How can I successfully transition from the Northeast to the Deep South?
August 4, 2015 6:12 PM Subscribe
Looking for advice on moving to rural Alabama after a lifetime in Vermont and a college town in upstate New York. I have zero experience with the South.
I've just moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama after a childhood in Vermont and spending the last several years in a college town in upstate New York. I know essentially nothing about the Deep South, other than cultural stereotypes of Southerners and reading Southern Gothic novels. My graduate program is insular and made up of students from across the country, so I have a set of ready-made friends and am not too worried on that front.
How do I deal with the heat? What is there to do? How can I maximally ensure my safety as a masculine/androgynous genderqueer (white) person who often reads to others as female? Is it safe for my partner, who often reads as male but is experimenting with femme things/femininity? And, perhaps embarrassingly: how does one make good friends with people who don't agree at all with my politics?
I'm entering a graduate program in fiction and am into the outdoors, books/bookstores/libraries, "quirky" places, alcohol of all stripes, etc.
Thank you in advance!
I've just moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama after a childhood in Vermont and spending the last several years in a college town in upstate New York. I know essentially nothing about the Deep South, other than cultural stereotypes of Southerners and reading Southern Gothic novels. My graduate program is insular and made up of students from across the country, so I have a set of ready-made friends and am not too worried on that front.
How do I deal with the heat? What is there to do? How can I maximally ensure my safety as a masculine/androgynous genderqueer (white) person who often reads to others as female? Is it safe for my partner, who often reads as male but is experimenting with femme things/femininity? And, perhaps embarrassingly: how does one make good friends with people who don't agree at all with my politics?
I'm entering a graduate program in fiction and am into the outdoors, books/bookstores/libraries, "quirky" places, alcohol of all stripes, etc.
Thank you in advance!
I don't know if I have extensive or useful advice for you but I too moved to Alabama for grad school. Though in my case it was as a generically female Canadian, previously in California.
Weather-wise: everything is over air conditioned. Bring a sweater to put on inside. My colleague used to have to use a space heater to get her room to bareable. Outside, you'll just drive everywhere with the AC blasting. I hope you have a white car (gets less hot in the sun).
Friends-wise: I found the grad students generally liberal though not necessarily exposed to all the sorts of things you'd find elsewhere. Like a normal small college town, basically. I didn't discuss politics too much with people and there was enough other stuff going on that I didn't feel the lack (but obvs that's super personal!).
Gender-presentation-wise: To be totally honest, I sometimes felt like a total failure of a woman and I'm skinny, pretty, cis. But I didn't/don't wear make-up, dresses*, straighten or dye my hair blond. The undergrad women were super girly and sometimes/often I felt invisible and old (though I was never asked about my religion). The undergrad guys were also pretty stereotypically male (but with more pink shirts) although there was a pretty active gay community in my town (the other Alabama college town). Let me know if you want more detail but I feel self-conscious about this bit. I'm guessing (don't know!) being a slightly femme guy might be hard.
*dresses and skirts are awesome in the heat. Like wearing a loose sack. So much cooler than pants.
Activity-wise: Tons of kayaking/floating. Learn to tolerate football and/or tailgating. Check out Altanta, and some of the bigger Alabama cities. You'll probably have a pretty good time. Besides, it's good to see something of your country.
If you want more details, feel free to memail me.
posted by hydrobatidae at 6:41 PM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Weather-wise: everything is over air conditioned. Bring a sweater to put on inside. My colleague used to have to use a space heater to get her room to bareable. Outside, you'll just drive everywhere with the AC blasting. I hope you have a white car (gets less hot in the sun).
Friends-wise: I found the grad students generally liberal though not necessarily exposed to all the sorts of things you'd find elsewhere. Like a normal small college town, basically. I didn't discuss politics too much with people and there was enough other stuff going on that I didn't feel the lack (but obvs that's super personal!).
