Growing up in Kentucky, I am accustomed to the concept of “Southern hospitality.” This is a stereotypical view of the Southern region of the United States where individuals tend to go out of their way to be welcoming, kind, and helpful to strangers. It typically requires individuals to take time from their lives to actively engage and make meaningful connections. This aspect is centralized around the attitude that “No one is a stranger” when interacting with others. It is as if you are to treat everyone as a longtime friend or family member regardless of social status, ethnicity, or background. Whether it is as small as flashing a smile at someone when you walk past them in the grocery store aisle or making small talk in an elevator, these habits are embedded within our daily lives and highly encouraged to preserve.
Personally, I love the values of Southern hospitality. I think that in a world that is becoming increasingly fast-paced and digitalized, it forces people, in a sense, to slow down and interact with other humans. I have noticed that when people get busy or overwhelmed, they tend to shut down. I know for a fact, that when I feel like I am under a lot of pressure to excel in the classroom and manage to be on a sports team at Rollins, I neglect this aspect of building and maintaining my relationships. When I see other people take the time to have that small interaction with others, it inspires me to want to do the same. Making small connections with people is the best way to grow your network and have a support system that breaks you out of the mentality that you are on your own. It contrasts the idea that the United States is an individualized country, which I think is important because you regain a sense of balance between working individually and with the help of others. Life can be difficult, so knowing that you have people in your corner who will take time out of their busy schedules to interact with you is not only comforting but beneficial for both parties.
Someone outside of the United States might think that it’s weird why I would go out of my way to talk to someone who might just be sitting at the table next to me in one of my classes. Some people just like to be left alone and unbothered. Even in the United States, there are noticeable cultural and regional differences based on how we interact with others around us. For me, I think that building a community is extremely uplifting, which is why I value this sense of Southern hospitality. I find there is importance in small interactions that culminate into greater connections. I’m aware that there are personality differences between Americans and people from the United Kingdom, where the English tend to be quieter and more reserved compared to Americans, so I think that with that context, they might think that it is an unconventional and strange view.
This exercise is important because it forced me to think about how my communication style and cultural values could be perceived in England. I think that I have been more worried about how I will adapt to meeting people and making friends when I go abroad, rather than how they might react to me. This is an important reminder for me to be patient, empathetic, and understanding when approaching and meeting new people.