I'm a Southern Belle, Y'all

Before I moved to Philly, I didn't realize the impact being Southern has on my identity. Obviously, having lived in South Carolina all my life, I identified myself as a Southerner; however, I didn't know just how deeply ingrained in my sense of self that identification ran. Living in a Northeastern city with three Midwesterners and two West Coasters is beginning to reveal to me just how Southern I really am.

I'm the only one in my house who says "y'all."

I introduced the word "sursy" to all the people in my program, and a few of them are trying to begin implementing it in their vocabularies. They have yet to be successful. :)

I am determined to make my housemates eat grits and like them!

One of the little girls on my block asked me if I was from South Carolina. I asked her how she knew. She replied, "My grandma's from South Carolina and you sound just like her."

I'm still not used to getting hit on regularly by random men on the street. My safety hasn't been threatened in any way; the men here just like to let you know when they appreciate what they see, but a Southern gentleman would never!

There's so little personal room and very little green space in the city. I think our whole block would fit in my parents' yard, and I could count on one hand the number of trees (I'm using that term very loosely... maybe bushes or plants would be more accurate?!) on our street.

Prices in convenience stores include tax. This means that you walk in, pick up what you want to buy, lay the money on the counter, and walk out. There's no polite exchange expected between cashier and customer, but I usually forget and end up receiving a strange look when I smile and say, "Thanks. Have a great day!"

People here do not say, "How are you?" The appropriate exchange when greeting someone is, "How ya doin?" I have to make a conscious effort each time to make sure I say the right thing.

My roommates still can't get over my accent, and they laugh sometimes when I say certain things. Surprisingly, no one has pointed out the classic, Southern "might should" yet.

My team leader described me in her newsletter as a "Southern belle." I would never use that term to describe myself because I know girls like Ali Douglas, true Southern belles. :) But everything's relative I guess, so I'm sure to her I am a Southern belle.

People here seem to think that the South is a little bigger than it actually is. In case anyone out there is wondering (like my roommate from Chicago), Arkansas and Oklahoma are NOT Southern states. Kentucky and Virginia are debatable; it depends on where you live in those states. And although Florida is located in the South, it is by no means a Southern state.

I'm excited to adopt a little "city" culture into my life, but I'm also glad I get to bring a taste of the South to my house and to Philly. Hopefully I'm representing us well!