# Areas of USA & acceptance of (legal) outsiders



## Tim (Jul 22, 2010)

What are some areas of the US that are particularly accepting of outsiders that move there? What are some areas in which it is particularly difficult to be accepted socially if you are "not from there"?

My recent trip back to my home in Canada reminded me how easy it was to communicate with and be with "my own people". And how this is definitely not the same for me in South Africa!

For example, your answer might be:

In Metropolitan area X, it is easy to be accepted socially because everyone is from everywhere else!

In region X, unless you grew up there, you will never really be accepted.

Or even:

In region X, people are nice to the face of outsiders, but then they talk behind the back.


Is anyone bold enough to make blanket statement of caution or praise? I am not trying to incite prejudices, of course.


----------



## LawrenceU (Jul 22, 2010)

Believe it or not down here on the Gulf Coast folks are pretty much good to everybody, except for those that always whine and complain about everything around here and refuse to move.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 22, 2010)

Where I'm from, in Pittsburgh, it's hard to be accepted socially, especially if you are an East- or West-coast weirdo. It's even harder to figure out how to get around from place to place. Here in New England, people seem to be very accepting and welcoming, but they will still consider you an outsider, even if you've been here 30 years.


----------



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jul 22, 2010)

Hey now. Pittsburgh ain't that bad.


----------



## Montanablue (Jul 22, 2010)

Speaking for my own region, if you weren't born here, you aren't from here - but that doesn't mean people won't be nice to you. Generally, people are friendly, but they will make certain assumptions about you if you are from a certain region or are a certain race. NOt necessarily hostile assumptions, but I think it could get annoying fast. 

The only exception is if you are hispanic. Unfortunately, ppl tend to assume that every hispanic is an illegal or a drug dealer (even though there is, uh, no drug trade here). Unfortunate, since all the Hispanics I know (okay, that's 3, but still...) actually ARE legal and generally nice people.


----------



## SemperEruditio (Jul 22, 2010)

Military housing on military bases are about the only places I've experienced a general sense of acceptance. Everyone's from somewhere else and yet everyone has Uncle Sam in common. I haven't been anywhere that I can use the blanket statement that X place is always accepting or never accepting. There have been places that I thought were great and my wife thought were horrendous...McLean, VA comes to mind. I had no problem but my wife was asked to leave a craft store because they "were closing" at 5pm...yet the sign said 7pm...and when we drove past at 8pm they were still open...

So I don't know of any place that anyone could possibly say that it is accepting of all outsiders. Even in the military there are cliques and certain duty stations or posts that it is understood the town outside the base is not the friendliest or loves their military people but things are different for each member. Some Caucasian brothers I know found Jacksonville, FL very racist toward minorities and then there are African-Americans and Latinos who love Jacksonville, Fl.

I think the acceptance of the outsider is usually a result of the outsider being considered more of an insider for more than a few reasons and race ain't always one of the variables. I recall guys from New York having the toughest time getting along but a lot of that had to do with the "_everything is backwards outside of NYC!_" attitude. These guys had never been outside NYC and instead of embracing a different form of living they oozed of indignation that things weren't like they were back in the NYC.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 22, 2010)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Hey now. Pittsburgh ain't that bad.


 
Not that people are mean, but it has a definite culture, which makes people stick out if they are from somewhere else, especially the coasts.


----------



## Andres (Jul 22, 2010)

Montanablue said:


> The only exception is if you are hispanic. Unfortunately, ppl tend to assume that every hispanic is an illegal or a drug dealer (even though there is, uh, no drug trade here). Unfortunate, since all the Hispanics I know (okay, that's 3, but still...) actually ARE legal and generally nice people.


 
do I count? I was born in the USA and I hate drugs. Well illegal drugs at least. I do take pain relievers when my back acts up.

---------- Post added at 10:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:26 AM ----------

Definitely find a bigger city. Diversity is the key to having different groups accepted. If you move to a small town where everyone is predominatly ___, unless you are ___ too, you are going to stick out big time. In Texas, I would say Dallas and Houston are pretty diverse because they are huge cities. Although not as big, Austin has a big rep for being an accepting city. Unfortunately this means liberal as they are really accepting of homosexuals and the like too.


