I grew up in Atlanta and I've had no complaints so far. I love Atlanta and I really couldn't tell you why other than the fact that I've grown accustomed to the set up of this city that living anywhere else seems so foreign. although some seem to think that Atlanta doesn't count as the south and that Atlanta is not "southern." I may be true that Atlanta doesn't look like what you'd expect from your typical southern city due to it's skyscraper building and urban/ modern feel, but i still think Atlanta holds a lot of southern characteristics.
Atlanta is still full of the southern gentleman who still open doors for women and southern belle who follow a similar code of conduct. you find the same dinner restaurants serving up southern cooking from collard greens, country fried steak, and grits. you'll still hear the southern dialect in Atlanta as in any other southern city. the homes still give off a southern hospitality vibe with both the style of large front porches to the white columns. Sweet tea is an essential at every restaurant and every household. therefore Atlanta is still a part of a the south which i love, regardless of it's unpredictable weather, because of it's southern urban mix.
this is another Atlantian's opinion in the atlanta metblog.
i would most certainly still live in atlanta when i grow up. preferably in the Virginia highlands/ Morningside area. as much as I love Charleston and Savannah i think that I'd have a hard time living in those cities for a very long period of time. If i were not to live in Atlanta but in a southern state i think north carolina would be the runner up. my sister currently lives in chapel hill and has lived in Raleigh and Greensboro in the past. Although they aren't very large cities and some lacked diversity i still found myself at home whenever i went to visit my sister in north carolina.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Adjusting to the South
This week we wanted to talk about how it is like to live in the South.
I've been living in the suburbs of Atlanta for the past 8 years. I moved to Atlanta from India. When my grandfather found out that we were moving to the southern part of the United States, he quickly mentioned the history of racism and prejudice against minorities in the South. At first, I didn't believe my grandfather. Then I came to Atlanta in September of 2002, a year after the tragic incident in New York.
On my second day of school in America, I went to P.E. class. I changed in the locker room and as we were walking to the field, a kid starts yelling from behind me. "Why are you here? We don't need y'all over here! Go back to where you came from!" I thought it would be a white kid. It wasn't; he was African American. I wasn't very happy with the comments. Later I thought to myself; maybe he thinks that I'm getting it easy whereas his ancestors had to go through a lot of struggles for their freedom. Maybe that's why he was so upset. These kind of thoughts raced through my head day and night for the first few months.
I was not used to seeing so much diversity in one place. In India, 97% of the people living there are of Indo-Aryan or Dravidian ethnicity (CIA). People looked at me like I was weird. I definitely dressed differently back then; tucked-in dress shirts, turtle necks, overalls, and everything. This was middle school and nobody dressed like that. My science teacher, who was white, always gave me complements about me wearing my overalls. I always wanted to know why they amused her and later I realized that some people in the South wear them. Slowly, I started getting accustomed to the culture of the American South.
It took me almost two years to get to the point where people didn't think I was different from them. I learned to see the interesting aspects of the South. I gained a liking for Southern food and some of the activities that Southern people enjoy, like watching and playing football. After living in Snellville, I've also picked up a faintly Southern accent.
It was hard to get over the diversity issue at first, but now I'm used to it and I like seeing people from different backgrounds here. After living in the South for almost 8 years, I feel as though I'm a Southerner. It took a little adjustment, but now I can't see myself living anywhere else.
Here is a link to the CIA World Factbook.
-Rajeev
Sunday, March 14, 2010
A Good Place
This weeks blogs focuses on what it has been like living in the South, either for those of us who were raised here or those who have just been introduced to the area through our lives at Tech.
Personally, I was raised in Roanoke, Virginia which in my books embraces the Southern "image" and displays many of the aspects of the traditional southern culture. In my opinion, southwest Virgina was the perfect place to grow up and has really made me into the person who I am today. My family and much of the community around me was very focused on the outdoors and an appreciation for it. As a child I quickly learned to appreciate nature through camping and hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains. I also helped to work on the family vineyard and also spent time running around the tabbacco fields where I learned to ride horses. In this area however I was raised in a decently sized city of 200,000 where I was exposed to aspects of city life and the modern suburb setting, but the outdoors was never too far away.
