confederate flag removed from the state house grounds.

So do you think that people process that I'm gay, Jewish and liberal before they make offhand comments to me? By the way I'm also white, male and professional and rarely hear the types of things you've mentioned. It doesn't mean they don't happen, I just haven't observed a lot of it. If I heard the things you did in that job interview I wouldn't have accepted the job either and I certainly would have let them know why I didn't accept the job.

[CarolinaSouth803]

I wouldn't go as far as to say that northerners aren't nice....it's just a different world up there than it is down here and reality hits you harsher in those concrete jungles a lot of times. The hustle and bustle full of slick talkers and seedy cats in alleys trying to swindle you is enough for you to just be quite frank with people. But overall a lot of people from up there can't turn that bluntness off when they move and that will offend people very quickly in the south.

I do agree in some aspects with Dave O.... I don't mind people migrating to the south or the Carolinas for that matter....but i don't like them wanting to drastically change the south to be a version of the north.