Tell about any culture shocks you have experienced (appointed, condos)

[garmin239]

Traveling to Central America, I was shocked how courteous people were when driving. When getting around, if the car in front of you was slower, they would pull over to the shoulder, almost right away to let you pass. I very rarely see this in the states. Slow drivers seem to be selfish, in their own world here.

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

My friend and I were pretty culture shocked when we went from Chicago down to Mountain Home, Arkansas to visit a friend who was doing a work rotation there. Had to drive 2.5 hours from the nearest city, shopping mall, airport, freeway.

I was amazed at how almost everyone we talked to referenced us as "yankees". I have heard the term before, but never heard anyone actually say it out loud. There was this constant "well you northerners" or "up north". I'd never even thought about that before. To me Arkansas is in the south, just like New York is in the Northeast, Washington is in the Northwest, Phoenix is in the Southwest. Just another region.

The whole NORTH VS SOUTH thing was so prevelent to people, it was very strange to me. Also how religiuos people were. We had strangers asking us what churches we went to within a few minutes of meeting them! Also the fact there was only TWO bars in an area of 30,000 people. One was dead, and the other had a big sign out front that said ABSOLUTELY NO GUNS ALLOWED. My friend and I were like - are you fu$$$$$ kidding me!? It was fun, but totally not what I'm use to in a preppy/gay/high income area of Chicago.

It was fun, but I don't think I could have survived there given my preference for a lack of religion and a plethera of alcohol. My friend had a ton of stories about living down there. The guy across from her had cut-outs of Jesus hanging all over his front door and windows, and hosted his own church services every other night. When we walked by one night a huge sign said CHURCH IS CANCELLED - MY LEG HURTS. Haha. She worked in a small office that was 100% white (I think the whole town was pretty much). People would openly talk pretty racist and anti-gay. She was talking with a woman once about flying back up to Chicago, and the lady burst out "well whatever you do - DO NOT fly out of the Memphis airport. That whole airport is run by the blacks!!!!". She would ask a ton of questions just getting into people's heads about their lives, and it was very interesting. People were talking about gays, and she said "well what if a gay person worked here - would that be ok?". People were just so confused at the question, like it just wouldn't happen there.

They were suppose to fly a group to Chicago for training, and my friend was really excited to show them around. None of the people had been to Chicago before, and only one had been "up north". The trip ended up being cancelled, and my friend was amazed how everyone was EXTREMELY relieved that they didn't have to go to Chicago. They confessed that they were terrified about being in the city up there.

Not trying to bash at all, or imply that all areas are like this. It was a small town of 30,000 people that was almost entirely white, blue collar, centered around hunting and fishing, and tucked away hours from anything. Very beautiful area though. The people seemed happy, just very insular.

What you wrote is so funny! I've heard of people being unwelcomed in the South but I just assumed it was just Blacks [are you Black btw?]. I am Rican & have been told that I would be discriminated against in the South. Oh well.

Anyway, I have been to Puerto Rico several times. It isn't an American state but pretty close [territory of the U.S.]. "Familismo"means that everything centers around the family and family gatherings are very common each week and a person doesn't even move away from his\her parents until they get married so families are very large with grandparents also. It seems strange to me but ok.

[knke0204]

I was surprised at how little people in California and Philadelphia drink compared to us from the Midwest. In Philly, I stayed for a week and spent a lot of time with college aged kids our age and socialized. I'm not a big drinker or a super partier, and I felt like a lush.

Same with California.

I was also shocked at how laid back everyone is in California, it's crazy! People here in the TC are wound so tight, they'll freak out at the little-est things. I mean the whole mindset of Californians is just laid back, I love it.