Gender-presentation-wise: To be totally honest, I sometimes felt like a total failure of a woman and I'm skinny, pretty, cis. But I didn't/don't wear make-up, dresses*, straighten or dye my hair blond. The undergrad women were super girly and sometimes/often I felt invisible and old (though I was never asked about my religion). The undergrad guys were also pretty stereotypically male (but with more pink shirts) although there was a pretty active gay community in my town (the other Alabama college town). Let me know if you want more detail but I feel self-conscious about this bit. I'm guessing (don't know!) being a slightly femme guy might be hard.
*dresses and skirts are awesome in the heat. Like wearing a loose sack. So much cooler than pants.
Activity-wise: Tons of kayaking/floating. Learn to tolerate football and/or tailgating. Check out Altanta, and some of the bigger Alabama cities. You'll probably have a pretty good time. Besides, it's good to see something of your country.
If you want more details, feel free to memail me.
posted by hydrobatidae at 6:41 PM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes, to agree with ftm, you don't necessarily spend a lot of time with folks outside your program. It's a college town and you're an academic - sadly (or not) you generally don't spend a lot of time outside the bubble.
Not tremendously different than when I lived in Orono. Super right-wing people everywhere but I hung out in my bubble.
posted by hydrobatidae at 6:45 PM on August 4, 2015
Not tremendously different than when I lived in Orono. Super right-wing people everywhere but I hung out in my bubble.
posted by hydrobatidae at 6:45 PM on August 4, 2015
As someone who lives in Tuscaloosa, stop panicking!
Culture: It's a college town and there are a lot of people more like you here than you expect, even outside the MFA class (those people are great, though, so don't worry). As for the people who aren't like you, I wouldn't worry too much about that, either. The culture is that people will rarely be rude to your face, and even if they're conservative they're not terribly likely to be shitty directly to you (I am somewhat androgynous, but not genderqueer and largely gender-conforming, so YMMV). On politics, I've learned to deal with that by doing an activity I really like with good people whose opinions frequently don't match mine (martial arts), but it's a skill I had to learn by doing. Basically just assume good faith until the other person gives you reason not to. I'm still irritated by the amount of small talk that has to do with church; an "I'm not really religious" has been my favorite way recently to shut down that stuff politely (some people will press; those people are jerks).
It's a good-sized college town. Often good cultural stuff is in Birmingham, about an hour away, but we do okay here (unfortunately the latest tiny upstart gallery collective just closed, but maybe you can be part of the force that creates the next one!). There's not really a good bookstore here, but I like Reed Books for weird used ones in Birmingham. Atlanta, Nashville, and New Orleans are all close enough for a weekend trip.
If you like sports, the football games are fun. If you aren't going to the game, avoid campus on gameday like the plague.
Food/drinks: Epiphany's happy hour (M-TR 5-7) for a slightly spendy small plates thing/excellent cocktails, Hooligans for the greatest of fast cheap cheeseburgers and sweet mint tea, Alcove for a nice reasonably grown-up drinking spot (also non-smoking), Egan's for the quintessential gross dive bar experience, the Tuscaloosa Farmer's Market and the Homegrown Alabama Farmer's market.
Outdoors: My two favorite spots that are easy to get to are Bowers Park (disc golf) and Sokol Park (running/singletrack MTB trails). There's a local bike club that does road and mountain stuff. Grad students can participate in intramural sports. If you're willing to drive just a bit there are all sorts of lovely things to do outdoors outside the city.
THE HEAT: It'll probably be a sweaty awful mess from about May-September. Drink plenty of water (and get plenty of electrolytes!). Wear sunscreen and a hat, go inside if you feel crummy. You'll adjust. I like merino wool or synthetic underpants; the humidity will ensure that sweat will never, ever evaporate. Most of the grad students I know take readily to the low-ABV beer and swimming pool lifestyle.
