Me and many of my Louisiana native friends living in other parts of the country frequently share the same longing and craving for anything "Louisiana". What is it about south Louisiana that we miss so much ?
Looking at it from the outside, it's really hard to understand. In the summer, Louisiana is hot and humid, huge bugs are everywhere, not to mention...hurricane season. In the winter it's drab and a strange kind of moist coldness, which actually makes it feel even colder. Don't mention the food...most people can't even pronounce or even recognize some of the food we eat. There is no huge economic boom....as a matter of fact the current depressed economic times the rest of the country is experiencing is what we've always experienced economically in Louisiana. In addition, according to national polls ,the education system is not good.
Why is it that so many of us from south Louisiana miss it sooo much? Besides the fact the South Louisiana is "home" for us. I think the answer is hard to formulate but it has a lot to do with the rich culture that we don't appreciate until we are away. It is an easy-going, laid-back type culture that is centered around family, old friends, great food, a colorful language, a genuine sense of community and music, which includes everything from ole time cajun music, soulful zydeco and dirty south hiphop.
It's a lot like the Caribbeans, minus the beautiful beaches. There are exotic foods, flowers, fruits and always someone hosting a celebration.....complete with food, family, music and drinks !! Everything is a reason to celebrate... new car, new job, new house, baptisms, death, birth, graduation, being home, going away, new bike....the list is endless. Every corner store or gas station has something delicious to eat......meat pies, boudin, or bbq sandwiches. There are snowball stands everywhere operating out of pre-fabricated storage sheds, small garages, travel trailers or cute little colorful houses...each offering a long long list of flavors. Roasting a pig, eating boudin from Rays, donuts from Mikey's, Friday night seafood buffet at the casino, snowballs from Pie's snowballs and sitting in the front yard in the summer evenings swatting mosquitoes while watching kids play......those are just some of the things I love and miss about South Louisiana.
