>>63954796To give you an idea of what I mean by regional cultural differences creating some tension, I'll give you some non- Southern examples. When you first meet someone in the Midwest, they're kinda friendly, but there's a lot of awkward, frankly kinda boring small talk you have to go through before you're really able to connect. In New York City, no one has time for any of that, they ask where you're from and what you do right off the bat and you better be interesting quick or they'll move on. Seattleites have autism and even if you do get one to talk and hangout when you first meet, they'll flake and forget about you to watch anime, do drugs, or whatever lame shit. Eastern Europeans (with a Ukrainians seeming to represent an exception) often come off as complete assholes when you first meet them, but if you're nice and not completely put off, the second time they see you, you're their best friend in the whole world.
Southerners likewise have their own "rituals" for interacting ("bless your heart"), which can be off-putting or difficult for people from other cultures to navigate, even if they too are Americans and are your friends.