I'm staying in my college town this summer, which means I'm spending a summer away from Idaho for the first time ever. I'm quickly learning that, when you're at the place where you go to school during a time when you're not going to school, people ask you more often than ever where you're from.
So, allow me to use this article as a time to reflect on the array of responses I've gotten when I tell people I'm from Idaho:
1. "Ha. Potatoes, right?"
The one thing people "know" about Idaho. Cue eye roll.
2. "No, you da ho!"
If someone under the age of 16 says this, I think you should have the right to shoot them with a potato gun.
3. "Oh. That's cool."
Because they have no clue what else to say. It kind of kills the conversation sometimes since no one knows anything about Idaho.
4. "Oh! Northern Idaho is so pretty!"
Just saying, Idaho has a central and a south and an east and a west, too. They're all pretty. (Some more than others.)
5. "What town are you from? ... Oh, I've never heard of that."
And then you tell them your hometown has a population of 1,081 and they freak out. It's a fun fact to pull out at parties.
6. "You're from Idaho? How far did you live from Boise?"
Alternatively: "My [parents/cousin/friend/brother-in-law] used to live in [Nampa/Meridian/Eagle/Caldwell], how far is that from your hometown?"
7. "Hm. I don't know much about Idaho."
Well, thank you for being honest. I'll try to answer any questions you might have. Oh, you don't have any questions? Okay.
8. "Are there rodeos?"
Well, there are cows and horses and sheep everywhere, so someone might as well make some sort of sport out of them.
9. "Did you live on a farm?"
No. ...But I had plenty of friends that did.
10. "Do you eat a lot of potatoes?"
That joke isn't even funny the first time.
11. "Do you guys recycle at all over there?"
Said condescendingly, as if we are somehow entirely to blame for global warming. Alright, no, we don't recycle as much as you, okay Oregon? Is that what you wanted to hear?
12. "I went to Idaho once."
I hate how surprising that is to me, so please tell me all about your trip.
