Cultural Differences Between Pacific NW and South? (Seattle, Tacoma: how much, homes)

[Montezia]

Native Tennessean who currently lives in Seattle.

Food

The food in Tn and much of the south is obviously less healthier. The food in Seattle tastes fresher and there are much higher standards for food here in Seattle. The food is also pretty expensive in comparison to its cost of living. Seattle and Wa seems to like emphasizing whether or not things are local and they are big on it. There is much more organic and vegan/vegetarian food. Chain restaraunts aren't really big unless you go outside of Seattle proper (i.e. Lynnwood, Tacoma). There's also a lot of fusion foods here as well.

BBq? forget about it. Better learn to make it at home. To be honest the other non-southern city I'd trust to have good southern style food or bbq is nyc. Maybe Chicago. I really miss smoked bbq and pulled pork in those places you'd find out in the country. I don't care what anyone else here will try to say about the southern restaraunts they have here in Seattle. Seattle is concerned about making food waay too healthy and organic for it to even taste right.
People

People in Tn are very nosy. In Seattle people keep to themselves. Even odd behavior or dress isn't gonna be as gawked at or judged like it will in Tn. And from my standpoint, people's views are sometimes so liberal that it puzzles me. There's just some behaviors Seattleites have that I find weird (ie. The human composting facility coming out in 2021, people being specific about recycling (In Tn unless you are talking Nashville garbage all goes to the same place), using sand instead of salt for snowy weather). What Seattle and Tn have in common are that both groups of people are laid back as both places offer a slower pace of life. Both groups of people also tend to be polite and aren't always straight foward like someone up north would be. Passive aggressiveness in Tn (to me) doesn't really exist. Everyone will be hospitable but if they have something to say about you, it will always be well out of earshot and in the lowest possible voice.

There's also this sort of pretentiousness that Seattle has for having such high standards for everything. Higher food standards, higher education requirements of nursing programs and higher standards for businesses to operate.

I also don't see Tn (outside of Nashville) becoming progressive anytime soon, even if you have so many Californians and New Yorkers relocating there. Tn like much of the south's views are grounded in the bible. People there tend to marry young, even while they are in college. I also believe Tn has a much less educated populace than Seattle does. And there are fewer opportunities in the state outside of Nashville. A lot of folks I knew had factory jobs or fast food if they weren't in the military.

Weather

Humidity is non-existent in Seattle for those of us who grew up in the south. What a lot of people consider 'hot' here will likely be an average day in late August to early September (somewhere still in the 70s with humidity making it feel 10 degrees hotter). The summer here was very comfortable for me even on Seattle's 'hottest' days. The weather here is so mild you can sleep with a window open at night and let the cool air in. Ac really isn't needed a lot of the time here. That could never be said about Tennessee.

I also noticed that there are fewer roaches, bees and wasps even in the areas of town with more trees. I've spent some time outside here and a lot of the bugs or mosquitoes they would have back east aren't really present here. A big downside is that there seems to be more spiders (and bigger ones over here). The rain here is very light compared to Tn. The thunderstorms that happened this year were a freak occurence. People really made a big deal about them whereas in Tn it be just another storm.

The air quality also seems better here in Seattle. The allergies I had back at home don't exist here.

One thing Seattle does have in common with Tn is that winters don't get too cold and snow isn't too common. The major difference is Tn doesn't rain as much as Seattle does. And the Seattle winters so far seem a lot 'darker' than in Tn.

Homeless

I grew up 45 minutes away from Nashville. I never saw any homeless living on the streets or wheeling their stuff around until I got to nyc. And in Seattle they are visible too. It's not really the case in Tn. I can't speak for Nashville. I don't think Tn is a popular place for homeless to congregate.

Well that's all I can think of for now. I'd reply if I can think of anything else.

[Gardyloo]

Originally Posted by Montezia

The major difference is Tn doesn't rain as much as Seattle does. And the Seattle winters so far seem a lot 'darker' than in Tn.

Nashville gets 49 inches of rain annually. Seattle gets 38. It's darker because it's farther north. On the other hand, daylight is longer in the summer.

