OR VS. PA

Michael and I have been compiling two lists:

1) Pennsylvanian's Perceptions of Oregon
2) Differences between OR and PA

This is a list that we started, but I'm sure we'll add on to it as time goes on:

Perceptions of Oregon
(These come from conversations with people at work and as we meet people who find out we're from Oregon)

-Oregon has many ferns in the forest
-Everyone is healthy (that's why we don't smoke, obviously)
-We Recycle!
-When someone thinks Oregon, they think:
-Tree huggers
-Euthanasia ("Oregonians are OK with killing people, just don't cut down the trees!" This one comes from one of Michael's professors)
-Oregon Trail-the computer game and the wagons out west
-Spotted Owl
-Coffee (Thank you Starbucks!)
-Wine Country
-One of my co-workers said Michael is the epitome of what he thinks of when he imagines an Oregonian: a tall, strong jaw who could "beat him up and then go build a house" (What does that even mean?)

Differences we've noticed between Pennsylvania and Oregon:

-Squirrels are everywhere in PA
-Michael doesn't own a suit (as someone asked him, so what do you wear to weddings?)
-When it rains, it RAINS (in Oregon we don't use umbrellas, here they are needed)
-Pedestrians, be one and risk your life (In Oregon, there are new state laws all the time relating to pedestrians)
-Styrofoam-restaurants, coffee shops, to-go boxes, all styrofoam....At least paper is recyclable!
-People drink coffee from Dunkin Donuts (In Oregon that would be the last place we would think to go...but it's great here. And cheap.)
-Wawa-See previous post from last fall. Heaven in a convenience store. Not like 7-11 in any way.
-People prefer black coffee to espresso
-Flip flops may be worn at all times for any function in Oregon
-No maple bars in PA
-No turn lanes-narrow roads here (hence risk to pedestrians)
-Delayed Red Lights (Yellow means push the pedal, not slow down like in Oregon)
-No Right turn on Red
-Townships-are in counties, are made up of cities, and villages, and I still don't really get it.
-Sales tax-but not on clothes
-We have to pump our own gas (unless we drive to New Jersey, the only other state besides OR that has gas attendants)
-No bike lanes
-Croissant pronounced with a French accent
-To cut back on alcohol being available and binge drinking, they sell alcohol in separate stores (Wine and Spirits and/or Beer Yards), but only in mass quantities. 6 packs not available.)
-People go to the beach and don't need 3 layers of clothes
-People go to the beach