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I agree with alot of what you're saying, Itguid. The Amish and Mennonites are very friendly. However, I was surprised that the people where I live are very curious to know the business of others. Last year, my wife lost her aunt, who had been suffering for quite awhile. Our neighbors, who knew of the illness and didn't know about her death, would ask my wife questions about her job, what we were planning with our property, etc. They could care less about her aunt! Priorities are different here. They won't shovel snow from an elderly neighbor's sidewalk but they'll ask them where they've been for the last two weeks. They're friendly with you when they want information from you, otherwise they ignore you.
That's not to surprising to hear, only because so many people have told me that the Lancaster locals are not as polite and friendly as compared to a NYC, Long Island , Philly or any big city I guess.
In New York I lived in Brooklyn & 2 different towns on Long Island, in those areas the neighbors would stick would stick togther like glue. And trust me when it snowed the young guys would get out there and not only shovel our property but anybody we could, my wife & I did move to Vegas in 1996, people here are friendly for the most part.
Do the neighbors in LAncaster throw nice block partys? Here in Vegas some streets do, on Long Island they still do in my hometown and my wifes. Its a nice way to get to know the neighbors.
I hope Lancaster gets better.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lititzman2003
I agree with alot of what you're saying, Itguid. The Amish and Mennonites are very friendly. However, I was surprised that the people where I live are very curious to know the business of others. Last year, my wife lost her aunt, who had been suffering for quite awhile. Our neighbors, who knew of the illness and didn't know about her death, would ask my wife questions about her job, what we were planning with our property, etc. They could care less about her aunt! Priorities are different here. They won't shovel snow from an elderly neighbor's sidewalk but they'll ask them where they've been for the last two weeks. They're friendly with you when they want information from you, otherwise they ignore you.
>>Priorities are different here. They won't shovel snow from an elderly neighbor's sidewalk but they'll ask them where they've been for the last two weeks. They're friendly with you when they want information from you, otherwise they ignore you.<<
OMG isn't THAT the perfect example! But I wouldn't call them "curious to know" - I'd call them just plain old Nosy. That's why my dad moved to Delaware 10+ years ago. He got sick of it.
And I don't think the Mennonites are necessarily all that friendly. Amish yes, Mennonites, no. There's always something they want from you. Usually it's your $$. We wouldn't have the tourist trade if it wasn't for them.
To AMSM: I don't know that they throw block parties in Lancaster. I would suppose so. Row houses lend themselves to that sort of thing. I can tell you that they throw them in Philly.
Hello! I've lived in Lancaster County all my life. I'm as eager to smile and say hello as anybody anywhere! I will admit to the Mennonite influence, or as the locals call it "The Mennonite Mafia". Either you're in or you're out and you will be looked down upon (by Mennonites) if you're out. But this is only a small percentage of the residents here. We're tired of seeing our farmland disappear to houses and strip malls. We're tired of the increased traffic because of all the new development. But, we're not tired of making new friends and meeting new people! We may be a little slower at it than others, but we do get to it in our own good time.
Lancaster has a lot to offer. And we are sensitive to how it's pronounced.
I can't speak about your area but I ran into the same thing when we moved to where we're at now. When we looked at the house we bought we were told this was a very funny close knit town that doesn't like outsiders. But we liked the area and bought the house anyway. Shortly after moving here I got involved in the Firehall then the Church and also became a Boy Scout leader, Pres. of the F.O.E. and also helped the food bank. In just a few short yrs. I was elected to town council. Now, we know just about everyone in town and feel like we were born here. So get involved in your community and pretty soon you won't be an outsider anymore.
Okay, so I have never been on this thing til now, but I typed in Lancaster County and came across these message "boreds". After hearing all these people saying negative stuff about Lancaster, I knew I had to stick up for my people. So here is the reliable yet biased opinion on the outsiders negative comments.
Is Lancaster County a good place to live?
Yes, it's a wholesome county with friendly people and a laidback place to grow up. It can be boring if you are coming from a high paced area like NY or Philly. It's very Christian and conservative. The city is very poor and uneducated unfortunately. The education system is very good, but like anywhere could always improve, especially in the city. Property is hot here. Good luck finding a home in Millersville. It's expensive and hard to get. My friend moved to York though and with housing development you can find a place easy.
Is Lancaster diverse?
Most of Lancaster County is Pennsylvania German. Some are Amish, some are Mennonite, and some are me (an average American). The city is predominantly Latino. There are some African Americans as well. As far as racist (what people really want to know when they ask about diversity), Lancastrians are not racist for the most part. We are very ignorant and sometimes prejudice to other cultures though, so don't expect to have a conversation on Chilean wine or chapatis (Yeah, google that one). One thing that always confused me growing up was the popularity of the Rebel flag with the hicks. The KKK doesn't live here so don't worry about anything like that. There's a difference between being racist and just not having any concept of other cultures. We're friendly to everyone, but we just don't know what the difference is between a Mexican and a Puerto Rican.
