What are your perceptions of each state?

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

LOL! I was in Maine and got a ride from a local to the store. I was sitting on something and had to move it to sit on the seat. She said, "Oh sorry, that's my gun." So for Maine my perception is everyone has a rifle in their car!

Oh my. That would be so frightening...lol...

[DrummerDeanna]

Originally Posted by AliP

The thing that bugs me is everyone assumes she is from New York City. Everytime I would tell people I was going to visit New York, they are like 'go see the statue of liberty' or are like "goin' to the Big Appla (they will be trying to copy a New York accent - annoying) or something. Plus, she doesn't have a Brooklyn accent...it's a Buffalo/Rochester accent. There's a difference, I think. People just don't realize that that there is more to New York than just the City. People out here can be soo dumb.

I'm starting to see this now that I've moved to Rochester.

It started early with many members of my family always so interested in my moving to New York - "Will you be close the Statue of Liberty?" "Oh - I've always wanted to see New York City - how exciting to live there..."

Um...yeah - I have told them over and over that Rochester is at least 5 hours from NYC - does no good...

When I got here I called my grandma who immediatly said, "Did you see the Statue of Liberty??"

Then I talked to my uncle who said "Hey - how YOU doing" All Joey like....I'm like..."Dude - I didn't move to Brooklyn here...I live in Rochester...

Anyway - it's driving me nuts...

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by Lux

I thought it was a myth but as soon as I got out of the car having crossed over into Utah, the first person I encounted walked up handing me a Book of the Mormon. Religion is far nowhere near as prevalent here which made it even more startling to me and I realise I probably shouldn't have laughed at him. Of course as soon as I opened my mouth the conversation, like the entire trip, revolved around the fact that I'm Australian.

I used to work for a company that was very liberal because it started in "The People's Republic of Cambridge" which is a somewhat derogatory name for Cambridge, MA. Then, we were bought by a company from Provo, Utah. Yes, they all seem to be Mormon! It is a very different religion/lifestyle from anything I am used to.

When the Olympics were in Utah, SNL did this hilarious skit with Mormon guys in suits skiing next to the competetors with the book trying to make converts. It was great!

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by amber

Sounds fun. Actually, it would be nice to meet other italian people.. Like the ones i see in movies...

Come to the North End in Boston!

[Villavic]

Don't know how valid is my point of view, since I've been always been a visitor, but here I go because I found it interesting:

California: Sun, beaches, mexicans and orientals. I love SAN FRANCISCO, the most beautiful US city, for me. Los Angeles was dissapointing. San Diego is very nice. An expensive state.

Florida: kind of a second home. I love it. more sun and beaches. Not so expensive.

New Jersey: industries. close to NYC.

New York. Just Manhattan I know. Culture, crazy people, interesting places. Drugs also, homeless. Rich people. Many contrasts in a short space. One of a kind.

Texas: Dallas and Houston big cities. Compaq, Microsoft, BMC. Huge corporations. Fancy but boring cities.

Washington: Boeing and Microsoft. Nice country. But too rainy and cloudy. Anyway very cool city Seattle.

Massachussetts. Nice also. Lobsters! Nice people.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by GateandGarden

I haven't been in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, either. I've heard all kinds of stories, and usually make me more hesitant. I don't really see the whole point in Mardi Gras, anyway. I'm not that interested in getting totally wasted and acting stupid, while being surrounded by many, many other people who are doing the same thing, but that's me. New Orleans is kind of creepy, but I like it; as long as someone's with me I can take it. This is off-topic, but doesn't the Aquarium in New Orleans rock? I just love aquariums. Few people seem to get as passionate as I do about them. Few people who are over the age of eight.

Hillary

I went and it is exactly that, a bunch of drunk people doing stupid things. It was really fun but I wouldn't do it again.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

I went and it is exactly that, a bunch of drunk people doing stupid things. It was really fun but I wouldn't do it again.

I am from there and I can only do it about every two or perhaps now three years. Fortunately, when I go, I stay with friends in their house - so I have some break from the madness

[amber]

Originally Posted by Villavic

Don't know how valid is my point of view, since I've been always been a visitor, but here I go because I found it interesting:

California: Sun, beaches, mexicans and orientals. I love SAN FRANCISCO, the most beautiful US city, for me. Los Angeles was dissapointing. San Diego is very nice. An expensive state.

Florida: kind of a second home. I love it. more sun and beaches. Not so expensive.

New Jersey: industries. close to NYC.

New York. Just Manhattan I know. Culture, crazy people, interesting places. Drugs also, homeless. Rich people. Many contrasts in a short space. One of a kind.

Texas: Dallas and Houston big cities. Compaq, Microsoft, BMC. Huge corporations. Fancy but boring cities.

Washington: Boeing and Microsoft. Nice country. But too rainy and cloudy. Anyway very cool city Seattle.

Massachussetts. Nice also. Lobsters! Nice people.

Wow, you've been to a lot of places. Just a quick tip, you're not supposed to call Asian people Orientals. You're supposed to say Asian, or even better, if you happen to ever be talking more specifically - Japanese, Chinese, Laotian, etc. That's if you're here, and talking to Americans.

