Wednesday, September 22, 2010

A Taste of the South.

As a couple of midwesterners living in the South, we have experienced our fair share of culture shock. I could go on and on about the not-so-lovely aspects of living here but I'm trying to be more positive, dangnabbit, so here are some things I like:

  1. How everyone young and old adds "Miss" or "Mr." to people's first names when addressing them. Example: "Go tell Mr. Greg his sweet tea is ready." It is pretty adorable especially with little kids who can barely talk. I think this may be manners, but I'm not sure.
  2. You can talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime for any reason. You feel like talkin' to a complete stranger while fillin' your buggy? Go ahead. No one is a stranger here.
  3. They call carts buggies. Not a big fan of that, honestly, but I figured you should know.
  4. While working out this morning, the weather map was on TV. Bismarck high today is 53. Columbia 93. Now, this could be a negative point for the South (hello, today is supposed to be the last day of summer!) but at least for today I'm glad I don't have to wear a coat.
  5. My porch looks like a greenhouse. And I did not inherit a green thumb. Most plants just love this heat and humidity. My mom planted a ton of things in April and they are still growing (and sort of taking over our porch). Long growing cycles = ample flowers and plants. Take that.
  6. I love Publix. Best Grocery Store Ever. They don't have Publix in the midwest.
  7. I can take walks year round. Granted sometimes the walk is only to my car.
  8. We can travel 2 hours and be in the mountains. We can travel 2 hours (the other way) and be at the beach. Drive a short ways in the South and you can be someplace very different and exciting. Every family goes to the beach for vacation. This makes driving two hours to Minot to the mall seem quite lame.
  9. I never knew mac-n-cheese was a staple side item... didn't know there are more ways to make it than just opening the blue and yellow box. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's a vegetable... but I would say I've had some tasty mac-n-cheese down here.
  10. Ya'll is a good word. "You guys" doesn't flow as nicely. It encompasses a lot for just one word. It's a keeper.
-Miss Heather

8 comments:

Nikole said...

You are too funny! I have a thought on every one, so here goes:
#1. Yes, the Mr and Miss are for manners, but somehow this generation changed from last names to first names. I always called my friends moms Mrs whatever-the-last-name-is. But it just seems like such a big mouthful sometimes. There are some people in the southern culture who think that if you say "ma'am" or "sir", you're being sassy. I've only run into them in my line of work though.
#2- I like your phonetic spelling!
#3- I do alternate between shopping cart and buggy. But if I'm in a hurry or not paying attention, "buggy" comes out on top.
4. We all gripe about the weather too. But we are closer to the equator than Bismark.
5. The drawback is that you have to water all those plants.
6. How did you survive?!
7. Sure, if you want to melt into a puddle of sweat.
8. This my favorite part about living here.
9. There would be a reason so many fat people live in the south.
10. I totally and completely agree on this one!
You forgot something: Around here, boiled peanuts lose their hair and become bald.

HLK said...

Thanks Nikole;) I meant walking year round thinking of winter... so I had to edit that one.

Tengesdal 4 said...

Miss Heather- I loved this list! I was just thinking the other day about the fact that Mac & Cheese is a side meal and not a "main course" when you don't live in ND....
Have a great day!

TheSpeights said...

Ha! All of Ella's teachers are Miss _____. Hilarious, but true. Don't forget about sweet tea. You can't go wrong with sweet tea! I am so glad you are finding things you love here. I think that means you should stay for a long time! The hot is a bit much at times, but it's not frost bite! I'm glad you guys are here!

Anonymous said...

After 17 years in the south, I am now in reverse culture shock moving to Ohio.
I REALLY miss Publix.
And I am sure I will miss a few other things come winter.

missing y'all....
Becky and Joel

Ausmerican Housewife - Creating with Kara Davies said...

Down here in Australia people call you "darl" (short for darlin) and it bugs me. I'd prefer "Mrs. Davies". Once a guy at the deli counter called me madam. Made my day!

Let Love Grow said...

You GO Miss Heather!!!!!

LOVE Publix... Loved your front porch today... Love Walks.... Love Ya'll!!!! :-)

SarahJ said...

I need to visit the south! It sounds like my kinda place.