European Reacts to Poorest Region of America by Peter Santenello
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
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My name is André, and as a European (Portuguese), I always strive to bring a unique perspective to the topics I tackle. All my reaction videos are crafted with a playful and entertaining twist!At least I try... 🌍
✔️European Reacts to Poorest Region of America - What It Really Looks Like (Peter Santenello)
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Hi Andrei, I love your videos. Thanks for the great content.
Oh ty so much 🙏
Walmart has done massive damage to rural areas in America they move in and put everyone else out of business once big business leaves the area the people are left with nothing. I live at the foothills of Appalachia in Ohio and I've seen this in many many places.
Just like Amazon.
Walmart is in my town but thankfully, we have 2 other grocery stores too. One is a Save-a-Lot that I go to the most, and a smaller but very nice grocery store that I go to if I want a specific brand/item. I don't remember the last time I went to Walmart in my town!!!
Walmart/dollar general/amazon terrible for communities and small local businesses
That's what they did in my town too. And moved several times, leaving abandoned warehouse and decimated habitats in their wake. That's why I never shop there.
@@pooperdupes Nor do we.
Something to clarify
Drugs are high
Poverty is high
Crime is not particularly high
West Virginia is used as an example to show that poverty does not always equal crime.
Or, just putting this out there, they know some of those old timers know not only how to shoot, they know places to bury the bodies where no one will find them. "Oh, yep, that Billy Bob was really into drugs. He probably overdosed one night and fell in that thar river."
@@rhiahlMTalso the fact that they’re not over policed helps because people get locked up on non violent drug offenses everyday
@@saintseer9578 Well, unfortunately when you need it you need it. I went through two major surgeries and after 3 days I ran out of pain medication. I couldn't get any. Luckily, I'm in a state where recreational marijuana is legal. I just ate so many gummies, it knocked me clean out. I didn't get the surgery through the VA, but have snapped my ankle and other things. Long before the surgeries. I couldn't get a pain killer. We are back to 'take two aspirin and call me in the morning'. Unfortunately, with the VA, they never answer the phone or they answer and pass the message on. Three weeks later you get a call and by then you've laid in bed for days in extreme pain and gotten past it. I haven't forgotten it though. This from a woman that went through 5 births with no drugs. When I say I need the pain killer, I need the pain killer.
@@rhiahlMT hog farm and you don't need to bury.. People stick together in the hollers.
Drugs are high = crime is high... must not have many cops around to drug bust. Also if you're talking theft, what is there to steal out there?
I greatly appreciate you reacting to these types of videos. They show so much more of the complexities of the issues and current status of the U.S. that the regular media will not show or speak on.
100% and ty
There are so many topics shoved under the rug in the media, we really do appreciate your curiosity in our country. 🙏🏽
1:06:00 Yes a 16year old can be a manger at Dairy Queen. And the Vikings were here on the East Coast of North America, especially the North East of US & Canada over 1,000 yrs ago. Kid knows his stuff. ANd a lot of people here in the US really know the family history & genealogy. It passed down.🥂
Also, folks in these areas know their history and where they came from. It matters to them. A lot of stories can be word of mouth or a little dubious. Our family was from Kentucky coal mining country, and we have a massive family tree that has been compiled. There are some breaks and gaps and unknowns. I can't be sure if we actually descended from Pochahontas because the link is tenuous, but the stories stick. It's the old story.
No, he is just a nazi
Walmart can do some good but it also ends local mom & pop businesses. It can also end small towns when Walmart comes in, the local stores shut down, then Walmart shuts down.
Yes. Walmart moves into places they don't really wanna do business in. The point is to drive mom and pop out of business. Then the local Walmart shuts down, and they tell the local people to shop at the regional Walmart.
BINGO. I hate Walmart. It’s worse than dollar general.
Fentanyl smugglers are one of the BIGGEST problems at our southern border. It comes from China through Mexico. 😢
China is paying us back for our part in the Opium trade.
The vast bulk of it comes through the shipping ports.
If there were no customers there would be no smugglers.
