{"id":42065,"date":"2015-06-30T20:08:24","date_gmt":"2015-07-01T03:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/?p=42065"},"modified":"2015-06-30T20:08:24","modified_gmt":"2015-07-01T03:08:24","slug":"leaving-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.movoto.com\/blog\/leaving-arizona\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Things No One Tells You About Leaving Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"

1. Hope You\u2019re Not Craving A Sonoran-Style Dog<\/h2>\n

\"rizona<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User stu_spivack<\/div>\n

A hot dog wrapped in bacon that\u2019s topped with beans, grilled onions, tomatoes, mayonnaise, mustard, jalapenos, and sometimes more, there are few meals as perfect as the Sonoran-style hot dog. Despite how awesome this tastes, this variation on America\u2019s favorite food doesn\u2019t travel much.<\/p>\n

2. You Can Stop Fearing That Moment You Get Into Your Car<\/h2>\n

\"car<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Joelk75<\/div>\n

Growing up with the Arizona<\/a> heat, you\u2019re well aware that a car in the sun can quickly become a death trap, as anything metal or black will basically reach least several hundred degrees. If you leave Arizona, no longer will your car be able to deliver third degree burns.<\/p>\n

3. Prime Parking Is Determined By Distance, Not Shade<\/h2>\n

\"parking<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User aldenjwell<\/div>\n

While you\u2019ve spent your whole life thinking that the spot in the back of the lot covered by a tree was better than one in the front row, you\u2019d be surprised what most Americans will do to avoid walking from a distant parking spot. After all, finding shade isn\u2019t as big of a deal everywhere else thanks to lower temperatures. Just keeping parking in the back and watch the lazy people fight over the front row.<\/p>\n

4. You Probably Took The Awesome Mexican Food For Granted<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User othermore (other)<\/div>\n

A side effect of being so close to Mexico, every city in Arizona seems to have at least three restaurants that have been called the best in America at one point or another. Unfortunately, most Americans aren\u2019t so blessed. In some towns, you\u2019ll be lucky if there\u2019s anything more than Taco Bell.<\/p>\n

5. You\u2019ll Have To Renew That License More Frequently<\/h2>\n

\"arizona<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User cogdogblog<\/div>\n

Arizona has some weird laws for their driver\u2019s licenses. Basically, once you get it, it doesn\u2019t expire until you\u2019re 65, provided you keep replacing the picture every 12 years. Most states will have you renew your license every 4 or 5 years, meaning that many more trips to the dreaded DMV if you leave.<\/p>\n

6. Wildcats Fans Get Pretty Scarce<\/h2>\n

\"university<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Monica\u2019s Dad<\/div>\n

While the University of Arizona Wildcats have a huge fan base in their home state, you\u2019ll be lucky to find many outside of Arizona. Unless you run into someone that also moved away from the Grand Canyon State, you\u2019re probably out of luck.<\/p>\n

7. Sun Devils Fans Are Even More Rare<\/h2>\n

\"arizona<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Neon Tommy<\/div>\n

Arizona State Sun Devils fans seem to travel even less. You\u2019ll rarely see someone rocking the maroon and gold you love on game day.<\/p>\n

8. Dry Heat Is Not Normal Heat<\/h2>\n

\"man<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Instant Vantage<\/div>\n

Everyone is well aware that Arizona is a hot place to be. However, the hot temperatures in Arizona don\u2019t mean the same thing they do elsewhere. Nearly everywhere else suffers from a little thing called humidity. It\u2019s capable of making 80 degrees a sticky mess that you\u2019ll dread more than 110 degrees in Arizona. Just hope you\u2019re not moving somewhere in the South.<\/p>\n

9. People Will Wonder Why You Always Shake Out Your Shoes<\/h2>\n

\"woman<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User sonyaseattle<\/div>\n

The first time someone who isn\u2019t from Arizona sees you shake out your shoes, they\u2019ll look at you like you\u2019re crazy. Just Google pictures of scorpion bites and show them why you do it and they\u2019ll totally understand. They\u2019ll also probably think Arizonans are a bit more badass, too.<\/p>\n

10. No One Else Will Have The Same Appreciation For Cacti<\/h2>\n

\"cactus\"<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User desertdutchman<\/div>\n

