Please, If You Are Moving To Montana, Do Not Ask These 10 Things
As we all know, there are tons of people moving to Montana, and it has become an issue in so many ways. From housing, to daycare, to traffic at all hours.
So if you are planning on moving to Montana or maybe have just arrived, there are a few things that will get you a nasty look when asked. Not by me...I'm pretty judge-free, but some are incredibly annoyed that the town they grew up in is now more of a city.
So here it is, 10 things NOT to ask when moving to Montana (especially Bozeman):
1. Who are the Bobcats? This will for sure get you shunned from any social gathering. The Bobcats are a huge part of our community here in Bozeman, and if you have to ask who they are...perhaps you should attempt to cheer for the Griz.
2. Do you guys have a Trader Joes here? Simply put, NO. We love our local farmers' markets and eateries. So if you are planning on living here, you should also check out our locally owned shops and give back to our community.
3. Do you think the food here is as good as it is back home? Not sure where home is, but we definitely have some seriously delicious grub. We have numerous restaurants that have made national magazines.
FOOD AND WINE MAGAZINE HIGHLIGHT BOZEMAN
4. They seriously wear cowboy boots all year round in Montana? Yes. We love our cowboys AND cowgirls, and although it has become a fashion statement for many tourists, it's still our footwear of choice.
5. Is that a huge sprinkler? Can we run through it? I mean you can try, but that is actually someone's field and its called an irrigation system, not a splash park.
6. Why do people fence in all those wild animals? First off, those are cows. They belong to that farm, so that's where they stay. Also, there are more cows than people in the state of Montana so you should get used to seeing it.
7. Why are people walking their dogs with little plastic bags? Here in Montana, we like to clean up after our best friends, and that includes picking up their droppings and putting them the designated disposal area. That area is not just along the side of the trial. Sometimes you will have to carry that bag of poo for a couple miles if you are just starting your hike.
8. Where can we go to pet buffalo? Nowhere. You can go nowhere to do that. Bison (not buffalo) are meant to be watched from afar. If you need a refresher, here is an article about what happens when you attempt to get close. Use the zoom on your new iPhone or whatever and take a picture. It's less dangerous.
9. Is there only like one charging spot for my car? Being an agricultural community, we don't necessarily adhere to the "fancy plug-in cars" or whatever. We rely on our farmers and truckers too much to have to have them stop every few hours to charge. Plus, we have some cold winters, we "plug in" the old fashioned way; with an extension cord if need be.
10. Don't you wish Montana had ____? Whatever you want to insert in that blank is most likely not going to fly. So just love what we offer, as there are many other places in the US to live.
So if you are planning on moving here or just moved here, do your research first. It will help you out and you won't tick off as many locals.