Please Explain America For Me..

[rodriguezpoultry]

I haven't seen the rest of the posts, but thought I'd type something.


America in itself is like a billion different countries living together. No state is exactly the same as any other state. They vary so much and generally speaking, each person is tied to that state by heart.

Each state has their own attributes...mountains, plains, excellent food, hidey holes that only the locals can tell you about. Hot spots for everyone in each state.

America is like any other country, but unlike any other country. It's difficult to explain. Everyone should visit at least once, just to see how big of a melting pot we are!

 

[Mandalina]

We invented potato chips, who can beat that? That fact alone makes us awesome.

And a fact from that little tidbit, they were first made in Saratoga,NY which is right down the road from where I grew up and Saratoga has one of the best horse race tracks in the country.

 

[chickaddict]

I live in the center of the state of connecticut.
If I drive for an hour in any direction - I enter another state or I am stopped by the Atlantic Ocean.

We have 4 seasons here. However they like to visit each other occasionally. I've seen it snow in May and hail in June. Right now we've been enjoying 70 degree weather since Tuesday. It's supposed to be around 40. I've seen rainbows without a drop of rain. If your visiting us and don't like the weather, wait 15 minutes it'll change.

I've seen Ct from the air - it's more water and trees then houses - a LOT MORE WATER AND TREES THEN HOUSES.

We have a lot of state parks - look out for rattlesnakes and copperheads. But I shouldn't have to tell you about poisonous snakes. If I remember correctly Australia has 9 of the worlds 10 most poisonous snakes. I'm told Connecticut has 2 varieties of poisonous spiders but I've never had the terror of meeting one of them.

We have the countries oldest amusement park. Go on days when it looks like rain. You don't have to get off the ride if there isn't anyone lined up for your seat. Boulderdash is a wooden rollercoaster built up on the side of a mountain. I'm 46 - ride the coaster, in the dark while it's raining, 22 times in a row and 16 again!!!

I love it here

 

[maplesky7]

Quote:
looks fun... oh wait, it is.

 

[FarmerJamie]

America can't be explained, she has to be experienced. America is a land of seeming contradictions - cities with glowing facades and dark underbellies to wide open spaces with welcoming friendly smiling faces and sometimes a desire to just be left alone to live life.

Here in NE Ohio, just an hour or so from between the old-time big steel cities of Cleveland and Pittsburgh, there is a thriving Amish community driving horse and buggies on the dirt road.

Visit small colleges on your travels, they are usually tuned in to pulse of the area.

 

[crazyhen]

I live in the mtns of NC. We have hugh amts of trees and underbrush here. We have rolling valleys and sharp edged mtns. We have coves and so many streams that it is amazing that we have roads. I love the rural life. A day for me is getting up about 6 or 7 in the am . Having coffee on my porch in my robe and pj. I am retired. I listen to my rooster. I hear cattle in the background. Peace.
My hb and I worked hard at raising a family of three. I am an RN and he worked for the postal service. I own about 4 acres of land here. It is in a cove and on the incline. I can easily drive up. It is mostly grass but we have trees all around us. We have privacy but can see our neighbors at a distance. I have a stream running across the lower part of the property next to the highway. The road is paved. I grow fruit trees, grapes, blueberries, and raspberries too. The soil here is red clay. On the coast we have beautiful beaches of sand.
The closest Town has a great library. We have all the fast food places etc. I am officially in the Bible belt. We have the freedom to worship as we desire. I was told when young that Freedom is only Freedom if it does not do away with someone elses freedom.
We vote for our government officials. Sometimes they even keep part of their promises. LOL.
Our country is very diverse. In the North a lot of Polish and North European settled so each community is a bit different. In the mtns where I am it was Scotch and Irish and English. Some German for good measure. We are a healthy mix.
If you are young you will find a vibrate group of people. Sometimes to much so for the older group like me. If you love nature you will be able to hike to your hearts content seeing, Mtns, desert ( much like some of Australia) flat plains where loads of farms and grain is grown. Big towns I avoid. I don't like that much togetherness.
Americans have always been called opinionated. Maybe that is true. We have the freedom to mostly express ourselves. We do not like being told what to do. But enjoy a good exchange of ideas. I love my country. Gloria Jean

 

[MagsC]

I live in Minnesota, known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes but there are more like 100,000!
My area is in southeastern Minnesota along the mighty Mississippi, a very hilly area.
There are four very distinct seasons here. Our winters can be very brutal.
In the fall we have many people come here to drive the river road, it is said to rival New England in autumn beauty.
We also have tons of bald eagles around here, especially in the colder months.
My town is a small one of 400, kind of in the middle of nowhere. Lots of farming.

 

[SpeckledRoo]

Sorry, I'm just a little ticked at America some days. I should just be a Christian and mind my own business. America will crash on its own power.

 

[Amyable]

Quote:
That.

 

[Shelly_WNC]

this is the America I know, from my life experiences ...

