People in Lancaster County (Philadelphia, York: crime, houses, buy)

[Janster]

Originally Posted by DivaLicious

Good Lord, I'm scared now. My hubby is from Easton/Allentown, PA and I am from Savannah, GA. IF they are acting that way towards you I can only imagine how they'd be towards me and my Southern accent. My hubby was there over the summer on business (Ephrata) and absolutely fell in love, so we have been considering a move. We are hating East, TN because the people here don't like "outsiders" and 6 yrs of being treated like crap is more than enough. I was hoping the mentality up North would be different. Yes, I am Southern, but hubby say's I have a Yankee attitude, LOL! Whatever that means...hehe

It's a must faster paced way of life up here (Lancaster area) and I think people are just sooooo darn busy (work, hobbies, events, activities, running here, running there, doing this, doing that).

I live in Landisville and I'm quilty of being too busy to *open up* my life to the rest of the world (so to speak). Not that I wouldn't - I've just got too much stuff going on..... I work full time, belong to 3 clubs, help run one of those clubs, involved with charity events, yadda yadda yadda.... There's sooooo much around here (lancaster area) - Harrisburg, Philly, York, Baltimore...etc etc etc Soo much to do and sooo little time. It's sooo easy to get caught up with *stuff*. I hope this *busy* lifestyle will keep my brain fully functional and active when I reach 85.

My parents live in Virginia and the people down there are much friendlier - it's a much slower way of life. There's not much to do and not many places nearbye to go - it's more rural, more relaxed, and outgoing.

So it depends on what you're looking for. When I was 25 living in Viginia - I felt there was no room to *grow* (career) in that area. Oppurtunities were at a minimum and I wasn't accustomed to the 'country' way of life. Their idea of getting away for a day - was walking around the mall.

[covenant77]

I find it amusing that urbanites find the good Dutchers here unfriendly. Since when, for example, are New Yorkers friendly?
Secondly, Germans, which still probably comprise a plurality of this area, are by nature a bit slow to warm up to someone. I don't know how this was years ago in Lancaster County--and I don't mean the 1950's, I mean before the area was spolied by development--but as a student of history, I'd be interested to know.
Third, this area is touted as being "religious," but there are a plethora of churches that have degenerated into social clubs, with white-washed sepulchres for members. This area is no more "religious" than others--Anabaptists are not the only Christians here, and for the Anabaptists I have only respect. So, yes, you are probably seeing this contradiction by the "Christians" in the county, concerned only with their own cliques.
Fourth, it is unfortunate if one wants to participate in the life of the county while not wanting to make it "little New York, and is given the cold shoulder. There are conscientious people here though, whose right it is just as much as the one poster said to move anywhere, talk with their accent, etc. to NOt trust outsiders because of the havoc they have wrought here. Week-ends would be less stressful without tourists, let's face it, so why be nice to them?
Here end these ruminations.

[amsm196]

I'm originally from Long Island NY, currently in Las Vegas Nevada, and i have to say i met people from all over the country & world during my 10 years of livng in this city ( Las Vegas ) , I'm an easy going, pretty mellow guy, my wife is from the very busy and hectic Queens NY, and most of my family & friends are from Brooklyn.

But to be honest New Yorkers are very easy to get along with, its no different then anywhere else, the pace is fast in NY, we work very fast, we have no choice. We were brought up like that. But as far as mean or rude goes i have had found way more rude people from other states then just NY itself.

And i have heard from many people that many of the Lancaster County locals could give you the cold shoulder, and i think that rude.

It doesnt matter anyway, to everybody out there reading this, if your looking to move to Lancaster and your afraid because of what you read on these posts, i would say ignore it! Its our country, remember that, move wherever you want , and mainly be yourself, heck if i move there i'm not changing my heavy NY accent to say Lancaster and different.

So again New Yorkers always have been and always will be people, just as bad or nice as anywhere else!

Stay safe

T

Originally Posted by covenant77

I find it amusing that urbanites find the good Dutchers here unfriendly. Since when, for example, are New Yorkers friendly?
Secondly, Germans, which still probably comprise a plurality of this area, are by nature a bit slow to warm up to someone. I don't know how this was years ago in Lancaster County--and I don't mean the 1950's, I mean before the area was spolied by development--but as a student of history, I'd be interested to know.
Third, this area is touted as being "religious," but there are a plethora of churches that have degenerated into social clubs, with white-washed sepulchres for members. This area is no more "religious" than others--Anabaptists are not the only Christians here, and for the Anabaptists I have only respect. So, yes, you are probably seeing this contradiction by the "Christians" in the county, concerned only with their own cliques.
Fourth, it is unfortunate if one wants to participate in the life of the county while not wanting to make it "little New York, and is given the cold shoulder. There are conscientious people here though, whose right it is just as much as the one poster said to move anywhere, talk with their accent, etc. to NOt trust outsiders because of the havoc they have wrought here. Week-ends would be less stressful without tourists, let's face it, so why be nice to them?
Here end these ruminations.