@@vilap18 Not necessarily true. Fentanyl killed an innocent toddler who came in contact with it by simply crawling on a floor at an Airbnb, another at a daycare last month.
@@vilap18if there were no far we’d have way fewer of our heroes.
Peter's video series on appalachia is one of the best and most honest, that I've seen. I've lived in appalachia almost my entire life, in fact he is only about a 20min drive from me at one point in this video series. This is a good glimpse of what it's like here, the good and the bad. Absolutely beautiful region with some great people, but has far too many problems.
38 Most people here plant gardens and preserve the yeald for the winter. I have a vegetable garden every summer and we're usually up to our ears in tomatoes, cucumbers and squash so I end up giving it away to my family and neighbors.
When I was young the big farmers would harvest their crops and when they was done they was still lots of stuff still there but not worth the farmers time. So what they would do is send word out the the fields would be open to anyone for seven days. Pick all you want for free. It was called .." gleening" then on the seventh day they would till the rest into the ground.
Yes, it's true. Coal miners and their family were essentially slaves. They lived in a company owned town. They paid rent to the company. They bought goods in "company stores". And their money was basically Monopoly money. The company could charge anything it wanted for rent, goods, and services. And being paid with phony money ensures that you can't afford to leave. This is true, all true. Also, food deserts do exist in America. There are places where there aren't any nearby stores. These are places that are either remote or poor and full of crime, or both.
That was pre 1940s though. Unions and msha really helped give safety and better pay. My dad retired from the coal mines and gave us a nice brick home to live in and mom stayed at home. Made sure all us kids were able to get a college degree.
@@briankirchhoefer You are absolutely correct and I should have qualified that. Thank you for bringing it up and bringing it to my attention.
How did paying taxes work if you don’t have real income?
@@stephaniekaminsky7497 That I don't know.
The Coal Miners of that region came the closest since the Civil War to a straight up armed insurrection against the Mining Corporations which had State backing. The US military was sent out, and apparently the general in charge in a last ditch effort to avoid conflict went out and met the marching armed miners alone. What he found were loyal US citizens in a desperate situation. They had no desire to fight the US government, just wanting to fight against the injustices they were enduring, many of them having been military veterans. The general made the politicians in Washington aware of what was going on and a bloodbath was fortunately avoided.
38. Lived in Appalachia all my life and plan on staying here. Majority are some of the best people you will ever meet.
I’d love it there so beautiful
My home state is West Virginia. I used the Army to get out. Then, I went back to find that drugs control a huge part of the population. So sad what has happened to the people back home. (Edit) Walmart actually hurt many communities. In my hometown, Wal-Mart forced the closing of many stores and shops. It put many out of work and forced many to travel greater distances to get groceries.
@avtomatt554 The drugs are why I stayed out. Didn't want my daughters to have to deal with that.
Drugs are a huge problem in much of rural America. Honestly, there are TWO types of drug problem in America.
In the rural areas the biggest problems are with methamphetamines and more recently fentanyl.
In the mostly urban parts of the country the problems are prescription drug abuse (like anti-depressants) and the synthetic opioids.
Same story here buddy. Spent 21 years in, came home to find it's all gone to hell here in S. W. Ohio. No coal around here, but drugs, Walmart, same same.
Peter is a solid investigative journalist. He is part of a dying breed. His content is top tier
"I wish the government did something " 😂 that's the exact same sentiment for most of us God fearing Americans...we would love for our tax dollars be spent on our small towns infrastructure. Sadly, most of our politicians have been bought by large corporations that want our money spent on wars,which they profit on
Historic buildings
Absolutely. Unfortunately, what folks in these areas often don't understand is that it's exactly the CEOs of the coal companies who are creating the legislation which causes them to live in those conditions.
When People Outside of The US Always Say Why Doesn't The Government Do Anything, They Forget Each State Government Is Different And Have Different Relationships With Corporations And Development Investors. 50 states 50 different governments
I live in Appalachia. I really appreciate you taking the time to spread information about this area.
I was in McDowell County, I remember stopping at the memorial for that mine collapse.
Andre you are really getting a taste of the real America, not every place has hollers but it's similar. Little communities dotting the countryside.
