Since I’ve got another couple weeks before I get busy with the anime conventions, I decided to throw a suitcase into my 2002 Miata convertible and head out for a part of the U.S. I’ve not been to yet, starting with Utah. I’ve had a great time so far, spending the weekend hiking and riding horses through Zion Canyon National Park and taking pictures of breathtakingly beautiful mountains. I’m not used to experiencing culture shock in my own country, but I’ve encountered some in this somewhat unique U.S. state: last night I was in a pizza restaurant, mildly disappointed that the restaurant didn’t serve beer…while a family sitting next to me was miffed that the restaurant offered no caffeine-free drinks other than water. When I brought this up with my Twitter followers, a Utah-born Japanese person pointed out that she experienced a similar kind of culture shock while visiting Japan, so I guess it goes both ways. Utah residents seem to have a good sense of humor about things, such as the locally brewed beer called Polygamy Porter (motto: “Why have just one?”) or a restaurant that sold an ice cream treat called Never On a Sundae.
I’m having lots of fun in Utah.
