Welcome to Arizona! We are happy you chose our state to make it your new home. However, now kindly follow those simple rules.

It seems that with the surging of transplants from the whole west coast, some of the bad habits have been following too. I lived on the west coast for 14 years thus I am aware of some of those actions. And of course, others are so stamped on the DNA, that you can go blindfolded and know exactly from which state the person that you are talking to comes from. Only three states so we are a bit lucky there.

So for me to let out my grievances, here are a couple of beneficial hints on how to behave or, better yet, how to become an Arizonian.

First of all:

We are kind and friendly peoples and we love to say hello. Yes! Back in our next-door state where being friendly has left the building, here in the cowboy land we still like to say: “Hello”. Consider yourself fortunate that we do not say: “Howdy Partner!” “Welcome to Arizona!”

So when someone says hello to you, reciprocate and with a genuine smile, not half-ass bullshit of a smile with this deer on headlight look: “Dear God, she is going to talk to me? What do I do now?”

By the way, we do know that we are not invisible, so ignoring our presence does not work here.

Secondly:

We in Arizona, drive slowly on the right lane. Yes, we do!! So please if you do not know which one is your right lane, let me refresh your memory: Look at your hands and see which one is and where your right hand is located. Found it? Well, now imagine yourself in your car and see where the right lane is located, found it? There is where you need to drive if you do not drive fast.

Thirdly

If you moved here voluntarily it is because you did not like where you lived. May it be taxes, cost of living, administration of the city or state, the impossibility of buying a house, heavy taxation, and whatever else may have been the factoring key that made you decide to move here, just remember one thing: Do not bring your ideologies that have not worked where you are coming from here and expect us to change to what you were used to that obviously it failed you or you would not be here in the first place.

To the outside world, we may be still cowboys that carry guns. No greenery and do not have all the organic tadas that you may want. And on that note just for you to know, Arizona is the 27th largest agricultural exporting state and ranks 2nd on vegetable exporting. Not bad for such a dry state, right?

We may not have all the bells and whistles that you may be used to, but we are nice peoples, that love our state and all the beauty that it has to offer. You can drive two hours in every direction from Phoenix, and you can snow ski in the winter. Reprive from the summer heat in the summer by going to higher grounds. Or enjoy river boating.

Yes, it may be a bit hot in the summer, but look at the winter months. We are heaven for a lot of peoples that do not want to shovel snow anymore.

Welcome to Arizona! Enjoy our state and be kind or go back home.

xoxo