Yes, miners, loggers, sharecroppers, and some other types of work paid their people in "scrip" which could only be used at the company stores. This practice is now totally illegal, as it was outlawed by the US Congress in 1967, but this was done to keep labor within the company for terrible jobs. You certainly can't move if you haven't got real money. It also helped keep labor unions away. If all you have to live on is Company Scrip, then you aren't going to make waves at your company by joining a labor union. It was just one way that these companies exploited their workers.
They were treated like serfs.
The Coal Mines did eventually Unionize! I'm 66 and my Dad was a coal miner in Virginia, and was Unionized since my childhood.
You might be the only UA-camr that I would watch a hour-long video for. Also because you pick really good ones.
46:00 You're not alone my man. I'm watching most of your vids til the end. Always good content. Not only the reactions but I enjoy most of your choices of videos that you watch too.
38 😊 love long videos thank you for pausing and making your comments as that's how you have a conversation about things and you're not talking over the video
Your accent fascinates me. I'm Italian American (my father is from Italy). I grew up mostly in Florida, and worked as a preschool teacher in my teens and early 20s. Florida has a lot of South & Central American families and the families I served were no exception. So, I'm used to all kinds of accents, including Brazilian (which I was told is actually Portuguese). I would _never_ guess that this is what a Portuguese accent would sound like. You almost sound Russian, but Portuguese is a latin based language, right?
To be clear, though, your English is impressively clean. Your accent isn't difficult to understand and you prounounce everything wonderfully. I love listening to your commentary! Thanks for the videos.
Is he Portuguese originally or did he move there from somewhere else? Ive spoken to native Portuguese speakers and they didn't have his accent. I also thought he was eastern European and i agree the his english is quite good.
AT 30:00 - 4 hours to get to Kentucky - it has less to do with the distance, and more to do with the fact that this is in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. So all the roads are two-lane twisty-turny highways over mountains in into valleys and across rivers and through small town after small town - so you are limited on how fast you can drive. And have to head miles north, cross a mountain ridge, return miles south, cross another ridge, and so on if you want to go east-west. Very zig-zaggy.
1:06:12 I believe the kid is a manager. I've met other very young managers before. In fact in my town we had a fish shop a few years back that was owned by kid fresh out of high school. It was some of the best fried fish in town. Kid ran it several years and then sold it for a nice profit. Smart kid.
My grandfather was first generation from Poland and worked in the coal mines. My father was a surgeon. That is the American Dream! Regardless of your beginnings, you can become what you choose if you work hard enough for it.
Thats amazing.❤
Yeah, that doesn't happen much anymore.
I was born in S Korea and in an orphanage until I was 6 years old and adopted into a white family in Mississippi. I went to college In Oregon, because I desperately wanted to leave the southern states behind me. I ended up in NYC for 10 years. Now I live in Los Angeles. I stumbled upon your channel a few months ago, and I really enjoy your reaction videos. You are one of the very few Channels that I subscribe to. Thank you for your contents and sharing so openly and freely your thoughts and opinions. I hope that you'll visit the States soonest. All the best.
When the young man says "checks" he's talking about government checks or "welfare". There are a lot of people in Appalachia with descendants from Ireland, Scotland, Germany, etc. I believe the young man is telling the truth. Appalachian people are very interested in their ancestry. They know where they come from and what makes them strong.
I have a brother-in-law who has researched his family all the way back to the time of Christ. My great grandparents came from Ireland, Holland, Germany and Wales around 1880. That's as far as I've researched so far. I actually knew my great grandparents on both sides when I was little. I'm 67 yrs. young. My dad's side (German/Dutch) of the family settled in the mountains of Pennsylvania, my mom's side (Irish) in the hills of West Virginia.
My moms family is from Scotland and my dads family is from Germany
It was true in many places, and not merely in coal mines in West Virginia. Some textile mills in New England did the same thing. You worked for the mill, you paid rent for housing owned by the mill, you attended a church paid for by the mill, you were paid in paper money printed by the mill. and you could only use that paper money in a store owned by the mill. They mill didn't employ you, it OWNED you. Look for a song about coal miners named "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford. One of the lines in the song is : "I owe my soul to the company store". BTW, he had an incredible voice.
