1. Oregon Native
I was born and raised in Oregon. I grew up in a town that was impeccably hard to leave, all three times, I might add. I was surrounded by an incredible support system and had the best of friends. Naturally, my heart will always reside there.
2. Travel
Oregon is most known for its scenic destinations and beautiful roads. I had the luxury of being able to travel all over the state growing up for softball, and believe me, they were some of the most beautiful sites I've ever seen.
3. Gas Attendants
Call me lazy, spoiled, whatever. It wasn't until recently that no one had to pump their own gas. SO NICE! Especially on those cold winter days when you only had to crack your window just enough to hand out your card and tell the gas attendant how much you wanted. Spoiled, I know.
4. No Sales Tax
After I moved to Idaho, I slowly but surely realized how much paying sales tax was an inconvenience. Don't get me wrong, I manage. I certainly don't want to complain but when I go to the dollar store, I only bring a dollar in. So when I get up to the register, and the cashier says, "$1.06 today." Uhhh, I'm going to be mildly annoyed. Yeah, yeah there are other benefits of paying sales tax, but come on.
5. Crater Lake
The all natural caldera is filled with only rainwater, and melted snow, it is the nations deepest lake. Pictures do not do this beauty justice, and the hikes are more than worth the exhaustion.
6. Portland
For those of you have never experienced Portland for yourself; I am sorry. It is a combination of weirdness, life, and beauty. Most of my time spent there was on the softball field, but between games, I got to see the city in its entirety. But I mean come on, look at it.
Seriously, guys. Come. On.
7. Coffee Shops
Drive through any town/city in Oregon and you will find several 'Ma & Pa' coffee shops. And even though I am a Starbucks Barista, they are some of the best cups of coffee you will ever find. The farther east you go, the farther and fewer in between those lovely encounters come.
8. The Gorge
Drive across I-84 on the northern border of Oregon, and you will see exactly what I mean.
9. Waterfalls
Oregon is known for its green, and for its beautifully challenging hikes, with even more beautiful sites at the end. As of right now, there are over 200 discovered waterfalls in Oregon. Tell me that doesn't just make your heart swoon.
10. Minimum Wage
Call me spoiled again, but the minimum wage in Oregon is so much easier to live off of than the minimum wage in Idaho. I went from making 10+ in Oregon (minimum wage is only $9.25) to only making $8.20 in Idaho and my rent was higher. Again, not complaining about where I live at all, but the higher minimum wage definitely is a point for the Oregon side.
11. Family
From being born and raised in Oregon, naturally, I will always have a large piece of my heart there.
12. Hunting
I don't know about Idaho from experience, but Oregon was a`helluva good time hunting. We never brought anything magazine worthy home, but we sure made some memories that would last a lifetime.
13. The Coast
The Oregon coast isn't anything like the California Coast. The sandy beaches are hard to come by, and sunny days don't come often. Our coastline is all about the view. It rains often, and even during the summer you need a jacket. But again, the views are SO worth it.
SWOON.
14. The People
While people in Idaho aren't mean, Oregonians are known for being extremely nice. Sort of like the coffee thing, the farther west you go, the nicer they are.
15. Friends
This is where I grew up with the same group of girls on the softball field. This is where I had my first, second, and third college roommate. This is where I met my best-friend-soul-mate.
I love where I am at right now in life. But my heart is left in Oregon and I don't think anything will ever change that.
