As you many of you may or may not know, I am currently training with Warren Buffet's private flooring company to be a Solutions Provider for dealers in the flooring industry. The headquarters and location of the training is in Dalton, Georgia.
Dalton is a small town in Northern Georgia, about 30 minutes away from Chattanooga Tennessee. It has about 30,000 people during the weekday and 5000 residents at night. This doesn't seem like such a small town when I say it like that, but really for the sake of moving on, let's just say it is.
Before I moved here to the South, I did not expect the people to be so friendly. I expected them to be filled with confederate pride or racist. Turns out it's the opposite, at least in this small town.
The people here are conservative, humble, and hospitable. The other day I was behind this elderly couple at a Wal-Mart, and they let me cut in front of them. They noticed I had only four items and then they made conversation with me.
When I drove up to the car washer the other day he didn't try to upsell me. In Dallas, the carwashers always tried to push you to buy something more, but not here. The cashiers always seem to make conversation and when they don't start it, you can be sure that if you do, they will definitely take notice.
That's what's different here, people take notice when you make a little effort to talk to them. The people here smile and keep it simple. They slow down and talk to you. They can drive slow too, but that is okay.
Their modest nature makes it more appealing to me for some reason. When we went to the town bar for example. The women there aren't constantly grinding on each other like a club in Dallas. I grew up in Dallas, Texas so this is my point of reference. Most of them keep it modest in comparison.
Again, this is a small town, and not a city.
I must mention, the ladies here are beautiful, on the inside and the out. On the outside imagine sundresses and clean. When your talking to them or them to you, it seems like they are really listening. They converse and are willing to pass the time. It's hard to explain really. Oh yeah, and if you want to be a gentlemen, they will accept that. None of that feminist rebel stuff about "don't hold the door for me, I got".
In San Francisco ladies are generally all natural (no make-up, no shaving...sometimes), maybe tatted up. Super fit, but wear thick hoodies (because it's cold). It seems like they have feminist views though. They don't need your help when crossing the street. Super intelligent though.
In Dallas, the girls are beautiful on the outside too (sundresses and heels), but on the inside I always got the impression that the standards were too high for me to ever meet when it came to conversing.
I always thought only the liberal culture cities had the friendliest sociable people. I'm referring to San Francisco, Austin, LA, New York. Turns out conservative culture has its share of friendly places too. Liberal cities tend to more accepting of different views and freedom of expression.
So far I haven't seen this freedom of expression yet, but they are very hospitable here. I guess they don't call it "Southern Hospitality" for nothing. I've been invited to so many events from strangers I've just met. New friends :D
I question how or why the South is so unexpectedly friendly. Could it be the Protestant Christian roots? Could it be an effort to divert the confederate stereotype? Could it be the economy?
Whatever it is, I really like it.
*Again my view is limited mainly to this small town in particular.
My view so far:
San Francisco- Accepting, O'Natural, Freedom of Expression, Intellectual
Austin-Expressive, Accepting, great mixture (The San Fran of Texas)
Dallas, Texas: Clean, Texas Pride, High Standard,
Kansas City, Missouri: Reserved but Friendly, Accepting
Dalton, Georgia: Conversational, Hospitable, Humble, Modest
New Jersey: Straight to the point, doesn't like outsiders. (Set to change)
Los Angeles: AWESOME! (I think I'm biased for this one though)
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