Civil War (Yours Not Ours!)

[Steve Kroll]

I moved to South Carolina from Miami Florida almost 30 years ago. I was called a Yankee and was made fun of because I had never used an outhouse. Northerners and anyone that is not white are not received very well.

This has been my personal experience.

I spent a lot of time in the south 25 years ago - mostly Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Florida. I don't recall ever being referred to as a "yankee" except in fun by people I considered friends. It was never mean spirited. In fact, I would say 90% of the people I met were very nice, and I've kept in touch with several over the years. Of course there were a few jerks and trouble makers, but I could say the exact same thing about everywhere else I've ever been.

On the subject of cooking (since this is DC), I love southern cuisine and eat a lot of it. I had grits this morning for breakfast, and turnip greens last night for dinner. Some of my all-time favorite meals are straight out of the bayou: red beans & rice, gumbo, etouffee, and jambalaya.

 

[Addie]

When I first moved to South Texas, straight out of a Boston tenement, my Boston accent raised havoc with my life. You would be surprised how many could not understand a word I was saying. It seems Northerners speak a lot faster than Southerners. But I was never made to feel like I didn't belong. And still to this day, I love grits and collard greens. Cooked with a ham hock of course.