[covenant77]

Just like any other failures that people have, those who have them most--in this case rudeness, arrogance, and a superiority complex, do not recognize them.
Insofar as I agree with the previous poster, yes, Lancasterians, supposedly so "religious," do not walk unto the living out of their faith any better than any other region. In fact, the spiritual vacuum of many Lancaster churches attests to the lack of the presence of God, if anything else. This could also, incidentally, lead to rudeness and arrogance.

[effelove]

Much of what I am reading here is very surprising to me. The opinions and generalizations bordering on stereotyping the people who live in the Lancaster area definately do not coincide with the experiences that I lived growing up in Lancaster. Are people in Lancaster rude, unaccepting, morally superior types? Not in my experiences. I think that there is much fanfare about the region since it was once primarily Amish farmland. Sadly many of the Amish are being driven away by the ever increasing population and building that is taking over the land. However, this trend exists everywhere-suburban sprawl.
I love Lancaster although I now live in Maryland where my husband is employed. I visit regularly because many friends are there as well as my parents. I am no longer a local, and not known as such, and I do not identify with many of the remarks that I have read in these posts. I experience Lancaster as a very warm and mostly friendly place. Lancaster is home to many people that have relocated there from the tri-state area and beyond. I believe the vast majority of people living in Lancaster are no different than what you would find in many other areas of the country. I never experienced the area as people behaving in a morally superior way? There are so many friendly wonderful people there, just don't believe every "opinion" that you read. Visit the region yourself before formulating an opinion. If you go looking for something with an already strongly formulated opinion as to what you will find, then that is most likely exactly what you will find. Its best not to pre-judge. Seek out the goodness, and you are more apt to find it. There is so much of it there. Good luck
Effe

[xanadu]

Originally Posted by effelove

The opinions and generalizations bordering on stereotyping the people who live in the Lancaster area definately do not coincide with the experiences that I lived growing up in Lancaster.

I think you missed the pint... the negative attitudes are reserved for people who didn't grow up there. Doesn't matter if you moved away, you're still a local since you have your "roots" there.

[Otis]

We don't live in Lancaster County, but living nearby, about 1 hour away, we've been visiting the area for the last 10 years. We, my wife and I, have often wondered why the people there aren't friendly to outsiders who live nearby and visit regularly. I say keep trying because that's what we do, but I've also lowered my expectations.

[soulsurv]

Originally Posted by amsm196

But to be honest New Yorkers are very easy to get along with, its no different then anywhere else, the pace is fast in NY, we work very fast, we have no choice. We were brought up like that. But as far as mean or rude goes i have had found way more rude people from other states then just NY itself.T

This Wallingford, PA gal LOVES New Yorkers! I love the briskness and yes...sometimes even the brusqueness of them - it's honest and forthright. You know just where you stand. I like that. But this aside, I have met with a genuine warmth with the many New Yorkers I've met during my little visits there over the years.

[amsm196]

Very nice, and thats a good thing, because due to the incredibly high cost of living on Long Island they predict " thousands " of Long Islanders will be moving into PA over the next year alone. I already know at least 10 people who are considering the Lancaster County area.

But the country is growing and people have to find somewhere to live, Long Island is pretty much built up, all of the land has been used for something.

But hopefully they spare the farms in Pa.

The real issue in this country is to get moving on a serious border control, the illegal problem is causing this country to get a bit overcrowded.

Stay safe

T

Originally Posted by soulsurv

This Wallingford, PA gal LOVES New Yorkers! I love the briskness and yes...sometimes even the brusqueness of them - it's honest and forthright. You know just where you stand. I like that. But this aside, I have met with a genuine warmth with the many New Yorkers I've met during my little visits there over the years.

[ltguid]

A lot of the farmers have already sold their farms to Greenspace to avoid the builders.....

I have lived in Chester County for many many moons, have lived in Philly and thereabouts, and presently do a lot of work in Lancaster County. In other words, I know the turf.

The country is Not like the city Or the suburbs - and the people who have been used to living in their little rural vacuums don't like the "outsiders", no. But that's not the Amish - the Amish are fairly friendly!! I think that the people who tend to come off as rude or arrogant have just never had social experiences like those in the city or suburbia. It's almost like they are socially challenged, lol. When we moved in here, everyone was curious, but when they found out we weren't Mennonite, they disappeared!

I don't know that I'd want it to be like the city, either, though - when I lived in Philly, the neighbors knew your business 24/7. I didn't care for that at all. Same with the small towns. I don't need Granny Gossip next door!