Literally protected by the law, it\u2019s hard to understand how awesome cacti are until you see one in person. Capable of towering anywhere from 40 to 60 feet above the ground, you\u2019ll miss these awesome features of the Arizona landscape.<\/p>\n

11. You\u2019ll Have To Start Adjusting Your Watches<\/h2>\n

\"late<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User M_AIPhotography<\/div>\n

Arizona is oddly one of two states (the other is Hawaii<\/a>) that doesn\u2019t observe daylight savings time. This is sure to catch you off guard for at least a decade if you move away.<\/p>\n

12. Flip Flops Will No Longer Be Suitable For Work<\/h2>\n

\"closeup<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Nicola since 1972<\/div>\n

We get it, it\u2019s so hot in Arizona that most people simply give up on workplace fashion and opt for the most comfortable footwear available. Don\u2019t expect to be doing this anywhere else without repercussions unless you\u2019re literally living in a beach down.<\/p>\n

13. No One Knows What A Haboob Is<\/h2>\n

\"arizona<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User squeaks2569<\/div>\n

A giant walls of dust and sand that swiftly descends on cities all around this state, getting caught outside in a haboob can spell disaster. Unless you meet someone that\u2019s from Arizona, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll have never heard of this word before\u2014and they definitely won\u2019t share the same fear towards these that you do.<\/p>\n

14. People Will Assume You\u2019re Basically A Cowboy<\/h2>\n

\"arizona<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User Moyan_Brenn<\/div>\n

Everyone lives in the middle of the desert in Arizona, right? Thanks to the depiction of Arizona in popular media, people tend to assume that everyone there lives the life of the wild, wild, West.<\/p>\n

15. Learn To Drive In The Rain, Fast<\/h2>\n

\"rainy<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User woodleywonderworks<\/div>\n

While people in Arizona might seem to be completely incapable of driving in the rain, most Americans don\u2019t think twice before speeding down a wet street. If you don\u2019t learn to do the same, you\u2019re sure to ruffle some feathers on the road.<\/p>\n

16. All That Spanglish You Learned Will Probably Be Useless<\/h2>\n

\"sign<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User blmurch<\/div>\n

Another side effect of being close to Mexico, there\u2019s a huge presence of the Spanish language that tends to slip into daily Arizonan life. Unfortunately, in most states, the simple word “queso” will leave some people bewildered and confused.<\/p>\n

17. People Will Assume You\u2019ve Never Seen Snow<\/h2>\n

\"snow<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User marksontok<\/div>\n

When most Americans think “Arizona,” they think “hot” and “desert.” While both of these words are great descriptions, they tend to get a bit exaggerated. Anyone who\u2019s been through places like Flagstaff and Sedona during winter knows good and well what snow is. This state even has a few skiers in it.<\/p>\n

18. Dust Isn\u2019t Such A Problem<\/h2>\n

\"dusty<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User mtungate<\/div>\n

Dust is everywhere in Arizona. It is a desert after all. Making it impossible to keep your car clean or have an open window for long, you won\u2019t have to deal with these same issues out of state.<\/p>\n

19. You\u2019ll Never Have Anyone To Cheer With During The Diamond Back Games<\/h2>\n

\"arizona<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User angela n.<\/div>\n

Very rarely will you encounter someone cheering for the Arizona Diamondbacks outside of Arizona. By this point, even most of the bandwagoners have found someone else to cheer for. You\u2019ll be extremely lucky if you can even find a bar with the game on while you\u2019re out.<\/p>\n

20. Vortexes Will Confuse Everyone<\/h2>\n

\"man<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User cogdogblog<\/div>\n

Nestled in the beautiful city of Sedona<\/a>, these vortices are certain places filled with spiritual energy. It\u2019s hard to explain until you experience it first hand and telling someone from another state about them is sure to make you sound crazy.<\/p>\n

21. No One Will Believe Arizona Is As Beautiful As You Say It Is<\/h2>\n

\"man<\/p>\n

Source: Flickr User kittenfc<\/div>\n

You\u2019ll hear things like “isn\u2019t it just a desert?” and “is there even anything to do in Arizona?” quite frequently. The beauty of Arizona is definitely hard to capture in pictures, because no picture will actually compare to seeing the vastness and enormity of the landscape with your own two eyes. But that\u2019s just fine, keep Arizona your own little secret as those tourists stay ignorant to the awesome things they\u2019re missing out on.
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