Ohhhh. I know that song. Never connected that line to what I’ve seen in these videos. So interesting!
Food stamps are food assistance they’re no longer actual stamps but a card like a debit card but you can only use it for food. Those who need it get different amounts dependent on family size and work capability.
It's sad that often FS recipients often buy more junk food and candy, sodas, and chips than healthy food.
I used to work at a Walmart when I first moved to a small Oklahoma town. I was so shocked at the amount of candy and garbage food people bought with their $500/mo in FS.
These kids are typical in the stx kids way smarter than you think they know more about hunting and fishing than you do and if the country goes to hell you will be trying to find these people right here to survive mark my words
We moved from Virginia to West Virginia 27 years ago and love it. It’s not all like that. The attack on coal has decimated many coal towns and left them pretty much ghost towns.
It is a gorgeous state with wonderful people. I’m originally from south Texas and find the folks here to be as friendly.
Even if you don't make reaction videos on them, watch Peter's videos.
They hold a lot of honesty, about places that you won't hear much truth about, from any big media outlet
48!
I come from a small town in Virginia and the drug epidemic is shocking. I pray often that my son does not fall victim to it as he ages. He's currently 11. I keep him busy with extracurricular activities like sports and band. We also have occasional discussions about peer pressure and the dangers of drugs. So far he has been an amazing kiddo that stands up for what is right. But it's so scary being in small towns because when boredom hits, kids reach out for drugs.
I’ve watched this video before and it really strikes a cord with me. My husband was from the Tennessee Appalachians. While there wasn’t much coal mining where he was from, there was still much poverty. Sadly, the people resort to illegal crops such as weed, meth labs, making moonshine, or getting government assistance. My husband was the most educated one in his family and he didn’t go further than 6th grade. I was determined that my son wasn’t going to go that route so I went to college part time for 10 years before I was finally able to graduate, with honors.
"38" ~ I live in a rural farming community in Appalachia in Tennessee. It's small but not in bad shape like the communities in this video. The whole region is absolutely gorgeous. I wish a big solar company for example, would come in & open a plant & employ all these ppl. So many in the region are stuck on the idea that they need coal jobs, when it's been literally killing them for decades. If the politicians they keep electing were really working for them, they'd bring in other types of businesses. Instead they keep talking about bringing back coal, but it's not going to happen. We've moved past that. So it's a vicious circle. Mind sets have to change first before things will get better. (I've actually seen this video already. He has a good youtube channel. )
Sadly, everything you said is true. But the mindset is hard to change, which is why those who can leave.
That kid has a full ride scholarship to study history. I believe every word he said. My familiy and I are huge history buffs. My daughter researched our family history, came from Germany in the Palantine Emmigration in 1709. My 5x Great Grandfather opened a trading post in the "Virginia Military District" that eventually became COLUMBUS OHIO!!! His oldest child was the very first white person born in Ohio. Family has fought in EVERY war the US has been involved in from the French and Indian War to Desert Storm. MY country, my family has worked for 315 years to build it.
1/3 of my genes abused 1/3 of my genes while the last 1/3 silently profited. In many contexts. I don’t sleep well 😂
I’m with you at 48 minutes! Frankly, I thought I’d watch about 10 minutes. But I’m enjoying it so much, I’m here to the end! (From Savannah, GA, USA)
Oh Ty 🙌
38 - I'm from roughly the same region as the kid towards the end of the video, and everything he shared was true, or at least true as us Appalachians know it. His talk of his ancestry is most likely true, as this is a common history for many Appalachians who have Scots-Irish, German, and even Nordic ancestry from the Old Country, as we often refer to Europe as. Additionally, his singing was pretty good and the notes sound exactly like the original artist. That's a good Appalachian singing voice.
This really is the heart of America, and the kind of culture and country that just gets ignored by most reactors. I'm so glad you gave this your time and attention. Also, 48. And 48 again. Take the journey.
To many ppl, the heart of the country is where their heart is. That could be anywhere for anyone.
