Louisiana

Louisiana: a flat state with bass-ackwards weather, strange accents, the best food you'll ever taste, beaucoup festivals, southern ignorance, Mardi Gras, a deeply influential heritage, and the most beautiful women in America. Shreveport is the equivalent of the mason-dixon line in Louisiana, because no one south of it wants to claim the north and vice versa. The southern part is mostly bayou marshland and traffic-ridden cities. (It's also the fun part.) The northern half is pretty much Arkansas. (I'm sorry.) It's a state with brown water, friendly faces, clear skies, unique music and unbearable humidity. Proud and stubborn, the older generations still cling to the antiquated ways of the cajun french culture, while the young embrace the urban ideals and try to discard the deep-seated heritage of the state. Yes, it's an extremely corrupt state, politically and otherwise. Elections: everyone's favorite spectator sport. Yes, there are stupid rednecks. (There are stupid people everywhere.) Yes, there is a terrible education system. (Ahem) Yes, racism and discrimination still rampant in parts of the state. (Although a lot less than you would believe.) But there are also unbelievable misconceptions about this intriguing and often underestimated state. And I would like to close with this: I live here, and have never (with my own eyes) seen anyone with a mullet.