1. Standing confused at the register when your total isn’t what you calculated.
The price tag may say $1, but you’ll have to hope you have change on you because that buck isn’t going to help you much. They make you feel like you have the money for something, but add onto your total at the last minute.
2. Being confronted with a crash course on freeway driving.
Haha, it was so exciting when we got the extra lane on our highway in Montana. Meaning we had two whole lanes going in one direction! It was a serious step up in the driving game because now we could pass that tractor who decided to take the main road for some reason and block traffic. California apparently wouldn’t understand our excitement… They have four lanes going one way and four going the other. Privileged buggers…
3. Seriously find yourself wondering where truck owners park.
It could just be me, but the parking spots seem smaller. It feels tighter even in my small Focus. I am convinced this is the city people’s way of trying to protect their territory against country folk. “If those hicks can’t park their precious four-wheeled beasts, they’ll move on for sure.”
4. There are only two country stations.�
How can an area function with only two good stations to listen to? Personally, I like a little bit of variety and only having the options of one or the other isn’t enough. What do these people listen to? I don’t understand.
5. Too much sun, and no fun.
What does hot and sunny mean to you? Well, the normal person would say, “Floating down the river which is five minutes from my house! Woohoo anyone else free to go?”If I can’t find a river within ten minutes of driving down Main Street, what kind of backwards place am I in?
6. Dang it. I actually have to make a decision when choosing my fast food restaurant.
Back home, I can count the number of fast-food places on, literally, one hand. I don’t have to think to choose where I want to go. I just consider where I went the last two days and I usually only have one option. Here, there are so many places I haven’t even heard of. I was asked if I would want Baja Fresh for dinner the other day. “Ummm… I don’t know, ma’am… What is it?” Trust me, I can barely order at Starbucks correctly. Silly people changing the names of the sizes and then looking at me weird when I ask for a large.
7. Ahh! That car just yelled at me!
We have a joke back home about how when someone honks, you check to see if they are from California. Half the time, you will be correct. People in Montana just don’t use this obnoxious device installed on the vehicle. California though… I hear someone hitting it everyday on my way to work.
8. Drive thrus go soooooo much faster.
My first time going through a California drive thru on my own was like pulling out the gamecube thinking you are going to be playing Mario Cart. A second too late, you find yourself immersed in a track on F-zero. I couldn’t keep up, but it was too late to turn back. I was at the window with a lady holding out her palm before I could pick up my wallet. Then the person behind me honks before I can move my foot to the gas pedal.
Now, country people can take on pretty much anything, but I also think some challenges shouldn’t be underestimated. �Trying to survive in CA being one of those things.
