I have lived in five US states in my lifetime, including three major geographic moves as an adult. With a country about twice the size of the EU - about the same size as Europe as a continent, we have a lot of regional differences. And I have experienced being told, "you'll aren't from around here are you?" a few times. Within a few months my accent adjusts, the cultural adjustments take a while longer. I learned a long time ago to not expect a new place to be like the old place. Some differences I will like, some I will adjust to, part of living there is accepting that things are as they are. The people and the place are not going to adjust to my being there, I need to adjust to the place.
Few if anyone in the America's is from here. Some of our families have been here for a long time, some of our family members arrived in the last 100 years, the blink of an eye in history and culture.
Immigration is an immensely complex issue. Immigration is a part of human life, past, present and future. As long as people feel unsafe or insecure where they live, some will move.
I have only moved three times in my life so far and they've all been in the same state. I'm not sure I could live anywhere except the Northeast. The weather is perfect and I enjoy getting all effects and looks of the Four Seasons. If I had to move I could possibly try Savannah or Charleston but I think that's about where it would end. Wow I like parts of the Midwest West Coast and South, I think I would truly miss the effects of the Northeast.
ReplyDeleteI think you would find not just climate, but culture shock in the southeast.
DeleteWe also lived around the country and were regularly not from around here. Each time we moved to a new place, we were referred to as the people from [the last place we lived] which meant suddenly we were from around THERE. We lived in DC for 3 years. When we moved to Connecticut, a guy at the gym gave me the nickname “Washington.”
ReplyDeleteYou have moved a few times, and then a few more.
DeleteI'm from tiny England and have lived in my even tinier corner of the country for most of my life apart from a short while when I worked in Italy. Hopefully my mind isn't tiny too!
ReplyDeleteOne of my grandmothers was born near London.
DeleteUnless you are an indigenous person, we are all immigrants to this continent.
ReplyDeleteYes, and others will join us
DeleteMy sarcastic side has a tendency to respond like this when people tell me I don't sound like I'm from here:
ReplyDelete"Well, it's because I graduated from the fifth grade."
I have lived on both coasts ... San Francisco and Sacramento on the West and Miami and Camden on the East ... as well as living on a dot in the Pacific on Maui.
How do the native Hawaiians feel about us?
DeleteThey tolerate mainlanders ... as tourists who stoke the economy. It takes a hot minute for them to like you if you move there!
DeleteActually, everywhere i've lived people have been nice.
You are so right about immegration. It's a very complex issue and it isn't going to stop.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of a political rant when I wrote this, and held back.
DeleteI suppose there are some who move for adventure and lifestyle reasons too.
ReplyDeleteI know a couple of bloggers who retired and moved to a new country.
DeleteI think I know those guys...
DeleteWalt, the two of you should meet Mitchel and Jerry in Spain.
DeleteI like moving although we have only moved a few times. The only place I was reminded I was not from there was TN.
ReplyDelete