Beyond an appreciation for the outdoors and manual labor, growing up in the South also gave me an appreciation for family ties and the importance of close bloodline connections. Each year we would get together which much of our family for a big reunion and whenever anyone was sick we would always travel as a family to visit them. Perhaps the most Southern image I can present of my childhood was walking along the vineyard with my father listening to him explain that nothing in this world is worth anything (stocks, cash, possessions) except land and that the farm was his prize possession and security in life.
Even though I realize that the "image" of the south is far from the actual lives we lead, I am proud to have been raised in the south among this tradition and culture. I feel that the morals and ways of thinking which have been taught to me are wholesome and good. When I was looking for colleges I did not intend to pick a Southern school, I simply wanted a large school in a large city where I could gain new experiences. The final thing that brought me to Tech was not the academics or research, but rather the culture, people, and relationships which I would find here.
So far I have enjoyed living in the "deep south." The weather is nice, the poeple are kind, and I feel at ease among this culture. Once school is over I again will be open to going just about anywhere and working just about anywhere, but much how my comfort with the region led me here for college, I would not be surprised if I stay in the South and end up raising my family here; it is a good place for sure.
To express a little more about the mountains and culture from which I came, here's a link to a little indi-folk band called Fleet Foxes and their song "Blue Ridge Mountains". The lyrics describe beautiful images which are accompanied by pictures both from the blue ridge mountains and other wilderness areas.
Parker
Blue Ridge Mountains Image courteous of http://www.raggedmountainracing.org.jpg
Personally, I was raised in Roanoke, Virginia which in my books embraces the Southern "image" and displays many of the aspects of the traditional southern culture. In my opinion, southwest Virgina was the perfect place to grow up and has really made me into the person who I am today. My family and much of the community around me was very focused on the outdoors and an appreciation for it. As a child I quickly learned to appreciate nature through camping and hiking in the Blue Ridge mountains. I also helped to work on the family vineyard and also spent time running around the tabbacco fields where I learned to ride horses. In this area however I was raised in a decently sized city of 200,000 where I was exposed to aspects of city life and the modern suburb setting, but the outdoors was never too far away.Beyond an appreciation for the outdoors and manual labor, growing up in the South also gave me an appreciation for family ties and the importance of close bloodline connections. Each year we would get together which much of our family for a big reunion and whenever anyone was sick we would always travel as a family to visit them. Perhaps the most Southern image I can present of my childhood was walking along the vineyard with my father listening to him explain that nothing in this world is worth anything (stocks, cash, possessions) except land and that the farm was his prize possession and security in life.
Even though I realize that the "image" of the south is far from the actual lives we lead, I am proud to have been raised in the south among this tradition and culture. I feel that the morals and ways of thinking which have been taught to me are wholesome and good. When I was looking for colleges I did not intend to pick a Southern school, I simply wanted a large school in a large city where I could gain new experiences. The final thing that brought me to Tech was not the academics or research, but rather the culture, people, and relationships which I would find here.
So far I have enjoyed living in the "deep south." The weather is nice, the poeple are kind, and I feel at ease among this culture. Once school is over I again will be open to going just about anywhere and working just about anywhere, but much how my comfort with the region led me here for college, I would not be surprised if I stay in the South and end up raising my family here; it is a good place for sure.
To express a little more about the mountains and culture from which I came, here's a link to a little indi-folk band called Fleet Foxes and their song "Blue Ridge Mountains". The lyrics describe beautiful images which are accompanied by pictures both from the blue ridge mountains and other wilderness areas.
Parker
Blue Ridge Mountains Image courteous of http://www.raggedmountainracing.org.jpg
Beautiful Weather!