You seem to be a very good and humble person. Thank you.
I love that Andre isn't negative about people in these poorer areas. He is genuinely interested in the people and sees the beauty in the areas and towns. He's not judgemental. That touches my heart.
I would like to live in this kind of town. I'm "older" and appreciate the small, close-knit communities. It's sad that many young people can't find their way in the world without getting mixed up in bad stuff.😢
38, what is funny is I have seen this video before but am enjoying seeing your reaction to an America most foreigners wouldn't think existed here in America.
38! Food deserts are a real issue in some parts of America. Some areas, you have to drive an hour + to get to decent groceries. Or healthcare for that matter. And he doesn't show it here, but some of those hollers are definitely pretty racist (first hand experience). Normal people would have to be careful where they went in Appalachia. And there's a lot of homophobia and transphobia in WV too (again, saw it first hand). It's not all positive vibes there.
The USA being attached to Mexico makes our drug problem worse than Europe’s. Meth, cocaine, and fentanyl don’t have to cross an entire ocean to get here. Plus, our border with Mexico is massive.
Most fentynol comes from China. They just ship it up through Mexico cause its easy to get it across the border there. So on at least that one point you're a little wrong.
No, they are making it in Mexico… The chemicals used come from China.@@liarwithagun
Watching from North Carolina. I love your reaction.
Poor rural areas often have a big drug problem because there is very little opportunity for jobs. People who have nothing to do , nothing to lose , and too much time on their hands often occupy their time doing drugs.
Exactly. I grew up in rural Minnesota in a county that had the highest welfare. Hardly any jobs. The closest livable paying jobs were an hour away. High volume of drugs and drunks, and I had learned in my teen years that the local cops were part of facilitating the drugs. They would go to parties and do drug's with their buddies and drink on the job. Then bust the same people leaving the parties and keep any drug's and alcohol for their own use. I once reported someone for abusing a 2 year old I was babysitting only to learn that the guy was friends with the cops to he was released right away to be able to continue abusing 4 children it turned out the guy was a sociopath and extremely cruel to children. But he owed the local bar so the cop let him go.
Here's how the dilapidation happens. Some towns are known as "boom towns", boom towns can graduate to have offshoot villages, then they grow and create more commerce and then you get the big cities accompanied by the suburbs that surround them. It's a harder, more painful way for the boom town to die. Or the boom town becomes a ghost town. Detroit was once a boom town, but they moved the jobs out of America for cheaper labor. And then that's when the generational rot that is drug abuse occurs
I'm glad you did this one .. that's good ole southern hospitality
"Food stamps" is the old term, from when the government gave the poor books of coupons that spent like money at the grocery store. Now it's a plastic card called SNAP that you use at the checkout like a credit card, but people still often use the term "food stamps" for it.
38.
love this longer form comment, especially about the less glamourous parts of america. Not alot of foreigners get to see this side of america.
This is a beautiful part of the U.S. My mother is from Dickenson county VA. She is one of 12 children. Her dad was born in 1889. He was a coalminer. He was exempt from military service during WW II because the miners were needed to produce coal for our country. Her folks grew most everything they ate : beef, pork, sheep, ducks, geese, vegetables and corn for them and their animals. They worked their fields with horses. They also foraged for food. They canned, dried, and pickled food.
According to the census, they had about a fourth grade education. But they were very intelligent. My grandfather continued to read and keep up with current events in the country and world They couldn't drive. They were hard workers and reared their children the same way.
YOU FINALLY DISCOVERED PETER! OMG I'm so happy! So excited about this!!! I hope you watch all of his American vids🙏✌️🥰
I love this video Andrej. Thanks for featuring it. There are so many areas of our country forgotten by their state and local governments. Schools poorly funded, the health care for the underclass is so non-existent that doctors from the organization "Doctors Without Borders" have to organize fairs once a year to provide care, first come first served. The federal funds for these services are there, but refused by their state and local governments. No human services for these wonderful people. They deserve so much more. They deserve hope.
These people remind me of the people I grew up around. Most were farmers. I didn't live in the south, but in the country, and these people sound so much like them. They were just as friendly too.