[jabogitlu]

Hey Montezia. I was born and raised in Tennessee as well. I'm a Rocky Top guy. I agree with your perceptions. I really prefer living in the PNW due to the fresher foods and better weather. For my own temperament/personality, I find that the behavior of Northwesterners (keeping to themselves) is much more polite than Tennessee and the South's tendency to get into your business right away. However, the downside is that it is much harder to make real friends here. It's possible, but it sure does take work.

[thatguy950]

Food in Seattle is abysmal, especially compared to the south

[Montezia]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Food in Seattle is abysmal, especially compared to the south

To be honest this has been the biggest and most difficult adjustment. While it is a good thing there isn't a popeye's, kfc, bojangles or chik fil a around every block and I am eating much healthier, it is harder to find foods and places that I'm used to. I don't know how to explain it but there aren't too many get it and go type restaraunts here in Seattle. When I'm downtown the only place I can immediately think to go is Steak and Shake. Everything else isn't bad but I feel that those places would take a minute to have your food ready. And the prices for those place almost necessitates that you have to go to other parts of town to find cheaper eats or you make your own food which isn't always easy on a busy week.

I forgot to mention there aren't as many churches and people don't care about what church/ religion you belong to here in the PNW. Target also takes the place of Wal-Marts. In Tn or at least in my hometown Targets are usually very dead and a little more expensive to go to than Wal-Mart. And forget about buying food there. That's what Wal-mart, Kroger's or Food Lion is for. Publix is the equivalent of Whole Foods.

Seattle does have great options for transit. In addition to buses and lyft/uber there are Van pools, car sharing and bike culture is big here. I feel that Seattle has slightly worse drivers.

I won't miss how in Tn everyone knew everyone's business. Including the bus driver. I didn't grow up in a small town but my hometown is so spaced out it feels like it at times. I forgot to mention there are no farms within city limits. Growing up I got used to passing by so much farmland, horses, bales of hay, cows and grain silos. I can't speak to the farms in WA state but I don't believe you'll see any of that here in WA. Also people seem to be big on using manure as fertilizer. There are lots of places here in Seattle that will straight up smell like poo. Even with all the farms in Tn I don't recall ever getting that smell unless I was actually next to the farm.

[Rombus]

Well, for starters how many Southern counties would hire a stripper as entertainment during lunch at a conference on helping the homeless? Really. It happened about a week ago.

You can't make this stuff up.

https://www.king5.com/video/news/loc...5-4f526acc2469

[TRS_151]

Originally Posted by Rombus

Well, for starters how many Southern counties would hire a stripper as entertainment during lunch at a conference on helping the homeless? Really. It happened about a week ago.

You can't make this stuff up.

https://www.king5.com/video/news/loc...5-4f526acc2469

A MALE stripper at that.

[MrGrocer]

Originally Posted by Montezia

To be honest this has been the biggest and most difficult adjustment. While it is a good thing there isn't a popeye's, kfc, bojangles or chik fil a around every block and I am eating much healthier, it is harder to find foods and places that I'm used to. I don't know how to explain it but there aren't too many get it and go type restaraunts here in Seattle. When I'm downtown the only place I can immediately think to go is Steak and Shake. Everything else isn't bad but I feel that those places would take a minute to have your food ready. And the prices for those place almost necessitates that you have to go to other parts of town to find cheaper eats or you make your own food which isn't always easy on a busy week.

...

There are not a lot of greasy spoon places in Seattle, at least within the central area of the city. Just as well, I'm probably better off in the long run not having 2,000 calories of biscuits and gravy in the first few hours of being awake.

[homesinseattle]

Originally Posted by thatguy950

Food in Seattle is abysmal, especially compared to the south

No it’s not! Go visit my restaurant thread and start going to some of them. Seriously man, you have no idea what you are talking about here.

[Toyman at Jewel Lake]

You should really watch this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpAi70WWBlw

I don't get to the King County area that often, but I find the amount of trash left laying around, and the prevalence of bums taking over parts of the urban area to be pretty shocking. I have never seen that when traveling in southern cities.