i never thought that someday i would live in the south. sometimes i did actually think about what it might be like, dreaming that it would be lovely.... large plantation mansions, southern cooking, BBQ, slow moving rivers, thick accents, southern belles, large trees, sitting on the wrap-around porch drinking lemonade...i guess i pictured gone with the wind and thought that sounded magical.
well, i now live in the south. and to be honest it is not all that i imagined (....perhaps because my daydream was more descriptive of the deep south like georgia) but yes, richmond is in the south. i didn't believe it before i moved here. in fact i kinda chuckled a bit when i drove through the former confederate capital and saw statues of confederate generals and heroes. but guys, this is no joke. people here claim it with pride. this is the south and apparently i better get used to it.
...easier said than done! there really are multiple cultures here in the united states. and this western girl is feeling culture clash/shock.
the south vs the west
...in the west when you want to do something on the weekend, you go out to the mountains, the ocean, the lake, the park...you go outside cuz the natural world is varied and beautiful. no rock formation or peak or river or tree or waterfall is the same. and it seems there is so much of it!
....in the south when you want to do something on the weekend, you drink and eat. since i don't do one of those i am weird and i keep wanting to go out into nature. (and i'm getting fat)
...in the west there are sidewalks and trails every where! because people not only believe in being outside and being fit but they also believe in conserving fuel which comes from the earth's natural resources. there are always people running, walking, even in the winter. your body was made to move!
....in the south (or maybe just richmond) there are no sidewalks anywhere! and you don't walk anywhere because that would mean taking your life in your hands as you battle with cars and trucks on the road or trudging through the woods.
....in the west people are pretty much easy going and laid back. and they are genuinely easy going. if they are nice, they are genuinely nice.
...in the south people are nice...but on the inside they are judging you and scoffing at you. 'bless her heart' is said dripping with sarcasm.
....in the west there are so many races all living in a mix--chinese, koreans, japanese, mexicans, salvadorians, tongans, polynesians. and they have lived that way for a while. racism? what is that?
....in the south racism is still an unspoken problem and people still treat you differently if you are white or black. a black woman talks to me waaay differently than her fellow black friends. cray cray.
....in the west people are generally valued by their education and employment status.
...in the south people are generally valued by how much money they have...regardless of their employment because if they have a lot of money they usually got it from grandpa or aunty when they died. and they are super important with all that money they got.
....in the west meals are efficient. you eat because it is necessary and then you move on with your day.
...in the south people sit, chat while they eat, enjoy coffee or tea after, continue to sit even after the plates have been cleared and then enjoy dessert. (while i'm impatient and ready to move onto the next activity)
....in the west going places and doing things is how you connect with people.
....in the south eating and visiting is how you connect with people.
...in the west newcomers are a dime a dozen. everyone has been new or will be new and new people are coming all the time. almost no one lives in the same place they were born. westerners are always moving.
....in the south a newcomer is rare. people live down the street from their parents. they grew up in the same town they are raising their kids in...and we're not talking about small town where no one goes anywhere- people are raised in a city go to a state college, and then come back to the same city to live. so newcomers are treated with a bit of skepticism.
needless to say i'm still adjusting (moving to northern va/washington was much less of a culture change...yes the culture divide apparently straddles a state)
so lest you think i'm just complaining (and i apologize if i have offended anyone) i have decided that right now i'm living here so i'm going to find the great things about richmond and explore what it has to offer. we are going on adventures right here where we live! find joy in the journey right? :)
