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For years I worked as a Software Trainer and traveled over 200 days a year, all over the United States, big cities and small, staying at hotels, instructing people on how to use our companies business software products. Being naturally curious, I used this opportunity to see the places and to learn more about the cities and states I visited, and get to know as many people as I could as I traveled. What an experience!
What really hit me is how drastically different the social culture is from one town to another. Sure the media and travel and relocations have some impact at creating similar behaviors and lifestyles across America, but only to a point. I still found the social and cultural norms vary greatly between one city to another.
As with any stereotype of course, all generalizations are not true all of the time but my years of traveling really made me believe regional stereotypes are true most of the time.
Pick a hundred people at random in a certain town spend time with them and watch how they interact with people and you will see lots of commonalities. The people in Macon GA were so different how they interacted with me and each other than our staff in Fort Lee New Jersey. Or the person in West Palm Beach FL is so different than the people in Tulsa OK, in general.
So do you think that you interact differently with people based on the town you live in now and where you grew up?
Yes, I definitely think you're right and that's one of the reasons I like going to other places - it's all about the people. I'd love to hear some of your examples...I find this sort of thing fun.
I love in Dallas. I smile at strangers, I wave to people in the street, I talk in the grocery store line. I say "ya'll, I speak a little slower to match the general rhythm of the average Texan.
When I go back home to Seattle to visit my family, I try to stop saying "ya'll" (it's very difficult though), I try to pick up the pace in conversation and general interactions. When I smile at strangers, I realize that Seattleites do things a bit differently...I'm not as quick to strike up a random and unwanted conversation in line...I have to pick my moments to make sure I'm appropriate.
Oh, I forget myself and sometimes met with a weird look, but then I smile and realize I'm probably a little much at first. I used to travel more and have cousins who live all over the US. I love the different accents, the different styles they have when approaching everyday things. It's all very interesting.
Without a doubt. Being born and raised in New England, and then traveling to the middle of the country somewhere, it is amazing how much nicer they are than from back home.
I'm generally a pretty shy person, but like talking to nice people. That's doesn't happen too much around here. I hand it to the people from the midwest for being friendly and not always having their guard up. It's gets old.
Can't wait to retire, and live in a friendlier area. Would love to hear your experiences of dealing with the people from the No. East.
Yes. People where I live are generally unfriendly, nasty and revolting. It's actually a pleasant surprise to go somewhere where people actually say hi to you when they pass and hold doors open and things like that.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ShellNic
Yes, I definitely think you're right and that's one of the reasons I like going to other places - it's all about the people. I'd love to hear some of your examples...I find this sort of thing fun.
I love in Dallas. I smile at strangers, I wave to people in the street, I talk in the grocery store line. I say "ya'll, I speak a little slower to match the general rhythm of the average Texan.
When I go back home to Seattle to visit my family, I try to stop saying "ya'll" (it's very difficult though), I try to pick up the pace in conversation and general interactions. When I smile at strangers, I realize that Seattleites do things a bit differently...I'm not as quick to strike up a random and unwanted conversation in line...I have to pick my moments to make sure I'm appropriate.
Oh, I forget myself and sometimes met with a weird look, but then I smile and realize I'm probably a little much at first. I used to travel more and have cousins who live all over the US. I love the different accents, the different styles they have when approaching everyday things. It's all very interesting.
Well if you never break the mould then the place will never change, will it?
Yes, I pretty much speak and smile at the world. I am interested in people, and I like making friends. It seems to me like many Southerners are like me. When I have traveled, I have found that people are not as friendly. Of course there are exceptions. People in Wales reminded me of my home state...open, warm, and welcoming.
I am surprised how few people admit there is huge differences in social culture between American cities.
I just got back from a trip to the Mountain West from the Mid Atlantic. It is hard to believe these cities are on the same planet let alone the same country, people and social customs are SO DIFFERENT!
I am surprised how few people admit there is huge differences in social culture between American cities.
I just got back from a trip to the Mountain West from the Mid Atlantic. It is hard to believe these cities are on the same planet let alone the same country, people and social customs are SO DIFFERENT!
They must be in denial then.
The different areas of the USA were settled by different immigrants. It just make sense that there would be differences.
Some people forget or just don't realize just how big this country is.
I've lived in: Northern VA, Cincinnati OH, Des Moines IA, Olympia WA and now Colorado Springs CO.
Seems to me, the east coast people do have their guard up in dealing with strangers, but the important thing is to demonstrate a REASON for talking to them. If you can establish a point of commonality, they often open up to you. But it can't just be random superficial pleasantry. You don't tell people to have a nice day, and you don't expect cashiers to smile at you. You can live next to someone for 20 years and never exchange a single word. And NOVA people can be SO DARN FLAKY. Never knew so many people, just up and cancel plans with no communication...friends I've got there now even complain about it, I haven't lived there in 17 years but that hasn't changed.
Cincinnati was similar, if even a little more rough in a "rust-belt city" kind of way. They say "please" instead of "what" when they don't hear you say something, and put sweet stuff in all red sauces (chili, pizza sauce, etc) which grosses me out. But I met some cool legit punk rockers there.
Des Moines shocked me. People were SO FRIENDLY. The best words I can find to describe the mentality of Iowa was "common sense." And unlike in VA, rural folk were not hicks. However, there were plenty of times where, despite people being friendly, I could sense that they were shutting me out from meaningful conversation or contact with who they really were, moreso than people from back east did. It was subtle...but it's like the whole place is really determined to be bland and super "normal."
WA took the friendliness to an almost absurd extreme, and common sense went right out the window. Fun place, but wacky. I was concerned that my prior east coast-ishness might cause me social issues on the west coast, but no...no, they think it's cute when you're honest and abrupt with them. They're hot for novelty up there. I went in a pizza joint with "NY pizza with east coast attitude"...staff smiled at me, I told them they were doing it wrong. But the pizza was good. Gotta say I had more fun up between Seattle and Portland than anywhere else, the art, music and culture can't be beat. And all of my neighbors talked to me all the time, more than anywhere I'd lived before or since.
Now Colorado. Well. As long as you love guns, dogs, and freedom, you can get by fine in Colorado. One thing I'm noticing is that a lot of people here misunderstood me or didn't get my humor at first, I got a lot of blank stares...but once they got to know me, they get me better now. People are guarded and friendly at the same time. It's very interesting to see what the Wild West has evolved into. But I've only been here a year, so not long enough to really have 'em figured out yet. I'm workin' on it.
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