The government doesn’t care. This is Appalachia where Oliver Anthony’s Richmond, North Richmond is from
Yes this is true. I lived in West Virginia for 35 years before moving to Oregon. When I was growing up everything seemed fine. We had a huge steel mill and most people were working. My grandfather retired after thirty years there. In 1994 the mill shut down after almost 100 years putting many out of work. The state as a whole is poor, especially after the coal mines started closing. There simply was no way to work as other businesses were not available. Many many people are on permanent welfare.
I'd say one major problem for West Virginia right now is a technology "chicken and egg" issue.
They can't really attract new industries like call centers or computer/technology companies because their internet access is so behind most of the country. WV is ranked dead last together with Alaska.
So, they've got amazing country and cheap land, but basically nothing else to attract newer industries.
Even mobile phone reception is spotty at best compared to most of the country because of all the hills. The only states with worse rankings than WV are the huge western states where it's not cost effective to put towers (Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, etc.).
I’m so glad you reacted to this, I watched this series awhile ago and it was so good. This is a whole different way of life than most Americans are aware of. I’ve never heard of a holler before this, it’s fascinating.
48 Thank you for this video. These mountains are where poverty comes face to face with the will to survive. culturally as well as physically. The only place in the nation that has more poverty is the Souix reservation named Pine Ridge in South Dakota, on the edge of the Black Hills. Historically these hills (old mountains} were a place of sacred beliefs and spirituality. Alcoholism is the demon in Pine Ridge. I would like to watch you react to a video about Pine Ridge with the same respect you give to the people in the hollers.
Peter Santanello is a great UA-camr! Such a kind, insightful, and observant person. Glad you found him!
Sadly they do exactly that. There is a whistleblower right now talking about what is happening to all the kids that arrive here alone. I saw a diff reaction video to that and it was eye opening. I live in south Texas and I’m learning some of this horrible stuff that happens to the poor people on the way here. If we flat out only allow people through the points of entry the cartels wouldn’t make money. At least that is what i believe. Human trafficking is horrible.
38....My fathers side of the family is from the deep Appalachian region of Pennsylvania and looks very similar to this. Abandoned old cial mine towns. I've gone there so many times as a kid to visit family and it really is something special. The people are absolutely wonderful. I recently went to that area to visit the cemetery where my grandma, great grandparents, aunt and others are buried and it hasnt changed in 20 years.
Its really like stepping back in time, so different than where I live in Northern Ohio.
I've lived my entire life near these areas (East TN on the TN/VA border). Have been thru many of them. Visited a family home in the "hollers" of eastern Kentucky. Much of the poverty happened once most of the coal mines were closed.
I prefer the long-format videos whilst also enjoying the shorter videos. Just making it known that there's a market for it.
edit: 38
I watched the whole video. I love your videos, it's really interesting to hear a European perspective on things of this nature. Please keep up the reactions to Peter's videos, he's the most genuine and gives the truest on-the-ground look into these locations, without the mainstream media perspective.
These are my people. I'm first in my family born out of Appalachia in a long time. Dad from west Virginia(wetzel) and mom from Kentucky(Harlan)
It's awesome to see you get a glimpse on the kind of life that many Americans live. It was like looking back at where I grew up.
Company stores were very real. The song sixteen tons was about mining coal to pay off your debt to the company store.
My mother was born and raised in Wayne, West Virginia. Her family was mostly construction workers. When coal was cut back, many people lost jobs. West Virginia is a beautiful state.
Drugs in the impoverished areas isn’t uncommon because of the lack of opportunities.
38, darlin! I love love love Peter’s videos! Just found his stuff a few months ago. Nice to watch it not alone over here in Oregon! Thank you! I really hope you keep up the longer vids. It’s a much less surface delve into America. 🇺🇸
I once shoveled about 1½ tons of coal from a basement coal bin. Toughest job I ever did, and that only took a few hours!
These are some hard workers.