My partner's sending you a MeMail invitation to meet up. We were both born and raised in Alabama, so it's not like only the transplants are people anything like you. :)
posted by hollyholly at 6:49 PM on August 4, 2015 [13 favorites]
Culture: It's a college town and there are a lot of people more like you here than you expect, even outside the MFA class (those people are great, though, so don't worry). As for the people who aren't like you, I wouldn't worry too much about that, either. The culture is that people will rarely be rude to your face, and even if they're conservative they're not terribly likely to be shitty directly to you (I am somewhat androgynous, but not genderqueer and largely gender-conforming, so YMMV). On politics, I've learned to deal with that by doing an activity I really like with good people whose opinions frequently don't match mine (martial arts), but it's a skill I had to learn by doing. Basically just assume good faith until the other person gives you reason not to. I'm still irritated by the amount of small talk that has to do with church; an "I'm not really religious" has been my favorite way recently to shut down that stuff politely (some people will press; those people are jerks).
It's a good-sized college town. Often good cultural stuff is in Birmingham, about an hour away, but we do okay here (unfortunately the latest tiny upstart gallery collective just closed, but maybe you can be part of the force that creates the next one!). There's not really a good bookstore here, but I like Reed Books for weird used ones in Birmingham. Atlanta, Nashville, and New Orleans are all close enough for a weekend trip.
If you like sports, the football games are fun. If you aren't going to the game, avoid campus on gameday like the plague.
Food/drinks: Epiphany's happy hour (M-TR 5-7) for a slightly spendy small plates thing/excellent cocktails, Hooligans for the greatest of fast cheap cheeseburgers and sweet mint tea, Alcove for a nice reasonably grown-up drinking spot (also non-smoking), Egan's for the quintessential gross dive bar experience, the Tuscaloosa Farmer's Market and the Homegrown Alabama Farmer's market.
Outdoors: My two favorite spots that are easy to get to are Bowers Park (disc golf) and Sokol Park (running/singletrack MTB trails). There's a local bike club that does road and mountain stuff. Grad students can participate in intramural sports. If you're willing to drive just a bit there are all sorts of lovely things to do outdoors outside the city.
THE HEAT: It'll probably be a sweaty awful mess from about May-September. Drink plenty of water (and get plenty of electrolytes!). Wear sunscreen and a hat, go inside if you feel crummy. You'll adjust. I like merino wool or synthetic underpants; the humidity will ensure that sweat will never, ever evaporate. Most of the grad students I know take readily to the low-ABV beer and swimming pool lifestyle.
My partner's sending you a MeMail invitation to meet up. We were both born and raised in Alabama, so it's not like only the transplants are people anything like you. :)
posted by hollyholly at 6:49 PM on August 4, 2015 [13 favorites]
Hi! I was born, raised, and went to college in Alabama. At the moment I live in NYC, but Alabama will always be home. To answer your questions:
* The heat: Every single place you go will be air conditioned. You'll walk from your air conditioned apartment to an air conditioned vehicle to an air conditioned building. You'll only have to be in the heat if you want to be. Just wear what you'd wear in the summer in NY. Ditto to what hydrobatidae said about a sweater. Your teeth will start chattering it feels so cold when you come in from the heat sometimes.
* What to do: I went to college in Birmingham and drove to Tuscaloosa for shows every now and then. It's a fairly standard college town, so you'll have your choice of good cheap food, coffeeshops, music, etc. You certainly won't get bored. If you're into nature, Alabama is a lovely state. There's great state parks and plenty of exploring to do. In addition, Birmingham is less than hour away and has really blossomed as a city in the last few years. No end of things to do there.
* Safety: You'll be fine. To the locals, you're just going to be another student. To the students, you won't be anything out of the ordinary. FWIW, I'm brown (Indian American) and way more racist stuff has happened to me in six years in NYC than in thirty years in the south. Also keep in mind that because your life becomes indoors -> vehicle -> indoors -> vehicle -> indoors, the number of interactions you have with strangers drops off dramatically.
* Making friends with different politics: The nice thing about Southern hospitality is that face-to-face, people will be friendly to you even if they hate everything you stand for. You'll make small talk about the weather or football, and they'll compliment your shirt, and you'll say thank you, and everyone will go on about their merry way.
