Originally Posted by TouristTrap

We're talking the south here. People consider it extremely rude to drop in unannounced. They will not go around for a cup of tea without calling ahead first. And dinner is either out or pencilled in at least a week or more in advance and like Elvira said, mostly pot lucks where everyone brings something. If you want to BBQ, you have to plan a date ahead of time.

I've got the most fab friend, but we see each other once a month, or every six weeks if we're lucky, due to the lack of time. In fact, I called her two weeks ago to come over for dinner and they could only make it next week Friday. My best friend for the last 20 years (a S.A. who moved over here a month after I did 10 years ago and I) get together maybe once every 3 months - whereas in S.A. we'd see each every weekend at least, and often for tea or dinner at each other's homes during the week. We're just too busy with kids' activities - school.

As mentioned before, kids here are so busy with different activities that most people don't have the time or are keen to entertain - they're running around from soccer to gymastics, to baseball, to cheerleading, etc....most weekends. They don't play sport at school, like they do in S.Africa - they do it in the late afternoons/evenings and weekends are taken up with whatever sports activity they have.

In the bigger cities, NYC, Chicago, Boston, etc.it might be different, but in the majority of the rest of the country, what I'm describing is the norm. Us South Africans, of which there are a few thousand in my little city alone, all bemoan the lack of socialization like we are used to back home - when they first arrive that is - I'm used to it

Originally Posted by Tracym

Well I don't know - I personally haven't seen the majority of the country, so I certainly couldn't comment on the norm.

But I'm not in the big city, and people drop by. And I just had a neighbor comment on their old neighborhood in the big city, and they said people dropped by all the time.

I'm sure things vary by place to place, and person to person.

Originally Posted by TouristTrap

Maybe I've got the insight of actually being South AFrican and knowing the differences? Plus having South African friends all over the country who all say the same thing?

Originally Posted by Tracym

Oh no don't "mind your own business" that would be no fun

He is in Glasgow at the moment, he's lived a few places. I think he said he grew up near the highlands, one town is fairly near Perth I think. (bad me doesn't know the geography very well).

I haven't seen Scotland yet - I would love to, and I'm sure I will one day. I'm tied down with a bunch of big hairy dogs lol, although the main reason I don't travel right now is my oldest doggy is quite elderly, and it would be hard to find someone to care for him - he's a bit of a project.

Oh my, kid's toys can certainly kill ya off, that's for sure. I hope your back is feeling better.

Originally Posted by Tracym

LOL ok, I'll bow to your insight - we're all antisocial.

I hope the OP has more my experience than yours, in this case. I did find Texans generally pretty friendly and welcoming. I hope that is the case for them.

Originally Posted by Texas Mom

It must be difficult being apart from him. Glasgow is ten minutes in the car from my home town. If you manage to get somebody to look after your dog go you'll love it, it's a beautiful country, not that I'm biased or anything.
Hopefully I'll get back again this year once the baby is a few months old, although not sure if I fancy it alone with a five year old and a baby.

Better go and start the cleaning before my sons little friends arrive for his birthday party, what the F was I thinking about?????

Originally Posted by Texas Mom

Better go and start the cleaning before my sons little friends arrive for his birthday party, what the F was I thinking about?????

Originally Posted by Tracym

It does look beautiful, I look forward to seeing Scotland.

Originally Posted by DollyLlama

Like Texas Mom I am from Scotland. You will love it there!

Originally Posted by Tracym

LOL ok, I'll bow to your insight - we're all antisocial.

I hope the OP has more my experience than yours, in this case. I did find Texans generally pretty friendly and welcoming. I hope that is the case for them.

Originally Posted by Texas Mom

It must be difficult being apart from him. Glasgow is ten minutes in the car from my home town. If you manage to get somebody to look after your dog go you'll love it, it's a beautiful country, not that I'm biased or anything.
Hopefully I'll get back again this year once the baby is a few months old, although not sure if I fancy it alone with a five year old and a baby.

Better go and start the cleaning before my sons little friends arrive for his birthday party, what the F was I thinking about?????

Originally Posted by TouristTrap

Compared to the South African lifestyle, yes Americans can be antisocial in comparison.

For example, would you sit at a baseball game with your kids and invite the family sitting next to you home for a bbq after the game? Never having met them before? That is the kind of thing we'd not turn a hair to.

Or calling your friends an hour before lunch to come over and have a bbq - or having them drop in around lunch or dinner time and having them join you for a beer and a bbq?

They enjoy spontaneity as opposed to any sort of planning - we seldom planned our social activities more than a week in advance, whch is just impossible here.