Culture Shocks of a First Year Jag

When I came to Baton Rouge from Memphis, I expected the culture and people to be similar to what I’ve known from home. Little did I know the two cities are completely different but had some small similarities. I’ve noticed that people in Baton Rouge talk with a different accent than people in Memphis for example. On the other hand, when I talk to people from here, they tell me that I have an accent that I didn’t know I had. Some of the words and slang I’ve heard people say I had never heard before.
Memphis is known for BBQ, while Baton Rouge is known for seafood. Apparently, crawfish season is very important and should be taken seriously. People I’ve met have told me if you eat crawfish during the wrong season, they’re very small and not good. They say that home boiled crawfish are way better than crawfish from restaurants. In Memphis, people BBQ for any and every holiday. There are many BBQ places in Memphis especially near downtown Memphis.
Mardi Gras is a very important celebration in Baton Rouge and Louisiana. Honestly, I didn’t know it was that big of a deal until I came here. I’ve seen Mardi Gras pictures and heard about it but being here and experiencing it is totally different. In Memphis, we have big celebrations like Memphis in May. Memphis in May is an international music festival that happens every year in Memphis. This is where we eat BBQ and look at the different musical guest. It’s a month long of events and parties all throughout Memphis.
The weather was another big difference that I discovered between Baton Rouge and Memphis. In Memphis, the seasons are very apparent. Winter is always cold, Summer is always hot, etc. In Baton Rouge one day its super-hot and another day is very cold. You never know what type of weather you’re going to have here.
Moving from Memphis to Baton Rouge, I’ve enjoyed the people, food, parties, and culture. It’s been great to meet new people and see how different everyone is raised and how different each city is.