I've lived in Georgia almost 13 years. I grew up in New England-three years living in Connecticut and 18 years around Massachusetts.
If you've ever lived in or visited New England, you know how people are. Or at least how I remember them - impatient, grouchy and rude. Sure, there are nice people, but all you have to do is try to drive through Boston and you'll know what I mean.
It took me a long time to get used to Georgia. I lived at Fort Benning, about 90 miles southwest of Atlanta and on the AL/GA border, for 12 years. The first Fall I was here I literally started crying, because it was still so hot, and I didn't understand why the air wasn't crisp and the leaves weren't turning beautiful colors.
I've acclimated. My blood is thinner. I can handle 95 degrees outside with 100 percent humidity. I understand it won't get below 80 until October, and most leaves will just turn brown.
But since my move to Savannah, I've learned that I'm now in the real South, y'all. Time has no meaning. People are slooooooow. And nice. Too nice. Nice to the point where I feel like a bitch most of the time.
I was driving behind a guy who was turning left into Wal-Mart. He had the right of way, yet stopped and let about four cars who were supposed to yield to him go. The old me would have laid on my horn, yelling and cursing, "What the EFF are you doing? GO!" The new me understands that this is how it works around here.
Every trip to Wal-Mart, at least one person says, "Oh, I'm sorry, am I in your way?" Um, no, but jeez, you're nice.
I am in love with this town and the people. It's nice to be nice, something I'm slowly learning. I'm looking forward to getting nicer, every day, by the time we have to move.
1 comment:
After moving to Florida, having lived my first 25 years in Connecticut, I had a hard time slowing down to the Southern pace. I didn't realize how much I had, though, until the first time I went back to New England and caught myself wondering a) what the hell everyone's problem was because holy unhappy with the world! and b) how more people in the northeast don't just drop dead of heart attacks caused by the stress they bring upon themselves. I miss the seasons but every time I visit, I'm exhausted from that frantic angry pace by the time I get home again.
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