Also, when i was 17 and making my first trip to a warm climate (San Diego) I was blown away that it was February and I could wear shorts and Tshirt. I just could not get over it. It was something that I just could not imagine doing until I did it. Being from MN December, January, February and March are always COLD and Snowy, no matter what, so a 17yr old kid walking on a beach in February, needless to say I was culture shocked

[green_mariner]

I had my own culture shocks as a child. When I was 6, myself and my family moved from Everett,WA(just north of Seattle) to Greenwood,SC. I was somewhat fixated on the strong Southern accent. It was rather odd for me to hear people talk that way. It also seemed like adults were more "in your face" when they communicated to one another compared to the Seattle area, not in terms of "how blunt", but more loudness and personal space. Also, I felt like I was far away from everything when I lived in Greenwood,SC. It might have been due to being halfway between Greenville,SC and Augusta,GA.
My second culture shock came in 1997, at age 11. For a while, I was living in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta,GA. It wasn't your "typical" suburb. It felt more like city than suburb in many ways. It was very culturally and ethnically diverse with people from different parts of the world. In my school, you would never be the only White kid, the only Black kid, the only Hispanic kid, or the only Asian kid. It was diverse, and it was one of the things I appreciated about it. I never felt like an outsider simply because of my ethnicity. You can get Greek and Middle Eastern food in Marietta. One of my childhood friends(and a friend to this day) was from Poland. To me, Marietta felt more like New York than Georgia. In 1997, I moved from Marietta,GA(in Cobb County) to Dallas,GA, in (Paulding County). Both places were only a county away, about a 52 minute drive from one another, but worlds away in everything. I went from being in a school that was very diverse to being at a school where I was the only Black kid in my class(and I only saw a few Black kids through out the day in my first year of middle school). I remember my first day in middle school. I moved into my new house that night. The next morning I started my first day in middle school. I didn't know anyone and I was in a state of slight confusion. In Marietta, if you were new, my elementary school had the buddy system. It was like a welcoming committee. There was no such thing here. When I went to my home room, I looked around I felt very out of place. I asked "where are all of the Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians at?" I quickly found out I was it, the "token Black kid". After a short time I got used to being the "token Black kid" in my homeroom. Other than that, there were still other things I wasn't used to.
Culture shock in some cases comes from not knowing anything about a certain place. My family knew nothing about Paulding County.

[knke0204]

I have another from when I went to Philadelphia. I was shocked at how diverse Philadelphia was. I didn't even know they had a Chinatown until I got there, and I was surprised to find out that demographically, the city has about the same amount of African American residents as Whites. Coming from the state of Minnesota, which is about 90% white, it was an eye opener...

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by knke0204

I have another from when I went to Philadelphia. I was shocked at how diverse Philadelphia was. I didn't even know they had a Chinatown until I got there, and I was surprised to find out that demographically, the city has about the same amount of African American residents as Whites. Coming from the state of Minnesota, which is about 90% white, it was an eye opener...

Sounds like you and I had culture shocks in opposite, yet similar ways.

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by knke0204

I was surprised to find out that demographically, the city has about the same amount of African American residents as Whites. Coming from the state of Minnesota, which is about 90% white, it was an eye opener...

LOL, well then you'd sure enough be in for a shock if you ever came to the deep south, blacks outnumber whites in many areas.

[cacto]

When I went to England I couldn't believe how much techno music I heard in all the stores and sometimes how loud it was. I was standing in line at a bank, a line full of old people, and there was just this loud dance music coming out of the overhead speakers. It was bizarre.

Also, when I visited Oregon, drivers were extremely courteous. I saw cars going down a main street just stop to let people cross. There was no traffic light or anything. It blew me away. Another thing was the Interstate. No one drove much over the speed limit with an Oregon license plate. I'm not a speeder normally or an aggressive driver but I really was surprised how much driving habits varied there from Phoenix.

[john_starks]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

Kansas City. Having grown up in a Spivy League, Prep culture in Connecticut I can honestly say that two regions could not be more culturally dissimilar. Summertime in KC is way too hot and humid for my taste. Hedonism is the dominant attribute of the culture in KC with people thinking about partying first and enjoying themselves. In New England making money and being a home body is a dominant trait once you get married or get out of your 20's. I have almost nothing in common with these people. Women in KC are more aggressive and shallow than most I've met in New England.

i've got to hit KC!

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by john_starks

i've got to hit KC!

If you like politically correct, rude, obnoxious and over bearing women, then yes, you should come to KC. If you like women that are somewhat refined with manners then this is not the place to be.