Are Northerners Welcome?

[ChrisAnn]

Thank you everyone for all your positive comments. From reading this forum, Tn seems like a friendly place.Since my husband and I also are friendly and helpful, I think we would fit in ok.
Can anyone suggest some small quaint towns in the mountains where we might be able to relocate. We want seasonal changes. We can put up with some heat but don't like weather such as Florida's.We would need to be near a city like Knoxville or Chatanooga to work. Thanks!

[staywarm2]

[quote=Accountable;32104]
As for Rossc, did people tell you their bitterness was due to the civil war? I don't know anyone who was alive during that time, and few who know anything about it. In fact, I suspect most people under 30 don't even know it was about the north vs. the south.
quote]

I sure hope most folks learned about the Civil War in high school history class!!

[blueeyes30]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Well, a couple of points.

First of all, LauraC lives in Oak Ridge, and as she mentioned, there are a LOT of transplants. Live amongst the locals out in the country and you might find a different experience.

Second, anytime a southerner crossed our path up north, we were mesmerized. The South is romanticized up north. Good gosh, I named one of my children Scarlett, although she was born and still lives in Massachusetts.

I think there is much more discrimination down here to northerners than up there. Let's face it, that smooth accent is very endearing. My accent is like nails on a chalkboard. But it doesn't mean that I am not nice. In fact, I might just be nicer than you. But if you can't get past the accent, well...

The most important thing, though, is LauraC, you just missed a Civil War reenactment at the Ramsey House! Had I known, I would have told you.

Events

While some of relatives had entirely different experiences but that was a while ago. Believe me, their accent wasn't mesmerized.

There are several books on Appalachian people who moved to places like Cincinatti and Detriot. Alot of their experiences were not pleasant. Also the numbers of people who haved moved south are alot greater than those who moved north. Urban Appalachians - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But I agree, there are jerks out there who hate anyone who is not in their own circle of friends or relatives. Some people hate those who are not from their area. Those people exist everywhere though. I saw examples of that the last time is I was in Pennsylvania.

I still think southerners would have a harder time adjusting to another part of the country though. The South is still the butt of the jokes on late night TV and movies. Just look how freely the words "redneck" and "hillbilly" are used. But you bring up a good point (this is from reading your other posts): Folks in New York and New Jersey are unfairly stereotyped too. When I lived in Florida, I thought the northeastern transplants were the friendliest, but very opinionated.

I love visiting the different parts of America. Strangely most people I meet remind me of someone back home but with a different accent. But I have few problems when visiting other parts of the country. Maybe it's because I don't speak in a typical southern accent.

[blueeyes30]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Yes, yes I did! How did you know?

And bless her heart, if I worked for television manufacturer I could have sent someone to fix her television. It would not turn on. I tried. It just wouldn't.

I could have sent someone out, but they would have charged her for the trip and could not fix the tv. I was her friend, but she just didn't know it.

I think she lashed out at me and used my accent and the fact that I was a northerner to hurt me. I have plenty of southern co-workers that are called names, too. I don't think she really meant it. She was just frustrated and scared.

It happens to all of us, northern and southern. It's a quick way to lash out.

I have a tough job. Sometimes people are scared, financially hurt, and they just don't mean it. Times are tough. We should all stick together.

I used to work customer service for a large bank. Believe me, people become jerks on the phone no matter where they live. I've had old ladies curse me out even.