* Related to the last two points, because random interactions are minimal and people are social/friendly, anytime you happen to be standing near someone for more than a second, expect eye contact and to be chatted up. In NYC, you can't afford to make eye contact and smile and say hi to every person you walk by, but it's pretty much the norm in the south.
posted by AaRdVarK at 7:01 PM on August 4, 2015 [11 favorites]
* The heat: Every single place you go will be air conditioned. You'll walk from your air conditioned apartment to an air conditioned vehicle to an air conditioned building. You'll only have to be in the heat if you want to be. Just wear what you'd wear in the summer in NY. Ditto to what hydrobatidae said about a sweater. Your teeth will start chattering it feels so cold when you come in from the heat sometimes.
* What to do: I went to college in Birmingham and drove to Tuscaloosa for shows every now and then. It's a fairly standard college town, so you'll have your choice of good cheap food, coffeeshops, music, etc. You certainly won't get bored. If you're into nature, Alabama is a lovely state. There's great state parks and plenty of exploring to do. In addition, Birmingham is less than hour away and has really blossomed as a city in the last few years. No end of things to do there.
* Safety: You'll be fine. To the locals, you're just going to be another student. To the students, you won't be anything out of the ordinary. FWIW, I'm brown (Indian American) and way more racist stuff has happened to me in six years in NYC than in thirty years in the south. Also keep in mind that because your life becomes indoors -> vehicle -> indoors -> vehicle -> indoors, the number of interactions you have with strangers drops off dramatically.
* Making friends with different politics: The nice thing about Southern hospitality is that face-to-face, people will be friendly to you even if they hate everything you stand for. You'll make small talk about the weather or football, and they'll compliment your shirt, and you'll say thank you, and everyone will go on about their merry way.
* Related to the last two points, because random interactions are minimal and people are social/friendly, anytime you happen to be standing near someone for more than a second, expect eye contact and to be chatted up. In NYC, you can't afford to make eye contact and smile and say hi to every person you walk by, but it's pretty much the norm in the south.
posted by AaRdVarK at 7:01 PM on August 4, 2015 [11 favorites]
Also, I noticed your profile says you're currently in Ithaca. Ithaca and Tuscaloosa are fairly comparable. I definitely wouldn't say one is more rural than the other.
posted by AaRdVarK at 7:07 PM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by AaRdVarK at 7:07 PM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Born and raised in Alabama and moved to New England, experienced some culture shock. I'll expand on AaRdVarK's last point -- people in the South are gregarious.
When I moved to New England, I thought everyone HATED ME all the time because they did not return my smiles and "hello there"s. People in the south just talk to each other. They'll talk to you like they know you. They don't think that they know you, they're not mistaken, they just are comfortable with chatting with people like they're all old friends. They will call you baby, honey, and sugar. I know in the North when some rando tries to talk to you it reads as a prelude to a mugging, but it's just how one passes the time in line down there.
*DO* call people "ma'am." "Miss" will sound weird, even though that's what we say in the North.
Go find yourself some Good People brewing company beers. Their IPA is great and they're locals.
And register to vote, damnit!!!
posted by Made of Star Stuff at 7:10 PM on August 4, 2015 [10 favorites]
When I moved to New England, I thought everyone HATED ME all the time because they did not return my smiles and "hello there"s. People in the south just talk to each other. They'll talk to you like they know you. They don't think that they know you, they're not mistaken, they just are comfortable with chatting with people like they're all old friends. They will call you baby, honey, and sugar. I know in the North when some rando tries to talk to you it reads as a prelude to a mugging, but it's just how one passes the time in line down there.
*DO* call people "ma'am." "Miss" will sound weird, even though that's what we say in the North.
Go find yourself some Good People brewing company beers. Their IPA is great and they're locals.
And register to vote, damnit!!!
posted by Made of Star Stuff at 7:10 PM on August 4, 2015 [10 favorites]
Speaking of "ma'am," you will be ma'am-ed A LOT if people read you as female. Since you don't sound southern, they won't think you're particularly rude for not saying ma'am and sir yourself. (Or at least that's what I tell myself when I go back.)
posted by zeptoweasel at 7:23 PM on August 4, 2015
posted by zeptoweasel at 7:23 PM on August 4, 2015
While of course you can go to your graduate program and cocoon yourself in an environment that is familiar, I don't know why you would want to do that! Especially if you are a writer. Travel is supposed to broaden the mind not make it comfortable.
