Things I learned in Nebraska

Some people live their whole lives in the same town.  They are lucky enough to grow up around cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  Maybe their family owns the town drugstore or local car dealership, or maybe everyone in their family works for the same local factory.  I did not grow up this way.  I lived in 4 different states while growing up, and have lived in 4 different states since graduating from college in 1991.  When recruiters would ask me if I was able to relocate, I said yes.  I guess that's one of the reasons why we moved to Nebraska a little over two years ago.  Although we had never been there, I had a great job opportunity, so we packed up the girls and went.   

The Midwest is very different from the South.  For starters there is no sweet tea! They ask you if you want your milk in a "sack", and all soda is called "pop".  Here's some other things that I learned in my 2 years in this strange land:

1. EVERYONE (men, women, children) cheers for and watches the Huskers (that's the University of Nebraska) play any and every sport, but especially football.  When the football game is on, the state shuts down to watch.  Additionally, everyone has a red sweatshirt or t-shirt with a big N on it for Nebraska.  I think it's a law when you enter the state.  It is also OK to wear red Nebraska apparel to church.  On Christmas Eve.  I'm not kidding.

2. Omaha has the a LOT of bars. Trulia, a real estate trend-watcher, created maps that divide the U.S. into restaurant cities and bar cities, and Omaha pops up as the city with the third-highest bar density: 8.3 bars per 10,000 households.  It's bizarre. Click here to read the story There are bars in every strip center, all equipped with big screens to watch Nebraska games.    There are also no "blue" laws when it comes to selling alcohol, so it was common to see liquor displays in CVS, Target, and the local grocery store, HyVee.  HyVee once even had a display in the produce department showing how to make punch out of watermelons and everclear.  You just don't see that in the Bible belt south!  Also in HyVee they play radio coverage of the Husker games over the loudspeakers.  Just in case you might miss something on your beer run.

3. It's cold.  Well duh it's Nebraska.  But I'm talking bone chilling -20 degrees with the wind chill cold.  It wasn't uncommon to see snow on a daily basis.   Last year it snowed on May 1st.  Terrible.

4. Women eat in Nebraska.  A lot.  And they eat real foods.  No picking at salad here.  At my office we regularly had "food day" when everyone would bring a dish and we would basically eat all day.  Not great for my weight loss efforts for sure!  I had several skinny co workers (Brooke!) who could eat ANYTHING and stay skinny.  Must be some Midwest lucky gene mutation.

I don't regret the 2 years that we spent in Omaha, but I am very glad to be back in the south. Thanks for reading, y'all!