When you meet people who don’t live in South Carolina do they always ask pretty much the same questions about the Palmetto State? What’s up with that? Sometimes I think they hand out a list of questions at the welcome centers on I-95 and I-26. I set out to document some of the questions I hear most. See if any of these sound familiar to you.
- Clemson or Carolina?
Jason A G/Flickr Seriously? It’s like they think we only have two teams to root for in the whole state.
- Ever seen an alligator?
Sue Roehl/Flickr Yes. Alligators are prevalent, especially in the Lowcountry.
- Have you ever eaten alligator?
Sharon Mollerus/Flickr Tastes like chicken….
- Do you hunt?
Travis/Flickr I personally don’t get this question, but my son does. Of course we hunt in South Carolina. Did you think we’re all vegans?
- Why do they call the coast “The Lowcountry?”
Ron Cogswell/Flickr Because…there are no mountains? Seriously, there are a lot of throwdowns in the “Lowcountry” over why it’s called the “Lowcountry.” The most reasonable of them is probably this: it’s because of the low elevation in the counties along the coast.
- Do you live at the beach?
Jeff Gunn/Flickr No. But I live near a beach. Does that count?
- (Follow up question to “do you live at the beach?”) Can we bring the kids and stay at your place for summer vacation?
Mandy Jansen/Flickr Absolutely!
- Ever been through a hurricane?
Yes, many. I’ve seen water get forced through the frame surrounding my double-paned windows and then watched it rain horizontally across my living room.
- Have you ever been to Bike Week?
Myrtle Beach The Digitel No. But it looks fun.
- Why can’t I get “regular” ice tea here?
Christina B Castro/Flickr Give up or make your own. Sweet tea is a way of life in the Palmetto State.
- Did you go to Clemson?
Steve Burns/Flickr Well..no. You do know there’s more than one great school in this entire state, right? It’s amazing how college sports rankings are so tied to perception about a particular state.
- Have you ever seen a shark?
Armin Rodler/Flickr Only at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston and Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach.
- Ever been stung by a jellyfish?
Thomas Barta/Flickr Yes, a couple of times. Yes, it hurts.
- Aren’t there supposed to be a lot of rednecks in South Carolina?
sc413/Flickr Be nice.
- Isn’t Vanna White from South Carolina?
celebrityabc/Flickr Yes she is, and we’re proud of it!
- How come everyone here talks funny?
Pedro Ribeiro Simões/Flickr Maybe your ears are just warped?
- So were you born here or somewhere else?
Bridget Coila/Flickr I used to get this one a lot. Now, since I started writing for OnlyInYourState.com I’m starting to hear it again. The answer is no. I was not born in South Carolina. I moved to the Palmetto State in 1989 - exactly six weeks to the day before my new hometown took a direct hit from Hurricane Hugo. My son was “born here.”
BONUS QUESTION: How come everyone here is always so happy?
Jennifer Lantigua/Flickr Because South Carolina is a great place to live and raise a family.
State pride runs deep here in South Carolina. Most will agree that whether you’re from here or you’re a “transplant” you still have pride in where you live. No one wants to think they live someplace they can’t be proud of, right? So with welcoming arms – and ears – we field these questions from our visitors as well as our new neighbors. We smile and wave and answer question after question as if it’s the very first time we’ve heard them. That’s what makes people from the Palmetto State so special.
Jason A G/Flickr
Seriously? It’s like they think we only have two teams to root for in the whole state.
Sue Roehl/Flickr
Yes. Alligators are prevalent, especially in the Lowcountry.
Sharon Mollerus/Flickr
Tastes like chicken….
Travis/Flickr
I personally don’t get this question, but my son does. Of course we hunt in South Carolina. Did you think we’re all vegans?
Ron Cogswell/Flickr
Because…there are no mountains? Seriously, there are a lot of throwdowns in the “Lowcountry” over why it’s called the “Lowcountry.” The most reasonable of them is probably this: it’s because of the low elevation in the counties along the coast.
Jeff Gunn/Flickr
No. But I live near a beach. Does that count?
Mandy Jansen/Flickr
Absolutely!
Yes, many. I’ve seen water get forced through the frame surrounding my double-paned windows and then watched it rain horizontally across my living room.
Myrtle Beach The Digitel
No. But it looks fun.
Christina B Castro/Flickr
Give up or make your own. Sweet tea is a way of life in the Palmetto State.
Steve Burns/Flickr
Well..no. You do know there’s more than one great school in this entire state, right? It’s amazing how college sports rankings are so tied to perception about a particular state.
Armin Rodler/Flickr
Only at the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston and Ripley’s Aquarium in Myrtle Beach.
Thomas Barta/Flickr
Yes, a couple of times. Yes, it hurts.
sc413/Flickr
Be nice.
celebrityabc/Flickr
Yes she is, and we’re proud of it!
Pedro Ribeiro Simões/Flickr
Maybe your ears are just warped?
Bridget Coila/Flickr
I used to get this one a lot. Now, since I started writing for OnlyInYourState.com I’m starting to hear it again. The answer is no. I was not born in South Carolina. I moved to the Palmetto State in 1989 - exactly six weeks to the day before my new hometown took a direct hit from Hurricane Hugo. My son was “born here.”
Jennifer Lantigua/Flickr
Because South Carolina is a great place to live and raise a family.
How many of these questions do you get from people? If you hear some different questions then you can add them to this article by listing them (answers are optional) in the comments below.
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