Are Lancastrians unwelcoming to outsiders? (The Big Question)
Generally no. We aren't going to send you to the back of the bus if we find out your not from the area. We have a very distinct culture that makes it obvious who is an "outsider" (a term no Lancastrian has ever used). What we hate are New Yorkers and Jersey folk who come in just to see the leaves change and snap pictures of the Amish and then leave, yet have no concept or respect for our real local culture. To all you New Yorkers out there, how stupid are those tourists who come to New York snapping pictures and actually wearing an "I Heart New York" shirt? You know what I'm talkin' about. Also, please pronounce Lancaster as "Lank-ister". I don't know why we care, but we really care!
When you're a conservative white Christian from the country you are automatically branded backwards and racist. We're not going to apologize for being traditional, for going to church, for being German, or for being from an area that feeds America! The issue is that our farmlands are continously being turned into ugly developments or business districts. It's so sad as a local to say "That used to be a farm". Not to mention that so much crime is coming from people who moved to Lancaster City from Brooklyn or Philly. Sorry, but it's true.
As far as being unfriendly or as one doplic person termed us "white-washed sepulchres" (What an pretentious term to use!). It's not that we don't like outsiders, but we have our own culture that affects so much of our daily life. We eat pork and sauerkraut. We go to church. We buy food from the markets. We do not care that an Amish buggy just drove by. It's that mentality that as an "outsider" you won't understand. It's something that takes you to develop. Be who you are, because we are who we are and that ain't gonna change. Lancaster is not "Witness" and "Deliverance" rolled into one. The comments about us being nosey are beyond me. What I will admit to is that neighbors are not usually friends to us. I say that even though my best friends live across the street, my next door neighbor plows our snow, and my aunt lives a few houses down. There's a Lancaster community, but that doesn't mean my actual street hangs out with each other.
Who am I?
I'm a native from Lancaster. I am Pennsylvania German and proud of it. I was raised in Millersville, a college town outside the city. You probably are thinking that I'm some unfriendly redneck who couldn't locate Philly on a map, but the truth is that I'm a college graduate who went to Art school in Center City, Philadelphia. My best friends are Puerto Rican. My hobbies include international travel (21 countries total. Kenya, India, Greece, Costa Rica, Spain, Tanzania just to name a few). I'm currently packing my bags to teach English in Chile for four months. Yet somehow, I can be educated, multicultural, and worldly yet all the while I drive my truck to Green Dragon "chust" so I can get a Raub's sub from the Mennonite ladies and a pumpkin whoopie pie from the Amish while praising the Good Lord that I'm from Lancaster County!
I moved to PA from New York. Live in Manheim Twp. There's a few good people, but it seems like a lot of the people are very sheltered type people. They keep to themselves too much. That's why Lancaster is such a boring place, not much nightlife, and the alcohol laws are stupid too. State owned stores? It's ridiculous. I should be able to walk into a convenience store and pick up a six pack.
Also, everything seems to be closed on Sundays. The downtown area is practically dead. What's that all about? More people from New York need to move here.
Mennonites are tough to figure out. Lancaster has a great tourist trade thanks to them and their business sense. Go out to western Pa or Ohio where there are amish and the tourist trade is about ZERO. People say they are unfriendly and that may be true to a certain extent, but its' more that they are just reserved, not unfriendly. But they do a great deal of charity work, I see many auctions, bazaars, bake sales, quilt sales where they raise money for local and world relief efforts. Some of these organizations they give to only a true loving and forgiving Christian would give to. In SE Pa people are very charitable, they just don't like advertising it or go around with their hands out expecting charity. They help those in need, but want to be self sufficient.
Amish volunteers helped rebuild Lyons Pa after it was flattened by a tornado and surrounding communities of all walks of life donated their time and money to help out. When an ice storm hit a few years back in January people were without electric for several days in 20 degree temperatures. The Red Cross mobilized but left after a few days because nobody was taking advantage of their services, they were just toughing it out or relying on friends and relatives to get through it. I can guarantee you that the locals that seem unfriendly will be the first ones offering help or money if you need it in an emergency.
Hey moron, New Yorkers were voted the most friendliest of all cities! But how would you know that - you people think it's a sin to read the news, watch TV, etc. You live in a hole, a very dark hole and that's why you're so unhealthy minded - no socialization, and who's fault is that????? How about all the killings here of your "own kind" like the jerk who killed a mother and father in Lititz - or the other jerk who went to the Amish school and murdered how many innocent children??? It's all because you are so insular and so, so unhealthy about your religion that these young children grow up all "messed up" and then just let lose and commit horrible "murder". Ok, give me an intelligent answer to this one. Oh, I know something lame about god having to do with it, Yeah right, tell me another one. You are the "sickest" society on this planet. God truly help you!
Isn't this place a joke? I say we all go on the Oprah show, or the Today Show and tell it like it is!
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Lancaster - its like any other city!
Memo From A Real Lancastrian!!!!!
