Regional Differences

[Haven]

I think this really varies town to town.

I live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, in a neighboring suburb of where I grew up. The burb where I grew up us veeeery different than my current suburb.

My childhood suburb (where my mother still lives) is filled with many people who are quite rude, ostentatious, and entitled. (Which is strange, because it is decidedly middle class.) Many of them seem to be concerned with proving how important they are to strangers, and it makes for an unfriendly atmosphere. Drivers are rude, people are rude in stores, and if you smile at someone walking by she will likely give you a dirty look and scoff.

My current town is only 20 minutes east of my childhood town, and it is filled with lovely, friendly, down-to-earth people. It's very strange, because this is a much more expensive place to live (we border Lake Michigan, on Chicago's North Shore,) and our current neighbors are far better off than the people I grew up with, yet they seem to have much less to prove, and they don't have that horrible sense of entitlement I saw in my childhood town.

When DH and I were looking for homes I knew hands down that I did not want to raise our future children in my childhood suburb. DH is a city boy, and he's often shocked by the way people behave in my childhood suburb, and how nice people are in our current town.

SO, I guess what I'm trying to say is that it really seems to vary from town to town, even.

 

[Barcelona]

I''ve lived the majority of my life in big cities in the Midwest, but the past few years have been spent on the East Coast and I hate it. People in the Midwest are very polite and seem genuinely happy in whatever job they are in (from McDonald''s employees to CEO''s, doesn''t matter). But on the East Coast, people are rude and barely acknowledge you. And even if they do ask how you are, it''s not genuine. I will say our neighbors are wonderful, but day to day people are just plain rude.

 

[Barcelona]

Date: 6/9/2009 2:52:04 PM
Author: Haven
I think this really varies town to town.


I live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, in a neighboring suburb of where I grew up. The burb where I grew up us veeeery different than my current suburb.


My childhood suburb (where my mother still lives) is filled with many people who are quite rude, ostentatious, and entitled. (Which is strange, because it is decidedly middle class.) Many of them seem to be concerned with proving how important they are to strangers, and it makes for an unfriendly atmosphere. Drivers are rude, people are rude in stores, and if you smile at someone walking by she will likely give you a dirty look and scoff.


My current town is only 20 minutes east of my childhood town, and it is filled with lovely, friendly, down-to-earth people. It''s very strange, because this is a much more expensive place to live (we border Lake Michigan, on Chicago''s North Shore,) and our current neighbors are far better off than the people I grew up with, yet they seem to have much less to prove, and they don''t have that horrible sense of entitlement I saw in my childhood town.


When DH and I were looking for homes I knew hands down that I did not want to raise our future children in my childhood suburb. DH is a city boy, and he''s often shocked by the way people behave in my childhood suburb, and how nice people are in our current town.


SO, I guess what I''m trying to say is that it really seems to vary from town to town, even.

I''m from that area of Chicagoland and know exactly what you mean and probably can guess the suburbs you are referring to. I think what it boils down to, is people who truly have money don''t feel the need to prove that to anyone. Whereas people who want to be seen as wealthy have to put on a persona. The sad thing is most of them don''t realize everyone sees through them!

 

[princesss]

Date: 6/9/2009 3:03:34 PM
Author: Barcelona
I''ve lived the majority of my life in big cities in the Midwest, but the past few years have been spent on the East Coast and I hate it. People in the Midwest are very polite and seem genuinely happy in whatever job they are in (from McDonald''s employees to CEO''s, doesn''t matter). But on the East Coast, people are rude and barely acknowledge you. And even if they do ask how you are, it''s not genuine. I will say our neighbors are wonderful, but day to day people are just plain rude.

Where on the East Coast are you?

 

[Barcelona]

Currently Philadelphia.

 

[ChinaCat]

Sabine- Welcome to the South! It is a bit disconcerting at first. I grew up in Texas, but then spent 10 years plus in California. I remember one trip home the guy at the gas station started talking to me, and I was very suspicious, like "what do you want?" but then remembered that''s just how it is. People like to chat down here.

Lucky- I think it depends on where you are. I just moved into a neighborhood inside the Loop and it''s so friendly it''s freaky. Our street has a block captain and everyone on our street has everyone''s names, phone numbers, emails. They have block parties and get togethers all the time. I keep wondering what 1950''s tv show we''ve stumbled upon.

That being said, I''m not sure how Houston stacks up to other Southern/Texas cities. I''ve lived in a few in Texas and Houston is my least favorite. What general area do you live in?

 

[princesss]

Date: 6/9/2009 3:26:41 PM
Author: Barcelona
Currently Philadelphia.

