Click here to view our Picture GallerySecond day in Virginia... touring Danville
The dinner with Ms. Coyne last night was great fun. We talked a lot about U.S. politics. Everyone in the U.S. is still very fired up about politics right now since the Presidential election took place this past Tuesday (Nov. 2nd). John Kerry (a democratic Senator from my state of Massachusetts) ran against current President and republican George W. Bush. Traci, Ms. Coyne, and I all shared similar views regarding the election.
As we were getting back in her car after dinner, Traci commented on the fact that this section of Danville was not the safest. I was surprised. I pictured Danville as a small, safe, rural town. But, in fact, Danville is plagued with gang violence, theft, and occasional murders.
Danville is also a historical landmark in the United States because it played an important role in the mid 19th century U.S. Civil War, where the southern states seceded from the Union and thus clashed with the northern states. The southern states formed a bond that came to be called the Confederacy. Danville was the last capital of the Confederacy. And, the capital building still stands in the center of Danville today. Traci took me to see the outside of this large house-like building.
Within the United States there are many stereotypes. These stereotypes often plague southerners and northerners (still sometimes called 'Yankees'). Because the United States is so large, within the country there are many different cultures. One of these cultures is often said to be 'southern culture' and unfortunately this culture is highly stereotyped...particularly by northerners. For instance, southerners are sometimes stereotyped to be ignorant, uneducated, and unworldly. Yet, it goes both ways. Northerners are sometimes thought of to be stuck up, prudish, and arrogant. I think most all of us know that these stereotypes are false...yet nonetheless they still pervade American culture. We see these stereotypes played out in movies, TV shows, books, comedy skits, and sometimes even history classes. Traci and I talked about this quite a lot. She told me, laughing, that when a southerner is talking to a 'Yankee' (northerner) sometimes it is with "guarded interest". "You just may not be as immediately trusting of a northerner," Traci explained. Traci easily looks beyond these stereotypes and we can both laugh at them. But, what disturbs us is that they exist in the first place. Perhaps, One World Youth Project will help alleviate some of these misperceptions.
We spent most of today driving through the country. It was beautiful! Traci kept laughing at me because I was so excited by hay stacks, cows, and rolling hills. I kept making her stop the car so I could walk around in the fields or go explore the tobacco-drying shacks. Tobacco is still a major form of income for Virginians. Most of the pastures/fields we drove past were for tobacco. Little wooden shacks scattered the landscape. "These shacks are used to dry tobacco," Traci told me. I got out of the car to examine a shack that was approximately 100 years old... but, got quickly back in the car when Traci told me to beware of snakes.
However, tobacco may soon no longer be a staple crop in Danville. A law was just past that inhibits the growing of tobacco. The family of Traci's friend just stopped growing all of their tobacco crops this year because of the restrictions. I imagine this law will hurt many families financially. As we drove past field after field of tobacco I wondered what it would be like to be a child of one of these families... to go to school and be taught that smoking tobacco is wrong and unhealthy and then to come home and see that your family's very livelihood depends on producing tobacco that will be smoked.
On our car ride back into town, Traci and I talked about the Civil War for a bit. Honestly, at home in Massachusetts this is not a subject that often comes up in day to day life. Yet, I feel like since I arrived in Virginia it has come up quite a bit. I asked Traci why: "People sometimes say that the South has not yet gotten over the Civil War...that they feel as though they are still fighting it... is this true? And if so, why?" I asked Traci. She smiled. "It is not that we feel as though we are still fighting it," she answers. "It is just that we still suffer a lot of poor economic conditions whose roots lie in the post Civil War era. After we lost the war, the north did not treat our economy well. And, some of the economic depression you see down south today is a result of that history. So, we just do not want to forget that. That's all. And, yes you will see people with confederate flags stickers on their cars... but it has become a symbol larger than the Civil War... some think it is now a symbol of the south in general." Every U.S. student studies the Civil War in history... and it is often generalized that the southern states fought to keep slavery where as the northern states fought to end slavery. Although, this was part of the battle, "there is far more to the story than that," Traci emphasizes.
Next, we visited downtown Danville. The center of the town is not exactly bustling with excitement, but it was pretty. There were some large churches and many old Victorian-style homes. You could see pumpkins on people's door stoops from Halloween. We passed a family and this little girl came up to me and smiled and said, "I like your glasses." She and her family were so friendly. I really like how friendly and hospitable people are in Danville. Strangers smile to each other on the street. That is nice.
