Reflections on ATL
Yes, I know, I'm supposed to be updating this more, but I really don't have much time for it. Anyhoo, here's part of a letter I wrote to a friend who asked me what was most different about Atlanta.From: Lucas
Date: Jul 27, 2006 11:53 AM
So whats the biggest differance down there from here? Your not missing much up here, same-old. Is the job treating you right? STAY OFF THE MARTA !!!!!! LOL
Biggest difference?
People - It's a multi-ethnic mix down here where the only accents are foreign, not "Southern". I found that jarring the first time I came here 'cause it's just weird to have everyone sound like me (SAE with a bit of a longish /i/). Also, there're the little sections that are 'minority' - you'll see Koreans, Vietnamese, Thai, lots of Hispanics (many businesses have their signs in Spanish with English subtitles), Africans (yes, from the continent) but Whitey only drives through or around those places. BTW, these are also the places to get the best (and cheapest!) food and service.
Living - Traffic is shite! It takes a good 20 min. to get just about anywhere (imagine having to drive from your house in Jonesboro to El Matador (in Johnson City, not Boone's Creek) every time you wanted to go anywhere. And, while we don't have good public transportation, we don't need it. Here they do need it and don't have it. If you value your time, MARTA is a waste of money. Paying for gas & parking is usually as economical.
Attitude - While everyone's tolerant of everyone else, the lines seperating social groups are far more rigid. Gay people don't mix with straight people (hell, gay men don't mix with lesbians!), almost all of the bars/nightclubs have a homogenous crowd (i.e. all white 20-something current college students or divorced black professionals aged 30-45), and that kinda weirds me out. Standing out is not interesting, it's reason for people to avoid you unless you're really extroverted. (That said, I haven't had any problem mingling.) Still it's like if you don't have the same affect as everyone else, you can't fit in. A chameleon could easily lose his past by switching cliques.
To sum up, there is diversity as far as sheer numbers of every stripe, race, and creed, but it's all tribalism as far as mixing. You know how I like to cross bridges and connect with lots of different types of folks. It's almost maddening how uniform everyone is here. (Plenty of individual differences, of course, but just not a great interpersonal dynamic for everyone.) Makes me want to visit some place like New York City or LA or Dallas to see if it's any different or if that's just a primitive us-vs-them mentality that emerges from any sufficiently large group.
And, yes, I am missing much... I'm missing home. It's a lot more than you give it credit for.
Date: Jul 27, 2006 11:53 AM
So whats the biggest differance down there from here? Your not missing much up here, same-old. Is the job treating you right? STAY OFF THE MARTA !!!!!! LOL
Biggest difference?
People - It's a multi-ethnic mix down here where the only accents are foreign, not "Southern". I found that jarring the first time I came here 'cause it's just weird to have everyone sound like me (SAE with a bit of a longish /i/). Also, there're the little sections that are 'minority' - you'll see Koreans, Vietnamese, Thai, lots of Hispanics (many businesses have their signs in Spanish with English subtitles), Africans (yes, from the continent) but Whitey only drives through or around those places. BTW, these are also the places to get the best (and cheapest!) food and service.
Living - Traffic is shite! It takes a good 20 min. to get just about anywhere (imagine having to drive from your house in Jonesboro to El Matador (in Johnson City, not Boone's Creek) every time you wanted to go anywhere. And, while we don't have good public transportation, we don't need it. Here they do need it and don't have it. If you value your time, MARTA is a waste of money. Paying for gas & parking is usually as economical.
Attitude - While everyone's tolerant of everyone else, the lines seperating social groups are far more rigid. Gay people don't mix with straight people (hell, gay men don't mix with lesbians!), almost all of the bars/nightclubs have a homogenous crowd (i.e. all white 20-something current college students or divorced black professionals aged 30-45), and that kinda weirds me out. Standing out is not interesting, it's reason for people to avoid you unless you're really extroverted. (That said, I haven't had any problem mingling.) Still it's like if you don't have the same affect as everyone else, you can't fit in. A chameleon could easily lose his past by switching cliques.
To sum up, there is diversity as far as sheer numbers of every stripe, race, and creed, but it's all tribalism as far as mixing. You know how I like to cross bridges and connect with lots of different types of folks. It's almost maddening how uniform everyone is here. (Plenty of individual differences, of course, but just not a great interpersonal dynamic for everyone.) Makes me want to visit some place like New York City or LA or Dallas to see if it's any different or if that's just a primitive us-vs-them mentality that emerges from any sufficiently large group.
And, yes, I am missing much... I'm missing home. It's a lot more than you give it credit for.