Life in South Carolina

My colleague sent me this letter:


months ago, I traded my blue state status in Maryland for the blazing redstate of South Carolina when my husband received a job transfer to MyrtleBeach, South Carolina. While more people are flocking to the area from the North, (you'd be surprised how many people from New Jersey and New York live here) it is still moreSouthern than anything else. I've also been told that there is no realmiddle class here, everyone is either really rich or really poor. I hadnever seen food stamps being used before I moved here. It has been a bigshock, however I've taken it upon myself to use it as a learning experienceto another way of thinking and different culture.
I am loving the friendliness, pride people seem to take in their workwhether it's professional or blue collar, less traffic and conjestion andmost importantly, the BEACH! It's refreshing to meet people and not havethem ask you what your job is before they ask you your name. The thing isthat they don't really care. I made two good friends several months ago andthey just recently found out what I do. They knew I worked from home butmost importantly they knew they liked me. And that was enough.
I'm definitely homesick for some good old fashioned political debate. I tryto spark it sometimes, but it doesn't happen. I've heard from people downhere that they "just don't care" and that "they didn't think their votewould count." (to be fair, I've also heard the vote not counting idea backhome). When challenged, these people said they do care, but not enough totalk about it. Interesting. But in reality, I think that many people hereare either rich and just fine with the status quo or so poor (I've talked topeople working three jobs, living in trailer homes) that they don't look atthe big picture because they can only live day to day and think aboutputting food on the table.
My entire experience has changed the way I see the world. When I moved here,I was so worried because I couldn't find a Starbucks and didn't think mysomewhat sophisticated habits could be taken care of here. When you realizethat your best friend here grew up never having new clothes, receiving toysfrom charity at Christmas and not having running water,you can't help but change the way you think. There is a world outside Washington, D.C. and I am slowly understanding it and the country better.