[TheForge] RE: Maine yak

[dann]

Small Town Anywhere is something like the TV show Cheers.    It doesn't 
take long until everyone knows your name, and for them to form opinions, ( 
right or wrong )   about you.

About 15 years ago, I moved back to a small town area  where my family has 
lived for 7 generations.  I have lived and visited a lot of places.
I think small town people make quick to 
judgements  on  everyone,  new  and  old , and share those  judgements with 
everyone that  they drink coffee with.

As often as possible, or  perhaps on a  Saturday morning, go out for 
coffee,  introduce yourself and sit with the locals .  Then they will  talk 
with you, rather than about you, at least   while you are there.

The "secret" to being  new to an area, but being treated like you have 
lived there five generations is, to  quickly become a "regular" at  Church 
functions, the Coffee Shop, and any thing like the Lions or Kiwanis  Club 
that interests you.  Also  given the choice of Walmart or local 
stores,  shop local business  whenever you can.

I find that people are pretty much the same everywhere.  My expectations 
reflect back at me.   People are warm and friendly if I am warm and 
friendly,  or distant and cold:  whatever I project.

Dann Johnson
Thompson, Iowa


At 12:14 PM 2/26/2004, you wrote:


>Bob Ehrenberger wrote:
>
>
>>We lived in Conneticut for three years and got the same impression.  If your
>>family hadn't been there for 5 generations you were an outsider.  The only
>>friendly people we found there were other mid-west transplants.
>
>While I found this to be true 25 years ago going to school in Boston, we 
>haven't found this to be true of Maine at all. We've found people to be as 
>friendly as elsewhere and really enjoy living here.
>
>Actually, one of the things I really noticed as different from Colorado 
>was that people on the other side of the counter (i.e. I'm the customer) 
>are much more awake and alive than those I've been used to. They even make 
>jokes, like the customer was a real person.
>
>Steve Smith
>Brownfield, Maine