My experience of living in the south after growing up elsewhere was absolutely a feeling of being sidelined from the full opportunity previously known to me. Its a bit like being in a hole. Everything is cheaper, including wages. Meaning its harder to leave than to enter.
I think the bigger problem is people just not taking you or natives there seriously. I could write a book on all the shenanigans faculty try to pull on people who they think haven't been to "real" R1 universities elsewhere, for example, and think they can get away with.
NB: I live in Louisiana and my brother works for an international NGO but had based himself in Tunisia. He was supposed to fly back there Monday but delayed his flight a week. My friend was supposed to visit Yassine Ayari and she ended up arriving at his house right after he was arrested.
edit: looks like my question hit a nerve with some people?