Pennsylvanian impressions (just impressions, not trying to make any stereotypes)

All morning I have been thinking about what I could write today to make an interesting post. And I was thinking about the origins of the word blog. Correct me if I am wrong, but I think it comes from web log. Like a travel log that you keep on the web. Most of my readers and fellow bloggers (all six of you) are kinda in the same boat I am, not exactly traveling, but on the adventure of a lifetime anyway. I was thinking that my adventure in Pennsylvania might be of interest to some of you and I realize that I am still in one of the stages of culture shock, so it is an important moment for me to document some of my impressions. I remember when we first bought our house in Utah that things were a little different culturally than what I was used to in Minnesota, but I can't put my finger on it now.

Here are some of the false assumptions that I came here with about what life is like "out East."

1. Most people are well educated ( ivy league schools)
   
2. Most people have a better sense of style and dress nicely
3. Everything is more high tech
4. People were more "cultured"
   

I guess what I didn't put into the equation was that we weren't moving into a metropolitan area, which is something that I really took for granted in Salt Lake and Minneapolis. So, I was surprised by how much farmland there is, and how far away everything is. I knew there were more trees, which I love, but I didn't realize how agricultural Pennsylvania was. There was a strange scent in the air so, I asked on of the locals at the bus stop what it was and she said without flinching, "Turkey sh*t" They use it as fertilizer on the corn fields. I guess they just call it like it is. I have been surprised a few times by telling me what to do with my kids, like, "I don't think you want him picking up those rocks." Or, "Keep your daughter off that (chin up bar)."

On the way walking to school there are always white men loitering on the street. I wonder if they are unemployed or disabled, but mostly I wonder why they are staring at us. I have started to recognize and greet them. That is what Jesus would do isn't it? Even if they look scary and I am praying that they don't know where I live. In the summer they wear white undershirts (wife beaters as we called them in high school), but now they are donning their flannel lumberjack shirts. I have also noticed a lot more "working class" white men around like in their plumber or car mechanic clothes at the grocery store or picking their daughters up from dance class.
These are just some things I have noticed. I have made some friends at church, but they are mostly California or Utah transplants, so they don't really count as far as me getting to know Pennsylvanians. I think I need to branch out like join the book club at the library (my Relief Society is opposed to starting one in the ward). The only problem is that the library book club meets on Monday nights. Maybe we can work it out anyway.

I just realized that this post sounded a little negative. Tomorrow I will write all the good things about living in Pennsylvania.

Tonight I am grateful that we have a great babysitter that we trust so we can go out (to stake conference).