Not welcoming to newcomers? (Richmond, Windsor: house, neighborhoods, high school)

[snatale1]

Originally Posted by camer

2 + years on Richmond and I LOVE IT!
We lived in Boston for many years before moving here. I think Richmond is a much friendlier city. There's snootiness in both places (and everywhere else) but I have to agree with the person who said that the prejudice in New England is worse than the prejudice in the South because New Englanders try to hide it.

Untrue. The difference is people in the Northeast are honest and to the point, no wasting time, no fake politeness. If the have a problem with somebody, you know it! If find it no nicer here that Boston as far as people being nice. Guess it depends were your from.

[richmondpics]

Originally Posted by snatale1

Untrue. The difference is people in the Northeast are honest and to the point, no wasting time, no fake politeness. If the have a problem with somebody, you know it! If find it no nicer here that Boston as far as people being nice. Guess it depends were your from.

How can one's opinion on a subjective topic based on one's individual experiences be "untrue" ?

[camer]

Originally Posted by richmondpics

How can one's opinion on a subjective topic based on one's individual experiences be "untrue" ?

from personal experience and observation, perhaps New England prejudice/snootiness (by the minority, not the majority), is veiled in a "political correctness." This is how I interpret the statement that "New Englanders try to hide their prejudice." The snootiness that I have experienced here in Richmond (by the minority, not the majority) feels completely different from the snootiness in Boston. I think Virginians are much more transparent about their dislike, even if it may be in a "fake politeness." Prejudice is prejudice; it's a world reality; wrong not matter how it presents itself. But I'll take "fake politeness" over prejudice that is veiled in political correctness any day.

[LogSS]

Originally Posted by SonofDixie

I've never understood why transplants expect us to instantly become best friends with them after a few weeks. Don't get me wrong, I have no issues with being friendly and welcoming. However, unlike transplants, a lot of us native Southerners don't leave very far from home or we come back home after college. We keep our many of our friends from childhood until the day we die, so we don't exactly have a need to go making friends with every new person that we meet. We already have a close-knit, core group of friends.

You clearly justified why Richmonder aren’t friendly. No one is expecting you to be their best friend with then after a few weeks however a nice friendly greeting and smile will go a long way and clear the negative perceptions that outsiders and transplants think of Richmond. I am a lifelong Virginian and have lived in many parts of the state and they say the same thing about Richmond. And as many posted on here are saying the same thing. The gay folks are just as bad.

[richmondpics]

Originally Posted by LogSS

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The gay folks are just as bad.

Ummm say what?

And second of all, the poster you quoted stated they were not even from Richmond.

[Charlesaf3]

Coming from Boston, I find the attitude hear much friendlier. Including the gay guys - not sure what was meant by that above...

[LogSS]

Originally Posted by richmondpics

Ummm say what?

And second of all, the poster you quoted stated they were not even from Richmond.

Third , you should read again

[Capltd29]

I've never really felt that Richmond was particularly unfriendly, although I will say certain areas of Richmond can be very "Cliqueky" (?sp). No experience with people in mechanicsville. I don't really notice most people being majorly friendly or welcoming to new people.

[killabunnies]

OK so I just moved here from DC (by way of San Francisco) and have to say... Richmond is not as "friendly" as DC was in terms of superficial "hey how you doin" greetings I got in my old DC neighborhood BUT, that said, I find it far easier to strike up a random conversation with strangers here than I could there.

One thing I said to one of my new neighbors that I appreciate about living here is that I'm not immediately asked what I do for a living. What a concept, like you can just BE a human and not be defined by what you do for work!

I have noticed that some of my neighbors are not as nice as the neighbors I left behind in DC but I think the DC neighbors are more concerned with safety than politeness. I was raised in the Midwest so saying "hey" to everyone is nothing out of the ordinary and I will continue doing so, even if 1/4 of my Richmond neighbors blow me off when I do so. That doesn't make them rude or unwelcoming, it's just how they choose to be is all.

[AJNEOA]

One thing I'm uncertain about is how people know life-long Richmonders are unwelcoming vs. transplants. I'm a transplant and I don't say "hi" to everyone on the sidewalk. Maybe people think I'm unwelcoming? Maybe people think I operate in a clique? I can/do help people when asked, or engage in friendly conversation when approached. Perhaps everyone has a different communication style or expectations.