East vs. West

Blog #1

Sometimes, the best way to analyze your own culture is from an outside perspective.  Over thanksgiving break I traveled past the CT borders and found my self in Phoenix Arizona.  Ahh, the West… the perfect place to be while a blizzard approaches your hometown back east.  I stayed with my relatives in a gorgeous clay-style home. (Typical Arizonian) The entire house was one floor, which is common in Arizona.  This comparison allowed me to see the difference in architecture between the East and West.  Us Connecticutans are used to two, maybe three floors in our houses.

 My uncle and his family are very big into outdoor activities. Each child in the family play a sport every season of the year, and participate in recreational outdoor activities on a daily basis.  They go rock climbing, hike mountains, and even drive their dune buggies through the desert.  After observing this, I noticed how different it was back home.  Compared to Norwalk, they are much more physically active in the West (or at least in Arizona.) 

Another noticeable difference in Arizona was the mood of the people.  Everyone that I talked to there, stranger or not, seemed very cheerful and positive.  Now, I did some research and concluded that there is a scientific reason for this mood difference.  Because they basically skip winter, they are exposed to sunlight all year round, which delivers essential vitamins to humans that affect their moods.  That being said, I strongly recommend you don’t take a vacation to the Connecticut area during winter because I can assure you, no one will be in a good mood. 

I didn’t realize these major differences until I returned back home.  Instantly, I realized how the attitudes of the Easterns are different.  The west is all about going with the flow; just let your hair get messed up in the wind from your convertible, why not? Dude, my uncle even goes to work in shorts and a t-shirt!  Well, in the East, we are much more strict.  We need to be on time to everything, with a straight tie, and a proper hair cut.  Why?  It’s just our culture.