Why do people hate NoVa? Unfriendliness? (Richmond, Arlington: real estate, house, buying)

[blueva]

Originally Posted by stockdale.35

I guess I might be an oddity. I grew up in NoVA and till about 7 years old had a heavy accent due to where we lived. Then throughout middle school it went away.

The oddity part is that I say "you guys" and "y'all" it just depends on who I am speaking to.

I too grew up in Loudoun County and have a Virginia accent (most people think Im from the Shenandoah Valley, though) I say Y'all only but I know a lot of NOVans that say "you guys" pretty much. Y'all is dead up there, more Richmond you hear it.

[blueva]

Originally Posted by Yankeerose00

As I just proved with the ant/ont topic, it seems that you think if something is not southern, then it must be northern. The north and south make up about 1/3 of the US. That's it. What about the rest of the United States? I still maintain that the DC area is a melting pot just like any other big US city. Northern VA, Maryland are closer to being the northeast in feel....yes..... but DC is the way it is because it's full of people from all over the world. It's its own little world. Just like Chicago, NYC, Los Angeles, Seattle.

I can see that. I think what I meant was- NOVA is just too transient to be Southern and because of that, it feels more Northern , IMO. Hence this topic about "unfriendlieness".

But you're right - it is a melting pot. It really has no identity. 40 years ago it would be Southern. Now its just kind of a hodge podge of things.

[Artsywoman]

[quote=NW2NOVA;5328825]

Originally Posted by blueva

Hey BlueVA - its obvious you love Richmond and thats great - I would too if my family had lived there for generations. But I have to say NOVA isn't boring by any stretch, NOVA itself offers a lot in the way of things to do before you even consider that its on DC's door-step.

I heard the stories about VCU from people who go there - while it might be exaggerated it is apparently a known fact that the area around the campus is sketchy.

So very Richmond, your reply. That is precisely why I despise the place!

[arabellava]

Wow- how many threads do we have on hating or loving NoVa? To compare Nova a major metro area to a smaller area is not an equal comparison- not that it wouldn't be better (depends on what the smaller area offers or really what the resident values)- it just depends. I really don't get it- if it's THAT bad - then please move out- seriously.. but if you reply it's because of jobs or opportunity then obviously this place offers more to keep you here. There is such a thing as free will. For our work situation, this is the beneficial- I believe we have a lot of bonuses here- cultural (yes- that is something sometimes taken for granted living here), educational (top schools), outdoors etc. I am repeating that we are not in Colorado with top notch skiing, not in San Diego with great weather- but - hey- there are issues with those places too- it depends on your stage of life.

[Artsywoman]

Originally Posted by blueva

You obviously know little about Richmond. Id take it any day over dull, plastic, NOVA. And I grew up in Loudoun County!
I love Richmond. It has a lot of growth lately- and an expanding VCU campus. Tons of art galleries, museums, Southern charm, beautiful streets, Carytown and excellent restaurants- where else can you get BBQ and Thai food in the same place?

You can order a sweet tea somewhere and they dont look at you funny.

I love Richmond and I wouldnt move back to the DC area for all the money in the world.

I was born there and lived there for seven years and it sucked. There a few nice things, but overall there is an air of phony snootiness and redneck mixed into one.

[Artsywoman]

Originally Posted by Yankeerose00

huh? Again, NOVA/DC is full of people from all over the WORLD. Just look at this board. People who live there are from Washington State, California, the midwest, the southwest, look at the all of the Asians who live there, many of them coming straight from China and Japan, look at all of the people from India. It's a melting pot of people.

And there is no "northeast culture" This is what I was saying to you in another thread. The south likes to talk about being "southern" like it's a race, or ethnicity. It's not. But if they want to think of themselves as such that's fine. People in the northeast do not consider themselves "northern". There is no northern culture. It's more about what ethnic group you are from. Depending on where you are, there are groups of Irish, Italian, Polish, Germans, Indian, Spanish, Jewish, etc sections. People are more into their ethnic group than they are being "northern".

The way DC is, is because it's one of the biggest cities in the US and it's full of people from all over the world. ALL large cities are full of pushy and rude people. All of them. It's just the way large cities are. It has absolutely nothing to do with people from the northeast being there. Sorry but that is so short-sighted.

You are so right. Tampa is not that big and there are many rude people, but nice ones too. Such is life.

[blueva]

Originally Posted by Artsywoman

I was born there and lived there for seven years and it sucked. There a few nice things, but overall there is an air of phony snootiness and redneck mixed into one.

Excuse me did you say redneck ? I sure hope you didnt . Its funny how its okay to use that word but not another word, which nobody can say.

Wow what ignorance! Maybe you werent good enough for Richmond. Id take it over NOVA any day!

[Jason0711]

As a VCU student who went to GMU for a year and transferred, I have a few things to say to defend my home town.

First of all, lady from Tampa, how many times do we have to hear you say you hate Richmond? Once is enough I think - quit repeating yourself.

Secondly, to the person that said NoVA is a melting pot... LOL. There's lots of diversity, yes, but it's by no means a melting pot. Asians stick with other asians, middle easterners with other middle easterners, gays with other gays/hags, etc. There is no "melting" going on at all. Richmond is more of a melting pot than NoVA, at least we have gay people who hang out with straight people, and interracial relationships.

Thirdly, I live in Jackson Ward, a neighborhood that anyone from NoVA would consider "ghetto", but I find it quite nice. I have no bars on my windows, and no alarm system, and I feel quite safe thank you very much.

(downtown RIC is different from the suburbs, people in the western suburbs are rich snobs like NoVA people, people in the south suburbs are kind of old or rednecky kind of like manassass, and people in the east are ghetto - but its getting better. however downtown is very nice)

and yes DC is much more dangerous than richmond


Oh and everyone I know is an atheist or is a non practicing christian, even in the western suburbs (which is where I grew up), not so much south of richmond though


That's my spiel on richmond

[Jason0711]

oh and i love sweet tea and grits - sue me.

also richmond has way better restaurants than northern va

[blueva]

Originally Posted by Jason0711

oh and i love sweet tea and grits - sue me.

also richmond has way better restaurants than northern va

I firmly agree!

Except for the atheist part. Most people I know are Christian or Southern Baptist. I live in The Fan. The only "atheists" are VCU students, and they just say that to sound anti-establishment, lol Richmond is Bible Belt, but thats not necessarily a bad thing. Its a great thing!