----------



## nasa30 (Jul 22, 2010)

You would be fine and well treated if you came here to Chattanooga, Tennessee on one condition. You MUST drink sweet tea. We are a little suspicious if someone refuses a glass. We don't care if you were not born here because not everyone gets that blessing from God. So some folks have to travel to get here.


----------



## LawrenceU (Jul 22, 2010)

Note that in my reply above I did not say that folks will think you are a local. I am as much a son of the South as can be, yet it is obvious that I am not from the Central Gulf Coast. Even with that I am treated well. Have been since day one. Even yankees are treated with respect. They may not be trusted at first, but they will never know that. 

Judson, ditto re: tea. For what it's worth, I remeber the first time I was asked if I wanted 'sweet tea'. I was above the Mason Dixon line. I looked at the waitress like a deer in headlights for a minute. I had always assumed that tea was always sweet unless you ordered it otherwise!


----------



## Montanablue (Jul 22, 2010)

> do I count? I was born in the USA and I hate drugs. Well illegal drugs at least. I do take pain relievers when my back acts up.



If you look like you could be from Latin America, you count. Eventually, people would get to know you and they wouldn't think that any more about you personally, but it might take a while.

Of course, I'm speaking in generalities, there are obviously people here who don't make snap judgments, but this is unfortunately the general character of the area.


----------



## Andres (Jul 22, 2010)

Montanablue said:


> > do I count? I was born in the USA and I hate drugs. Well illegal drugs at least. I do take pain relievers when my back acts up.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I meant do I count as one you know and consider to be nice.


----------



## JML (Jul 22, 2010)

I have lived in a few different places: Alabama, New Orleans, Illinois, and Kansas. What I have found is that you are more likely to be accepted if you are accepting. Not in a fake kind of way but if you make efforts to learn about the new culture then you are much more likely to be accepted. That is what I have found anyway. People kind of think it is neat that you are making efforts and they want to help you to fit in. In New Orleans, for example, I learned some Cajun French, I ate the crawfish, and made efforts to pronounce all of the names correctly although they laugh at you at first. I even made efforts to lose my southern accent so I would not stand out as much because I found it to be a hindrance. There seems to be a line though in every culture that you cannot cross if you are not from there. You can't be fake and you can't act like you have been there your whole life. But they will still be "accepting."

---------- Post added at 01:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------

P.S.

Yes they made fun of my Alabama accent in New Orleans even though they are in the south too.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 22, 2010)

John Lanier said:


> I have lived in a few different places: Alabama, New Orleans, Illinois, and Kansas. What I have found is that you are more likely to be accepted if you are accepting. Not in a fake kind of way but if you make efforts to learn about the new culture then you are much more likely to be accepted. That is what I have found anyway. People kind of think it is neat that you are making efforts and they want to help you to fit in. In New Orleans, for example, I learned some Cajun French, I ate the crawfish, and made efforts to pronounce all of the names correctly although they laugh at you at first. I even made efforts to lose my southern accent so I would not stand out as much because I found it to be a hindrance. There seems to be a line though in every culture that you cannot cross if you are not from there. You can't be fake and you can't act like you have been there your whole life. But they will still be "accepting."
> 
> ---------- Post added at 01:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------
> 
> ...


 
You found a southern accent to be a hindrance in New Orleans????

I agree with you. Thank you. I have also experienced this in foreign countries. 

I'm not about to start talking like a New Englander, however. Cause that's just weird.


----------



## Montanablue (Jul 22, 2010)

Andres said:


> Montanablue said:
> 
> 
> > > do I count? I was born in the USA and I hate drugs. Well illegal drugs at least. I do take pain relievers when my back acts up.
> ...


 
OH. Hahaha.

Actually, I'm pretty sure you're a dug dealer. 

Yes, of course! Besides, living in Mexico cured me of any tendencies I may have had to be more suspicious of Hispanics than of anyone else. Funny how your perspective changes when suddenly you're the one that sticks out.


----------



## TexanRose (Jul 22, 2010)

As Andres said, it's easy to be accepted in Houston. That's probably because the city has boomed in the last decade, so a large percentage of the people living here are originally from elsewhere themselves (both from other states and from other countries).

College towns are often easier to "blend into" as well because they are used to having people come from all over the country/world to attend school. However, sometimes there is a divide between students and locals that is difficult to cross.