I am a 68 year old that grew up in this area. My parents broke the cycle by being very strict regarding school. I became a Social Worker working with the poor. My brother became a high school english teacher, my other brother a surgeon. Religion was prominent in my family. Drugs hadn’t arrived yet so it really was different
In regards to coal miners only being able to buy things from their jobs own store. That type of thing was very common way back in America's first creation. Back then, in order for people to come to America, they would be in debt to the companies that shipped them here. Resulting in the people being in indentured servitude. The same rich family would own an entire town. Pay for everything to be built. Houses, the store, ect, and their landlord would be their boss and essentially their owner because they could never afford to get out of their debt. I had a family member many generations back that came over and was an indentured servant.
This is true, however, company stores were created 100 years ago, not back in the 1600's or 1700's. What you are talking about isn't really applicable here.
I am watching the West Virginia video. It's 1:20 am, here in Indiana, USA. It got my attention because I am from WV. Our family moved from there when I was 9, so my father could attend seminary. Seventy years later & many trips back to WV, I still have numerous cousins & others I keep in touch with. I now have 3 daughters,
8 grandchildren & 2 great grandchildren. My husband & I took 2 eldest daughters & 5 grandchildren back for a vacation a few years ago. WV is beautiful & will always be home. My family enjoyed the trip & there may be another.
I'm from Oak Hill, WV, which sits atop a mountain, but it's roughly 100 miles from where this video was made. Still a coal mining area, but now has many camping facilities because of the close proximity to New River Gorge Bridge. It's absolutely beautiful!
38 I think it's good that people are finally getting to see how life is out here
Hello Andre’. 38. I always watch until the end. I’ve been subscribed several years to Peter Santenello’s channel. And even though I’ve already seen this video. I enjoy seeing ur reaction to it. It’s more of a picture of reality.
If you want to see a little bit of what life was like back in the USA coal towns 50+ years ago check out the movie October Sky (1999)
Youd be surprised how many lines in America are descended from royalty in Europe. My oldest traceable ancestors were lords in what became Scotland, and literally hundreds of their descendants live on the east coast
"You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive" sample lyrics. Song by Darrel Scott and made famous by Patty Loveless:
In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky
That's the place where I trace my bloodline
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone
"You'll never leave Harlan alive"
Oh, my grandfather's dad crossed the Cumberland Mountains
Where he took a pretty girl to be his bride
Said, "Won't you walk with me, out of the mouth of this holler
or we'll never leave Harlan alive"
.
.
.
Where the sun comes up about ten in the mornin'
And the sun goes down about three in the day
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinkin'
And you spend your life diggin' coal from the bottom of your grave
You'll never leave Harlan alive
I know this post is longer than you usually show, but it is so informative and well done that I have no problem watching it to the end. TY
48 the girls t shirt probably had a company name or advertisement on it that he blurred to hide it.
Feel free to hit the like button and subscribe for more content. I would also love to hear your suggestions for future reactions-drop them in the comments below!🙏
Really enjoy the videos you choose to watch. Culture, political and geographic videos are the most interesting way to learn about the USA. Looking forward more of your content
I will be watching any of Peter's work to the very end. Nobody tells our stories like he does. Even if you do shorter videos, be sure to watch all of Peter's for yourself. Thanks, Andre. I always watch your channel.
Watch Peter’s video about Kensington Philadelphia if you want to see drugs in America.
In the day light , Yeah they friendly try going out like that at 2:45 am.. Hehehe welcome to da hillz boy.
48/38 what ever with that accent. From Bean Station Tn.
As a West Virginian I remember when I was little in grade school learning the old song that goes, “Owe my soul to the company store” it’s all about how the coal companies paid the minors in company scrip and so they could only spend it at the company store. Effectively taking back the pay they gave out. I learned this song as a child. Much love from a West Virginia mountain mama.
Yes drugs are a huge problem in America. Over 100,000 people a year are dying of drug overdoses every year in America
Completely different topic. Food stamps used to be paper slips that counted as money that people getting government assistance can spend in a store to buy groceries. Modern times its on a card like a debit card.
@ user-vz8nk7jp6l
JP Morgan--Chase Bank
services those EBT cards.