Born and raised in the South, I have experienced a majority of the benefits that the South has to offer. Personally, I absolutely love the weather here. I have only lived in two other states, Texas and New Jersey. During our stay in New Jersey, the weather was absolutely horrendous. Come winter season, blizzards piled up on the driveway and made it impossible to go to school. Nevertheless, even with five or more inches of snow, schools never closed. Unlike New Jersey, Georgia delays or closes school when there is barely a full inch of snow or ice. As far as the warm weather goes, Georgia is neither too hot nor too cold. Temperatures reach up to the mid-80s and sometimes to the low-90s in the summer but never to the 120s that Phoenix, Arizona reaches at times. In the winter, it is never too cold. Whenever we traveled to New York City for vacation, I was always overexcited about visiting the big city, with its fascinating skyscrapers and departmental stores. However, I go to find truly the complete opposite of Atlanta. I see a city polluted and unbearably crowded. You can barely drive a car to get anywhere on time, let alone drive a car at all! I love the freedom of being able to drive, and I believe the wide landscapes and roads of the South has much to offer for that.
I also love the coastal sceneries of the South. The eastern coast is just not the same as what one can experience with the beaches of Florida or the Gulf of Mexico. The sunsets are fascinating, and the waters are crystal clear blue, unlike the darker blue, green waters of the eastern coast. The tropical weather just adds to the advantages of living in the South. After college, I would definitely stay in the South!
Source of pictures:
href="http://wordyninja.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/blizzard-new-york-feb-2003-5501.jpg">
http://www.interactiverealty.com/xSites/Agents/REMAXInteractive/Content/UploadedFiles/cocoa-beach-florida.jpg
--Agnes
Thursday, March 11, 2010
In resposne to parker's ruralism of the south
Parker a few weeks ago states how ruralism was one of his least favorite stereotypes identified with the south and I strongly agree but I also wanted to give my own input and broaden the topic. I grew up in Atlanta my entire life and was rarely ever exposed to the southern rural stereotypes as much as the suburban stereotypes. Now I'm from Georgia which is basically as southern as you can get but it also has a terrible representation of being your typical rural uneducated hicks due to it's low SAT scores and media influence. the south is not like this at all; it is not an underdeveloped uneducated society. Although I, being a southerner, know better to believe the south is full of hicks and plantations, I can understand where the south gets it's image. When I went to Charleston last weekend, i did noticed the pretty fields of cows grazing. In fact it was probably the most common sight, along with the 15 consecutive advertising for the Farmer's market, a Cracker Barrel at every exit, boiled peanuts stands, and mega Fireworks discounts. if i didn't know better and this was my first impression of the south I'd think the south were full of rural farmers who loved southern cooking as much as they did blowing things up with their guns and fireworks. I would take this personal experience over anything the statistics might show. I compare this experience to the time i traveled through New york and Massachusetts which was full of beautiful maple trees and beautiful orchards. banking on this alone i can understand how old stereotypes can still be relevant to modern day and how they can still constituted.
The Continuing Role of the Civil War
Flipping back through our posts this semester I have found myself most interested in DaNae's post on January 27th regarding the Civil War. In this post, DaNae claims that the Civil War was "a historical event that effected the South and contributed to the identity it has today." I agree that the Civil War is the event which gave Southerner's their pride and made the "image" of Southern Culture known to the world.
In her passage, Danae claims that the Confederacy was fighting to preserve slavery and the North was fighting to abolish it, however the was clearly goes beyond this single issue. The South was in the Civil War due to its inherent political, cultural, and economic differences than the North. Before the Civil War, the South was paid little attention to by the rest of the world and for most residents, it yielded a relatively poor and harsh life. However, when tensions rose with the Northern states and Southerners found their right being infringed, a huge sense of nationalism went through the South and suddenly a United, culturally rich Confederacy arose.
