I'm not from Georgia, but read this, it might be helpful.
This is for anyone who lives in Atlanta, who has ever
lived in Atlanta, has ever visited Atlanta, ever plans to visit Atlanta,
knows anyone who already lives in Atlanta, or knows anyone who has ever
heard of Atlanta, Georgia:
Atlanta is composed mostly of one way streets. The only way to
get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach
Greenville, South Carolina. All directions start with, "Go down Peachtree"
and include the phrase, "When you see the Waffle House." Except that in
Cobb County, all directions begin with, "Go to the Big Chicken."
Peachtree Street has no beginning and no end and is not to be
confused with Peachtree Circle, Peachtree Place, Peachtree Lane, Peachtree
Road, Peachtree Parkway, Peachtree Run, Peachtree Terrace, Peachtree
Avenue, Peachtree Commons, Peachtree Battle, Peachtree Corners, New
Peachtree, Old Peachtree, West Peachtree, Peachtree-Dunwoody,
Peachtree-Chamblee, or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.
Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If
you ask anyone for directions they will always send you down Peachtree.
Atlanta is the home of Coca-Cola. That's all we drink
here, so don't ask for any other soft drink unless it's made by Coca-Cola.
And even then it's still "Coke." A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda,
cola, or pop...
It's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor.
Example: "What kinda coke you want?"
Also, fried catfish is the other white meat.
Gate One at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport is 32 miles
away from the Main Concourse, so wear sneakers and pack a lunch.
It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the street you
started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls it a "scenic drive" and has
posted signs to that effect, so that out-of-towners don't feel lost .
they're just on a "scenic drive."
The 8:00 AM rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30 AM.
The 5:00 PM rush hour is from 3:00 to 7:30 PM.
Friday's rush hour starts Thursday afternoon,
and lasts through 2:00 AM Saturday.
"Sir" and "Ma'am" are used by the person speaking to you if there's
a remote possibility that you're at least 30 minutes older than they are.
A native can only pronounce Ponce De Leon Avenue, so do not attempt
the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right
and stare at you. The Atlanta pronunciation is "pahnss duh LEE-on".
The falling of one rain drop causes all drivers to immediately
forget all traffic rules; so will daylight savings time, a girl applying eye
shadow in the next car, or a flat tire three lanes over.
If a single snowflake falls, the city is paralyzed for three days,
and it's on all the channels as a news flash every 15 minutes for a week.
All grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet
paper, and beer. If there is a remote chance of snow, and if it does snow,
people will be on the corner selling "I survived the blizzard" tee-shirts,
not to mention the fact that all schools will close at the slightest
possible chance of snow.
If you are standing on a corner and a MARTA Bus stops, you're
expected to get on and go somewhere.
Construction on Peachtree Street is a way of life and a permanent
form of entertainment, especially when a water line is tapped and Atlanta's
version of Old Faithful erupts. Construction crews are not doing
their jobs properly unless they close down all major streets during rush
hour.
Atlantans are very proud of our racetrack, known as Road Atlanta.
It winds throughout the city on the Interstates, hence it's name. Actually,
I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta and has a posted speed limit of 55
mph (but you have to maintain 80 mph just to keep from getting run over), is
known to truckers as "The Watermelon 500."
Georgia 400 is our equivalent of the Autobahn. You will rarely see
a semi-truck on GA 400, because even the truck drivers are intimidated by
the oversized SUV-wielding housewives racing home after a grueling day at
the salon, or the tennis match, to meet their children at the school bus
coming home from the college prep preschool.
Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.
There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Georgia.
There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Georgia, plus
a couple no one has seen before.
Squirrels will eat anything. Unknown critters love to dig holes
under tomato plants. Raccoons will test your crop of melons and let you
know when they are ripe.
It is not a shopping cart, it is a buggy.
People actually grow, eat and like okra!
"Fixinto" is one word (I'm fixinto go to the store)
There's no such thing as "lunch." There's only dinner and then
there's supper.
Sweet Tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it
when you're 2.
"Backards" and "forwards" means I know everything about you.
'Jeet?' is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"
You don't have to wear a watch because it doesn't matter what time
it is. You work until you're done, or it's too dark to see.
You know you're from Georgia if:
You measure distance in minutes or beers;
You know what a 'dawg' is;
You install security locks on your house and garage ...
and leave both unlocked;
You find 100 degrees Fahrenheit "a little warm"; or you
describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good pinto-bean weather.
You know whether another Georgian is from north, south or middle
Georgia as soon as they open their mouth.
The local papers cover national and international news on one
page, but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports.