[kk_bama]

As much as I love the South, and Alabama (home of my alma mater) and Georgia (my home state) in particular, Southerners do tend to get very defensive when their way of life is made fun of or poked at in any way. While I'm fortunate enough to have lived in a couple other areas of the country and have friends from all over the place, people from areas out of the South just have to understand that the way of life is different down here.

In most areas of the South, the pace of life is slower. Being outdoors, camping, fishing, hunting, etc. is a big, big thing, especially if you live near water. Tradition and class play a big part in greek life. Many people are big into name-brands like Costas and Clarks and Polo and North Face and whatnot.

The way of life in the South is not for everyone. As much as I have come to appreciate the low cost of living, the Southern grace and hospitality of most folks, the fantastic food, the old traditions that live on and on, well, there's other places to live in the country too. And I think people in the South need to travel and see the world a bit if they haven't been out of it much. And I think people from the North and West need to come and visit the South, then maybe they'll appreciate it. Or not.

Either way, if everyone would just open their eyes and be open to new experiences and new people.... well geez, I think I'm asking for world peace here. Oh well.