Church would be one way to meet the locals, but if that's not your thing, I would suggest food. Food is taken seriously in the South, and would give you something to talk about if you want to avoid politics. Maybe take a cooking class or become a regular at a cafe that is a bit outside the bubble.
posted by girl flaneur at 7:39 PM on August 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
Church would be one way to meet the locals, but if that's not your thing, I would suggest food. Food is taken seriously in the South, and would give you something to talk about if you want to avoid politics. Maybe take a cooking class or become a regular at a cafe that is a bit outside the bubble.
posted by girl flaneur at 7:39 PM on August 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
Oh, and do your best to put any stereotypes of Southerners out of your mind.
posted by girl flaneur at 7:41 PM on August 4, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by girl flaneur at 7:41 PM on August 4, 2015 [9 favorites]
Step 1 of transitioning: don't refer to Tuscaloosa as rural Alabama. My family is from actual rural Alabama and sorry, but I laughed when I saw what city you are in. I get it, trust me, but Tuscaloosa is a big city compared to most of the state. It's definitely rural compared to what you are used to, but you'll be pegged as a snooty Yankee if you say something like that to a local. You'll be a Yankee regardless, but dont burn your bless-your-hearts on this.
posted by gatorae at 7:42 PM on August 4, 2015 [14 favorites]
posted by gatorae at 7:42 PM on August 4, 2015 [14 favorites]
As someone who moved from Alabama to Minnesota, I get you on wondering about the culture shock!
Now, I went to Auburn for my undergrad so I by default don't have any warm feelings towards Tuscaloosa, but it's just like any old college town. Lots of Greek life that dominates, so that can be annoying, but typically you can find your liberal pockets like at any college. Oh, and also get ready for football season. Even if you're not into football, college football (especially SEC) with the massive tailgates and fun game days can be really great to hang with your department and day drink. If you win, going out at night is especially fun, expect lots of drinks flowing. Especially Iron Bowl game (but I hope y'all don't win then.)
I think Alabama might be less conservative than Auburn too... My boyfriend did his grad program there in anthropology and his entire program was super liberal. Lots of outdoors stuff to do their too. The downtown is pretty cute and quaint. I had a few trans friends who attended Auburn and Alabama and they didn't have *too* many issues. My friend at Auburn was nearly revered and was a cornerstone in the LGBT community that was very prominent there. I'm a woman of color and when I visited Tuscaloosa, I would sometimes get uncomfortable in areas I stuck out, like some tailgate areas, but somehow I feel more comfortable there rather than up here in the north.
We have our flaws down south, but I agree to go into this with as little stereotypes as you can. It sets you up for a certain mindset when you meet people. I went with some preconceived notions for Minnesotans and it's hard to snap myself out of it.
Definitely check out Steel City Pops and Druid City Brewing! I have friends who work at the brewery, they're super nice people, if you need some people to get introduced to just memail me!
posted by buttonedup at 8:24 PM on August 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Now, I went to Auburn for my undergrad so I by default don't have any warm feelings towards Tuscaloosa, but it's just like any old college town. Lots of Greek life that dominates, so that can be annoying, but typically you can find your liberal pockets like at any college. Oh, and also get ready for football season. Even if you're not into football, college football (especially SEC) with the massive tailgates and fun game days can be really great to hang with your department and day drink. If you win, going out at night is especially fun, expect lots of drinks flowing. Especially Iron Bowl game (but I hope y'all don't win then.)
I think Alabama might be less conservative than Auburn too... My boyfriend did his grad program there in anthropology and his entire program was super liberal. Lots of outdoors stuff to do their too. The downtown is pretty cute and quaint. I had a few trans friends who attended Auburn and Alabama and they didn't have *too* many issues. My friend at Auburn was nearly revered and was a cornerstone in the LGBT community that was very prominent there. I'm a woman of color and when I visited Tuscaloosa, I would sometimes get uncomfortable in areas I stuck out, like some tailgate areas, but somehow I feel more comfortable there rather than up here in the north.
