Northern Belle

Here is the second installment of my guest writers.  They are given the words "Southern Belle" and then write whatever comes to mind.  This one is written by my best friend Noel.  Enjoy!

I spent the better part of my childhood and teenage years fighting against anything and everything southern. I hated the country roads. I hated the accents. I hated the music, from southern rock to pop country. I hated people calling me “Darlin” and “Sweetheart,” and I most certainly hated the fact that I was born and raised in the south. (Food didn’t count though. I loved the food.) This is of course very natural – to rebel against what you’re given. Every other place on earth seems far more interesting than what you’re surrounded by. I wanted to be a California surfer girl. Or live in New York City. Or be in a military family and live all around the world. Anything but the Deep South. I didn’t know WHY I hated it so much. I guess I just thought the grass was greener on the other side. Or maybe I just needed a reason to be unhappy. I tried to escape the south when I went to college, but a full scholarship brought me to the University of Georgia. I tried to escape the south when I got my first job, but a once-in-a-lifetime intern opportunity pulled me right back in. I tried to escape the south by switching jobs, but the most amazing person ever came waltzing right into my life. The nerve. Finally, a little over two years ago, said amazing person and I moved to New York City. I had waited for this all of my life. I may have cried a little. And that’s when – big surprise – my appreciation for the south grew. I became PROUD of where I grew up. I finally saw the beauty in those country roads and the delightfulness of a sweet Southern Belle accent. I would tell my coworkers stories of my childhood, exposing them to things unfamiliar to them. And I ran around with a big pot of grits, forcing them down New Yorker’s throats while screaming, “They’re the best thing EVER!” As crazy as it sounds, I have become more of a Southern Belle since I moved to New York City. I have become more aware of my hosting ability and more conscious of gift giving and thank-you notes. I make collards and grits on a weekly basis. I sew. And most of all, I love visiting the south and surrounding myself with the people that help make the south what it is. Southern Belles make it a unique place, which is why embracing those traditional qualities is so important. Though I might be watching from afar, I no longer suppress any form of southern-ness that I experience.

I may not be your typical Southern Belle, but I was raised in the south. And there are some things that just don’t leave you, no matter how far you go.

Noel is an advertising copywriter living in New York City with her wonderful boyfriend, Austin, and their dog Dagmar.  She will one day travel the entire globe and probably be voted president of at least two countries she visits.  She is currently completing 30 challenges given to her by her friends on her 29th birthday, and you can keep up with her adventures on her blog, Year of 30 Challenges. Be sure to check out her incredible photography on her etsy shop,aperturious, and buy a print before they're in MOMA and cost a million dollars apiece.*





*Bio written by Charity - sorry, I can't help but brag on her!  :)