Nicole Knox- Tax Associate

Let’s be honest: I’m a Buffalo girl raised on a healthy diet of chicken wings fresh from the fryer and pizza that shows little resemblance to its Italian ancestors—doughy crust weighed down by a pool of sauce and thick, rubbery cheese. I’m a hockey fan. Football is less of a sport to me and more of a memory of my Grandpa in his recliner with a giant foam finger, cheering on a man named Jim Kelly. I still keep a bag of salt and an ice-scraper in my trunk, a habit deeply ingrained in my upbringing. I haven’t gotten used to the fact that I can get in my car and be in Florida in less than a day, yet Canada, for the first time in my life, is far enough away to feel foreign.

So, what could a Yankee like me have to learn about cuisine? What could a girl who grew up in a Polish-American family and can pronounce the names of most NHL stars without hesitating have to learn about sports? What could I possibly love about the South enough to change my whole way of life? Well, the answer is easy. What I have learned about each of these things equates to more than the sum of their parts. What I have learned is a contribution from each native Georgian, tied up in the larger whole of Southern culture. Almost as soon as I had shaken the snow off my boots, my coworkers were promising me the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten. I was welcomed immediately to the South, My northern reservations were overwhelmed by the hospitality and helpfulness of my new friends. My neighborhood, is not only hip and urban, but rich with local history, and lush with restaurants offering southern favorites from local, organic food sources. Grits and collards? Now a dietary staple. Chicken and waffles? Yeah, I’ve eaten them together - and I like it. I’m still not sure what exactly a linebacker does, but when Georgia scores, I cheer along with my friends anyway, proud to support their favorite team. Likewise, when we head to hockey games, I’m the main source of information on stats, gameplay, and rules. Most of it, I don’t even have to make up!

As much as a 900 mile move could have been a minor culture shock, my resolve to stay open-minded has definitely paid off in the form of new experiences. It’s definitely a two-way street though; I have embraced Atlanta, Georgia, and the south - and it has embraced me right back.