Gotcha. I live on the East Coast too, but the Southeast, and I find that people are almost overly friendly down here. I like Virginia''s level of friendly (people say hi, but don''t usually engage in conversation unless they''re directly helping you or you seem interested), but North Carolina is just chatty chatty chatty, lol. I''m getting used to it, but it''s definitely taking some time. I''m sorry Philly isn''t so friendly.

 

[Jen_91909]

I''m from Northern New Jersey, not far from NYC area, and I will say it''s not generally the friendliest place in the world. As in, if somebody goes out of their way to socialize or be extra nice for no reason it really stands out to me as it is not the norm. Even visiting a friend up in Vermont once I was shocked at how people seemed to start conversations everywhere (grocery store checkout, etc).

 

[Barcelona]

Sorry, I probably should have stated North East and Mid Atlantic to be specific. My experiences with the Southern East Coast have always been pleasant, although the only place I've spent extended time in is Georgia where I get called ma'am even though I'm well under 50!

 

[princesss]

Date: 6/9/2009 3:53:36 PM
Author: Barcelona
Sorry, I probably should have stated North East and Mid Atlantic to be specific. My experiences with the Southern East Coast have always been pleasant, although the only place I''ve spent extended time in is Georgia where I get called ma''am even though I''m well under 50!

I''ve been getting ma''am-ed since I was 20! LOL By 17 year olds, no less. But I''ll take a teenager with manners over one without any day. (I do love getting called "Miss princesss" by kids. So adorable!)

 

[Erin]

Town of 4400 in Central Illinois. Mostly farming, bordering Amish, manufacturing, little league, town square bake sales, 50/50 drawing open to the whole community, townwide rummage sale, farmer''s market on the highway, little Miss County pageant, Christmas parades, old barber shop with the swirly thing and a bladed shave, Mushroom festival, town closes down during deer season, summer theater...

On the surface it''s overly friendly. Everyone waves at everyone, holds doors open for everyone, says hi to everyone.

On the inside, they''re nosey, gossipy, and cliquey - but not everyone. Thank goodness people like me here - I''m an accepted "transplant."

 

[luckystar112]

Date: 6/9/2009 3:34:36 PM
Author: ChinaCat

Lucky- I think it depends on where you are. I just moved into a neighborhood inside the Loop and it''s so friendly it''s freaky. Our street has a block captain and everyone on our street has everyone''s names, phone numbers, emails. They have block parties and get togethers all the time. I keep wondering what 1950''s tv show we''ve stumbled upon.

That being said, I''m not sure how Houston stacks up to other Southern/Texas cities. I''ve lived in a few in Texas and Houston is my least favorite. What general area do you live in?

Yup....that''s nothing like our neighborhood!
I live in the Willowbrook area just off of 249. Besides the usuall Mall, restaurants and hole in the walls there isn''t too much to do. Tons of strip centers, targets, walmarts, and the like. In other words, boring. Our development is very large. We live on a dead end street that ends in a cul-de-sac, yet we''ve never met most of our neighbors. I''ve made friends with all of their cats though. lol.

 

[mysterylover]

Date: 6/9/2009 5:53:32 PM
Author: Starset Princess
Town of 4400 in Central Illinois. Mostly farming, bordering Amish, manufacturing, little league, town square bake sales, 50/50 drawing open to the whole community, townwide rummage sale, farmer''s market on the highway, little Miss County pageant, Christmas parades, old barber shop with the swirly thing and a bladed shave, Mushroom festival, town closes down during deer season, summer theater...

On the surface it''s overly friendly. Everyone waves at everyone, holds doors open for everyone, says hi to everyone.

On the inside, they''re nosey, gossipy, and cliquey - but not everyone. Thank goodness people like me here - I''m an accepted ''transplant.''

Isn''t that small town America - - everywhere? lol

The good thing is, if ever you need a helping hand, those same nosey folks are johnny-on-the-spot. It gives them something to talk about.

 

[Bia]

Date: 6/9/2009 1:42:54 PM
Author: luckystar112
Just wanted to add that Virginia is my mother''s favorite place ON EARTH. It explains why she has only visited me in Texas once but tries to make it to VA (where DHs family lives) every time we go.


I''m confused about all the NE comments. If NE is bad, Houston must be horrible. lol. I''ve experienced nothing but friendliness where I grew up or even in NH...Portsmouth, Deering, Manchester...all friendly towns to me. I''d hardly call people icy in ME of NH but possibly in some MA towns like Lowell, Worcester, etc.
Perhaps Portland ME could be considered icy, but I really don''t get that vibe there either. I haven''t spent enough time in Boston to judge but I lovvvvvve it there. hmmmm

I was referring more to Massachusetts/CT/NY/NJ area. From my personal experience, Mainers and people from NH, are very, very, friendly. MUCH more friendly than my fellow Bay Staters (Mass). NYers, well...again, it depends.