I was born in Cali, Colombia--South America. So technically speaking, I am from the South, just not from the American South. When I moved to Florida back in '99, my classmates mentioned how they had seen a truck with a Confederate flag as the drove to school. But it wasn't simply them mentioning something they had seen--their words seem to have some sort of scorn, disrespect maybe, and even mock. They then went on to say that these people were "Southerners," statement which confused me quite a bit. Confederate flag? What in the world is that? If I am from the South, how come I had no idea what that was? Hmm...interesting. As the conversation progressed, one of my classmates asked me if I knew what a 'redneck' was. Surely, my eyes gave away the confusion I was in! Redneck? Huh? Oh goodness, was I in for quite a ride! They explained to me that these are people who live in the South--the American South, they added for clarification. And these people did not like Hispanics. Say what? They don't like Hispanics? So I guess that means they don't like me, but they don't even know me?! That sounded awfully silly... As I got older, I didn't really have much contact with Southern culture, much less with Southerners. A country accent is mocked and ridiculed in South Florida, and country music--God forbid someone ever hears you listening to that. Then I decided to come to Tech... well, dang, Tech is in Georgia... and Georgia, that's as Southern as you can get! I guess what I'm trying to say is that when I came here a couple months there was a certain fear that people weren't going to accept me because of where I was born. Southern hospitality was something I was extremely unfamiliar with, as well as Southern home cooking. Ironically enough, the first friend (and I mean friend, not acquaintance) I made here was born in Birmingham, Alabama-- I would dare say that's pretty Southern. She is one of the sweetest people I know--welcoming, loving, accepting. She didn't stereotype me by my nationality, she actually got to know me! All in all, the ideas I had of the South were all pretty flawed, and I'm ever so glad that's the case!