I agree that you are more likely to feel at home if you make an effort to get to know and appreciate the place where you are. 

Another thing to consider is how welcoming the churches are where you would be going. My family attended a Dutch reformed church in Michigan when I was a child. Though we were there for four years, I never felt as though we really "belonged." Whereas, I've only been in the church I'm in now for one year, but I feel as though I've been here my whole life (though to be fair, the rest of my family has had connections here for some time).


----------



## jwright82 (Jul 22, 2010)

I live like around 8 hours east of LawrenceU, I have driven through Mobile a few times it was nice, and here people are pretty much easy going but there is a lot of lingering racism of sorts. It is a shame how casual people say racial slurs down here. I have been called a cracker so many times and I can't think of one time that anyone who used it to be offenseive. It is a shame that there are parts of town where African-americans can't go and places where Caucasian people can't go either, just for being their respective race. It is very possible to be trusted by other races but you start out in the suspicous category.

That is my only complaint about this town. Other than that everyone is pretty inclusive about people from different regions. The whole southerner/yankee devide is almost non-existant here. As long as you like boats, beaches, fishing, rain, fried gator tail, swamps, aligators, snakes, big city traffic, very country suberbs with lots of dirt roads and such, and sweet tea you will be fine.


----------



## Theogenes (Jul 22, 2010)

North Dakota is welcoming to outsiders (I was one and arrived here 15 years ago). Maybe its because they just like to see other humans now and then....


----------



## nasa30 (Jul 22, 2010)

jwright82 said:


> The whole southerner/yankee devide is almost non-existant here. As long as you like boats, beaches, fishing, rain, fried gator tail, swamps, aligators, snakes, big city traffic, very country suberbs with lots of dirt roads and such, and sweet tea you will be fine.


You do know that the reason for there not being a divide is because you live an a "Yankee" state. Much to many northerners to be a deep south state. The southern folks are the odd man out in Florida.


----------



## N. Eshelman (Jul 22, 2010)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Hey now. Pittsburgh ain't that bad.


 
Jerry O'Neill's father used to say that Pittsburgh is a city best seen in the rear view mirror!


----------



## Reformed Baptist (Jul 22, 2010)

Move to Atlanta. No one who lives here is really from here.


----------



## Scottish Lass (Jul 22, 2010)

Geoff beat me to it--that's a common saying about Atlanta. But, I would also classify it as a place (and region) where they may be nice to your face but talk behind your back, depending on socioeconomics, often. There are large international populations there, and it's not unusual to hear a few different languages spoken on MARTA (our mass transit system). But you can look at the recent mayoral election to see that race relations are still an issue in ATL. 

I agree about military towns--Tim and I were near Ft. Stewart for years, and I think the acceptance was higher, esp. among the kids.


----------



## LawrenceU (Jul 22, 2010)

jwright82 said:


> I live like around 8 hours east of LawrenceU, I have driven through Mobile a few times it was nice, and here people are pretty much easy going but there is a lot of lingering racism of sorts. It is a shame how casual people say racial slurs down here. I have been called a cracker so many times and I can't think of one time that anyone who used it to be offenseive. It is a shame that there are parts of town where African-americans can't go and places where Caucasian people can't go either, just for being their respective race. It is very possible to be trusted by other races but you start out in the suspicous category.
> 
> That is my only complaint about this town. Other than that everyone is pretty inclusive about people from different regions. The whole southerner/yankee devide is almost non-existant here. As long as you like boats, beaches, fishing, rain, fried gator tail, swamps, aligators, snakes, big city traffic, very country suberbs with lots of dirt roads and such, and sweet tea you will be fine.


 
You bring up an interesting perspective. There are parts of the area that are predominantly white and others that are predominantly black. Still there are others that are predominantly Vietnameese, Latin (subdivided into Mexicans and then everyone else), Indian, Pakistani, and more. It is not that people can't go there, they just don't very often. No one talks about any of the sub-areas except the white/black divergence. If anything the others are more isolated. Some folks that live here don't even know they exist. Most of the town is mixed up pretty well and becoming moreso all the time. The thing that hurts the white/black issue more than anything else is the local (and national when they fly in-which is pretty often) leftist leaning 'black leaders' who are contintually stirring the pot. Most of the black folks here will say the same thing.

