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To people who have frequently traveled to and from the southern states and the New England states, what kind of culture shock are we expecting to see? My partner and I have lived in Texas and a few southern states all of our lives, and from what I've been told, moving to New England can be severely shocking.
What kind of changes are we expecting to see aside from the obvious like weather, accents, attitudes and taxes?
I think it will largely depend on where you move to in New England. Just like depending on where you move in Texas, it could be severely shocking for someone from say Manchester, NH. Your experience living in or near Hartford will be different than say Mystic, CT. Just like moving to Plano, TX will be different than moving to Lubbock, TX.
The landscape will be different. Mountains, more lakes, more trees are among some of the more noticeable differences. Less insects would be another difference.
Attitudes will vary widely. One of the things that gets overblown on these forums (and there are a lot of things that get overblown about every area in this country) is how unfriendly people are in New England. Sure there are rude people and cold people here, but the same could be said for every part of this country. I would not come up here with the idea that if you were to be in a bar and strike up a conversation with some stranger they would be very cold towards you. Just like it would make no sense for someone from Rhode Island to move down to Texas with the idea that everyone is an ardent second amendment supporter who is anti-abortion and loves Jesus more than anything.
If you do make the move up to New England I hope you and your partner enjoy yourselves.
I'm waiting for all the New Englanders to show up and yell at you. I've said before, but most New Englanders on this forum don't believe me, but it's absolutely true: the majority of people here do think that if you're not from a coast, your hometown is probably not worth anything. Is it the worst thing in the world? No. But it does get annoying when people constantly say negative things about, in my case, Ohio whenever the topic of where I come from arises.
Here you go again. "The majority of people?" Did you, or any other outlet conduct some sort of poll or research to support that weak assertion that the majority of people here thing what you're claiming?
To people who have frequently traveled to and from the southern states and the New England states, what kind of culture shock are we expecting to see? My partner and I have lived in Texas and a few southern states all of our lives, and from what I've been told, moving to New England can be severely shocking.
What kind of changes are we expecting to see aside from the obvious like weather, accents, attitudes and taxes?
Polite in New England means not speaking to strangers unless spoken to first. Indeed, if a stranger says hi and starts casual conversation, suspicion immediately rises there is some ulterior motive (such as asking for money, or proselytizing) or that the person is mentally unstable.
Not to say that it is impossible to ever meet people, but Yankees can take months or years to open up even to next door neighbors. Time needs to be taken to feel out whether you'd be intruding on someone else's space by asking them to do something after all.
We went to a lighthouse in or near, not sure which, Jamestown, R. I. I am native to North Carolina and if I see you I speak to you. We saw a group and wondered if it was a class reunion because they had pictures of the people of the group displayed on a table. Not one person in the group would even say, "Hi." We came away wondering if maybe they spoke another language. Needless to say we found them rather strange. Bet they thought we were rude. It intrigued us that they were out together on a day in such horrible weather.
Polite in New England means not speaking to strangers unless spoken to first. Indeed, if a stranger says hi and starts casual conversation, suspicion immediately rises there is some ulterior motive (such as asking for money, or proselytizing) or that the person is mentally unstable.
Not to say that it is impossible to ever meet people, but Yankees can take months or years to open up even to next door neighbors. Time needs to be taken to feel out whether you'd be intruding on someone else's space by asking them to do something after all.
Starting a casual conversation can be considered mentally unstable? Wow, LOL! I'm sorry, I just find that level of unwarranted paranoia hilarious. We all learn through normal human development to pick up on other's ques and respect people's personal space. But I DO know what you mean about the panhandling and such stuff. Just the other day I was waiting near the courthouse and I could tell just by the way this guy was talking to me that he was going to be asking for something (and he did). It wasn't that he was starting a casual conversation, but the approach. My wife is from Boston and moved here to Charlotte in 1988. The very thing she liked the best was people's genuine kindness and people were more relaxed. Yes, you can have jerks and morons anywhere, but there's not that hyper-suspeciousness here like there seems to be in certain parts of the Northeast. Not a put down, just an observation.
Polite in New England means not speaking to strangers unless spoken to first. Indeed, if a stranger says hi and starts casual conversation, suspicion immediately rises there is some ulterior motive (such as asking for money, or proselytizing) or that the person is mentally unstable.
Not to say that it is impossible to ever meet people, but Yankees can take months or years to open up even to next door neighbors. Time needs to be taken to feel out whether you'd be intruding on someone else's space by asking them to do something after all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eschaton
No, it's not really true. I wouldn't call people outgoing anywhere in the Northeast, but the never talking to a stranger thing (not just in big cities, but in rural areas) is universal in New England. People will actually recognize the existence of strangers in the mid-Atlantic, and sometimes even say hello to them.
You're probably from Connecticut.
Don't assume that the rest of the region shares such a putrid culture.
Depends where in New England. I have found the rural areas and small towns to contain the friendliest people.
In my experience, those from the PNW are the most arrogant about where they live (and how they live) and are the least friendly. They fake their friendships.
Polite in New England means not speaking to strangers unless spoken to first. Indeed, if a stranger says hi and starts casual conversation, suspicion immediately rises there is some ulterior motive (such as asking for money, or proselytizing) or that the person is mentally unstable.
Not to say that it is impossible to ever meet people, but Yankees can take months or years to open up even to next door neighbors. Time needs to be taken to feel out whether you'd be intruding on someone else's space by asking them to do something after all.
Don't assume that the rest of the region shares such a putrid culture.
Massachusetts is the same. Well at least Eastern Massachusetts.
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