Orlando ... not a friendly town (Sanford, Lake Mary: fit in, homes, school)

[StreetSmarts]

Orlando (and really most of FL for that matter) is known for not being exactly "friendly." It's a large mix of people from up north, Latin America, etc... I wont really elaborate on this issue as most know where I stand (LOL), but it's not you friendly1, a lot of people are more to themselves (or are new to the area like you) and dont really reach out to meet others and socialize. I've literally waved to neighbors that were 20 feet away, and not gotten a wave back. I was totally shocked by this one. To be honest, I wave to almost all my neighbors even when driving inside the subdivision, and I kid you not, can literally count on my hands how many times they have waved back to me. I'm not sure I'd advise you to move to Winter Park or another area of Metro Orlando, as you may find the same stuff there too. Like others mentioned, you may want to try the panhandle of FL, or into GA and the Carolina's. It gets cold up there, but not like it does in NY.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by ComSense

Orlando (and really most of FL for that matter) is known for not being exactly "friendly." It's a large mix of people from up north, Latin America, etc... I wont really elaborate on this issue as most know where I stand (LOL), but it's not you friendly1, a lot of people are more to themselves (or are new to the area like you) and dont really reach out to meet others and socialize. I've literally waved to neighbors that were 20 feet away, and not gotten a wave back. I was totally shocked by this one. To be honest, I wave to almost all my neighbors even when driving inside the subdivision, and I kid you not, can literally count on my hands how many times they have waved back to me. I'm not sure I'd advise you to move to Winter Park or another area of Metro Orlando, as you may find the same stuff there too. Like others mentioned, you may want to try the panhandle of FL, or into GA and the Carolina's. It gets cold up there, but not like it does in NY.

And again, you live in a crappy neighborhood and aren't accepting of anyone who isn't a WASP, which eliminates many potential friends. Most of us have had very different experiences.

[brinkofsunshine]

So from what I understand, the OP says that people up north are genuinely nicer than people in Orlando.. and yet posters like ComSense say that it's because of the people up north who come down here that make Orlando unfriendly... a bit of a contradiction, huh?

People generalize way too much. I don't think Orlando is some mecca for unfriendly people. If you haven't been able to find a friend within the 2,000,000+ metro population, there's probably some other factors at work there.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine

so from what i understand, the op says that people up north are genuinely nicer than people in orlando.. And yet posters like comsense say that it's because of the people up north who come down here that make orlando unfriendly... A bit of a contradiction, huh?

People generalize way too much. I don't think orlando is some mecca for unfriendly people. If you haven't been able to find a friend within the 2,000,000+ metro population, there's probably some other factors at work there.

+1

[brinkofsunshine]

Originally Posted by annerk

+1

Thanks! (I'd send it back but I guess I rep you too much already, it wont let me! LOL)

[mrFlaBound]

Originally Posted by brinkofsunshine

So from what I understand, the OP says that people up north are genuinely nicer than people in Orlando.. and yet posters like ComSense say that it's because of the people up north who come down here that make Orlando unfriendly... a bit of a contradiction, huh?

People generalize way too much. I don't think Orlando is some mecca for unfriendly people. If you haven't been able to find a friend within the 2,000,000+ metro population, there's probably some other factors at work there.

perfectly said!

[JustinsMama]

+1

Make that +2

[StreetSmarts]

Big difference between Rochester and NYC.

[blueoktober]

I live in a little bubble downtown. I have been in a gay relationship for 9 years and own a house with my partner. Every single neighbor we have is nice to us. We are constantly invited over for drinks, for dinner, to walk our dogs, to go to night clubs. People stop and talk to me when I am out in my yard doing my landscaping. People come over and ask me to help them unload things from their cars.

My point being that as someone who has faced severe hatred and bigotry in almost every place I have lived, I have never had a single problem in Orlando. So how can I, a "social misfit" as deemed by society, have many friends who are married and heterosexual be nice as they can be to me? Could it be because I am nice to begin with (for the most part, I can be a smart ass ). Orlando has proven to be one of the nicest places I have ever lived and also one of the most social. I love Chicago and will always call it my second home, but if you want to talk about places where people are pretentious, rude and cold then I have plenty to talk about.

I go to heavy metal concerts and goth concerts where I stick out like a sore thumb, but I am me, and I enjoy doing those things. I always meet new friends. Maybe you need to get out of your comfort zone and meet people that don't live in such a wealthy neighborhood.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by blueoktober

I live in a little bubble downtown. I have been in a gay relationship for 9 years and own a house with my partner. Every single neighbor we have is nice to us. We are constantly invited over for drinks, for dinner, to walk our dogs, to go to night clubs. People stop and talk to me when I am out in my yard doing my landscaping. People come over and ask me to help them unload things from their cars.

My point being that as someone who has faced severe hatred and bigotry in almost every place I have lived, I have never had a single problem in Orlando. So how can I, a "social misfit" as deemed by society, have many friends who are married and heterosexual be nice as they can be to me? Could it be because I am nice to begin with (for the most part, I can be a smart ass ). Orlando has proven to be one of the nicest places I have ever lived and also one of the most social. I love Chicago and will always call it my second home, but if you want to talk about places where people are pretentious, rude and cold then I have plenty to talk about.

I go to heavy metal concerts and goth concerts where I stick out like a sore thumb, but I am me, and I enjoy doing those things. I always meet new friends. Maybe you need to get out of your comfort zone and meet people that don't live in such a wealthy neighborhood.

+1 up to the last sentence. I also live in a "wealthy" neighborhood, and people aren't at all pretentious, rude, cold, etc. In fact overall my neighborhood is extremely friendly. By the way, I go to a lot of metal concerts as well. My neighbors are mostly into jazz and standards, but they don't judge.