Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Country vs. City

*Disclosure: Please do NOT be offended as I am about to hardcore bash and over-emphasize on Idaho. I recently just admitted that Idaho is actually growing on me, but I still have to keep my California roots alive. These observations come from a California girl stepping into the Idaho world.*

Happy New Year! One year ago, I officially moved up to Idaho... And boy was it a change! As this past year has gone by, I was and still am in a culture shock. People are different, styles are different, and it is a completely different lifestyle.


While visiting Idaho and living here I've attended many rodeos, and I mean MANY! It's one of the few things there is to do here. Believe me... I've googled night clubs and they don't exist in Southeast Idaho! Wacy and his family have been in every one I've been to up here, so it's fun cheering them on and getting my adrenaline pumping from my nerves. While cheering for them all I can smell is horse & cow sh*t and get blinded by the enormous, blinged-out belt buckles. The events in a rodeo are, well... different.
Events:

Bullriding- the rider has to try to stay on top of the bull for 8 seconds. Man vs. animal...and nothing less than a bull, whose ass is stained a brown/green because it sits in it's poop all day and snots all over the place when it bucks. Wacy is a bull rider. And I'll admit, it's SEXY!
Barrel Racing- You ride a horse that goes around 3 barrels.


 
Similar to Barrel Racing is Pole Bending- You ride a horse that goes in between poles.


Goat Tying- Girls jump off their horse, run around chasing this little goat and when they finally get it on the ground, they tie its legs together. I can't help but laugh out loud as they chase the goat. It's just funny watching those girls run after a... goat!
Even though the events are different than watching football, baseball, or soccer, they're pretty cool.

Enough of rodeo, I want to talk about the style! I'll start from top to bottom.

The hair! I happen to love big hair but Idaho girls gives big hair a completely different meaning. The girls and women tease their hair HUGE! We call it "Helmet Hair". It is NOT cute. Ratting your hair to get volume is one thing, but to rat it to the point that it makes you look 4 inches taller is just not okay.


The more bling and thick stitching the better. Jeans are studded with a million rhinestones on the back pockets and the sides run with extremely thick stitching. This was popular when I was in high school! In California, it's all about the designer jean that no one else has, making you look unique and classy.

Animal prints are huge here. Actually, any kind of prints are trendy here, but I'll focus on animal prints. It is not okay to mix animal prints! If you're going to rock cheetah print and match it with a purse, please don't pull out a zebra wallet! You ruin everything you have going. That's as bad as having a Michael Kors purse with a Coach wallet. It doesn't work and ruins both names.


Looking at pictures from Wacy's school dances, the prom dresses are so different than what I wore to prom. Granted that it is an LDS community and the dresses are very modest, which mine should have been, but the girls look like they are wearing a funky colored 1990's wedding dress. The bottom is like a full skirt of tulle fabric with the same fabric on the sleeves. We always wore beautiful, tight fitting gowns, or short party dresses, and they were never close to looking like a wedding dress.

Moving on to their English. This mainly pertains to country folk, but I often wonder who teaches them English. Many have trouble with grammar...
"Them was"
"More gooder"
"These ones"

Since living here I've had to learn that some things are pronunciated different than what I'm used to. Also, some words are different for certain things.
 For example, what is the thing that drops down on the dashboard in front of the passenger seat? I've always called it a glove compartment, while some people in Idaho call it a jockey box.
While I say soda, they say pop. While I say truck, meaning like a Dogde Ram, Chevy Silverado, F350, they say pick-up.
Creek: California pronunciation is Cr-eek. Idaho pronunciation is Cr-ik.
Chaps: California pronunciation is Ch-aps. Idaho pronunciation is Sh-aps, which is correct.
Root: California pronunciation is Roo-t. Idaho pronunciation is Ru-t.
Vehicle: California says it with the H silent. Idaho excentuates the H, VeHicle.

Now that I've completely chewed up and spit out the Idaho culture/lifestyle, and Wacy's family will probably disown me, maybe even Wacy too, let me redeem myself. Even though there are so many differences and things that I'm not used to doing or seeing, I have really enjoyed being here. I've gotten to know a ton about rodeo and even though it's not my thing and I'd never want to participate in it, it is pretty extreme and dangerous. The people involved are highly dedicated and so passionate, I commend them for that. Just for the record, I do plan to attend lots and lots of rodeos to support my family and be their biggest cheerleader in the stands.

The nicest people live in Idaho. From working with a great group of ladies to talking to random people, I've found everyone to be extremely nice and friendly. Among these people are Wacy's family. They are such a great family and their love for each other, including me, has been profound. I enjoy all the time I get to spend with them and am grateful I have them here.

Even with the odd style in Idaho, there's not much to say about California either. Most everyone from Idaho will knock California for their extreme styles due to it's diverse population, and I don't blame them. Confession: I did buy a pair of jeans with bling butt pockets.

I don't believe you can say what's good or bad about Idaho and California. They are just different. It comes down to how that person is comfortable living and how they choose to express themselves. I love California. I love all the fun things there is to do there, my family and friends are there and I don't have to drive forever to get someplace. But I do love Idaho as well. Idaho has a sense of wholesome living, hardwork and a good spirit of tradition. In an LDS environment, you don't have 'bad' things thrown in your face and out in the open as much. Yes, this makes people more judgemental, but who cares. Just live your life the way you feel is right and don't let others break you down for that.

As for where Wacy and I will be in the future... who knows! We are focusing on the journey, not the destination!

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