People in Lancaster County

[nygal]

Oh man, "you're so right". Isn't it disgusting?

[nygal]

AMEN - You said it, and that's because you and I are New Yorker and we're the greatest! And you know what, they hate us for just that! They'll try and blame it on everything else, but it's because we "have it all", and brains too!

[lititzman2003]

I guess it's easy for the locals to blame the outsiders for the negative things that go on in the county. Most of the crime that occurs in Warwick township APPEARS to be the acts of young teens who were born and raised here. The high-profile murders that have taken place over the last several years in the county were not committed by teen-agers from New York or Philly. Let's try to be fair about this and maybe work together to continue to keep Lancaster County a safe place to live.

[TristansMommy]

Originally Posted by lititzman2003

I know everyone's heard this from me before, but I continue to wonder what it takes for people to be accepting to those who move here from places like Philly, Jersey or New York. People from other parts of the world seem to be more accepted then we are. Is it because of the violence that everyone hears about from those states? We're not all like that, trust me. We came out here to enjoy the peaceful, laid back approach to life. We have no interest in changing that at all. There is nothing to fear from us. We come in peace!

I originally thought it was just the people in my development who were standoffish, but after recently attending our parish picnic I came to realize that it is the vast majority of the people here in Lititz that have issues with "Easterners", as I once heard us referred to as. I understand close-knit, but this is ridiculous. We like our house and the downtown area, but we really can't handle it when we say "hello" to someone's face and they just turn away. I don't get it. We shower regularly! Moving back towards the Philly area seems to be the only option left.

Does any native of Lancaster County have thoughts on this? Or suggestions on how we can fit in? Is there anyone from the above areas experiencing the same attitudes that we do? If so, we're looking for friends as well! Thanks for your comments.

I'm considering a move to the Lancaster area from LI NY and I've seen so many threads about this type of thing it makes me a little worried.

However.. I think that that happens ANYWHERE in the U.S (accept NY..becasue.. well here we don't really know our neighbors, not enough time!.. plus we are truly a melting pot!). I want to live somewhere else for the SAME reasons that you do.

I will take a lesson out of my mom's book. She was originally from MT - Great Falls.. a city there as a matter of fact. She met , married my dad and moved to NY. She's always HATED NY.. the rudeness, etc. She couldn't move fast enough back to MT when my father died of cancer (They were marreid for 30 years!). So.. she packed it up and bought a house in a little town called Fairfield where my cousins all grew up and are raising their kids and near her sister. I mean this is TRULY small town life.

My mom felt like a complete outsider. AFter all she was the "NY'r" with her fancy car (not very fancy, mind you.. but to them it was). Even with her sister and all my grown cousins,she still felt like an outsider. She couldn't even get a job int eh small town or the neighboring small town even though she was FAR more qualified. Well.. it's been 5 years and she has FINALLY arrived. A position as town clerk opened up (THE town clerk) and my mom applied. She got the job over someone else (because she really really was more qualified) and has since cleaned up the towns record keeping..even found money for the town, and created a whole new filing system. She's now at the hub of town activity and for the first time feels completely welcome and a part of the community.

The moral of the story is, no matter where you relocate from and you go to you will be an "outsider" . With time, patience and a hearty effort eventually you will be accepted. Stick it out and give it time.. get involved and I think you'll be fine..

I know when I move I'l have my work cut out for me.. and I hope to hook up with other transplants that feel the same and together we can allow the locals to warm up to us!

Good luck

[TristansMommy]

Originally Posted by covenant77

I find it amusing that urbanites find the good Dutchers here unfriendly. Since when, for example, are New Yorkers friendly?
Secondly, Germans, which still probably comprise a plurality of this area, are by nature a bit slow to warm up to someone. I don't know how this was years ago in Lancaster County--and I don't mean the 1950's, I mean before the area was spolied by development--but as a student of history, I'd be interested to know.
Third, this area is touted as being "religious," but there are a plethora of churches that have degenerated into social clubs, with white-washed sepulchres for members. This area is no more "religious" than others--Anabaptists are not the only Christians here, and for the Anabaptists I have only respect. So, yes, you are probably seeing this contradiction by the "Christians" in the county, concerned only with their own cliques.
Fourth, it is unfortunate if one wants to participate in the life of the county while not wanting to make it "little New York, and is given the cold shoulder. There are conscientious people here though, whose right it is just as much as the one poster said to move anywhere, talk with their accent, etc. to NOt trust outsiders because of the havoc they have wrought here. Week-ends would be less stressful without tourists, let's face it, so why be nice to them?
Here end these ruminations.

I find your comments interesting.

First.. NY'rs .. right not very friendly.. quite honestly probably because we have no time to be friendly with the neighbors..etc. We're all so busy working so much just to pay the bills (my basic expenses with my mortage is $6000 month.. and i don't live in an affluent neighborhood, I live in Levittown - a "blue collar"neighborhood). I want to move to escape just all that.

I'm looking for friendly, quieter, calmer and more beautiful wya of life..

I think Europeans, in general, are not very warm. I was quiet surprised when I took my first trip overseas to visit my inlaws in Slovakia and Czech, to discover how "closed off" people were. I thought they would all be so very friendly like in the south and the midwest here in the U.S.. and alas they weren't.. so I can see where that comment came from.

I think no matter where you go it takes time to make friends and feel welcome.

[TristansMommy]

Thank you soo much for that posts. I now kind of have an idea of what to expect..

I'm from LI, NY .. wanting to move to a better place to raise my kids and actually ENJOY life!! I think Lancaster will do just fine!

[cfm1181]

Let me start out by saying that I am originally from Long Island,(Valley Stream to be exact), and moved to Carlisle,PA back four years ago. I will also go on to say that I am half colombian and half puerto rican, and my job has me going out to Lancaster daily. I deal with lancastrians all day long and I must say that overall, they are pretty friendly and easygoing. At first, they are very leery and standoffish, but over time, they warm up to you. They want to see that you are respectful and trustworthy and once you prove that to them, they treat you as though you're a local. To add to that, I have yet to encounter a drop of racism. As long as you can communicate well in english, and don't shove your ethnic culture in their face they'll respect you. Having said that, there are some drawbacks..there isn't a littany of things to do outside of eating (a lot of great places to eat ie: miller's smorgasboard, shady maple, bird in hand family restaurant, olde greenfield inn, mazzi, etc, and all major chains are always close by). People are a little close minded and ignorant when it comes to certain things...and my lord people here do love to gossip!!! so you have to guard anything that comes out of your mouth because it'll be the talk of the town the next day....lancaster city does have some crime issues, but once you get outside the city the atmosphere is totally different...very laid back, clean, tranquil and safe for the most part (ephrata has some drug issues, columbia or better known by locals as "scumbia" has some issues too). If you're a new yorker and want to come out, I'd say go for it...just be friendly and trustworthy and over time, you'll be fine...Chris