Last October, my husband and I packed up our worldly goods (and four children) to make the long move from Richmond, Va., to Concord. As of last week, we have officially been living in New Hampshire for 6 months.
Does this make me a New Englander? That all depends on who you talk to. Some people declared me a New Englander as soon as I moved. But I’m sure there are stalwarts who would say I’ll never be one since I wasn’t born and raised here. Regardless, I have taken it upon myself to write out a few observations after living here for half a year.
I don’t pretend to be an authority on all things New Hampshire. (Anyone who has seen me with a look of shock over the last months knows that statement to be true.) And most certainly, my experience will be different from yours. But with those clarifications in mind, here are five observations after my first six months of living in New Hampshire:
People are friendly.
I heard a lot of warnings before moving here. Things about New Englanders being cold and unfriendly, hard to get to know, etc. Now I don’t want to throw my beloved Southern roots under the bus, so maybe it all depends on what area you live in. But I will say that I have been taken aback by the friendliness of complete strangers.
Sometimes people I pass during a run will literally ask me how I’m doing. I’m never sure how far to take that conversation considering we’re passing each other. Or if I’m with my kids, they’ll say hi and make sweet comments to them. The first couple times this happened, I thought maybe it was someone from my church that I just didn’t recognize. But it’s happened so often that now I know it’s just the general vibe here: People are friendly.
And though at first it made me a tad bit wary, I’ve grown to love it.
A snow blower is not, in fact, the same thing as a leaf blower.
I don’t think this needs much explanation. Except that when I heard the term “snow blower,” I assumed it would look similar to a leaf blower but it would just blow snow. You can imagine, then, my shock and surprise at seeing a large machine being pushed over sidewalks and driveways, spewing snow up and out with surprising power and speed.
New Hampshirites are loyal.
Whether it’s to their grocery store of choice (hello, Market Basket), sports teams (Sox or Pats, there are no other options up here if you want to maintain healthy relationships), Dunkin’ (Starbucks are few and far between and, as I’ve been told, are “only for the tourists.”) or even to the state of New Hampshire itself, people are loyal to what they love. Even if the thing they love might be a teensy bit lower quality than another option. But don’t quote me on that.
They are also hardy.
Six months ago, when my family and I moved here, it was cold. Fast forward 6 months: It’s still cold. Nevertheless, there has not been a day that has gone by when I haven’t seen someone walking their dog, running with a friend or even biking. I admit I’ve often stared in shock, even calling out to my kids, “There’s someone running in this weather!” You can’t knock New Englanders. Don’t get between them and their outside air. You people are hardy, and I’m impressed.
New Hampshire is beautiful.
When my husband and I first visited New England, we heard a phrase about Concord that we would end up hearing upward of 30 times. It went like this: “You see, the great thing about Concord is that it’s an hour from the beach, an hour from the mountains and an hour from the city.” (By the 20th time, we were doing well to keep a semi-straight face and listen with feigned curiosity. Around the 30 to 40 mark, I lost my ability to keep a straight face.) But the facts are true and I can personally attest to all three of them.
New Hampshire is a beautiful state – and I’ve lived here only through the winter! We’re looking forward to exploring more of the local beauty now that the snow has melted and the temperature is beginning to rise.
I can see why New Hampshirites are loyal to their state and why those in Concord are particularly proud of their address. Because even with my limited experience, it truly is a lovely place to live.
Despite my initial hesitations, I’m grateful to call New Hampshire home.
(Christa Threlfall is an author, pastor’s wife, and mom of 4. She writes regularly at BrownSugarToast.com.)