Okay, I am from the South, and my DH is from 'up North'.
Tons of people from the Midwest and Yankees from the Northeast retire in this area. Better weather, endless golf, etc..
Love me some Southern Sweet Tea.
Not all tea is good Southern Sweet Tea.
McDonalds serves some of the best 'chain' sweet tea.
it is SWEET!!! And pretty 'smooth' too.
Okay, there are differences.
There have actually been many threads that have mentioned some of the more subtle differences.
I am from the South, but not the deep south....
The most that I truly know about Southern Alabama is that we pass thru there on the way to those GORGEOUS white sand beaches on the Florida Panhandle. During ideal conditions, they are absolutely 'Caribbean'. If you like beaches, at all, THIS will be the one thing that will have you thanking god that you moved to Southern AL!!!!!!
And, they do make some GOOD biscuits in AL!!!!!!
Some of the things mentioned here are much exaggerated.
But, especially in the deep south, and especially in more rural areas, some of them might still, in 2014, still be so very true that you will really, really, be amazed.
People DO talk here. That is def. true.
We have actually encountered people in our community that we have called "Town Talker". Generally these are actually retired men. Mornings are for coffee and biscuits at their favorite place, either local joint, or Hardees, or wherever, that go well into the day, and include talking man-talk and gossip amongst themselves, and approaching and talking to any other unsuspecting patron.
Church can be big. But not to the extent that is being mentioned here. But could def. be true when it comes to smaller more rural areas in the deeper South. And, even if this is not true, one can sometimes encounter those people who think it is their duty to 'evangelize'. My son has had a couple of people approach him and hand him pamphlets. (Really bothers me when they target kids!!!!)
Me, I love me some sweet tea.
I am sometimes 'fixing' (getting ready) to do something.
I can sometimes say Y'all.
I do not care "if/where you go to church".
I have not 'FRIED' food in years!!!!! (just very occasionally...)
I did recently get some wild caught Gulf Shrimp and fry it up. (OMG YUMM!!!) And, maybe once a summer I will bread some okra in cornmeal mix and fry it up for my son. (Again, YUMM!!!)
I do eat Grits, and occasionally brave the calories to make a hot skillet southern cornbread. (OMG, double YUMM!!!)
I am friendly and will talk to you... but generally will not 'approach' you in a way that most people, would not be comfortable with. (For example, in the grocery store, I saw a woman looking at the myriad of shredded cheeses, and I just openly pointed out to her that this one particular shredded Mozzarella is SO good.) Yes, we do eat Italian, and other foods.
I do eat at several chain restaurants.
There are just as many here as ANYWHERE.
But, very small rural towns, of course, could not support the amount of business they need to operate. But, in a short drive, I can visit almost any nearly-national chain that you could think of.
PS: My son has a REAL talent for copying different funny accents and sayings. Exaggerating the southern accent. If you want, send a PM, and your phone number... I could give you a quick call, and put him on the line. I guarantee you would be