<p>Really? SIGN ME UP!!! Ours is the "snake collecting" family in town. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em. Ever look at snake scales in the sunlight under a magnifying glass? Beautiful. Snake in the boat or gator in the water -- no brainer there. "Hey Billie Ray back the boat up, there may be more of 'em in that tree." Of course this affection did cut down on my daughters' social circles while growing up. C'est la vie.</p>
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My geography is just fine, Curmudgeon. I have in-laws living in Greenville & have visited many times. (BMW relocation for one family, as a matter of fact.) Huge snake skins found in their attics. (Leaving the house inhabitants with nightmares --"He left his skin, but where the heck is the snake!!!") Huge snakes falling from trees in their ultra-ritzy suburban backyards. Gnats buzzing around one's head the moment you step outdoors.
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<p>Do your in-laws live on a river or creek or something? I have never seen a snake nor have I exprienced gnats. Some mosquitos, yes, although not as bad as some other places I've lived in the north. I've been surprised by how pleasant a place Greenville is to live.</p>
<p>My mother, who grew up on a farm in Middle Georgia 60 years ago, used to terrify us city-bred kids with stories of snakes hanging from trees on the farm.</p>
<p>Inthebiz, one family does have a creek running through their development. One reason they bought there was because the builder preserved so many trees. </p>
<p>Hey, I know snakes aren't falling from trees like acorns. But it does change the atmosphere at a barbeque.</p>
<p>Downtown Greenville, the Reedy River, and all the great attractions there are quite lovely.</p>
<p>I'm from London and attended school in South Georgia for 3 years. I played soccer so I didn't find the heat and humidity very fun when we had 3-a-days for 2 weeks! But I loved living in the South and I'm returning in 6 months!</p>
<p>I know this thread is about north/south adjustment and cultural differences, but don't discount east/west differences either. We're from western Washington and I'm having a bear of a time convincing my daughter to consider any schools east of the Cascade Mountains. She is in absolute terror of the cultural differences and standing out (in a bad way) in the crowd.</p>
<p>Stickershock: I was going to say the same thing, but it didn't seem polite!</p>
<p>BTW, I am often asked where I am from as I don't have an accent...so I think I could pass for midwest (born in Detroit, but thank God, raised in the south!). My kids do not have an accent either...not one of them uses "y'all" but they drink sweet tea and eat moon pies!</p>
<p>I thought readers of this thread might enjoy something I ran across recently regarding the definition of "Yankee":</p>
<p>"For foreigners, a "yankee" is an American. For American southerners, a "yankee" is a northerner. For northerners, a "yankee" is somebody from New England. For New Englanders, a "yankee" is somebody from Vermont. For Vermonters, a "yankee" is somebody who eats apple pie for breakfast."</p>
<p>I went to school in my home state of Texas, but had summer jobs in NYC - and fell in love with the city and its people.</p>
<p>"If you weren't flagged when you are out of the south, it was out of politeness." </p>
<p>LOL CBreeze! Not too long ago a Southern Lady (recent transplant) in Shoprite made a big deal about calling the manager over to praise & thank her for finally having a polite cashier who helped bag her items. </p>
<p>She didn't realize that all cashiers & the surrounding 10 customers were secretly planning to tire slash her car.</p>
<p>Y'all don't have cashiers bag groceries in New Jersey?? Don't tell me no one takes them out to the car for you either?! That just won't do! I better run get the smelling salts...I'm overcome with the vapors!</p>
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Y'all don't have cashiers bag groceries in New Jersey?? Don't tell me no one takes them out to the car for you either?!
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In NJ our cahsiers check out the groceries, baggers bag them, and all you need to do is ask & they'll be brought to the car by another employee if you wish. We value speed & efficiency up here! I barely have time to run my ATM card through & I'm wheeling the cart out the door. </p>
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She didn't realize that all cashiers & the surrounding 10 customers were secretly planning to tire slash her car.
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BTW, here's an fyi--most educated southerners can keep the accent under control...we pull it out to suit our needs </p>
<p>That's what southerners like to think. If you weren't flagged when you are out of the south, it was out of politeness.
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<p>Not 100% true, my D who is in college way up north, has had many people confused or asked where she was from. She doesn't have much of an accent, although it is Southern if you listen carefully. I, on the other hand, always sound Southern, although I can turn it up or down as the case may be.
NONE of us native Southerners sound like Gone With the Wind - more like Reese Witherspoon. I hope.</p>