Canadian Snowbird Question!
 

When you guys come South for six months in Florida or wherever, to get warm, as you drive South, do you notice that the Southern states of the U.S. have friendlier people than the Northern states you drive through?<BR><BR>I'm from North Carolina, live here again now, and after visiting my son in New England periodically, I am always glad to hit, say, Virginia because I do find the people warmer, just like the weather! Just wondered what you guys felt about this. Thanks!

To be totally honest, I found the "southern hospitality" that you speak about to be quite fake and reserved. I've been to Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Louisiana and can honestly tell you that I like the north a lot more. Warmer weather notwithstanding, I can't stand that "hey, how y'all doing" crap.

Bonnie,<BR><BR>I find your posting to be quite stupid. Firstly, you say "you guys" which is a basic generalization of all Canadians, when you fail to realize that the people who are referred to as Snowbirds are mostly Elderly Quebecois. As you probably don't know, Quebec is only one province in Canada and does not represent the majority of Canadians. Second, the only people that go to Florida for six months are the elderly because many of them are retired and cannot stand the cold. I hope you are aware of the fact that Canadians do work in similar jobs as you Americans and thus cannot take six months off.

Gee, ezway, relax! Bonnie was just asking a question. And the fact that she titled it "Canadian Snowbirds" means that she was asking for a response from, um, Canadian Snowbirds. It wasn't a general question for all Canadians.

I agree with the previous post, typical northerner that needs to relax!!<BR> Bonnie, I love going south. There are very friendly people everywhere in the US (actually becoming friendlier than Canada). However, the South seems to be more genuine than what I've been witness to lately. That's just my non-elderly, Quebequois snowbird opinion.

ezway must be from Toronto - just because most Torontonians don't head for the southern US doesn't mean that only Quebecois do. The are a few other provinces in Canada! Many people from the east coast head to Florida, Arizona, NC, SC, etc. <BR><BR>Anyway ... I don't think Southerners are MORE friendly, it's just a different kind of friendly. People in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont are also super friendly but different from the seemingly more genteel charm of the Southerns. Northerners are easy-going and Southernerers seem more proper. I haven't travelled in any state yet where we didn't meet friendly people.

I am from Mass and am anwsering a question not asked to me, but I must say it varies from person to person. The only place down South I have been to is nola and people are very friendly in that town. While people up north are more reserved, we are also more open and tolerant toward others. Not saying that people from the South are closeminded, I just think that we are more accepting of diversity in the North.

Speaking to the question of diversity, you won't be able tell the difference, North or South, anymore. Just go to Atlanta, New Orleans, Charleston, Raleigh, Charlotte, Richmond, Savannah; as a matter of fact, over the last few years, many black friends of mine have moved back to the South, to their family's roots, find it more comfortable than the Northern states now. I really think you'll find warm, friendly people all over the U.S. - just look up and smile!

One more thing to the poster who posted ahead of me, regarding diversity in the north and south: You said you'd only been in the South once, to New Orleans, but that you know the North is more open and tolerant. How could you possibly know that, with so little exposure to the South? That's the kind of comment that gives people who don't know any different a totally wrong picture of the southern United States!

I definitely agree with the guy from Massachusetts. Obviously, all areas in the states have their kinds of problems vis a vis tolerance and acceptance, but there is no question that in the north, they are more tolerant. Just look at history. Where was it in the USA that blacks were segregated until the 1960's. Where is it that is known as the "bible-belt" as far as puritanicalism is concerned. Where does the "religious right" and other Christian fundamentalist organizations have roots from? Although being part of this religious right is surely a personal decision, it most certainly does take on a tone of less tolerance because these people feel that all of those who do not accept Christ as saviors are going to hell. Also, the north has better schooling, and standardized test scores have always been higher in the north so maybe its safe to say that the more intelligent you are, you may be less friendly (this probably explains why they are so friendly in Texas and Alabama), but you are more accepting and tolerant.

Dear Bonnie,<BR>I'm sorry that you received such rude and ignorant answers to your questions. I'm from Ontario-I'm not retired. I haven't spent 6 months in Florida but have gone to Florida many,many times. I've also spent time in California,Texas,Arizona,New York,Illinois,Wisconsin,Minnesota,the Carolinas,Virginia,New York and other states on the way to these places. Mostly I find that Americans are very friendly no matter where. A lot more intelligent than xxx who shows his ignorance by being so prejudiced against people he doesn't know. So I hope you don't take xxx as a typical Canadian-he certainly doesn't represent me.

I want to thank all of you who gave me kind and thoughtful replies. We have lived in New England for a short time, and from Carolina to Maryland & Pennsylvania, and have seen both tolerance and prejudice in every place. I have not seen any more prejudice in the South than anywhere else. Unfortunately, many people think the Southern U.S. is still the South of the 50's & 60's, and that is so NOT true! Also, there was ALWAYS nearly as much intolerance in the North..........as in, yes, you can sit by me at the lunch counter but don't dare speak to me OR yes, you can go to school with my daughter but don't expect to be invited to her home. But don't get me started on racism, because all people of all colors are to some degree prejudiced, and today, it runs both ways believe, although that is not the best thing in an ideal world.<BR><BR>Just don't judge the South until you know of what you speak.........that's all I ask! The point of my question was to hear how TRAVELING Canadians saw the two different parts of the U.S. Thank you for your comments.