Anonymous - NOLA Greetings

Some may say New Orleans has a language of its own. Well, that is true. Where I come from, we
greet everyone with a big ole’ bear hug. We talk about our days as if we have known the person for
ever. There is no shyness between a New Orleanian and a “foreigner.” After we greet y’all we will ask
you if you want food, and stare at you as if you have two heads if you decline our offer. (If there is an
opportunity for food, you take it. End of story.)

When walking down the street we always say hey to everyone. If we see a group of tourists
exploring our grave yards or riding on our streetcars, we will probably greet them with a loud “WHO
DAT!?” If you don’t respond with “Who dat say they gunna beat the Saints,” you will most likely be
stared down. We ask “Where ya at?” all the time.

Although we have our weird ways of greeting strangers or simply talking to our neighbors, New
Orleans’ natives are the friendliest, nicest, coolest people you will ever want to meet. Okay, maybe I’m
biased, but we are pretty far up there on the list. So come down to the Crescent City that never sleeps,
and when you leave y’all better come back now, ya hear?

Anonymous, age 15