Personal Narrative: Idaho Falls

In a valley surrounded by mountains lies a small town known as Idaho Falls, where I lived in the same house for the majority of my life. The area is dominantly LDS contributing to the extremely conservative views accepted by the majority of the population. Growing up in a sheltered community I really had no first-hand experience of the realities of the rest of the world major crimes were rarely heard of, I don’t recall ever having witnessed any sort of racism or segregation. By the time I was sixteen I was well traveled, my family went on yearly trips to different countries, thus I considered myself cultured in the ways of the world. I was naïve in believing that the rest of the country would have the same fundamental beliefs that I had grown …show more content…
Stepping out of the car for the first time in the southern United States felt like stepping into a hot sauna. The air was wet, and immediately my skin felt damp and sticky. I was no longer surrounded by mountains, but rolling hills and wooded areas that appeared almost tropical in their rich green color and hanging vines. The tops of trees had white webs wrapped around branches that resembled the appearance of cotton candy on a cone. I immediately encountered both larger forms of insects I’d seen before such as mosquitos, but also insects I’d never even heard of. The clicking sound of palmetto bugs rang thru the neighborhoods in the quiet of the night. As the days passed my mom went off to her new job and I stayed home, I took up running to explore my new habitat. Almost every morning there were flash rain storms that would only last a few minutes, tiny frogs barely larger than quarters seemed to appear out of thin air on the pavement only staying until the rain dried up. The appearance of Charleston was the first thing I noticed because the differences were visual, but I would soon encounter social differences as I eased myself into the society of the …show more content…
I developed my own views and passions when I was there, I was oblivious to the fact that I didn’t have my own opinions previously only the views and beliefs instilled in me by other people. I began to think for myself and came to realize my passion for defending the rights of minority groups. I honestly believe I wouldn’t have discovered these passions if I hadn’t been exposed to the very real presence of racism that’s still present in America as well as the silent segregation that I witnessed. I’ve carried those views and built upon them as I’ve grown up. Having the freedom to question what you’re told, build upon your knowledge, and debate unpopular issues, fighting for the underdog with a chance to change lives for the better is part of what makes being an American