Lastly, we went out to dinner with two of Traci's friends. We talked for a very long time about politics. We (Traci and I) disagreed with many of the opinions of one of Traci's friends. Yet, we were all able to respect each others opinions, listen, and have an open mind. It was a great and interesting discussion.
Time to go to sleep!
Sincerely,
Jessica Rimington
As we were getting back in her car after dinner, Traci commented on the fact that this section of Danville was not the safest. I was surprised. I pictured Danville as a small, safe, rural town. But, in fact, Danville is plagued with gang violence, theft, and occasional murders.
Danville is also a historical landmark in the United States because it played an important role in the mid 19th century U.S. Civil War, where the southern states seceded from the Union and thus clashed with the northern states. The southern states formed a bond that came to be called the Confederacy. Danville was the last capital of the Confederacy. And, the capital building still stands in the center of Danville today. Traci took me to see the outside of this large house-like building.
Within the United States there are many stereotypes. These stereotypes often plague southerners and northerners (still sometimes called 'Yankees'). Because the United States is so large, within the country there are many different cultures. One of these cultures is often said to be 'southern culture' and unfortunately this culture is highly stereotyped...particularly by northerners. For instance, southerners are sometimes stereotyped to be ignorant, uneducated, and unworldly. Yet, it goes both ways. Northerners are sometimes thought of to be stuck up, prudish, and arrogant. I think most all of us know that these stereotypes are false...yet nonetheless they still pervade American culture. We see these stereotypes played out in movies, TV shows, books, comedy skits, and sometimes even history classes. Traci and I talked about this quite a lot. She told me, laughing, that when a southerner is talking to a 'Yankee' (northerner) sometimes it is with "guarded interest". "You just may not be as immediately trusting of a northerner," Traci explained. Traci easily looks beyond these stereotypes and we can both laugh at them. But, what disturbs us is that they exist in the first place. Perhaps, One World Youth Project will help alleviate some of these misperceptions.
We spent most of today driving through the country. It was beautiful! Traci kept laughing at me because I was so excited by hay stacks, cows, and rolling hills. I kept making her stop the car so I could walk around in the fields or go explore the tobacco-drying shacks. Tobacco is still a major form of income for Virginians. Most of the pastures/fields we drove past were for tobacco. Little wooden shacks scattered the landscape. "These shacks are used to dry tobacco," Traci told me. I got out of the car to examine a shack that was approximately 100 years old... but, got quickly back in the car when Traci told me to beware of snakes.
However, tobacco may soon no longer be a staple crop in Danville. A law was just past that inhibits the growing of tobacco. The family of Traci's friend just stopped growing all of their tobacco crops this year because of the restrictions. I imagine this law will hurt many families financially. As we drove past field after field of tobacco I wondered what it would be like to be a child of one of these families... to go to school and be taught that smoking tobacco is wrong and unhealthy and then to come home and see that your family's very livelihood depends on producing tobacco that will be smoked.
On our car ride back into town, Traci and I talked about the Civil War for a bit. Honestly, at home in Massachusetts this is not a subject that often comes up in day to day life. Yet, I feel like since I arrived in Virginia it has come up quite a bit. I asked Traci why: "People sometimes say that the South has not yet gotten over the Civil War...that they feel as though they are still fighting it... is this true? And if so, why?" I asked Traci. She smiled. "It is not that we feel as though we are still fighting it," she answers. "It is just that we still suffer a lot of poor economic conditions whose roots lie in the post Civil War era. After we lost the war, the north did not treat our economy well. And, some of the economic depression you see down south today is a result of that history. So, we just do not want to forget that. That's all. And, yes you will see people with confederate flags stickers on their cars... but it has become a symbol larger than the Civil War... some think it is now a symbol of the south in general." Every U.S. student studies the Civil War in history... and it is often generalized that the southern states fought to keep slavery where as the northern states fought to end slavery. Although, this was part of the battle, "there is far more to the story than that," Traci emphasizes.
Next, we visited downtown Danville. The center of the town is not exactly bustling with excitement, but it was pretty. There were some large churches and many old Victorian-style homes. You could see pumpkins on people's door stoops from Halloween. We passed a family and this little girl came up to me and smiled and said, "I like your glasses." She and her family were so friendly. I really like how friendly and hospitable people are in Danville. Strangers smile to each other on the street. That is nice.
Lastly, we went out to dinner with two of Traci's friends. We talked for a very long time about politics. We (Traci and I) disagreed with many of the opinions of one of Traci's friends. Yet, we were all able to respect each others opinions, listen, and have an open mind. It was a great and interesting discussion.
Time to go to sleep!
Sincerely,
Jessica Rimington
