When Driving through Georgia with Jersey Plates, Know This . . .

You're going to be asked two questions. First, a total stranger walking past as you climb out of your (rental) car will look you right in the eye and ask, "how you doing today?" Upon answering, you will then be asked the second question, "you're a long way from home, aren't you?" A third question that may or may not follow, depending on the situation, is this: "are you married?", which I always find a bit forward. Why not let that topic just come up in conversation on its own? What's the rush? Anyway, this basically sums up my experience driving a rental car with Jersey plates through Georgia and Alabama, my home state. In just a three-day journey, I was approached by at least as many people. Having never been on the receiving end of southern hospitality as an outsider, I was warmed by the friendliness of my people. But, on second thought, I think they just wanted to hear the accent, and hear one they did, though sadly not the exotic, northeastern dialect they were probably hoping for. I think I revert to my native tongue the second my plane reaches the delta. However, as one who grew up on a military base surrounded by many varieties of accents and dialects, I pride myself on my ability to alter my accent such that it mimics those around me. I think it was a survival skill I picked up along the way, like a chameleon changing the color of its skin to blend in with its surroundings. But when I'm totally relaxed, or when I'm headed home, my true local color resounds from my mouth (my boyfriend says it's redneck-like, which is neither flattering nor true). It usually takes a few days for the accent to wear off when I get back to Austin. It usually takes a few days to stop feeling lost and homesick, too.