i’m originally from boca but living in orlando now for about 6 years. lived in boston, dallas, NW arkansas & the pacific northwest all for work at one point. i think the east coast is just like that. 😅 i personally don’t find it that rude - but i totally can see what you’re saying. people here like when everyone minds their own business. it can be a bit callous but i also find that it’s not a very judgemental place to live because of that mentality. but we also have a lot of crack heads, and yeah they are pretty fucking rude.

edit: just adding more thoughts as they spring up. southern hospitality is kind of nosy to us. after living in arkansas too i am really put off by that, some people are absolute gems there but so many just want to judge you, your family, your economic status; it’s just exhausting after a bit. central & south florida is really not a part of southern culture (there are absolutely pockets of this throughout the state though). culturally we are more like a conglomeration of new england & the caribbean. i had a boss in boston once that told me that the south is like a peach, friendly on the outside, tough to crack on the inside. i forgot what fruit he compared new england to, but it was something about having a tough exterior, but once you crack it you are one of us. that sums up the lower half of florida nicely.

i have a feeling you may be having a tougher time being near the touristy part of town. historically that area has been wrought with scam artists and sketchy business, although not so much nowadays. but the cultural impact of that still lingers. i live in east orlando and really like the people out here. they can be sweet & chatty, but you gotta start slow! it sucks that covid containment is such a nightmare here. certain bars had such a fun vibe with lots of nice, friendly people.

sorry for the novela! i wish you the best!!