Can you truly say that you live in a place with friendly people?

Yes, small town. Most locals friendly and helpful, but not intrusive.

For some of us the toughest part of the pandemic has been not being able to hug each other. We've still held doors for each other at post office and stores, greet each other and sometimes chat. I realized the other day that while masks hide the smiles, if you're attentive you see the crinkling around the eyes that accompanies a smile and some folks you can see a the pleasantness in their eyes.
 
dseag2 said:
I frequently walk around the lake near our house. I was walking today and actually had a guy walk alongside me and talk to me about the weather and how he was walking to "loosen his joints". Another guy passed me and wished me a Happy New Year. Sometimes bicyclists tell me to have a good day. I've shared a story about a woman I met at the grocery store with a Mazda Miata and we exchanged names and talked about careers. It is just the way people are in Dallas.

We lived in South Florida for almost 20 years and were starved for human interaction. We would have thought anyone talking to us was crazy but now it is so refreshing. Makes me believe in humanity again. Anyone else?
Click to expand...
Absolutely! I come in contact with very nice and friendly people all the time. Whether I'm taking a walk with my dog in a large park/open space, walking in the neighborhood, in the supermarket, etc. Smiling, nodding or saying hello to someone who is near and making eye contact with me has always come very naturally, thankfully I see others who are the same. Some that I see often will exchange some words with me or have a short chat, very enjoyable. Many have wished me a happy new year, and I've done the same. I'm in Colorado and people are outdoorsey, dog lovers and very chill. Some bikers also nod, or say thank you when I move off to the side of the path to let them pass......Life Is Good.
 
feywon said:
Yes, small town. Most locals friendly and helpful, but not intrusive.

For some of us the toughest part of the pandemic has been not being able to hug each other. We've still held doors for each other at post office and stores, greet each other and sometimes chat. I realized the other day that while masks hide the smiles, if you're attentive you see the crinkling around the eyes that accompanies a smile and some folks you can see a the pleasantness in their eyes.
Click to expand...
I agree, you can see/feel the smile through the mask. I don't wear a mask outdoors in open areas, but like you I haven't hugged anyone since the pandemic. There's been a couple of times I comforted a stranger who was emotional because their dog just passed away or something like that, a hug came naturally if it was another woman. With men, I will share my sympathy verbally, touch on the arm at the most. Lots of door holding here too, please and thank yous are common.
 
It's a happy friendly vibe here for sure, especially Ocean Drive
where everyone is full of love for just being at the beach. There are no
amusement parks...just a nice quiet mix of of every age all year long.
Even the tourist season brings a very respectful and friendly vibe.
My whole family is slowly migrating here. "Nice Matters" is our motto.
unnamed-1.jpg
 
Rah-Rah said:
There are certain areas where I live where people that my husband and I come across while taking walks or hiking are rather social or nice and other settings people just want to be avoided and just do there thing and get home. We frequent many walking trails in my area and the people are always friendly on those, but many times when I go grocery shopping people seem in a mood of let me get what I want and get out and back home without saying a word or looking at anyone.
Click to expand...
Yes. Although many people are friendly, some do not make eye contact, have things on their minds, appointments to keep, time limits, etc. So they're not open to niceties or small talk, I read people pretty well and I understand and leave those folks alone. I wouldn't want any friendliness to be forced, that's for sure. When I'm in a supermarket, I can be that way too at times, if I have a long list and am having trouble finding things, I focus on what I need to do and get back home, I hate shopping. But, if someone is struggling to get something from a high shelf, I immediately help them out. Many times people think I work there and ask me where things are, I let them know I'm just a shopper like them, but I will direct them to the right aisle or help them hunt for a particular product on the shelves of the aisle we're in. Never too busy to help other folks out when they need it, and they have done the same for me.
 
There's some truth to the notion we impact each others' behaviors--friendly people tend to experience more friendliness from others. When i first lived in NYC i found myself often being asked for directions and such not just by out of town tourists but by foriegn tourists. So often i started asking why they asked me out of all the bustling crowd. The answers varied some in specifics but boiled down to 'You seemed more approachable.'

Let me be clear, i act pretty much the same everywhere, but the community i live in now there's a lot more appreciation and reciprocation of friendliness and common courtesy than in most big cities, and at this stage of life i feel more comfortable in such a community.
 
