Northern People / Southern People (Greenville, Buffalo: transplants, how much, home)

[makossa]

What do you think are the main differences between NOP & SOP, and how do we perceive each other?

Born in Chicago and now in NYC I am a TOTAL Blue Stater.

I don't want to step on anyones toes, but when I've traveled and stayed on business in the south I felt like I was in another country. I perceive that "Southern Hospitality" is a myth, you only get it when your spending money & passing through. Mention anything about staying for awhile and now you ain't nothin' but a Yankee.

I feel like I need "Rosetta Stone" to learn the language.....LOL.

Any thoughts? P.S. I got a feeling yawl gonna be PO'ed at me

[NoodlesKnowles]

why start a thread when you seem to know its going to stir up trouble??(just wondering) I'm a northerner(Rochester Buffalo area), as are a lot of people who frequent this board. I've never run into any problems, lived here for over a year now and people don't seem to treat me any differently than anyone else, and everyone speaks english down here Have you ever visited Greenville? it might change your perceptions, I had the same thoughts as you before I visited here, check it out sometime!!

[TiredOfSFL]

Well, I actually think it's a good topic if not taken defensively. I can't be considered either because I'm Latin and have lived both in the north and south (and also in the W. Coast) but I've noticed already that there seems to be such a division between "NO. vs. SO." at least in the minds of some. I personally think it's territorial nonsense since this is all one country but it would be good to see if the majority have no real complaints about ir (or otherwise...).

[makossa]

Originally Posted by NoodlesKnowles

why start a thread when you seem to know its going to stir up trouble??(just wondering) I'm a northerner(Rochester Buffalo area), as are a lot of people who frequent this board. I've never run into any problems, lived here for over a year now and people don't seem to treat me any differently than anyone else, and everyone speaks english down here Have you ever visited Greenville? it might change your perceptions, I had the same thoughts as you before I visited here, check it out sometime!!

Hey NoodlesKnowles,
I sincerely apologize if I've offended you or anyone else on this forum. It really wasn't my intention to stir up trouble. But, I can definitely see that my comments could/and are being understood completely different than I
had intended. Perhaps I should have worded it differently and been a bit more sensitive.

You're right (and I'm always open to new ideas & places) I may like Greenville.

You surly can not realize by my post that I truly am genuinely very friendly and extremely out going. I'm NOT(!!!) condescending. I do indulge in humor, sometimes sarcastically, I am not thin skinned and can take humor back even sarcastically.

I've traveled through and visited the south A LOT. Unfortunately I've I have experienced the "Yankee go home mentality". Maybe I'm too "UP" for the more relaxing slower southern lifestyle.

I'm a true realist, granted NOT ALL southerners are YGH people, but don't be naive, this attitude does strongly exist. Anyway my friend - good reply!

[makossa]

Originally Posted by TiredOfSFL

Well, I actually think it's a good topic if not taken defensively. I can't be considered either because I'm Latin and have lived both in the north and south (and also in the W. Coast) but I've noticed already that there seems to be such a division between "NO. vs. SO." at least in the minds of some. I personally think it's territorial nonsense since this is all one country but it would be good to see if the majority have no real complaints about ir (or otherwise...).

I'd rep you twice of they'd let me. If your tired of S.FL. look me up in NYC it has a lot to offer except for the winters of course...LOL

[PhotogGal]

I'm originally from Chicago too and have been happily ensconced in Greenville since mid-December. I can tell you that Southern hospitality does, indeed, exist. The day I moved in, my next door neighbor came with freshly-baked banana bread and a big hug; another total stranger from my kids' church brough a plate of Christmas cookies; and two others from that same church volunteered to help me unpack and did my entire kitchen. I've also noticed that customer service actually exists in many stores and other businesses -- something that I noticed had become sorely lacking up north.

The bulk of people I've met since I moved here are transplants from the north or, more likely from Florida (Those from Florida are referred to as halfbacks here). Greenville seems to be more diverse and accepting of "foreigners" than perhaps some other parts of the South or more rural, small-town communities. There are a couple universities here as well as international corporations that, I believe, help with this.

As far as I'm concerned, we're all God's children. I think any differences that do exist are based on our individual upbringings and the prejudices that may have been passed down through generations.

I feel very at home and welcome here and far prefer the lesser amount of traffic and stress in general than I experienced while living in the Chicago area. You couldn't pay me to move back there even though I spent my whole life there and still have close friends living there.

[g-vegas]

Originally Posted by makossa

What do you think are the main differences between NOP & SOP, and how do we perceive each other?

Born in Chicago and now in NYC I am a TOTAL Blue Stater.

I don't want to step on anyones toes, but when I've traveled and stayed on business in the south I felt like I was in another country. I perceive that "Southern Hospitality" is a myth, you only get it when your spending money & passing through. Mention anything about staying for awhile and now you ain't nothin' but a Yankee.

I feel like I need "Rosetta Stone" to learn the language.....LOL.

Any thoughts? P.S. I got a feeling yawl gonna be PO'ed at me

What is your point. I go to the north try to wave to someone I dont know and I get flicked off. Why would you start a post about hating the south, to people in the south. This post is a joke and has nothing to do with what we do here. I dont get offended, but you are an offensive person and I hope they lock this post, stay in your liberal state and leave us alone. We love people from northern states when they dont just wanna start trouble.

[roadpony]

In my opinion (as a born and raised Southerner) there are cultural differences between "North" and "South". However, the OP has inaccurate misperceptions.

I'm not sure why his/her question was posted to the Upstate forum since it's quite general in nature.

[Kimmie]

Might be a good idea to ask this question to someone who's not from the North or the South. Maybe a discussion board in Iowa? Maybe Canada? There's bound to be someone there who has lived in the North and the South and can give you a more objective answer. I think perhaps you are not trolling, but honestly seeking answers.
Why, as a Southerner, butter wouldn't melt in my mouth...

[guestposter24]

Originally Posted by makossa

What do you think are the main differences between NOP & SOP, and how do we perceive each other?

Born in Chicago and now in NYC I am a TOTAL Blue Stater.

I don't want to step on anyones toes, but when I've traveled and stayed on business in the south I felt like I was in another country. I perceive that "Southern Hospitality" is a myth, you only get it when your spending money & passing through. Mention anything about staying for awhile and now you ain't nothin' but a Yankee.

I feel like I need "Rosetta Stone" to learn the language.....LOL.

Any thoughts? P.S. I got a feeling yawl gonna be PO'ed at me

Yes, there are differences. There's nothing wrong with that. Why should every region become so homogenized?

You want to know why I don't want a lot of people moving down here? Because those individual differences start to disappear.

What I don't like is when Democrats directly equate Republicans with Southern culture. It's understandable because the South is so Republican. The problem is that they start saying "I hate the South" when speaking about the politics and the people here are think those comments are about our culture.

I have a "Yankee go home" mentality when people come here and think they can just do everything like they did wherever they came from. I also can't stand when someone comes here and talks about how much they hate it. Aside from it being rude, it makes you wonder what they were thinking when they moved here.

Greenville has quite of few transplants but they are usually nice people. I'll say that if you're a Democrat, this may not be your kind of place.

Whatever your politics, please don't come here insulting the South. There are Northern Republicans and Southern liberals(good luck finding one lol). I'm not a Republican but I'm a Southerner.

Language wise you probably wouldn't have too much of a problem. Look up a few local words on the internet or just ask somebody what they mean. But remember that if you seriously insult the way people talk here...it definitely works both ways.