Will We Survive The South Or Will The South Survive Us?

Let us preface this blog by stating one very important fact - Dave and I are NOT prejudiced in any way. As of this writing, we have been below the Mason-Dixon line for going on three months and we've had wonderful and unforgettable experiences with people of all color and races. These experiences are part of our travels... our journey. This is merely a recounting of them.

When we originally left Maine, we given some "basic survival instructions" from our son-in-law, Matt, who spent many a year in the South. One of them was, "...when down South, do as the Southerners do".

On Accents and Drawls - 

At times, communication has been our number one difficulty. We have noticed, that even in the deep South, accents can vary - even in the same state. Some folks have just a southern twang, while others have a heavy drawl. One of these times was when Dave and I were in southern Georgia and I had to ask a very nice gentleman to repeat himself three times before I could understand what he was trying to tell us. I became frustrated with myself. The heavy accent, coupled with his lack of teeth, didn't help matters either. It took the three of us over a minute and a half to communicate and understand that the local store was closed due to a lack of power. He thought maybe we were walking to the store, even though we weren't. Once we had that issue resolved, we thanked him for his courtesy, wished him a Happy New Year, and he did the same.

One of our new co-workers, Marie, has always lived in Georgia. Dave, Stillman (Daves' co-worker) and I are all from Maine. At times, by the way we speak, I swear she wants to ring our necks! A recent classic example - a door-yard. A totally confused Marie asked, "What the hell is a door-yard?" We all explained that it's the area where the side door of a house (not the front or back) that goes out to the section of yard that usually meets with the driveway, sometimes where kids play. Marie still rolls her eyes when any of us mention that "... we have ta pahk the cah".

We also feel it's interesting that a lack of accent can still present a problem - especially when you factor in that we talk fast. We're from the Northeast; it's part of our culture. A local shopkeeper asked us the other day, "Where ya'll from?"
"Maine", we replied.
"Where?" came back with a slightly confused look. "Maine", we said again, slower with more annunciation.
"Oh - I didn't know what you were saying", came the shopkeepers' slight relief.

Where's the Lobster?

Food, or more precisely, what locals call it creates more fun confusion. It's bad enough that lobster is very difficult to find down south, especially when one is a distance from the ocean. We mentioned to one southerner that we were missing the taste of lobster rolls. "What's a lobster roll?" came the obvious question. We described the luncheon delicacy as basically chopped up lobster, mixed with a little mayo (or tarter sauce), some spices, and you pile it high in a grinder.  
"What's a grinder", followed with a baffled look. 
"A grinder is a big roll", we explained.  
"So what you're saying is, it's like a hamburger, except with lobster?"
"No, no, no! It's like a big hot dog bun", we tried clarifying.
"You mean a hoagie! And it's a hot dog roll. A bun is a sticky thing you eat for breakfast. You people from up north are so weird", quoted our friend, her head shaking.

It's All Fun And Games, Until...

This one didn't hit us until we arrived in North Carolina. With the sun setting past 5:30 p.m. at night and the

temperatures still fairly warm back in November, outdoor activities were still plentiful.
"Ya'll play corn hole?" was a common question among the locals.
"Do we even want to know what you're talking about?" we asked the first time someone inquired.
"Ya know - corn hole. It's a slanted wooden board with a hole in it near the top. You toss a small bag filled with dried corn and you try to get it in the hole", came the explanation.
"Oh, you mean bean bags!" we exclaimed. "Yes, we have that up north."
"Why on Earth would you put beans in a bag and throw them?"

How's The Weather Down (Or Up) There?

This is a common one, especially now that the colder chills of January are being felt. One campground manager asked us once how in heavens name could we live in a climate where the temperature struggles to reach 50 degrees for five months straight. We replied with the reverse - how could one live in a place where it's 85 degrees or hotter and humid for at least four months solid. It's all about perspectives.

January Is Black History Month - 

After a two week lull, mostly due to poor internet conditions, we were finally able to connect with our oldest daughter Meg's family and have a video chat via Facebook for almost an hour. Both of our oldest grandchildren have birthdays in January and received their homemade cards in the mail. They showed us the airplane models they put together with the help of their Dad. Then the subject to what they are doing in school. Turns out both kids are discussing some basic parts of the Civil War and slaves. Tristan began with, "...the slaves had to take the underground railroad to be free."
I asked, "What was the underground railroad? Was that like an underground train or subway?"
"No, no, not Subway - that's a place where you eat", Tristan said.
Alyssa, not to be outdone, spoke up; "It's how the slaves got to Canada; to be free." Then she began singing the song about "following the drinking gourd" and I joined her as I remember that song from my teaching days. I even had to explain to Meg that the "drinking gourd" is the Big Dipper constellation in the sky. At the tip of the handle is the North Star. Basically, they were singing to go north - follow the North Star. Skipping the part about the underground railroad, I moved on to who exactly were the slaves. Alyssa continued, "...they were people who had darker skin. It wasn't fair what happened to them. I think most of them are dead now, though."
Tristan added, "I think they were people from California". We all busted out laughing.
"Ok", I continued, "Do you remember where they were from? And no, it's not California!"
Alyssa added they were from Africa. Regardless, with some of the slightly off answers, both kids did remarkably well with their information. Very impressive for eight and seven year olds.

And with that note, we wish you all a happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Remember the man, his vision, as well as his messages. Still very moving and very crucial.

Until next time,
The Happy Campers,
Jill & Dave