Every time someone
swipes a card JPM-C
makes a profit. Our
taxes also pay for
JPM-C.
History teacher here!
You’re literally watching the geography and historical area of my family. It’s beautiful, but very sad since all those towns depend on the various industries like coal, steel, pottery. When those closed, the towns took major hits. You should look up some history on the Blair Mountain miner strikes. Helped start the workers rights movement in the U.S.
The blurring of the shirt logo around 49 minutes, her shirt probably has a trademarked logo on it, so the editors had to blur it out.
The guy doing the video said that the convenience store asked for the company name/logo be blurred, so I think that was the store logo
My mom grew up in West Virginia my grandfather was a coal miner unfortunately he died from black lung because of working in the mines. You will honestly never meet such humble people as you will than you will in the Appalachian mountains.
All of the Appalachian area looks like this. Beautiful and poor. I've explored some of the old torn down falling apart buildings.
I've seen all of Peter's videos and I'm still watching again with you. I like seeing out people's reactions. I grew up in rural Arkansas and I'm still here and love it! Love your videos!
Listen to the song 16 Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford and you will learn about this region in America
🎶Another day older and deeper in debt 🎶
Thirty-eight!
I grew up in middle Tennessee but my family is from Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia. Our roots are Ulster Scots-Irish.
38 - listening more than watching, as I'm making fajitas for dinner. Enjoying the vid, though.
My grandfather was a mule driver for a coal company, and my grandmother met him as a teen when she went to coal for minors at a camp. We still have land in the family, my family has owned it since the late 1700hundreds! No one lives there now!
I hope eco-tourism can take off in West Virginia. It's a beautiful place and the people will have to shift from coal to something else in the future. The world is turning to various ways of power that are less polluting, and even though it has been a way of life, just like in other parts of the country (and world), lifestyles have to change with the times.
The coal mines only supported some parts of WV, but the whole state is poor. I'm not sure exactly what the problem is that is causing the state to be so poor, but I would guess it's the same reason most places in the world are poor: bad leadership.
I'm so glad you're reacting to Peter's video! He's one of the best USA UA-camrs out there and covers so many topics the media doesn't talk about. I hope you can react to more of his videos because they are very eye opening about real life in the USA.
The majority of people living in these areas are decended from Scotts-Irish (Ulster Scott) and Irish people.
He's not done watch his other videos. He is all over the world. Thats where I'm living right noe in Kentucky wasborn and raised in west Virginia. Love peter.
Andre,
Not to put too finer of a point on the drug problem in Appalachia, but when jobs leave, and what is left withers and slowly dies, people eventually loose hope of anything better happening, so one thing leads to another and soon you're there existing for another hit of the drug, and you'll do anything to no longer face what's happening around you. I don't use, but I know of people who get in this situation. #48
Truth! Numbing the hopelessness.
As an Appalachian myself, it's sad what happened to our region. There are so many kind, fantastic people there but the government has definitely abandoned them. People in my generation have largely either fallen to drugs or left for greener pastures. A select few though have stayed and really worked to improve things and I genuinely admire them so much.
Lifelong resident of Elizabeth, NJ in lot of ways this reminds me of my home in the 70's and '80's, abandoned factories all over the place, moved to overseas because labor and taxes were cheaper, around here a lot of the old factories are being torn down and condominiums put up in their place.. A lot of stores let vacant for years. Also, fellow Portuguese, but since my family came from the Azores your accent sounds like an Eastern European's to me, but then Hispanic people in my area thought my mother sounded French.
Yeah, maybe not so nice of me, but I do think of Dracula. It's because of Hollywood. I don't have any problems understanding, though, unless Andre is speaking very, very, fast. And that's usually only the intro.
15:15 They might be called food stamps, but there's no actual stamps. And they're not for a day, but a month.
48 or 38. He said he was "deep in the hollers of WV." Man, don't make a 'Wrong Turn'.😝
He might be blurring that girl's shirt because it has some reference (maybe drug reference, like a pot leaf, who knows?) on it. "On checks" means they are on welfare/disability checks, or receiving welfare/disability payments by check (now probably electronic or cash card).