There are so many different reasons why I fell in love with Arkansas. This Christmas I went there to spend the holidays with my boyfriends family. Before going I didn't think that I was going to like it. But a short time into the trip I realized that I was totally wrong. The drive is long but more beautiful than you can imagine. It's so peaceful and really relaxing. There are a lot of reasons why it's beautiful and I just finally got to experience them.
One of the things that I thought was so interesting about Arkansas is how the families treat each other. The families are really close. They are tight knit. I was not expecting that. I would go place-to-place and just watch people. How they interacted. I saw them talking, laughing and just enjoying spending time with each other. Here I'm used to seeing people on the go.
A New Hampshire Deer Hunt
Raches (and a greyhound) pursuing the hart from Li...
English: A pack-in or "pop-up" outhouse-type blind...Trying to beat the clock. You cram your food in your mouth as fast as you can so that you can get ready for something else. There's no talking, laughing or enjoying each other's company. When I go to eat I'm out in 15 to 30 minutes. I'm not saying that everyone is like that. I was just so amazed with the way that people treated each other.
As I left Houston I was noticing how things have changed through out the time that I have been here. There are huge neighborhoods, big buildings, tons and tons of people. That's one thing that I liked about Arkansas. The part that I was in was a medium sized place. The land is beautiful; the houses are on plots of land that is huge. You could drive down the road and maybe only see a couple of houses, and they are pretty far apart. I loved that. The land is full of huge trees, and in some places you can't see that far through them. I didn't have to see huge buildings that you could see from miles away. I think that the biggest place was a chemical plant. It is totally wide-open land. I grew up in the country so I understand how it is to live in that type of lifestyle. Above all I thought that the fact that there where no big billboards, no huge 20+ story building, or houses so close that you can see your neighbors every move was wonderful.
While I was there I went deer hunting. It was my very first time. I went to the deer stand that was out in the middle of nowhere and I could hear not a single thing. It was so quiet. If you need some time away from the world or just a place to clear your head this is the perfect place. Your up in this deer stand and all that you hear is birds, sometimes you might hear gun shots and things like that. But really it has to be the quietest and most peaceful place that I have been in a while.
Arkansas is my favorite place, its beautiful, the people really know what it means to work hard and be a family. Even though its small it's a nice place to go to get away from the rush of life and get back to what really matters. Your family, I think that sometimes people really forget what is really important in life. It's your family above everything else. Other things may be important at the time but in the long run the support of your family is what is lasting. That is what I took from that trip. And I hope that I will keep that with me.
Arkansas Traveler Tartan
Arkansas Population Density Map
A map of Arkansas with county boundaries drawn