NoVa Unfriendly? (Reston, Fairfax: salaries, living in, assessment)

[Green Guy]

You're not crazy OP. Look at this thread about people in Charlottesville being mean and rude. In that same thread, there are mentions of how NoVa can be an even less-friendly place for reasons similar to Charlottesville's problems. See if any of it resonates with your experiences: https://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...mean-rude.html

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Last time I brought in an exterminator; he made a point to say the number one way to rid yourself of pests is to eliminate the food source. We should all remember to stop feeding....

So we quit posting? He responds to others as well with his inane comments.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by Green Guy

You're not crazy OP. Look at this thread about people in Charlottesville being mean and rude. In that same thread, there are mentions of how NoVa can be an even less-friendly place for reasons similar to Charlottesville's problems. See if any of it resonates with your experiences: https://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...mean-rude.html

Again, I tend to view those that paint an area with such a broad brush are likely the problem. Loner, anti-social or one of several things. Don't really know but I lived in NOVA from 73-2015 and I do not agree with an assessment when made like this. Look in the mirror if you're having this much of an issue.

[Green Guy]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

Again, I tend to view those that paint an area with such a broad brush are likely the problem. Loner, anti-social or one of several things. Don't really know but I lived in NOVA from 73-2015 and I do not agree with an assessment when made like this. Look in the mirror if you're having this much of an issue.

My mirror broke because I'm too ugly. Thanks for reminding me.

[Flamingo13]

OP - I'm sorry this had turned odd - but most points were right on, it takes time to establish relationships with other people. Meanwhile, there are so many things to do that I hope you are enjoying the area.

[FCNova]

I've lived here my whole life and by & large have found people pretty friendly. I have a lot of established friendships from growing up here but we just moved to a new house/neighborhood late last summer and have made a slew of great new friends. I would just give it some time.

[Pub-911]

Posters in the NoVa forum are likely of disproportionately long residence in the area. In the general case, this may make them valuable points of reference for newcomers. But out in the real world, a much more significant number of other folks are newcomers themselves and may feel just as uncertain and uneasy about being in a new place as you do. Two can overcome this reluctance more easily if one goes first.

[lovnova]

Originally Posted by Pub-911

Posters in the NoVa forum are likely of disproportionately long residence in the area. In the general case, this may make them valuable points of reference for newcomers. But out in the real world, a much more significant number of other folks are newcomers themselves and may feel just as uncertain and uneasy about being in a new place as you do. Two can overcome this reluctance more easily if one goes first.

I was a long time resident of NoVa (about 56 years). We tried to reach out to newcomers in our neighborhood and for the most part got rejected. It was like they had a chip on the shoulder. Also found people out in the general public the same way. It got worse over the years.

Here in southeast VA, people young and old are noticeably friendlier and respectful to each other.

Sorry it is what it is.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by Green Guy

You're not crazy OP. Look at this thread about people in Charlottesville being mean and rude. In that same thread, there are mentions of how NoVa can be an even less-friendly place for reasons similar to Charlottesville's problems. See if any of it resonates with your experiences: https://www.city-data.com/forum/charl...mean-rude.html

Is Virginia friendly? In general?

I mean I could say the same thing about Hampton Roads.

For some reason we have this sick obsession about people being friendly whenever we move somewhere in America. I never understood it. People are people. Why do people think that someone should go out of their way with transients. They chose to move there. I have no expectations about people being friendly to me when I'm somewhere else. I have to put in the same work I put in, in my own hometown.

Then I hear these odd misnomers saying that people in certain parts of the country are friendlier. The South is friendlier, the Midwest is friendlier. The West is weird and eccentric. The East are all academics and liberals. New England is the Midwest. So on and so forth.

It's all wrong. You can't stereotype people in DC, Northern Virginia, or Charlottesville any more than you can stereotype people in New York City.

[Pub-911]

Originally Posted by lovnova

I was a long time resident of NoVa (about 56 years). We tried to reach out to newcomers in our neighborhood and for the most part got rejected. It was like they had a chip on the shoulder. Also found people out in the general public the same way. It got worse over the years.

I arrived here in the 1960's. Never did cotton to the sorts hereabouts in those days. Massive resistance? Laws prohibiting the sale of toilet paper on Sunday? No thanks. But I was speaking above about the NoVa of today, which is of course a very different place from what it was all those years ago.