Reverse Culture Shock

During a family photo session on Saturday alongside a peaceful duck pond in Buckhead, we were informed by a zealous community volunteer that we didn’t belong there.

She explained that non-residents taking photos need to contribute to the upkeep of the park. She suggested we give $75 (!) in exchange for using the park as a backdrop in our photos.

Many parks in Atlanta belong only to residents. We discovered this during our house hunt. When we took the kids to a playground in a Buckhead neighborhood, a friend cautioned that cops might stop us, since we didn’t live there, and hence, weren’t supposed to be there.

Luckily, our seven month old and two year old enjoyed the playground, and avoided arrest. But we were on our guard.

I suppose if the residents have to pay for the upkeep of their parks, they are reluctant to share the wealth.

Those fees must be high, because many residents seem to take an almost fiendish glee in ejecting visitors. When we parked alongside this duck pond, which was mysteriously empty despite Saturday’s beautiful weather, a man walked by us and said: “You’re new.”

It was not a statement of welcome.

Overall, people are very friendly here. But they do like enforcing rules.