Mainahs that moved "away" and what we found (Portland: transplants, city hall)

[CreditWitch]

Let's have a bit of fun....Rules...don't turn the thread into North vs South.

I spent the first 25 years of my life in Maine. I am like 5th generation Mainer. Military called me away and a job put me in Georgia. Here are the culture shocks:

1. Neighbors that drop by all the time
2. Yes ma'am and no ma'am fo everything
3. Jesus and God is discussed very openly and with passion
4. You are identified by what subdivision you live in and what church you go to

5. Comfort food is fried chick, fried okra, fried tomatoes, greens, and buscuits.

Any other diffrences? I only named a few.

[ribbets]

I remember looking for a liquor store and the people in Virginia kept telling me to find "A Green Front" but that was back in the 70's

[elston]

I am on the very edge of this thread, as I haven't actually lived in Maine but did grow up in small town New England and have spent time in Alabama and South Carolina.

1. People do make eye contact and acknowledge one another, even strangers, in passing, with a nod or wave or toot of the horn.

2. Mac and cheese is a traditional thanksgiving dinner menu item (not that there's anything wrong with that)

3. Animals not treated as well (not always true but lots of ol' dawgs seem to be tied out for long periods of time with little interaction.)

Now a reverse reaction: In small town NH when I went to a band concert at the bandstand, most of the audiance sat in their cars and tooted their horns to "applaud" at the end of the selection. I had envisioned everyone sitting on blankets or lawn chairs on the grass. I found this really odd.

[Mainer61]

Elston, which place does these things...Maine or somewhere else? I've always lived in Maine and have never heard of macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving..sounds good, though. People in the midcoast used to wave and nod....too many transplants now; however, it still happens in Washington County and it's so nice.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

When I went to helicopter gun ship training at Fort Rucker, Alabama the chaplain told us to put our empty liquor bottles in our Neighbor's trash cans, not our own. It was a dry county and possession of spirits was illegal, no matter where you bought it. We rented a trailer for the six weeks I was there.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by Mainer61

Elston, which place does these things...Maine or somewhere else? I've always lived in Maine and have never heard of macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving..sounds good, though.

Interesting. I always thought that mac and cheese was 'traditional' American Thanksgiving fare?

[elston]

Originally Posted by Mainer61

Elston, which place does these things...Maine or somewhere else? I've always lived in Maine and have never heard of macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving..sounds good, though. People in the midcoast used to wave and nod....too many transplants now; however, it still happens in Washington County and it's so nice.

Oh I am sorry, in the south mac and cheese is usually on the table for thanksgiving. And it is delicious but I was used to the traditonal mashed potatoes, turnip, squash and Pilgrim fare, the Mac and Cheese surprised me.

[Acadianlion]

In the late 1980's my wife and I thought seriously about moving to Savannah. We were living outside of Portland and our business was becoming so much a burden and so 'unfun' that we thought that it might be time to sell out and move along.

I was active in the Air National Guard and there was a squadron down there with an opening that I could have been eligible for both interms of specialty, training, and rank, so we went down for a week so that we could look seriously at the area and I could to and interview with the squadron.

On the day that I had my interview, we went to lunch downtown in Savannah, and since my meeting was around two in the afternoon, I wore my Class A uniform.

Walking across the center plaza where City Hall is from the parking place to the restaurant, I was greeted by so many people who seemed to go out of their way to speak to us, that I was surprised. But not nearly so suprised as when I was saluted by a police officer!

That kind of courtesy and kindness toward the uniform was certainly not to be found in New England in those days.

[elston]

Now in the south west, I was surprised to find that most creeks and rivers are bone dry 3/4 of the year and have lots of trees and scrub brush growing in the riverbed, and that almost all rivers that run through towns are channeled into huge cement aquaducts and don't even resemble a river.

[CreditWitch]

You can't get fiddleheads and smelts. They dont know what a pop over is, you can't get baked beans with breakfast. They have never heard of "The County"...insert county joke =)