Conversation with my Hindi teacher

Most of the time in class, I don't get to talk much. I mostly get drilled to death about my verb usage, ect. But since today was my last class and we have finished the book, my teacher thought we could take an hour and have a real conversation in Hindi (and English when I didn't know the hindi vocab) It went like this:

Teacher: I noticed last night when you were around English and Hindi speakers that your Hindi and English are both slow. I think you are just a slow speaker.
Me: That is because I am from the south. If you think I speak slow you should hear my papaw speak! ;)
Teacher: what is the south?
Me: It is the states that are in the southern US. Mississippi is very southern. Our culture is very different from the culture of the north.
Teacher: we get a lot of people at language school from NY and California. What are they?
Me: Well, new yorkers are definitely from the North and most people from California are granola and that is a conversation for another day.
Teacher: so what does the south look like?
Me: Well, it looks different depending on where you live. I am from the village and to me it looks beautiful. Like home. My grandparents house is the staple of the neighborhood. It is where everyone just opens the door and walks on in. You can always expect a great home-cooked meal, a long conversation and a feeling of love from them. Not just for the family, but for everyone who passes by. You always have something to do outside. You can ride 4-wheelers, go fishing, hunt, just play outside because there is so much land. You know most people that you see in the store and if you don't speak, then you will hear about it from your family or your neighbor later because it is an unspoken rule to speak to everyone, to wave when passing others on the road, and to ask every store clerk how they are doing.
Teacher: I'm glad we talked about this. I always thought the US was urban only and that everyone had the same culture.


I'm just so thankful that I grew up where I did. I forget to be thankful until I am reminded by simple conversations about where I am from. They are good for the heart.