We have our flaws down south, but I agree to go into this with as little stereotypes as you can. It sets you up for a certain mindset when you meet people. I went with some preconceived notions for Minnesotans and it's hard to snap myself out of it.
Definitely check out Steel City Pops and Druid City Brewing! I have friends who work at the brewery, they're super nice people, if you need some people to get introduced to just memail me!
posted by buttonedup at 8:24 PM on August 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh! and you would be surprised at the flourishing arts scene happening in Alabama. Beautiful art and coffee shops and independent musicians and interesting shops pop up all over Alabama! I personally will always love Auburn, but Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, Florence, Huntsville, and Montgomery have up and coming scenes. Ever listen to St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Alabama Shakes, Lee Bains III and the Glory Fires, Adventure the Great, etc? They're all in/from Alabama. So fear not, there are arts and culture in our little "rural" plains. Or check out the art museums or the civil rights museum or NASA. And revel in the tasty food. I miss that food.
posted by buttonedup at 8:29 PM on August 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by buttonedup at 8:29 PM on August 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Something else to think about: you're going to be in the middle of a region you've not gotten a chance to explore, and depending on where your career takes you, you might not get the chance to again. You're under five hours from Nashville, Atlanta, New Orleans (I am SO jealous), the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi River... So spend lots of quality time in town, but go on as many road trips as your grad school budget can stand.
posted by joycehealy at 8:33 PM on August 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by joycehealy at 8:33 PM on August 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
Nthing roadtrips.I did that in grad school in IA. Chicago was an oasis for me and I think Atlanta will be the same for you.
My experience with small town deep south vs. small town midwest is that in the south I was treated with suspicion rather than the hyperpseudofriendliness I received in the midwest. I prefer the former.
Also, my experience has been that "sir"or "ma'am" sub in for please and thank you in southern restaurants. I had a waitress pointedly ignore me when I was trying to get her attention until I said this; others seemed taken aback when I said p/ty when they took my order.
posted by brujita at 9:30 PM on August 4, 2015
My experience with small town deep south vs. small town midwest is that in the south I was treated with suspicion rather than the hyperpseudofriendliness I received in the midwest. I prefer the former.
Also, my experience has been that "sir"or "ma'am" sub in for please and thank you in southern restaurants. I had a waitress pointedly ignore me when I was trying to get her attention until I said this; others seemed taken aback when I said p/ty when they took my order.
posted by brujita at 9:30 PM on August 4, 2015
Come visit us in Atlanta.
The South is a really complex region that has transformed and is transforming as we examine our place in the nation, our relationships with each other, our history and our future, etc. It's a cool time to be here.
Read http://bittersoutherner.com/
For the heat, just become comfortable sweating. I have to run around in suits all the time and its miserable, but when I run around in shorts and a polo it's also miserable.
Try talking to everyone. It's going to be really uncomfortable for you and seem rude, but it'll pay off. If nothing else, talk about football or the heat.
posted by lockestockbarrel at 9:27 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
The South is a really complex region that has transformed and is transforming as we examine our place in the nation, our relationships with each other, our history and our future, etc. It's a cool time to be here.
Read http://bittersoutherner.com/
For the heat, just become comfortable sweating. I have to run around in suits all the time and its miserable, but when I run around in shorts and a polo it's also miserable.
Try talking to everyone. It's going to be really uncomfortable for you and seem rude, but it'll pay off. If nothing else, talk about football or the heat.
posted by lockestockbarrel at 9:27 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
I got my MFA in poetry at UA. Sending you a message. :)
posted by mermaidcafe at 10:24 AM on August 5, 2015
posted by mermaidcafe at 10:24 AM on August 5, 2015
In addition to what the others have said, I would like to mention that October is a lovely time to visit the beach. The Alabama and Florida Gulf coast, also known as the Redneck Riviera, has beautiful white beaches. After the heat and the crowds of the summer have passed, you might enjoy a weekend trip to the area.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 10:48 AM on August 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Midnight Skulker at 10:48 AM on August 5, 2015 [3 favorites]
Ah, the southern stereotype. Tuscaloosa is far from rural. The Birmingham metro area is over 1 million people. Not everybody is a right-wing republican. Out of state students actually outnumber in-state students at UA. It is hot though.
