Southern Anachronism

I grew up in New England, and I really miss it. I now live in the South, where I'm an anachronism. I say "wicked" as an adverb without batting an eye, and my students think it's hilarious. But if you drive an hour from where I live now, they have a Civil War reenactment every year--of a battle the Confederates won. So you can imagine I feel out of place, and I've been here almost seven years.

Well, I'm trying to get out. I don't want to be a snob or anything. I just don't fit in, and neither does my wife (she grew up in a military family). My brother married a girl from Arkansas, and he loves the South in ways that I never will. Since he got married 12 years ago, he's lived in Georgia and Mississippi (I can't believe I spelled that right). Now he is interviewing for a job in Louisiana. This for a small-town New England guy.

I'm not sure where I will end up, but I would really like it to be north of the Mason-Dixon. I miss the snow. The Midwest sounds cool, too, especially in the Great Lakes area (keep in mind that Buffalo, NY is Midwest to me). So does the Pacific Northwest. Frankly, I'll take a job wherever I can get one, but I'm really hoping for this one I applied for in Pennsylvania. That would be a nice change. At least we'd have seasons.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

funny how we wish for Florida and you the midwest!

Maybe I should try to appreciate the snow and cold...it'll be over soon and spring will be here!

:)