"I live a sheltered life." That is a phrase you don't hear very often. Not a lot of people are willing to admit they are sheltered. It took me a long time to realize and be okay with the fact that I live a very different life than those in other cities and states. I now know I am extremely sheltered, and that's okay.

The type of life I lead can be blamed on the fact that I am from a small town. In small towns, we don't get to see what those who live in different places see. If you're still reading this and thinking, "Yes, I'm from a small town, but no, I'm not sheltered." then just hear me out.

About a month ago, I made the journey to the sunny state of California. I strolled off the airplane with my standards high and my camera out. It was not what I expected. It was amazing, yes. But you cannot fathom the amount of poverty and trash that consumes that beautiful state. In my small town, you don't see people sitting on the streets with no home and no money to buy food for themselves. Sure, if you venture out a little further you may see a few, but not to the extent of California. In my small town, you don't see so much trash on the ground that you can barely see the grass. In my small town, we are sheltered. In my small town, we are safe and sound.

Now let's talk about the social aspect of California. My sisters and I like to play this game in the car that we call "Sweet or Sour." Basically what happens, is you wave to the person in the car next to you and if they wave, they are labeled as "sweet" and if they don't, well, they are labeled as "sour". In California, this didn't work too well. As my family and I drove down the streets, my cousin and I tried to play the game. The people in the other cars barely even looked over, let alone waved. They didn't want anything to do with us. I think I got two waves overall. Not so friendly, hm? As we walked down the streets of California, the people were a little sketchy. Whistles, stares, and more were seen and heard. It was so surprising to me. I learned to just not make eye-contact with them. That's definitely something that does NOT happen in my small town.

The point of this article is not to bash large cities or states. It is not to bash small towns or sheltered lives. It is only to bring awareness to the diversity of our world and how we react to it. Let California stand as a general image of what other places would be like. Basically, that's how a lot of cities and states are. California was beautiful and a blast overall, but it definitely opened my eyes. I didn't expect it to be so different. I loved seeing the diversity and I think everyone should get a chance to venture out and experience new things. If you're still thinking that you are not sheltered, then take a little trip down south and you might gain a new perspective.

Although we don't have control of the social aspect in California, or any other place, we can definitely help with the poverty aspect. The Covenant House gives shelter, food, education, counseling, and more to those in need. This organization is a great one and is always in need of support. If you would like to donate, please go to their website.