Certainly Something To Be Said About Southern Hospitality!

No es por nada, but como que los del South sí sabemos ser buenos hosts.  A couple of weeks ago, before embarking on this Texas Road Trip that we’re currently on, I’d taken another road trip.  That one had been much longer and had taken me across states like Virginia, Tennessee and Mississippi, before crossing us back home into the Lone Star state.  Texas, of course.  I had thought it then, but now, I guess you could say, my suspicions have been confirmed.

certainly something to be said about southern hospitality juanofwords
Now I want to stay here! – Picture by Vintage Roadside

En ese entonces, as soon as we crossed into Tex-Mex land everyone was so much friendlier.  The lady at the gas station was happy to offer up: you can add cheese and chili sauce to that hon, without even being asked.  And she seemed genuinely interested in making sure our hot dogs were mmm-mmm good!  They were, by the way.  For whatever reason, our stop there with her made me think about Paula Dean.  It was as if though in her asking us about our hot dogs she’d really said put some South in your mouth!  I couldn’t have been more happier to oblige.

Let’s just say in other places outside of Texas people were definitely not as friendly.

Now, everywhere we go, I can’t help but notice how friendly everyone is here.  And our road trip across Texas is proving to be quite the supporting testament to this, perhaps very bold statement on my part.

In Texas, we like to say “Hi” “Good morning” “Hello” or “Hola” to each other even if we are complete strangers, in passing.  A smile for all or any of the aforementioned is just as good too.  We wave a hand of recognition when driving or walking in traffic, to thank other fellow Texans for letting us cross or drive in front of them.  We say “Bless you” when someone sneezes.  We hold doors open for people coming in or out of a building behind us.  We’re not above pulling over and giving someone a jump.  And most importantly, we won’t yell at pedestrians in front of us about how slow their walking ahead of us.  Their certainly aren’t any fast and slow lanes on our sidewalks.  I think we’re still a little surprised about being told to hurry up in the Big Apple last year, LOL!

Of course, my intention is not to say people in other states aren’t just as friendly.  Only that I appreciate my fellow Texans for showing their Southern hospitality and home training more often than not.

What do you think?  Are people in the South more friendly and/or hospitable, or is it just a figment of my imagination?

9 thoughts on “Certainly Something To Be Said About Southern Hospitality!

  1. People in the Northeastern United States (I am one of them.) are not very friendly. I don’t know why. Maybe we are tired of being stacked on top of each other? People in the Southern United States have better manners and smile more often. The nicest people I have ever met were in Portland, OR. I was shocked by how friendly and easy going everyone was. People stop for pedestrians, hold doors, let you cut the line at the store if you have a grumpy baby or just a few items, etc. Everyone was so calm. It was a major shock. Thank you to all of the people in other states who treat us with courtesy and respect in spite of the fact that we don’t treat you well when you visit our cities.

  2. Two stories from Texas, both from when my stepmother died: Spoke with a woman about handling the estate sale of bric-a-brac and questioned why she didn’t have a website: “The web ain’t what it was, hon,” she said. Thought we’d never get out of Texas into New Mexico, but we had to eat. Stopped at a little diner where my bro ordered chicken-fried steak: it was a t-bone dipped in batter. Yum! In Santa Fe, I sat at a red light marveling at the beautiful Sangre de Cristo mountains, and felt a shock pass through me when I noticed the light had changed to green. There was a line of cars behind me, but no one had honked.

    1. I really love the second story, Sandra! You know, having grown up in the Valley I can attest to how true that is. Life is just on a different pace I guess. Kind of like gong to our part of Mexico, even now. Maybe I was bred for patience 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

  3. I certainly agree that Texas in general is friendlier than New York. However, when I moved to Texas I had to re-train myself to be less friendly, because people here were constantly looking at me as if I were insane. So you should try the Midwest; you’d love it! Garrison Keillor had a funny joke on his show one time which I’ll have to paraphrase. (Lambeau Field is the home stadium of the Green Bay Packers) … Why isn’t anybody chewing gum in Lambeau Field? Is there some strange rule against it? Nawwwwwww… but if you were chewing gum you’d have to offer everybody there a piece…

    1. That’s hilarious Beth, and wow… if I think Texas is very friendly, sounds like the Midwest is just down right sweet as sugar pie! I gotta head that way to experience the niceness as well. And it definitely is true about the gum 🙂

  4. I recently got inked by a great artist who hails from Cleveland. As much as she likes some things about the liberal East Bay Area, she feels like people are standoffish and aloof. I’ve traveled in the States and out of the country and Southerners are just like Italians: jovial, warm, and welcoming. Can’t wait to visit Texas next summer!

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