Even though the Confederacy lost the war, the strides which the war made in uniting the Southern people under a single "image" or ideal remained and persist today. As a result of the war the rest of the world looked at the South as its own region in the United State and gave it much of the respect and interest which a separate country would have had. In bitter defiance, the Southern people also harbored and nurtured their pride for their region and preserved many of the traditions which seem commonplace today.
In the modern age, the Civil War and its impact on the South is still clearly remembered and prevalent. Southern figures from the war are revered in the South and most Southern residents, even those of foreign cultures, buy into the Southern pride as if it has always been theirs. For example, I am from Virginia and yet within my first three months living in Georgia I participated in a Civil War re-enactment remembering and honoring those who fought in this event which brought about the South we know today. Our group project will more closely discuss the multiculturalism of the South and the new "Image" of the South which is emerging. (See the map for a link to Stone Mountain)
I've provided a link to a home-made video about the Fort McAllister which is the re-enactment which I participated in. Notice how most of the pictures shown revolve around the museum and the "showcase" nature which the war has taken on. From this video, especially with the music its been paired with, it seems like this families trip was more about excitement and being part of history rather than simply appreciating and remembering what happened.
Parker
Image from
http://www.theoccidentalobserver.net
In her passage, Danae claims that the Confederacy was fighting to preserve slavery and the North was fighting to abolish it, however the was clearly goes beyond this single issue. The South was in the Civil War due to its inherent political, cultural, and economic differences than the North. Before the Civil War, the South was paid little attention to by the rest of the world and for most residents, it yielded a relatively poor and harsh life. However, when tensions rose with the Northern states and Southerners found their right being infringed, a huge sense of nationalism went through the South and suddenly a United, culturally rich Confederacy arose.
Even though the Confederacy lost the war, the strides which the war made in uniting the Southern people under a single "image" or ideal remained and persist today. As a result of the war the rest of the world looked at the South as its own region in the United State and gave it much of the respect and interest which a separate country would have had. In bitter defiance, the Southern people also harbored and nurtured their pride for their region and preserved many of the traditions which seem commonplace today.
In the modern age, the Civil War and its impact on the South is still clearly remembered and prevalent. Southern figures from the war are revered in the South and most Southern residents, even those of foreign cultures, buy into the Southern pride as if it has always been theirs. For example, I am from Virginia and yet within my first three months living in Georgia I participated in a Civil War re-enactment remembering and honoring those who fought in this event which brought about the South we know today. Our group project will more closely discuss the multiculturalism of the South and the new "Image" of the South which is emerging. (See the map for a link to Stone Mountain)
I've provided a link to a home-made video about the Fort McAllister which is the re-enactment which I participated in. Notice how most of the pictures shown revolve around the museum and the "showcase" nature which the war has taken on. From this video, especially with the music its been paired with, it seems like this families trip was more about excitement and being part of history rather than simply appreciating and remembering what happened.Parker
Image from
http://www.theoccidentalobserver.net
Southern hospitality
I am responding to Thuy's post, "What will you have sweetheart?". Southern hospitality and food are definitely two things that immediately come to mind when thinking of Southern characteristics. People are often so much nicer and more friendly in the South 'just because.' This applies to random people as well as the service in the food industry. Waiters are often so nice in Southern restaurants. The service of a restaurant is a huge factor for me when determining whether or not I will go back. Being from the North, you will not always find servers that are so friendly. While some people are genuinely nice, others are just trying to be polite and friendly to get a good tip.
The video below caught my attention because it shows two boys that go around Charleston and give out compliments to people. While it may seem a little random, it made people smile and that is all that's important. You will not find people doing random acts of kindness like this in the North. Also, in certain places in the North, people would have just brushed these boys off instead of greeting them so warmly.
--DaNae
The video below caught my attention because it shows two boys that go around Charleston and give out compliments to people. While it may seem a little random, it made people smile and that is all that's important. You will not find people doing random acts of kindness like this in the North. Also, in certain places in the North, people would have just brushed these boys off instead of greeting them so warmly.
--DaNae
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Songs That Get Southern Lovin'
