You can't go home again

For the past few months I have been thinking about how different things are depending on where you live and where you're from. I have lived in 3 different places and find each place to be pretty different than the previous, however, these differences are in reality not all that significant. But they are just different. People talk differently, they use different phrases and words, and do different things, and are sometimes just plain weird. I know that the way I talk and the way I do things is the correct way, I mean, Ryan talks the way I do, and does things the way I do, so it must be right, right? I guess for us it is.
When people find out that I am originally from South Dakota they freak out. I mean seriously, freak out. The first thing they say is "I've never met anyone from South Dakota before." Then they say one of two things, "I was there once before" and proceed with a time they visited Mt. Rushmore, or just drove through, or "isn't that where Mt. Rushmore is?" Really, come on. Mt. Rushmore? OK I guess, I'll take it, it could be worse. More people could be as ridiculous as a few who in all seriousness think there is no running water, or that everyone is a farmer. But then again I do make assumptions about people from Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, and have never been to any of those places.
When people find out that I also lived in Kansas City they sudden forget that I said the word city after Kansas, and just start saying that I'm from Kansas. Obviously a portion of Kansas City is in Kansas, but most of it is in Missouri, and I lived in Missouri. Please get it straight - there is a difference. Do people not know basic geography anymore? When we lived in Kansas City, I couldn't wait to leave. So many red necks and white trash, it was at times unbearable. Now, I just really, really, really want to go back. I thought that life in Ohio had to be better....not so much. Not that life here sucks, but it's just not Kansas City, nor is it home. I don't hate northeast Ohio, it's just different.
Recently a friend from Kansas City (Missouri) visited South Dakota for the first time. Naturally she blogged about it. She stated that her trip wasn't bad, she got to see Mt. Rushmore, of course, and the VERY impressive Corn Palace. She also mentioned that she felt that people just weren't all that friendly. My first thought was, "weird, how could that be? People from South Dakota are the most friendly in the world." I discussed this idea with my mother, and she agreed with me, and my mother has lived in more places than me, and she isn't even originally from South Dakota, she's from Missouri(!). I thought about it more, and realized that most of the folks my friend came into contact with were those who work in the tourism industry. And she visited in peak tourism season, where everyone from Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Iowa go to visit. So therefore, the unfriendly people were just tired of their jobs and dealing with out-of-staters on a regular basis. I do apologize for them.
This past weekend I was talking with some Ohio friends about South Dakota. They have never been to, and want to visit, you guessed it, Mt. Rushmore. I can only imagine what they would think of my home state. Perhaps I should take them there for a tour and allow them to experience driving for 3 solid hours and see really nothing at all.
Soon we will find out if we get to stay here in NE Ohio, or if we will once again have to relocate for Ryan's residency. I keep thinking that there just has to be something better. But then I wonder, what better am I looking for? I'm not ready to go back to South Dakota, I'm really not sure if I will ever be. It's nice to visit, but living there again would just be so strange. Going back to Kansas City sure would be fantastic, but I'm not sure if that's in the cards. I wouldn't hate it if we stayed here, in fact it would be easier to not have to pack all our stuff, drive across the country and start to look for another new job yet again. But what if there is something that is just perfect. I wonder where that could be?