Alligator Huntin'?

While at my internship I happened to tell everyone about our list of things to do...they found it hilarious. They also wanted to help as much as they could, so I received  a lesson on swamps and camping. 

An invite was even extended to go alligator hunting...I don't even want to think about it.  

Knockin' on Mississippi's Door

What would bring two northern girls down to Jackson, Mississippi?

When we were posed with the question, we both began to wonder why the south became so appealing to two girls such as ourselves.

Our answer: We crave that “southern experience.” We want to appreciate and explore this hospitable, musical, and food centered culture!

While on-campus we have encountered the friendliest and most sincere individuals. Never before has a group of people been more cordial and warm, even when our northern accents shine through so brightly. It doesn’t stop there; from gas stations to baristas at Cups, the people of Mississippi have welcomed us with open arms, and we enjoy every minute of it.

In what spare time remains after schoolwork, we have composed a list of experiences we wish to undergo while in Mississippi, including: swamp tours, eating Delta tamales, stopping by The Big Apple Inn to grab a pig ear sandwich,  see an alligator, and listen to local musicians sing what they sing best, the blues. Our list is currently endless, and we hope we aren’t setting ourselves up for failure with the excitement each item brings to us.

We both attended the Millsaps Arts and Lecture Series, “The Stories behind Southern Food,” on Jan. 18, and became completely obsessed with exploring the highways and byways of Mississippi. After the presentation was over, we were fortunate enough to try a Delta tamale.  Much to our surprise, both of us thought we needed to eat the corn shell that surrounded the tamale, and in conclusion you can only imagine the embarrassment that accompanied any onlooker’s reaction once we noticed our mistake.

When we tell fellow Millsapians about our list, many respond with wide eyes or a pathetic laugh. The most common response we have been given is: “we really haven’t really gotten to know the city of Jackson, let alone the state of Mississippi.”

We cannot believe that some people have no desire to experience such a unique culture. In response, we decided to create a documentary, to show our peers that there is more to this southern culture than just class and school activities. We have decided to title it, “Hankerin’ for the South.” Each week we made a pact to go out and explore some new aspect of the south, in accordance to our list. We plan on videotaping our reactions, so we can hopefully help stir up a sense of adventure in each of our peers!

Our first endeavor consisted of pig ear sandwiches from The Big Apple Inn just down the street from school.  Upon entering, we were greeted by two women who seemed to be watching Judge Judy behind the counter. As we watched the women make our sandwiches, we both noticed a bowl at the end of the counter. It almost looked like a soup with flesh colored triangles in it. After little contemplation, we realized it was the pig ears soaking in hot water, so they could be tender for the next hungry mouth that ordered them. 

The entire experience can be summed up in one sentence: Good thing we have meal plans. We definitely needed to get that taste out of our mouths. The sandwich was too rubbery for our liking, but the atmosphere gave us a memory we will never forget

Hankerin' for the South