The greatest dividing line socially in Mobile is violent gang/drug activity. That is what keeps people out of certain areas of town more than anything else. It is not relegated to the 'black' areas alone either.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 22, 2010)

nleshelman said:


> Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > Hey now. Pittsburgh ain't that bad.
> ...


 
Stan Copeland called it, "Pittsburgatory" I highly disagreed with and could not understand this remark of his.


----------



## Steve Curtis (Jul 22, 2010)

I grew up in Orlando after my dad retired from the USMC. Most of the people I knew (and know) were originally from somewhere else, as is pretty much the case for most "retirement" destinations. Sure, you can head out of town 15-20 miles and find lots of "locals," but in the city and the immediate 'burbs, it's a melting pot.


----------



## N. Eshelman (Jul 22, 2010)

Willem van Oranje said:


> nleshelman said:
> 
> 
> > Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> ...


 
That's funny. I personally LOVE Pittsburgh. Of course, I am a native of Western PA.


----------



## 21st Century Calvinist (Jul 22, 2010)

Let me offer a few thoughts as a (legal) resident foreigner in the USA!
I moved to Atlanta from Scotland and I have to say it was a big culture shock. It is not like NYC! However, I got used to it and now miss it. I found people to be very friendly. They were always interested in me and in Scotland. Occasionally, I meet people who ask me what my native language is! That is more amusing than anything else. I have been welcomed into people's lives and their homes also. Maybe some did/do talk about me behind my back, I don't know.
In Atlanta it wasn't that often that you met someone who was born and raised in Atlanta. I always loved to talk with them about how the city has changed so much in a short period of time. 
I am certainly interested in American culture and ask questions about that. Some friends taught me Southern phrases, that I now use. I did avoid the tea, but only because I would be drinking gallons of it. However, I can no longer resist the sweet tea at Covenant Seminary.
In St Louis it is more or less the same. At my former church in Atlanta and now here in St Louis I have met some of God's finest children. What a blessing they are to me.
One time I was driving between Atlanta and St Louis and I stopped at a gas station in rural Tennessee. After using the restroom I decided to purchase something. The woman took a long draw of her cigarette, looked me up and down then said, "You ain't from around here." "No, I replied, I've come from Atlanta." She looked at me again and started to slowly nod her head then she looked at my car and said, "Is Dekalb County in Atlanta?" "Yes, Ma'am" "Well boy, you drive safely now and come back see us again."
On another occasion I was going to Savannah with some friends from the Caribbean. We stopped, or rather I needed to stop, at a gas station in rural Georgia. Myself and my friend were the only two customers at the gas station and the attendant treated her very rudely. In the end both of us were saddened but slightly amused by it.
Well, ya'll I must go as I'm fixin' to go to small group tonight!


----------



## Montanablue (Jul 22, 2010)

Just to share a pointless anecdote, I have a good friend in Tennessee who I visited a while ago. I was never aware that I had any kind of accent, but when I was down there, people would hear me talk and ask where I was from. So, out of curiousity, I asked them where they thought I was from - and while most people guessed "north," at least 4 guessed Europe! (I do not have anything resembling a European accent)


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 22, 2010)

nleshelman said:


> Willem van Oranje said:
> 
> 
> > nleshelman said:
> ...


 
Me too. Used to play on the brick roads in Carrick.

---------- Post added at 07:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:04 PM ----------




21st Century Calvinist said:


> Let me offer a few thoughts as a (legal) resident foreigner in the USA!
> I moved to Atlanta from Scotland and I have to say it was a big culture shock. It is not like NYC! However, I got used to it and now miss it. I found people to be very friendly. They were always interested in me and in Scotland. Occasionally, I meet people who ask me what my native language is! That is more amusing than anything else. I have been welcomed into people's lives and their homes also. Maybe some did/do talk about me behind my back, I don't know.
> In Atlanta it wasn't that often that you met someone who was born and raised in Atlanta. I always loved to talk with them about how the city has changed so much in a short period of time.
> I am certainly interested in American culture and ask questions about that. Some friends taught me Southern phrases, that I now use. I did avoid the tea, but only because I would be drinking gallons of it. However, I can no longer resist the sweet tea at Covenant Seminary.
> ...


 
When that man asked what your native language is, did you tell him, Scottish Gaelic?