The gulf-coast beaches aren't too far away.
ATL is close enough for a day trip.
Oak Mountain is a nice place to see a concert.
AL has some great state parks.
The micro-brewery scene has exploded in AL in the last 5 years. So many good ones around.
posted by LoveHam at 11:26 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
The gulf-coast beaches aren't too far away.
ATL is close enough for a day trip.
Oak Mountain is a nice place to see a concert.
AL has some great state parks.
The micro-brewery scene has exploded in AL in the last 5 years. So many good ones around.
posted by LoveHam at 11:26 AM on August 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Former New England transplant living in Atlanta.
ATL is a bigger city, but I imagine the culture shock is similar.
The weather:
- Yeah, it's hot, but there is so much more sunshine than the Northeast. It's a nice switch. Plus, winters here are awesome! Barely any snow and mild temperatures.
- You'll learn what to wear, layering is still important as you'll be going in and out of AC all day long.
- You'll also learn the best time of day to do anything you need to do outside. This is usually early morning and duskish.
The culture:
- There are two huge differences that took a bit of getting used to - smiling and talking to anyone and everyone. Coming from the Northeast my reaction to someone smiling at me is what me and my husband call "the hate wave", basically a pointed stare. It took my facial muscles a little bit to get the message and I'm sure I grimaced for a while before getting the hang of it. Now I smile so much that when I go back to the NE I get looked at funny. Oh well :)
- Talking - Same as above. I can small talk with the best of them now.
Definitely explore outside of Tuscaloosa, but be prepared to feel like an outsider. In Atlanta we joke about there being Atlanta and then there's Georgia. The two are very, very different. We've never felt unsafe, but have not always felt welcome and we're both middle-age white folks.
The most important recommendation I can give is don't compare where you're at now to where you were before. My husband was a little late to this realization and I think it made his transition much rockier than mine.
Good luck!
posted by Constant Reader at 1:21 PM on August 5, 2015
ATL is a bigger city, but I imagine the culture shock is similar.
The weather:
- Yeah, it's hot, but there is so much more sunshine than the Northeast. It's a nice switch. Plus, winters here are awesome! Barely any snow and mild temperatures.
- You'll learn what to wear, layering is still important as you'll be going in and out of AC all day long.
- You'll also learn the best time of day to do anything you need to do outside. This is usually early morning and duskish.
The culture:
- There are two huge differences that took a bit of getting used to - smiling and talking to anyone and everyone. Coming from the Northeast my reaction to someone smiling at me is what me and my husband call "the hate wave", basically a pointed stare. It took my facial muscles a little bit to get the message and I'm sure I grimaced for a while before getting the hang of it. Now I smile so much that when I go back to the NE I get looked at funny. Oh well :)
- Talking - Same as above. I can small talk with the best of them now.
Definitely explore outside of Tuscaloosa, but be prepared to feel like an outsider. In Atlanta we joke about there being Atlanta and then there's Georgia. The two are very, very different. We've never felt unsafe, but have not always felt welcome and we're both middle-age white folks.
The most important recommendation I can give is don't compare where you're at now to where you were before. My husband was a little late to this realization and I think it made his transition much rockier than mine.
Good luck!
posted by Constant Reader at 1:21 PM on August 5, 2015
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* In this size of city, you absolutely do not need to make friends with folks with politics that are way off of yours. You might need to tolerate them sometimes, but you won't need to particularly be friends with them.
* Most days, if you sit in the shade maybe with a fan, with a beer if that's your thing, you'll be fine. We don't do much outside in August. (I run, but I'm adjusted now). It's just a bit of a different mindset. If you're like me, you'll also eventually get used to it. When I return to Maine I can't hang out outside in a tshirt at 55F anymore - the saying down here is "my blood got thin".
posted by ftm at 6:34 PM on August 4, 2015 [4 favorites]