Jackson Free Press

Even a simple act can bring about great personal change.

Three years ago, I began a life-changing experience that started with a plane bound for Jackson.  At the time, I was planning a month-long vacation to visit my sister in Clinton. We had both grown up in upstate New York, and she had married and moved to Mississippi three years prior to my visit. My plans to visit her turned into an experience that I will not soon forget.

I boarded the plane bound for Jackson as a 19-year-old young woman traveling alone with only a suitcase full of clothes and a taste for adventure. Little did I know I was changing the direction of my life with such an innocuous act. My plans for a month-long vacation would result in me not returning home.

Up to that point, my perspective was limited to what I had always known as a northern girl from upstate New York. The views that I held on life were quickly challenged as I traveled toward the other end of the country. From the start, huge differences between northern and southern lifestyles became evident.

My first challenge was the significant difference in the climate. The moment I left the air-conditioned airplane cabin and stepped onto the tarmac, I was forced to stop and take a momentary pause to allow my body to adjust to breathing in the intense heat. I was overwhelmed by the thick consistency of the air and shocked by the humidity.

The people welcomed me with open arms. They have treated me lovingly and surrounded me with southern hospitality. I had never had experienced that before. Although their warmth was pleasant, I was initially uncomfortable with it. Growing up in New York taught me to question friendly people's intentions. I had to adjust my thinking and realize that if a stranger talked to me they didn't necessarily plan to harm me.

My first encounter with this occurred on my flight from Charlotte, N.C., to Jackson.  A woman started talking to me, and it wasn't long before everyone within hearing distance joined in. They knew I was not from the South because of my accent and proceeded to give me as much advice as possible about southern living.

I found it strange at first, but I chose to push aside my awkward feelings and make an effort to engage in conversation. I realized that—unlike in my New York upbringing—talking freely to people you don't know is part of southern culture. After I got past the initial discomfort, I grew to love the outgoing nature that many southerners have.

Learning this side of southern culture has changed my perspective on my social life. When I visit home, I find people unfriendly and rude as they walk past me without a smile or a nod; however, three years ago this was the norm for me. I would have behaved in a similar way had I not spent time here.

Not long after my arrival in Clinton, I discovered sweet tea. It was unlike any beverage I had ever had before and, after my first taste, I was hooked. Many other southern delicacies grabbed my attention. Grits, cornbread made in a skillet and crawfish are all on the list.

I found endless opportunities for entertainment in the city of Jackson. The city is full of hidden treasures that not many would expect it to have. I found hidden restaurants and cafés where I discovered I hadn't truly lived until I tried them. Jackson has events that bring people from around the world. Having a world that was new to me waiting around every corner was exciting and appealing to my adventurous, young mind.

When my month's visit had passed, I found myself not wanting to leave. My round-trip plane ticket was forgotten, and I embraced the southern lifestyle without a second thought. I bought a car equipped with air-conditioning, rented an apartment, began working for a local veterinarian and started attending college to pursue a veterinary technology degree at Hinds Community College. My first semester gave me the opportunity to become an honor's scholar and a member of Phi Theta Kappa. The series of positive events that followed confirmed that I had landed in the very place I was meant to be.

If you had asked me on that plane if I would ever choose to stay in Mississippi longer than a month, I would had answered with a confident "No." But a simple act can completely change your direction in life. My flight to Mississippi is a perfect example: What I thought would be only a vacation helped me to learn and grow. I have had the chance to meet people of many nationalities and from many walks of life, and to try new things. It broadened my view of people and life, and I have gained experiences and new values.

I do not doubt for a moment that although things failed to go as I had originally planned, I was indeed destined to board a plane bound for Jackson.

Charity Anderson interned at the Jackson Free Press while pursuing a veterinary technology degree.