Growing up in two different states is an experience all it's own, but with those states being in different regions it becomes that much more dramatic. I moved from the Midwest to the Southeast at the age of 13 years old, and if I said my life didn't take a crazy turn I would be lying. There are so many differences between the Midwest and the Southeast, from weather, to sports, to dialect, to food. I received a giant culture shock before I even really knew who I was. Moving South turned me into a girl who associates with not only one American culture, but two.
I never know how to answer the question, "Where are you from?" Do you mean where do I call my hometown, or where did I go through my real growing up? Wisconsin will always be where I am from, but I have lived in South Carolina so long I feel it needs to be mentioned in the conversation. This question should require a simple answer, but when you ask me it turns into it's own conversation.
When it comes to weather, I always find myself sitting on my couch wishing for a white Christmas like when I was little. Then, during the summers I wish I could stand outside for five minutes without feeling like I am melting. While I miss the weather from Wisconsin, I know if I lived up there again I would wish for warmer days.
When it comes to sports, my two homes could not be more different. When I moved South, everyone cared more about college ball than the pros! I could not believe that because I never even paid attention to college sports when I lived up North. They also didn't watch hockey, so I had no one to talk to about my Blackhawks, or at least no one who really cared.
I just recently went back up to Chicago to visit my cousin for his graduation, and my cousin was asking me about words people down here say differently than up there. I didn't realize my ears had adjusted to the Southern language, until I started catching my cousin and his friends sounding a little funny. When I first moved here I felt like everyone around me sounded like they were from a different world. But now I am adjusted to two completely different regional accents, which is actually pretty cool.
The biggest difference of them all, in my opinion at least, is the food. Growing up in the Midwest provided me with the best pizza, hot dogs and popcorn, just to name a few. But living in the South provided me with the authentic Southern comfort food. I have to say that I have had a rich food experience thanks to my big move. I always brag about the delicious food I grew up on to anyone who will listen. When I go up to visit, I get to eat the wonderful food I have missed. But I also find myself talking about the great food I can only get down south.
Growing up in two different regions provided me with a unique experience growing up. I am a cultural crossbreed. And while I wanted nothing to do with the South when I first moved here, I must say it was not as bad as I thought. I've lived in two places, in one country and I've seen just how different people can be. My experiences in both regions have helped shape me into the unique individual I am today, and I could not be happier with the woman I have grown to be. So here's to all of the people out there who have grown and lived in two different regions, and created a culture all their own; embrace your roots and love your location.