----------



## Galatians220 (Jul 22, 2010)

Where I live is very accepting of everyone from everywhere. Southeastern Michigan is pretty laid back and absolutely no one should feel as though they don't fit in here. Our friendliness, as compared to other Midwestern cities, is a well-kept secret. (A transplant from Atlanta told me that.) 

When our son lived in Houston for those years, I loved it there and found it very friendly to a Northerner. I actually wanted to move there, but he left and so...

Kathleen, yes, my one visit to Montana left me with the impression that if you weren't born there, don't make any claims about it. Didn't find people overly friendly (I know you'd be the *shining exception*!), but the place is absolutely beautiful. Other places where I've felt very much like a stranger are Boston, everywhere in Maine, and Chicago (especially the latter). NYC is friendlier than Chicago, in my opinion.

All over England and Scotland, every time I've been there, people were nice to me and I finally found out why. They thought I was a Canadian. Finally someone in Pitlochry, Scotland told me that. Why do you think I'm a Canadian? I asked. "Because of your accent," she said. _And where do you think my accent is from?_ "Toronto, of course!" Pretty good: this Scot located me just 240 miles from home, but boy, would a _*real*_ Torontonian ever be insulted if s/he heard that!  Ironically, Toronto is another place where I used to feel at home and don't anymore.

And for the record, Pittsburgh is a LOVELY place!  

Margaret


----------



## he beholds (Jul 22, 2010)

Willem van Oranje said:


> Where I'm from, in Pittsburgh, it's hard to be accepted socially, especially if you are an East- or West-coast weirdo. It's even harder to figure out how to get around from place to place. Here in New England, people seem to be very accepting and welcoming, but they will still consider you an outsider, even if you've been here 30 years.


 
I think the deal with Pittsburgh is that her natives almost never leave. I am the only person in my family who now lives in another city, nevermind that it's in another state! 
I don't feel that newcomers would feel odd or out of place, unless they come as an ambassador for another city's football team. 

Conversely, for example, Richmond, VA, is a city full of transplants, so you'd think it'd be easy to find acceptance, but since nobody knows anybody I think it is actually more difficult to make friends. I'd rather move to a city like Pittsburgh where everybody already has their lifelong social group, so they are comfortable enough to invite newcomers in, which also leads to you finding built-in friends just by befriending one person. 





Willem van Oranje said:


> nleshelman said:
> 
> 
> > Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> ...


 


Willem van Oranje said:


> nleshelman said:
> 
> 
> > Willem van Oranje said:
> ...






I think Pittsburgh is the best ever.


----------



## Montanablue (Jul 22, 2010)

> Kathleen, yes, my one visit to Montana left me with the impression that if you weren't born there, don't make any claims about it. Didn't find people overly friendly (I know you'd be the shining exception!), but the place is absolutely beautiful. Other places where I've felt very much like a stranger are Boston, everywhere in Maine, and Chicago (especially the latter). NYC is friendlier than Chicago, in my opinion.



Its absolutely true. People are a little more accepting if you're actually moving there and settling down, but most don't like tourists that much. (Sometimes with good reason). I DO try to be the exception though!


----------



## Idelette (Jul 22, 2010)

I've traveled quite a bit throughout the States, and have lived in a couple of different areas. I would say ,generally, if you live anywhere near the larger metropolitan cities you will find that people are very diverse and very accepting of foreigners. But once you get into the smaller towns (especially in the South) you may find some people not as friendly and open towards foreigners. Not only have I seen this, but I've experienced first hand, as well as my parents (who have thick accents). And as someone who has always had diverse friends, I know a lot of my friends have experienced the same thing as well. And of-course every large city will have some divided areas, but overall you'll find people generally accepting.

I also want to make a distinction between general "friendliness" and acceptance of foreigners because there is a huge difference. For example, cities like Chicago and NYC are not the friendliest cities, but they are far more accepting of foreigners than other parts of the states!


----------



## jwright82 (Jul 22, 2010)

LawrenceU said:


> jwright82 said:
> 
> 
> > I live like around 8 hours east of LawrenceU, I have driven through Mobile a few times it was nice, and here people are pretty much easy going but there is a lot of lingering racism of sorts. It is a shame how casual people say racial slurs down here. I have been called a cracker so many times and I can't think of one time that anyone who used it to be offenseive. It is a shame that there are parts of town where African-americans can't go and places where Caucasian people can't go either, just for being their respective race. It is very possible to be trusted by other races but you start out in the suspicous category.
> ...


