10 Things I Love, Wish I’d Known, and Find Amusing….



About Moving From CA to OR

10. Native Oregonians are few and far between. In fact, the majority of people I’ve met over the last 7 months are actually from CA. Any native will agree with this statement, then roll their eyes, and make a comment about invasion or something.






9. Don’t ever forget that you are in Oregon, and try to get out of your car to pump gas. Like ever. Also, when you live in Portland, remember that Washington is just a blink away, and you will need to pump your own gas. Don’t sit in your car waiting. Like an ass.






8. No sales tax!






7. Driving around with CA plates in a large metro area in any state, but especially the big O, is like having a huge “Kick Me” sign taped to your back. Or “Please Flip Me Off, Tailgate, and Cut Me Off, I Deserve it, and These Plates Automatically Make Me a Jackass Taking Up Space on Your Roadways!”






6. Green! No, not that kind of green. But hey, if that’s your thing. I hear there’s a butt load up here, and apparently it’s top notch. Seriously though, lush green trees, rivers, streams….This comes with the price of lots of rain. I just pretend I’m fancy and I live in London and like to drink tea and eat scones. It makes it a little more bearable. On most clear days I can see Mt. Hood and St. Helens in the distance too. The scenery is breathtaking.






5. Hippies. Scary hippies. Not your happy and thoughtful, organic loving, skirt wearing, flowery, frolicking through the streets of SF hippie. Friggin’ strung out, things nesting in my hair, dead eye hippies. Zombie hippies.






4. Good people (Not the zombie hippies). There are rude people everywhere. However, I must say - most people up here are incredibly friendly and engaging. Even in the city. Sometimes I forget I’m not in a small town anymore.






3. Portland, OR has the largest amount of strip clubs per capita of any large city in the U.S. That being said, they’re everywhere. It’s not just right here in Portland. There are also peep show places, adult shops, bikini coffee shops (that must be a PacNW thing), all over the place. When I ask any native about this, I get mixed answers. Maybe it’s because OR is one of the only states that allows full nudity. Or, it’s because back in the day, this state was overrun with lots of lonely loggers. ;-)






2. OMG, I don’t have to register my car for another 2 years. Also, my license doesn’t expire for another 6! Like like like.






1. There is no In ‘N’ Out.