This fall break was a pretty special one because instead of sitting around becoming a vegetable, I actually got out and went somewhere. A friend and I went to visit the our best friend ever (the missing piece of our Three Musketeers, if you will) in D.C. It was a long, nine-hour drive and my friend and I were both high off of lack of sleep by the time we made it to our destination, but it was so worth it. You don't really know much about where you come from until you go somewhere far out and compare lifestyles. Here are a few things this Midwestern writer learned by traveling to the East Coast.
1. Ohio is the biggest state ever.
It took us at least three hours to drive through it. I had no idea Ohio covered such a large area. I can't even imagine having to drive through Texas...
2. West Virginia is the weirdest state ever.
And by that, I mean the state boundaries are all messed up. We somehow passed through West Virginia twice going one way, and passed through Pennsylvania in-between. How does this happen? Can a West Virginian explain this to me, because I'm still perplexed.
3. The East Coast in general is beyond gorgeous.
Why doesn't Indiana have a bunch of pretty mountains?
4. People in Virginia are polite to the point where it's almost scary.
Everyone was so friendly. Like, if they even slightly bumped into you they apologized profusely. People waved when crossing the street in front of our car--even when they had the right of way. People in the metros didn't trample each other. Everyone smiled. It almost made me uncomfortable just how nice everyone was. But it was definitely refreshing.
5. Indiana is even more boring than I previously thought.
I feel like there are no cute little towns or cool scenery in Indiana. Just cornfields. What a world.
6. Ohio gas stations are super nice.
Besides in Europe, I have never been in a gas station bathroom that didn't require a hazmat suit until I stepped into an Ohio gas station. Way to keep your standards high, Ohio.
7. Duck fat fries are the bomb.
It sounds gross, I know. I was skeptical myself when my friend told me to try them. But she never lies, they are life changing.
8. Washington D.C metro stations > Chicago metro stations.
They are so clean and high tech and it's so cool. But then you don't have to wait a day and a half on the weekends to get on a Chicago metro like you do in D.C. So everyone has their pros and cons.
9. College kids are just as pretentious on the East Coast as they are here.
Not all college kids are pretentious, mind you. I'm a college kid myself, so no hate. But everyone knows that group of hipster college kids who think they're so above the rest of society because of their name brand clothes and expensive dorm rooms. Those kids exist everywhere apparently.
10. The White House is strangely out in the open.
I don't know why, but I thought the White House would be way more secluded and secure than it really is (call me naive). I was just kind of shocked to see so many protesters so close to the gates. Gave me an interesting perspective on what it would be like to be the President.
11. On a similar note, Americans are weird.
Street vendors were selling bags with a picture of Obama and his family on them. Why do you need Obama's entire family on your bag? Why are people so creepy?
12. Tourists get really excited to come to America.
Being from Indiana, I never really see many foreign tourists coming to sightsee. It sure was interesting seeing people from all over the world come to the U.S. to see all of the sights. It was pretty cool.
13. Drivers in D.C. love honking their horns.
I swear honking is a secret form of communication over there. People were honking for literally no apparent reason. It was like dolphins trying to find their mother or something. What's up with that?
14. If you want good pie, go to Virginia.
My friend and I found the coolest little bakery when we explored Virginia, and their pecan pie was to die for!
15. Exploring new places is beyond awesome.
You learn new things, get out of your comfort zone, and make new memories. My trip was only a few days long, but I created moments I will never forget.
While this article had a bit of a humorous/borderline sarcastic tone, I absolutely loved traveling to the East Coast. I will definitely do it again sometime, hopefully for a longer time period. Going new places and seeing new things is possibly the best form of learning. There is so much diversity in American and getting to explore that is an inexpiable experience. So if you're thinking about traveling somewhere this year, stop thinking and do it! You won't regret it.
