<p>So . . . looping around to the original topic: Yes, people are people and under their regional differences they generally mean well. Big, urban centers might have their own culture that is quite different form places very nearby. However, I wouldn’t completely sweep differences under the rug because they will be easier for a student to adapt and deal with if they understand that there will be some and how to interpret them. You could go around all year either thinking that everyone was freezing you out or being sad that the person who you thought was your new best friend was really just “being polite”. </p>
<p>"But I wouldn’t tell her that. What would be the point? I would just smile sort of blandly, not really make much comment other than basic “uh-huhs,” and finish the business of getting my dry cleaning and getting out of there. </p>
<p>^ Not fake friendliness? : ) "</p>
<p>Nope. Fake friendliness would be in smiling right back at her and asking her more details as if I truly cared, when I don’t. Politeness is smiling blandly and wrapping up the matter at hand.</p>
<p>“In any event, in the context of the original issue on the thread, I think that a greeting of “How are you?” needs to be understood as an idiom meaning “Hello,” and not as a “fake” inquiry about someone’s well being.”</p>
<p>I can’t speak to the German being discussed here, but yes, in English, we all know that a greeting of “How are you?” between strangers Is an idiom meaning hello and not a fake inquiry about someone’s well-being. That’s why the appropriate answer is typically “fine, thanks,” rather than “Oh, my sciatica …”</p>
<p>I don’t think I have anything else to say here after all. apologies.</p>
<p>I fibbed. Here goes: </p>
<p>What about this scenario. Someone new moves into the neighborhood. Do you go introduce yourself? Bring a cake? Yes or No or H*** NO!</p>
<p>If you do, is it (A) because you are sincerely interested and want to connect with them or (B) because it is just common courtesy, or maybe © enlightened self-interest because maybe one of the parents is home during the day and will babysit your non-bleeding offspring next time you have to make, yet another, emergency room run for stitches?</p>
<p>okay - I’m really out of here now and on my way to the dry cleaners.</p>
<p>“What about this scenario. Someone new moves into the neighborhood. Do you go introduce yourself? Bring a cake? Yes or No or H*** NO!”</p>
<p>I typically don’t, but that’s because I’m an introvert, not because of what region of the country I grew up in (east coast) or currently live in (Midwest). I also felt that having a challenging career and raising my kids was enough and I deliberately “sacrificed” (for lack of a better word) building strong relationships with neighbors. Other people care more about those relationships and that’s fine. It’s certainly very nice to go over and introduce oneself; nothing wrong or “fake” about that at all. </p>
<p>I do for (D) all of the above. </p>
<p>Also an introvert, but having been in the newbie’s shoes, I now make an effort to meet her. </p>
<p>I have met the dog walkers and exercise walkers in my neighborhood. One new family man and I were talking about gardeners, and I volunteered to give him a list of all my service people. I typed out the list, dropped it off, and didn’t get a thank-you. At least, it is available for someone else. Gardening is generally topic of choice. At HOA, someone brought up allowing homes to fly flags. Besides the red/white/blue, lots of UF, Fl State, and U Miami go up around game times.</p>
<p>Since my area of FL consists of transplanted northerners, I don’t see much difference in friendliness. When I use to spend summers in S.C., I felt more in the South.</p>
<p>I’m with PG…but also because I couldn’t bake a cake to save my life. </p>
<p>I may introduce myself to new neighbors because it’s good to build a community within a neighborhood. </p>
<p>Bake a cake? No way.I don’t know the new neighbors tastes, possible allergies and dietary preferences; it would force then to accept a gift they may not enjoy. I may bake them a cake after I get to know them, but not as an introduction.</p>
<p>It doesn’t have to be a cake, though the phrase “baking a cake” is sort of synonymous where I’m from with offering hospitality, kind of like “breaking bread” Basically the idea is you don’t go to someone’s door empty handed. I thought bookworm’s list of service people was a really good idea.</p>
<p>How about this: Where you live do people bring something to a dinner party? wine, flowers, chocolate?</p>
<p>PG: Although you are an introvert in real life, I think you might just be an internet extrovert. : )</p>
<p>Oh boy - – - yet another one of those light bulb moment for me:</p>
<p>I’m gonna bake her a cake saying from my childhood really does relate back to the Bread & Fishes story and is all about sharing and how to be a good neighbor. </p>
<p>Frequently these days I wonder, why didn’t they just go ahead and spell it out to me while they were still alive or at least lucid. </p>
<p>I should bake cakes for people, but don’t. I, too, am an introvert and will visit with the gardener or dog walker. However . . . when we moved in 16+ years ago the neighbor lady brought us a tray with coffee and cookies for sustenance as we were floor sanding etc. Yes, I’m feeling guilty now. I should do that more. My mom still does as well as “taking something over” if there is an illness, death or new baby.</p>
<p>The failsafe summer intro is to take tomatoes or zucchini . . . it needs no explanation!</p>
<p>I did stop at the grocery store on my way home from work and now know all the Easter plans of the check out lady “Mary” - She has 2 nephews and there will be an egg hunt involved but no picture on the Easter Bunny’s lap this year. They have grown out of it. It does look like the weather might hold this weekend, although we determined that it likely won’t be as warm as last year. Also her adult son still likes maple sugar candy 
Rest easy, there was nobody behind me in line. </p>
<p>^^^
Tomatoes and zucchini. Same here. SF, I think maybe we live in the same neighborhood and just don’t realize it.</p>
<p>I do think it’s interesting that so many of us (myself included) gabbing away here on the internet define ourselves as introverts. I guess if we weren’t we’d be baking cakes and gabbing with our neighbors instead. </p>
<p>I do have one neighbor friend who I rely on for all the neighborhood news and help in time of need. I think a number of people do. She’s not what I would call extroverted…she’s just extremely nice and easy to talk to. Something I’m not IRL. She definitely does the heavy lifting in our friendship. I should tell her how much I appreciate that. </p>
<p>My mother who has never lived anywhere near the south (nor have any of her ancestors) call it “The Proper Way”</p>
<p>DH calls it “street.net”</p>
<p>Yes, I think that’s an accurate characterization, alh :-)</p>
<p>Yes, where I am people bring something to a dinner party, but that’s different - that’s not an unsolicited pop-on-over situation. </p>