 
Yeah it is sad, I mean racism is ahorribly unfair position because it is judgeing someone before you even get a chance to know them. That said I am just shocked by casual people use racial and sexist slurs down here. I guess I forgot about that when I joined the militaray. It is not all racist I don't want to give that impression it is a wonderful town and I as a anti-racist are probally going to retire here. I just thinkj it is sad that there are streets downtown that I know if I go there and I am white I will probally get killed. The drug violence there is horrible the police are getting criticized because they get shot at so much that now if you pull anything remotly looking like a gun they will shoot. 

Also it is sad that in the suberb of middleburg, the older part, there are no black people at all just more country folk you could say. I don't pick up hitchhickers but if I saw a black person walking down the dirt roads there I would stop and drive him to town just to avoid someone doing something to him. It is sad. But if you notice there is a lot of mixture but there are definantly deviding lines in towns down here. Its just sort of understood no one talks about it. 

Yeah drugs are definantly very big here, I still run into to people who think I still do drugs and they yap about whats gooing on so I have an idea what is up. Cocaine, crack, and prescription pills are the big thing now. Marijuana has always been big its that whole laid back margeritaville feel that a lot of people have here. 

I really don't want people to be scared away because it is a wonderful town, its just a southern town and that comes with its own problems. BJ Clark lives here too, I'm sure she would have different take on this town. My backround was drugs, partying, minor criminal activity, and construction work so that may taint it but I know the deal. This whole issue isone that God has laid on my heart to pray about, I'm tired of people using slurs like it doesn't matter but if I said something to everyone that said it I would have a full-time job.


----------



## 21st Century Calvinist (Jul 22, 2010)

Willem van Oranje said:


> When that man asked what your native language is, did you tell him, Scottish Gaelic?



Sadly, Gaelic is not my native tongue. A couple of generations ago it would have been.


----------



## Zenas (Jul 22, 2010)

You'll be accepted here in the South, but, if from the North, i.e. a Yankee, you'll be habitually mocked for your terrible accent.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 23, 2010)

he beholds said:


> Willem van Oranje said:
> 
> 
> > Where I'm from, in Pittsburgh, it's hard to be accepted socially, especially if you are an East- or West-coast weirdo. It's even harder to figure out how to get around from place to place. Here in New England, people seem to be very accepting and welcoming, but they will still consider you an outsider, even if you've been here 30 years.
> ...




No way. Get Ahhhhht!


----------



## TimV (Jul 23, 2010)

I was elected to the town council in South Africa. Even though everyone knew I'm American and all Afrikaners hate America all the kids called me uncle but they called a man from Holland sir, since he didn't fit in as well.

Here in the Central Coast of CA there is such a huge diversity everyone fits in.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 23, 2010)

TimV said:


> I was elected to the town council in South Africa. Even though everyone knew I'm American and all Afrikaners hate America all the kids called me uncle but they called a man from Holland sir, since he didn't fit in as well.
> 
> Here in the Central Coast of CA there is such a huge diversity everyone fits in.


 
Afrikaners hat America? That's a new one on me. I like the Afrikaner. We have so much in common, with our histories. They are like us. Anti-British freedom-fighters. Frontiersmen. I had no idea they hate us. I wonder why? I saw some of them waving the confederate battle flag along with other flags on tv., and I guess I assumed from that that they liked us.


----------



## LawrenceU (Jul 23, 2010)

Willem van Oranje said:


> TimV said:
> 
> 
> > I was elected to the town council in South Africa. Even though everyone knew I'm American and all Afrikaners hate America all the kids called me uncle but they called a man from Holland sir, since he didn't fit in as well.
> ...



Maybe because our government pressured them to release the communist-terrorist Mandela.

I have known and am friends with several Afrikaners. Great folks.


----------



## he beholds (Jul 23, 2010)

Zenas said:


> You'll be accepted here in the South, but, if from the North, i.e. a Yankee, you'll be habitually mocked for your terrible accent.


 You mean our lack of accent?


----------



## LawrenceU (Jul 23, 2010)

he beholds said:


> Zenas said:
> 
> 
> > You'll be accepted here in the South, but, if from the North, i.e. a Yankee, you'll be habitually mocked for your terrible accent.
> ...