[SuzeQuze]

Originally Posted by strandinthewind

I am from there and I can only do it about every two or perhaps now three years. Fortunately, when I go, I stay with friends in their house - so I have some break from the madness

Oooh, sounds great. I always wanted to go back when it wasn't Mardi Gras so I could actually see the city, particularly the French Quarter. The way Anne Rice describes it in her novels it just sounds soo beautiful. I also wanted to see a graveyard since graves are all above ground which would be so different! Kind of morbid I guess! Also, during Mardi Gras, we just ate what we could get ahold of because picking and choosing was very difficult when having to go through mobs of people and not knowing the area. I'd like to get a more local experience than all of that touristy stuff we did.

I have to say, it was quite a different experience for me to exit an airport, grab a hurricane (rum/juice drink), and hop on a bus. That was how the trip began, egads!

[Merf]

Originally Posted by zinester

Aww...Katie, I will always <3 you even if you're not a mormon

Thanks, Marissa

I was in class the other day and my professor was talking about morals, standards, ect. He said, for instance, would you date outside your race, religion, sex, ect. There were about 20 people who yelled "NO!" with a disgusted look on their face. I was appalled. He asked one of people why and he responded, "I don't date people who aren't Morman."

First of all, OMG IT'S KATIE!!!@!!!!!!1111

Secondly, I'm was born and raised in North Carolina and here's some common things I get asked:

"Does everyone smoke down there? Do you smoke?" -Yes, "everyone" smokes down here (I'd say like 20%-30% regularly) and I do not pay more than $3.25 for a pack of cigarettes.

"Do you like NASCAR?" - While my brother and dad like NASCAR and watch it regularly, I don't. I just have a favorite driver (just to fit it around here I guess ) For the record "my driver" is Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Just because.

"You're from Charlotte? That's in South Carolina, right?" -NO. NO NO NO NO NO. CHARLOTTE IS IN NORTH CAROLINA. I'm sure DeeGeMe could tell you how aggravating it is when people get North Carolina & South Carolina confused. They are VERY different. (Marissa will tell you it's like the difference b/w North and South Jersey because it really is.)

"Do you go to the beach a lot?" No. I don't ever go to the beach. The closest beach is Myrtle which is 3 hours away. I haven't been to the Outer Banks since I was a kid because it's 7 1/2 hours by car. I kid you not. It would take about 10 hours to drive from one end of NC to the other.

Lastly, it's hilarious how many of my friends here are shocked that I'm a "native" Charlottean. I can't tell you how many people I know have told me that I am the ONLY person they know that is actually FROM Charlotte.

[Villavic]

Originally Posted by amber

you're not supposed to call Asian people Orientals. You're supposed to say Asian, or even better, if you happen to ever be talking more specifically - Japanese, Chinese, Laotian, etc. That's if you're here, and talking to Americans.

Thanks! In spanish you can say orientales. Actually some people say "chinos" to all asians, not only chinese but japanese, koreans, etc. That's too bad.

And yes, I was lucky to be in many states. I even forgot to mention DC, New Orleans, Raleigh, Las Vegas, Arizona (Monument Valley), Utah (Lake Powell), Detroit, Philadelphia. United States is a beautiful country.

I'm a voyager!!!

[GardenStateGirlie]

Originally Posted by Merf

"Does everyone smoke down there? Do you smoke?" -Yes, "everyone" smokes down here (I'd say like 20%-30% regularly) and I do not pay more than $3.25 for a pack of cigarettes.

I still remember your face when you saw the prices here. That? is why people from New Jersey drive to Delaware and buy cartons

[DeadliestPoison]

Originally Posted by sara1998

(re: Indiana) We don't have an accent, but I've heard other people say we have "lazy" speech.

See, weird. I don't hear accents in most people around me, but when I listen to recordings of myself, when I'm done shuddering and wincing at my voice (I HATE it), I can detect a slight accent. o_O

Anyway. Indiana's lame. That is all.

[amber]

Originally Posted by GardenStateGirlie

I still remember your face when you saw the prices here. That? is why people from New Jersey drive to Delaware and buy cartons

The kind i like (American Spirits) are $5 a pack. How much in Jersey?

[pianogirl04]

Originally Posted by GateandGarden

I haven't been in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, either. I've heard all kinds of stories, and usually make me more hesitant. I don't really see the whole point in Mardi Gras, anyway. I'm not that interested in getting totally wasted and acting stupid, while being surrounded by many, many other people who are doing the same thing, but that's me. New Orleans is kind of creepy, but I like it; as long as someone's with me I can take it. This is off-topic, but doesn't the Aquarium in New Orleans rock? I just love aquariums. Few people seem to get as passionate as I do about them. Few people who are over the age of eight.

Hillary

Mardi Gras scares me. It's like an extension of Christmas, one more reason to party. New Orleans is cool as long as I'm in a group. I went last year with my debate team and we went to the Riverwalk and the Aquarium -- I hadn't been there since I was 9 and my gosh, things have changed!! There's so much more there now than there used to be... frogs and petting a sea urchin, among other things... there's so much there now that I can't remember what all of it is. I must say the jellyfish was my ultimate favorite -- and the penguins, of course. I was walking around with three of my teammates, we were all seniors, and for two hours I was eight again, absolutely mesmerized. Over jellyfish. I've still got a pass to the zoo and the aquarium that doesn't expire until August of next year -- I wonder how hard it would be to talk my mom into a road trip... she's wanted to take a tour of a cemetary for a long time now, I'm not so sure I could handle that -- with my luck, I'd get possessed or something