An almost perfect location for an arborist to live

[TC]

[ QUOTE ]
"What do you think of American's"

Royce,

Another question to ask when considering moving to the south is "how will I be accpeted as a northerner?"

Sounds really silly, I know. When I moved down here I had no idea at all that people would still think negatively about being from the north. But somebody makes a comment about it to me and my family very often, some have been extemely insulting. One particular occasion was when my parents neighbor was in the process of having all his trees topped, my mom tried to give him info before too much damage was done and he told her to "go back inside yankee bi!c#" Many comments like that.

This is speaking from my experience and the area I live only because I bet Savannah and other more progressive areas and larger cities have hopefully moved past this.

But if not, prepare to be called a yankee, be told to go back up north if you have any opinon at all even if it is in regards to your own profession, northerners are all mean, they are all rude, can't cook and know nothing about farming hunting fishing or football. And expect to hear a lot about the civil war and southern pride.

There, I just wanted to make sure your well prepared, as I was not.

Sorry if this offends anyone, just telling it like it is.

[/ QUOTE ]

During my time in Alabama I found the people to be very friendly, and got the feeling they are completely misunderstood by everyone else from around the world.

It is best summed up in Ronnie Van Zant's lyrics to Sweet Home Alabama.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Du-CWASm20&feature=fvst


Ronnie thought that Neil Young misunderstood southern pride and only focussed on the negative aspects of the south with his songs 'Southern Man' and 'Alabama' so Ronnie wrote Sweet Home Alabama to challenge this misconception. Neil Young and Ronnie became good friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD3bGEFxGC0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVRxdPWV3RM

Also George Wallace's political activities left a tragic legacy that the South was full of racists which is totally untrue from my experience. Although Wallace changed his views at the end it left a strong impression.

Thats my views and they could be wrong, but I found the south to be a great place full of great people.

 

[macrocarpa]

Did you live there for several years or just visit? Are you from the north?

I have family (yankees) in other parts of the south that have fit right in (big cities). I think it really varies from place to place. I have run into more issues than most because I have made it part of my career to change ideas about tree topping, and litter/dumping trash in the national forests, lakes and rivers problem we have here. Coming down from "yankeetown" and trying to make changes makes all kinds of trouble.

I grew up listening to both Neil and Skynnard. I think one of everyones first songs to learn on guitar is sweet home bama. I never thought about the content of the lyrics before living in the south, we just never thought about or focussed on north vs south where I grew up in the midwest.