 
We all have an accent. Note that in his sentence he doesn't posit that Southrons have no accent. Rather, he places an adjective in front of the noun thus describing the status of the Yankee accent.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 23, 2010)

LawrenceU said:


> Willem van Oranje said:
> 
> 
> > TimV said:
> ...


 
Yes, that was a travesty. But it was not all Americans who did that!

---------- Post added at 10:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:08 AM ----------




he beholds said:


> Zenas said:
> 
> 
> > You'll be accepted here in the South, but, if from the North, i.e. a Yankee, you'll be habitually mocked for your terrible accent.
> ...


 
Wait a minute. No accent? I though you were from Picksburg? Get ahhht of tahhhn!


----------



## TimV (Jul 23, 2010)

> I had no idea they hate us. I wonder why?



They like conservative Americans they meet, but as Lawrence said our country committed a great evil against them.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 23, 2010)

TimV said:


> > I had no idea they hate us. I wonder why?
> 
> 
> 
> They like conservative Americans they meet, but as Lawrence said our country committed a great evil against them.


 
What made them give in, I wonder?


----------



## TimV (Jul 23, 2010)

A rugby game.


----------



## Tim (Jul 23, 2010)

Rugby is the reason for most things in South Africa.


----------



## he beholds (Jul 23, 2010)

LawrenceU said:


> he beholds said:
> 
> 
> > Zenas said:
> ...



Nah. I am quite certain that I speak perfectly normal. Sorry : )



Willem van Oranje said:


> [/COLOR]
> 
> 
> he beholds said:
> ...



Well, sure, maybe if I'm goin dahn tahn to see Donnie Iris play, or goin shopping at Giant Iggle, or warshin my hands because my nebby grandma is making me redd up after I got stuck with a jagger from her rose bush, then maybe I'll sound a little funny to yinz guys. But those things rarely occur.


----------



## Willem van Oranje (Jul 23, 2010)

he beholds said:


> LawrenceU said:
> 
> 
> > he beholds said:
> ...


 
Don't sahhhnd funny t'me.


----------



## Notthemama1984 (Jul 23, 2010)

LawrenceU said:


> Believe it or not down here on the Gulf Coast folks are pretty much good to everybody, except for those that always whine and complain about everything around here and refuse to move.


 
Agreed. The people who are not accepted are those that complain that it is so much better somewhere else. It is very annoying.


----------



## reformed trucker (Jul 23, 2010)

Montanablue said:


> Just to share a pointless anecdote, I have a good friend in Tennessee who I visited a while ago. I was never aware that I had any kind of accent, but when I was down there, people would hear me talk and ask where I was from. So, out of curiousity, I asked them where they thought I was from - and while most people guessed "north," at least 4 guessed Europe! (I do not have anything resembling a European accent)


 
Funny you say that; I never thought I had an accent either. When I was younger, I would visit my grandparents (mom's side) every summer in New Mexico. I had more than a couple people peg me from coming from Wisconsin/Milwaukee area because of the German pronunciation of words (never realizing my German immigrant grandparents [dad's side] had that much influence on me).


----------



## reformed trucker (Jul 23, 2010)

Zenas said:


> You'll be accepted here in the South, but, if from the North, i.e. a Yankee, you'll be habitually mocked for your terrible accent.


 
I noticed that, but accepted? Back in '84 we went on a "road trip" to check out Elvis' digs. I always heard so much about "Southern hospitality". Sure, the people were friendly. Until they heard you speak. Then the cold shoulder. I felt like yelling, "Hey, we just moved here in the '30's; we had no part in this 'civil war' thingy. Sadly, they were quite rude. Still fighting the civil war, I guess.


----------



## christiana (Jul 24, 2010)

In my lifetime I have watched Houston change from a really big city into a humongous melting pot of all types people. There are also all types of 'churches', mosques, assemblies and so on, along with some of the biggest seeker sensitive churches in the country including Lakewood of Joel Osteen and Fellowship and First Baptist that are huge places where non reformed worship takes place. The church I attend is in the northern outskirts of Houston and is thankfully a solid reformed baptist church.


