I like Mississippi, I understand it more. It’s a very unpopulated state with vast regions of pine forest and wet, swampy lowlands. It’s not a rich state, but the disparity between wealthy and poor is quite noticeable. There are a lot of poor people in Mississippi, and it’s not confined to race.
Food is Southern. Basic 1-and-3, BBQ, shellfish. Actually, fast food is the most popular; every town has more chain hamburger and pizza places than seems necessary. 1-and-3 is old-time local cafe fare: an entree with three vegetables, mac and cheese counting as a vegetable. My typical order was fried chicken, greens, sweet potato, and either rice or mac and cheese. Biscuits or corn bread. It is delicious, terribly so, a real favorite of mine now. But it’s terribly dangerous. The secret to the food is the fat, which is a necessary component to everything you can order. Southern food is among the best I’ve had, and will eat it whenever I can. Best if I get out of here quickly, though.
Even better than the food are the people. Southern hospitality is everywhere, and is “baked-in” into Mississippi. Folk are slowed down, patient, and expect that of me, too. Everyone exists to serve another person. I didn’t grow up that way, and didn’t learn how to do it right, but after a while it became fun to talk to a stranger, hold up the grocery line while shooting the shit with the checker, driving ten mph under the speed limit and nobody cares. Every human interaction puts the other person first. I dread the merge lane on freeways (Cincinnati) but in MS I don’t even bother to check my mirror to see if an idiot is coming up on me. They don’t do that here.
Race? I didn’t see any problems, and the ingrown culture and respect for others applies to all regardless of color. Folk seem to keep to their own, but I’ve seen that everywhere across all types. There are some yahoos here, the culture permits nut-cases. And they sometimes attract an extraordinary amount of attention. Sometimes they do extraordinarily dumb things.
I could go on. I went into MS with trepidation and coming out pleased, and sorry I’m leaving it. I recommend it. Fried chicken everytime, avoid the BBQ.