You Know You’re NOT from Southern Maine When…

I grew up in Lincoln County. I will usually just tell people I’m from Damariscotta since most know where that is at least. If I say Nobleboro or Jefferson I usually get blank stares. If I say I went to Lincoln Academy people instantly think of the town of Lincoln, Maine, not Newcastle, Maine. And even when I moved in my mid-20s and technically was in Kennebec County, Google Maps showed that my apartment was just over the county line. So yeah, until I moved down here at 29 years of age, I really hadn’t gone far.

People often joke that there are two Maines. Those north of Brunswick will joke that everything south is just Northern Massachusetts. Those in the southern part of the state also have their jokes.

While I do enjoy being in this part of the state there was something special to growing up where life is a little slower. But there are plenty of things I’m used to now that would be difficult to adjust back to. I feel absolutely spoiled that Walmart is just 10 minutes away. Where I lived at one point I was fairly equidistance from 3 Walmarts; Brunswick, Augusta, and Thomaston. The only thing is that distance was about 40 minutes, not including summer tourist traffic.

Experiences of course may vary. (I have to say that otherwise, people flock to comments like nOnE oF tHeSe ArE tRuE.) I call my life quiet but life in other parts of the state were far quieter. But to me, that’s part of what makes Maine wonderful. We have a lot of land, relatively few people, and differing subcultures throughout the state.