About a year ago I moved from my smallish town of Bangor, Maine to Boston, Massachusetts. Because Boston is still a part of New England, I expected most people to know the general area of where I was from once I told them. It’s true, the people from the northern part of the US knew where Maine was, most saying “Oh I’ve vacationed there before,” but I was shocked to find that many people didn’t even know Maine existed! And if they did, they 100% believed it was a province of Canada. So, without further ado, here are the top 10 questions I’m asked when people find out I’m from Maine.
- Where’s Maine?
- Isn’t Maine a part of Canada?
- Do you see moose every day?
- Wait, have you ever ridden a moose?! (No. The answer will always be no.)
- You must eat lobster like every day, right?
- Do you live in a cabin?
- Do you have a lighthouse in your backyard?
- Doesn’t every guy have a beard and wear flannels? (Yes, every man in Maine is in fact, Paul Bunyan.)
- Do people drive around on tractors and snowmobiles?
And, my personal favorite…
10. What is there even to do in Maine?
The longer I’ve been away from home, the more I appreciate the life I was given growing up in Maine. It took me moving away to truly appreciate everything Maine has to offer. I guess it boils down to this: You can take the girl out of Maine, but you can’t take Maine out of the girl. We have mountains, the ocean, forests and landscapes that truly belong on the list of the wonders of the world.
I grew up running around barefoot outside and swimming in an ocean that rarely is warmer than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. While I love the city and all of the new things it has to offer me, I find myself constantly missing the nature of Maine. I miss the trees and the fresh air, but mostly I miss the stars. You never really appreciate a visibly star-filled sky until you go months without one. We’re home to pine trees, blueberries, lobsters, and yes, moose, but, contrary to popular belief, most of us “Mainers” don’t live in cabins in the woods or operate lighthouses.
So, in response to these 10 frequently asked questions: Maine is that state on the tippy top of the US map; we are not a part of Canada; I am almost 21-years-old and have seen a moose once, nor will I ever EVER ride one; lobster is the bomb but I don’t even eat it monthly- let alone daily; I don’t live in a cabin; I don’t have a lighthouse; flannels and beards are a big part of the “Maine image” but not everyone is down for that; embarrassingly, yeah, some people probably have driven their snowmobiles to school but not anywhere near where I live; and what’s there to do in Maine? So much. I could dedicate 5000 words to what there is to do in Maine. Come find out for yourself, we are the Vacationland after-all.