I have to say, I'm not very friendly. I just don't interact with people much. I don't seem to fit in well at work. People will talk to me but I hear them interacting with others in a much different and friendly way. I think it's just my feeling of not belonging anywhere.
 
I think some people would be friendlier if you smile and say hi first. I have always been a smiler and often talk to people in the stores. Not so much now with the masks and just trying to walk. Most of the time I am concentrating on what I am buying and maybe don't seem as friendly. The clerks know me and always are friendly to me in whatever store I go to.
 
Remy said:
I have to say, I'm not very friendly. I just don't interact with people much. I don't seem to fit in well at work. People will talk to me but I hear them interacting with others in a much different and friendly way. I think it's just my feeling of not belonging anywhere.
Click to expand...
I often think it is me sometimes ...
when walking around our neighborhood I get a small wave or head nod.....
take my spouse with me everyone comes off the porch to end of grass wanting to discuss the weather/ current events whatever....
in reality ... I like people more then he does and he finds this chit chat annoying....

Never understood why he gets a friendly response..... he gets better then average response from people in almost every interaction.
 
Jeni said:
I often think it is me sometimes ...
when walking around our neighborhood I get a small wave or head nod.....
take my spouse with me everyone comes off the porch to end of grass wanting to discuss the weather/ current events whatever....
in reality ... I like people more then he does and he finds this chit chat annoying....

Never understood why he gets a friendly response..... he gets better then average response from people in almost every interaction.
Click to expand...
Same here with me and my huzz.

As to where we live, you can only tell if they're smiling or not with binoculars.
 
I live in Manitoba, Canada and I used to say that people were friendly. Some still are but with Covid19 here there sure are a lot of grumpy people around. I guess I can't blame them because with all these changing rules and regulations, it seems no one is sure of what to do: shut everything down/open everything; get you jabs/no jabs for me; close the border/open the border; and it goes on and on. Seems that things around here are no longer friendly. Everybody seems to be mad at the government. Today's temperature of -22 C doesn't help either.

As for the USA, I have spent 2 winters in Port Isabel, Texas and I can say that I have always found folks around there and all over Texas to be pretty friendly. I'm not surprised about Florida as places that are touristy or "tourist traps" are usually pretty unfriendly. Sorry but that's the way the cookie crumbles!
 
Gary O' said:
Can you truly say that you live in a place with friendly people? Yes
Not sayin' where
Y'all would wanna move here and mess that up
Click to expand...
I'll track you down, we've all got a composite picture, "psychological profile", "woodsman's habits", must be known to more or less all in your locality, (I'll get Perry Mason's mate, Paul Drake, on the trail. :). )!!!
 
Folks around here will always lend you a hand in a pinch. Been given rides home when my car broke down with an average wait time of about 5 minutes! And they were people I did not even know.

But as far as getting invited for Sunday supper, that would only happen if you were a local. A true local has parents that were born here. Also, don’t cross the locals on deer hunting or local politics.

But we do have somewhat close “local” friends from the area that we go to church with. Actually, there are some very big gatherings at times.
 
well these were just brought to me tonight by my neighbours a few doors up ..in thanks for something I did for them...

flowers-and-wine.jpg
...that's a full bottle of wine, lol.. it's just my vase is so tall...:D
 
Can you truly say that you live in a place with friendly people?
Click to expand...
Less so now than when we first moved here in the late 80s. I mean, people still hold the door for one another at the post office and such, but there's now a visible presence of people that fly flags from their house and vehicles to signify their particular world view shaped by media induced mental illness.
 
Fyrefox said:
People are clannish where I live. Someone once told me that you could live in the area for 20 years, and still be considered an outsider. A number of people are still flying weathered “former guy” flags on their front lawn. One street over, someone is flying a Confederate flag. “Go Brandon” and anti-vax slogans may be seen parading on pickup trucks. One learns to dress down and hide their education here…
Click to expand...
Oh you live in PA. I understand completely. It is stifling sometimes isn't it?
 
Nathan said:
Less so now than when we first moved here in the late 80s. I mean, people still hold the door for one another at the post office and such, but there's now a visible presence of people that fly flags from their house and vehicles to signify their particular world view shaped by media induced mental illness.
Click to expand...
Yes, I have one of those too, built a new house way too close....I'm trying to pretend he doesn't exist.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top