----------



## Galatians220 (Jul 24, 2010)

Re: TN. When I was 12, our family was visiting the Great Smoky Mountains and environs and we stayed overnight in a hotel in Gatlinburg. It was a Saturday and we would be going to mass the next day. My father (always very protective - ) told me to go down to the desk and ask where the nearest Catholic church was. I did so, with my "Toronto" accent. This was not a good thing. It started out with, "Well, lookee here. We got ourselves a little 'Catlick' here! What should we tell this little 'Catlick'? She needs to go home for starters..." It went on from there, with others chiming in, until I went back to the room in tears. My father had set me up. (I was 12, but I looked about 8 or 9.) While in certain parts of the South, I keep my mouth shut. In Washington, IN, where my paternal grandfather was born and raised and where his father was the Daviess County school superintendent for many years, people were very suspicious of my accent, too. A street there had been named after Grandpa, but was I welcome? Not particularly. 

Up here, we think Southern accents are "charming" and "cute." If a person sounds like Gomer Pyle, though, they might get a _little_ ribbing!

Margaret


----------



## KensingtonerRebbe (Jul 24, 2010)

One and a half years ago I moved from downtown Toronto to rural Nova Scotia. In Canada Nova Scotia (and people from the east coast in general) are typified as friendly, gregarious folks who would give you the shirt off their backs whereas Torontonians are viewed as cold, unfriendly and austere people who think their city is the centre of the universe. Needless to say, the truth is somewhat more nuanced. Maritime Canadians are friendlier and warmer than Torontonians, but they`re harder to make friends with. People here, generally speaking, have lived here for a long time and have a tight-knit social circle that meets their needs fine. They`re not looking for other friends, generally speaking, so it`s hard to find a social milleu to schmooze in. In Toronto, you`d have much harder time finding someone willing to hold the door open for you and even be polite to you but it was much easier there to make friends than here in Nova Scotia. Toronto is a big place with lots of people from around the world coming in and out all the time. There are more opportunities to meet people with similar interests. 

I know this isn`t about the US, but it`s pretty universal.


----------



## Rangerus (Jul 25, 2010)

Here in Austin (Keep Austin Weird) it is generally understood that everyone is from someplace else. Mainly due to the phenomenal growth we have seen in the last 10 to 20 years. 

Around town and shopping you find that people are very friendly. Austin is probably a lot like what I imagine Athens would have been like. However like everywhere else, I am sure there are cliques and groups that tend to be drawn toward each other because they are less tolerant and only like to be around people of their own kind. 

But generally speaking Austin is known to be "laid back", casual and open minded.


----------



## beej6 (Jul 25, 2010)

I'm from New York City, lived in the L.A. area for 12 years, and now live in a medium-sized (pop. 200K) city in a rural area otherwise. Though the Lord has spared me outright discrimination (except for the usual childhood stuff - my parents are Filipino), that may be because I would have never considered, growing up, living anywhere but either coast.

Now that I'm Christian however I've found in our travels that so long as you find a good church you have community and fellowship wherever you are. Truly a blessing especially when in one's "own" family believers are hard to come by. And though there are some things that I miss about NYC I've never thought twice about moving back, I'd feel more like an outsider there now than I did when growing up!


----------



## Tim (Jul 26, 2010)

KensingtonerRebbe said:


> One and a half years ago I moved from downtown Toronto to rural Nova Scotia. In Canada Nova Scotia (and people from the east coast in general) are typified as friendly, gregarious folks who would give you the shirt off their backs whereas Torontonians are viewed as cold, unfriendly and austere people who think their city is the centre of the universe. Needless to say, the truth is somewhat more nuanced. Maritime Canadians are friendlier and warmer than Torontonians, but they`re harder to make friends with. People here, generally speaking, have lived here for a long time and have a tight-knit social circle that meets their needs fine. They`re not looking for other friends, generally speaking, so it`s hard to find a social milleu to schmooze in. In Toronto, you`d have much harder time finding someone willing to hold the door open for you and even be polite to you but it was much easier there to make friends than here in Nova Scotia. Toronto is a big place with lots of people from around the world coming in and out all the time. There are more opportunities to meet people with similar interests.
> 
> I know this isn`t about the US, but it`s pretty universal.


 
Hi Tom,

I am from NS. You go to my brother Peter's church in Kentville. Pleased to make the connection. Good to have your comments on this issue.


----------