I grew up in Tampa Bay Florida on the peninsula called Pinellas county where we were surrounded by water on three sides and could drive any direction and within 7 miles (usa) be in the water. I love the beach, walking in the white sand (kinda like sugar). My whole college career was spent studying on the beach , with the crashing waves in the back ground and warm sun on my skin. I love swimming in the Gulf of Mexico but scuba diving isn't so great as there isn't much to see, not much vegatation or reefs on this side of Florida. If you like to scuba dive you would go to the very end of Florida Key West - though it is not as great as the barrier reef in Australia.

As I kid we played in huge Orange groves that went on forever it seemed. A lot of people have citrus trees in their yards (Oracle, grapefruit) so you can eat free fruit most of the year. Also there are a lot of Alligators in Florida. I could go to just about any city park with a small or large lake and be sure to see an Alligator sunning itself on the lake banks or swimming slowly in the lake. I love Alligators! (but don't want any close encounters with them). It is completely illegal to feed alligators, you can be fined a huge amount if found feeding them. My ex-boyfriend almost got fined for throwing french fries at an alligator once.

Another great thing about living in the Tampa Bay area (Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg) is it is only a three hour drive to the east coast of Florida and the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches on that side are different, the sand is harder and darker. On the Gulf of Mexico side you can find tons of beautiful sea shells. It is also under 2 hours to Orlando where Disney World is and a TON of other amusement parks. The Disney area is like a huge playground - though every thing costs money (not much is cheap or free).

The weather in Florida is HOT and HUMID, some say it is compatible to Sydney Australia. July - September is the worst, you can barely stand going outside. If you do (and of course you have to) you will be sweaty and very uncomfortable. You must run the air conditioner all summer long to be comfortable in Florda. Unless your like me and just hang out at the beach all the time, enjoying the ocean breeze and jumping in the water when your hot.

I left Sunny Florida about six years ago for a job in Dallas Texas, and there is a saying "Every thing is bigger in Texas" and they aren't kidding. Texas is so different from Florida. Florida is greener and more tropical, whereas Dallas Texas is dry and brown. Not a lot can grow in this dry desert climate. The people are wonderful though in Texas, open and the friendliest people I have ever met. I went to my first Rodeo in Fort Worth. It was funner then I thought watching people bull ride and kids chase and rope cattle. Dallas wasn't the 'Old Wild West" that I envisioned though ... instead there are a lot of SHOPS and restaurants. I asked a women co-worker once "what do you do in Dallas Texas" and she smiled and said ' SHOP and Eat'. So there you have it for Texas.

I then moved to North Carolina - the Appalachian mountains. These are not the highest mountain chain in America, but they once were before millions of years of erosion occurred. Having come from the flatland of Florida and Dallas the North Carolina mountains are a real treat. I live at 3400 feet elevation and I am surrounded by three mountains over 6000 feet elevation. The town I live on is mostly Christmas Tree farms (like 90%). So every where I look is Christmas trees. There aren't many people here either , the town may have 200. But the air is crisp and clear and the views are great. I drink mountain fresh water every day out of my well. Deer run through my yard daily. We have Apple trees and small creeks full of Trout fish you can catch and eat. The only thing I don't enjoy is the winding roads through the mountains, I seem to get car sick a lot. For fun I hike up and down the mountains and enjoy the peaceful nature. It's very different from my years in Florida enjoying the beach and warmth. As it is cooler up here in the mountains and it snows in North Carolina too, it almost never snows in Florida.

For vacation I got to visit California last year, and I LOVE it. I visited San Fransisco (nice city life with trolley cars to take you anywhere you want), then I visited Napa Valley (the Wine country) and Yosemite Park - a HUGE wilderness area with amazing mountains, water falls and wildlife. I highly recommend all these areas.

I also got did a road trip last September to the New England East Coast of America - Maryland, Washington DC, New York, Connecticut, Mass. , Maine, New Hampsire, Vermont. Every place has it's own charm and it's own heritage. One of my favorite parts of the trip was seeing the lobster boats and then eating fresh Maine lobster in Boothbay, it was so fresh. You wouldn't want to be in Maine in the winter - January - April it's to cold.

It will be very hard for you to decide where in America to go to because there are such diverse places - the Pacific coast, the great plains, the New England East coast, the South , the Midwest.

Another thing to consider is the time of year. If you come to America in July stay away from Florida *smile* - to hot. If you come in October you might love the New England area because of the changing leaves on the trees - it's so colorful. The Pacific is beautiful year round (California, Oregon). If you like adult night life and gambling (casino stuff) you might love Las Vegas - it's an adult playground I hear ( I have never been there). Lots of bright lights and flashy stuff. Then their is New York - every one has heard of NY. I visited for the first time last year and actually hated it . But my 24 year old daughter loved it there ... there are a lot of people and things to do and see in NY but very expensive. I do recommend visiting New York though - the Statue of Liberty is amazing. You can learn A LOT about America from New York - because that is typically the first place a lot of immigrants came to from other countries (NY and California).

There is history to learn in every state ...

How long will you stay if you come to America? I hope you can stay at least a month - there is so much to do and see. Spring (April-June) and Fall (September-November) are good times to come, as the weather is comfortable.