For those of you who have not spent much time with New Yorkers or the east cost for that matter, you are probably not aware of the general image of southerners in the east. Let me share a little with you. New Yorkers pretty much think of anyone from the south (that does include Texas) as hillbilly and less than intelligent! I have heard it many times on subways, buses, standing in line (I am sorry, “on line” as New Yorkers call it).
The interesting thing about my life here is that I feel like I am living undercover. I am definitely an outsider looking in to a foreign world. Sometimes I giggle when I hear all these crazy stereotypes. What’s funny is that many of the people here have never been to Texas or the South. People in the city think that southers are silly, unsophisticated and have no culture.
I was with a group of ladies the other night and it was interesting listening to the conversation. We got on the topic of the show “The Real Housewives of …” and we were discussing how crazy those women are. One of the girls said, “I would love to see them do , ‘The Real Housewives of Dallas’”. This is where my “fly on the wall role” kicks in.
“What would that be like?” one of the girls asked. “Well, it would be just like all the other shows only pumped up to a crazy level! All the big hair, big cars, and big boobs!” It’s all “new money” and girls going to college to find husbands.”
I have to admit that some of it is true but not everyone in Dallas is like that. The general sentiment with most women in New York is education, career and then family. They pride themselves on waiting til your mid thirties to get married and have maybe one or two kids while still keeping a career. To these women, all girls in the south go to college to get their MRS degree so they can have kids and stay at home. I VERY much want to marry and have children however, I must admit that this stereotype is quite accurate! I am definitely in the minority amoung friends in the south when it comes to following the “southern woman’s way”. God has given me the opportunity to live in a place where the “norm” is what I am living right now. I am glad that if and when it does happen that I have a family I will know what I am made of and I will know that I can do anything. A husband and kids are a wonderful addition to a woman’s but it does determine who I am!
In conclusion, I am totally a fish out of water here but I guess I need to swim with the fish in my “single” bowl and enjoy it!