I’m from California, but I can’t wait to go back to the South

The South. The land of farms and Southern drawls and cows. As I prepare to go down South to Georgia for the American Collegiate Rowing Association Nationals, I remember when I visited last year.

While I had never been to the South before, I always imagined it as being like the town of Bluebell from Hart of Dixie. I imagined a place where the people were friendly and curious about the new westerners, and where you couldn’t go anywhere without something being fried. From what I saw, I think my assumptions were pretty spot on.

The nationals are held in Gainesville, Georgia on the old Olympic course. Gainesville is a small town, and every year they await the arrival of the hundreds upon hundreds of collegiate rowers, coaches and fans that will take over their town. The people are friendly, the food is comforting and the rowing is fast.

Here are the things I’m looking forward to the most when I travel back to Georgia.

The customs

The people in Gainesville are some of the most friendly people you’ll ever come across. Always with a smile on their faces, despite their town being overrun with disrespectful college kids, the folks from Gainesville are top of the barrel. They are fascinated by our slang and our lack of accent, and won’t hesitate to ask what a word means.

Last year, at a Starbucks, we were asked what “dank” meant. Not sure how to explain the word “dank” to a middle aged housewife getting her morning coffee, we just told her it meant “cool.” As she walked away, we could hear her practicing how to say the word in a sentence. To her kids, sorry.

The food

Two words: Waffle House. Anyone who has been to the South knows Waffle House is a must stop restaurant. Known for their giant waffles and monster sized portions, it’s a team favorite after the races are all over. Waffle House is to them how Starbucks is to us – there’s one on every corner. In fact, there are 381 locations in Georgia alone.

The people

The people in Gainesville are some of the nicest I have ever come across. They are loud and vocal and just want to have a good time. They love hugging, even if you are opposed to it, and can always manage to put a smile on your face.

They have the accents you’ve only heard on TV, which makes their goofy phrases and muddled sentences even funnier. They are also caring. They are willing to accommodate anything you need to the best of their ability, just to make sure you feel at home.