America: a post by Jacques

America: wrapped up in a pig blanket and served in a warble of words here

It's hard to depict the awesomeness and grandeur that is America through pictures, much less with words, and very much less so when I'm the one writing the words. But each part of the country is unique to it's own social-demo-geographical region. More so than the spectacular geography and awesome scenery are the people we meet. Every warm welcome into a household is an invitation into someone's life. They enrich our young minds with a plethora of fascinating stories, and a display of their interesting hobbies, and a peek into lifestyles other than our own Generation Y upbringing. 

The South still holds onto it's rebel ties through proud displays of the Dixie flag and bumpers stickers. You can't help but notice the poverty stricken areas of eastern KY aka coal country, or I as like to call it - the ghetto of the rural. There, they hate alternative energy not because they are a bunch of backwards bucktoothed rednecks, but because coal mining is their bread and butter.

What the Midwest lacks in the geographical features, it is made up by the hospitality and generosity of the people. Humble backgrounds make for the nicest people. But I must say - big tractors, combines, miles of corn, amber waves of grain -  riding through the bread basket of America really does embody the feeling of being American.

Then comes the Rockies and the wild wild west. The single most beautiful place in the country hands down. Big blue skies, snow capped peaks, winding rivers, towering aspens, the site of a wrangler on a horse moving his cattle down the road, perhaps this is where they get that stuff on that "America is awesome" video they showed me when I got naturalized as a citizen.

 The Northwest knows a good thing when they see it. After being in small town USA for a good bit, it was easy to forget that that there are some places in this country with more than a handful of people. The Northwest is known for their gray overcast ambiance, yuppies jacked up on coffee, and more craft beer breweries than I can drink. Once I hit Portland-Vancouver-Seattle area, I feel myself entering a rather progressive and really white part of the country. Portland really struck a good note on my banjo. I can see why white people like this place.