Oddities and Abnormalities of Arizona

When I moved to this state with my family we were expecting to see the environment we once visited in Sedona AZ. We were very surprised when we realized that the Valley of the Sun was in fact a desert, and at least us adolescents felt tricked. I miss the color green so much that I have had Forest Green couches, green curtains, green dishes, green vases, green candles, green matting for my pictures and more as I desperately try to bring the color green to life again in this lifeless desert city. When we moved here I found a few things odd and I can remember how strange they were to us coming from what we viewed at the time as a "normal" state. I thought I would share a list of a few of the oddities we encountered so that you are prepared if you journey to this corner of the world.

1. People actually rake their rocks. I know it sounds strange, but they go out in the summer after someone or something has moved a rock and rake it in lines!

The first time we saw a neighbor doing this we realized that they were the "odd" ones in the neighborhood until all of our other neighbors joined in. There are very few all grass yards in AZ because of water conservation and as a result most yards are this HORRIBLE pebble mess.

2. Native Arizonans are an interesting mix of southern laughter, and slow talking that makes New Yorkers in particular incredibly uncomfortable, several of them are exceptionally intelligent, but when I first moved here it was hard for the Natives to understand me because of my vocabulary and also because of the rapid conversation style I grew up with.

3. Even though it never rains, well almost never, people wash their cars religiously. Not because they actually look dirty, but because they are "dusty"
Apparently you can't waste water on a grass yard, but wasting it washing your car every four days is a noble sacrifice that benefits the whole of mankind.

4. When it does rain, it isn't rain, but more like someone is throwing a bucket of water on you. Not only that, but not everyone gets the rain! On one side of the stop light or intersection buckets are being poured, and on the other side the sun is shining! I am NOT exaggerating here it does do that! Even the weather is odd.

5. People wear parkas in 60 degree weather. I laughed so hard when I saw this in high school, but sadly I now do it as well, laugh if you must.

6. Neighbors do not get to know each other. There is no move in welcome to the neighborhood. People drive their air conditioned cars into their garages the garages shut and you don't meet your new neighbors until a month or two later when they come over to ask you to wash your car or rake your rocks!

7. Arizona is the one state where it is socially unacceptable to use a turn signal! To an Arizonan turning on your turn signal means "Oh, they want to get over! I reckon I should speed up and block them in because I was here first!" turning on a turn signal is the same as giving someone the bird! My husband didn't believe that people anywhere would let you in when you used it until in Minnesota someone slowed down to let him in. Believe it or not, it was the first time in his life that that had happened.

8. The above situation is aggravated if it is raining. In Arizona if it rains you drive faster and more reckless. I think they believe they can stay dry if they drive fast. Either that or it is anger over the thought of the rain getting their car dirty and needing to wash it again!

9. Hunting in Arizona means kill anything and everything and use assault rifles to do it. Think Texas without the restraint.

10. Arizona is a masculine state, although it likes to pretend to be progressive. Women here would argue with that one, but there are a great many husbands who "babysit" their own kids or who are the "head of the House". Coming from Scandinavian parents this social system usually gets me into trouble, and I am seen as controlling if I ask my husband to share in child rearing or housework. Not that I care in the least about their opinion when it comes to that. I know eventually the whole world will realize that women are equal-if I have anything to say about it :-)

11. Everyone has a block fence around their yard. Houses are cookie cutter stucco versions of others, and have block fences. My sweet sister in law was so used to the block fence or "Cone of Silence and isolation" that when she moved to the Midwest it was and probably still is uncomfortable for her. It makes Natives feel naked and exposed not to have the world blocked off by a fence.

12. There are or were no real lines in Arizona until the recent exodus of New Yorkers and Californians here. This is another social phenomenon of interest. As the New Yorkers came and tried to make lines that they are comfortable with (lets face it New York is great, but it is also the longest line in the world)the Arizonans would move to another lane ahead of them and they would be very vexed feeling that someone had "cut" in line. It was interesting to watch.

In short, Arizona is a very interesting cultural and physical landscape that should not be overlooked as a vacation destination. Just remember that if you move here, wash your car, never use your turn signal if you value your life, rake your rocks weekly at least, make sure your air conditioning works and that you have a garage door opener, talk slower, laugh more, carry an umbrella for the 360 days you don't need it and only leave it home on the five days that you do, and be grateful that you don't need a passport because for a newbie or "snowbird", as the people who come every winter are called, Arizona may feel like a different country. After awhile though it just feels like home.