15 Things About Living in Rural Idaho
I am no stranger to Idaho. I went to university there. My husband is from Idaho so we spend holidays and summers there. So I know the landscape. I know the culture, but this very familiar state gets a new perspective when a friend asks, “What's it like to be a Filipina in rural Idaho?”
I laughed when my friend asked that. It was a funny-you-should-ask kind of moment. So to answer her question, here are 15 things about living in rural Idaho:
Living in a rural place means lots of rural roads. I was both slightly terrified and in awe watching a UPS or FedEx truck drive up the mountainous drive way to deliver our packages.
We had many package deliveries because like a friend shockingly pointed out to me, “There won’t be a Target there!” I didn’t think it was a big deal at the time because I wasn't aware of how often I shopped at Target. It only took living in a rural town to realize that.
Okay, one last thing on mail. I talked to my USPS mail woman. On the phone. While she was on her route! She called the cabin to confirm that we were staying at the cabin and should start delivering mail to our box again. Who else knows their mailman/woman by name and talks to them on the phone? It was a stark difference from when I first moved to Illinois and the mailman coated my Time Magazine in mud and live maggots.
So many flags. All along Highway 55 there are several ways to acquire flags that suit your political mood. There was a white van that sold flags on the side of the highway. It had the Biden Sucks flag draped on the side of it. Just a few miles up from the van is an Amish store that waved the Don’t Tread on Me. Lastly, a flea market that had all flags. And in between these shops were the homes of their customers. Jordan and I had a good laugh at the display because who were they yelling Blue Lives Matter to? In Springfield, Illinois it’s more socially and politically varied. Here you will find a home decked out in Black Lives Matter and a rainbow flag and their next door neighbor has a “the cheeto dust who shall not be named” 2024. Now that’s a proper politically yelling match!
I might have had a good laugh about the flags at first, but eventually it got to me. The first time I had to go to the grocery store by myself, I was experiencing a bit of anxiety. It’s easy enough to ignore flags waving on someone's property because you can choose to not go there. Those flags showing up in public spaces like the vehicle that parks next to you at the grocery store, that’s a different story. I won’t go through all the thoughts that went through my head, but I was scared. I was hesitant to tell Jordan that I couldn’t go to town by myself. I didn’t want to bother him with it. That’s a whole thing to unpack right there. I did tell him and I’m grateful he had my back. I eventually was able to go to the grocery store by myself. It really helps to speak up about your fears and to have someone support you.
Oliva Rodrigo was the soundtrack of my summer. Name that 2006 song! The commute to the town’s grocery store is 20 minutes. Every drive to town, Oliva would be playing and now I can’t listen to Driver’s License without thinking about long stretches of land dotted with cattle and flags. . . we can’t forget about all those flags.
Rice options are limited at the local grocery store and this Filipina needs her Jasmine rice! How do your options go from long grain white rice, to Uncle Ben’s and then quinoa?! Well, all you ancient grains loving folks will be good to go up here.
I will probably never feel comfortable when a big pick up truck pulls up beside me. Especially when a man pokes his head out and asks, “Is everything okay here?” I mentally check to use my no-accent-speak-clearly-exude-kindness voice. I don’t have an accent. I grew up in the States so my English is good. When you’ve had enough people react with surprise to how “good your English is”, you internalize that. There’s a whole thing I do to mentally and physically poise myself as someone from around these parts. So there’s a lot of weight behind a simple response like, “Oh, my son and I are just looking at the cows.”
Speaking of cows. There’s so many. We were in cattle ranching land for sure and we had to have a very real conversation with our kid about how those tags on the cows’ ears are to keep track of all the cows because they eventually become the meat in our burgers.
Also, cows moo sooooo loudly! If you followed my Instastories, I often shared how concerning the mooing was because of number nine. I may have imagined that they were getting herded into trucks. Also the squirrels are loud too. They chirp at you while you’re trying to enjoy your morning coffee. The squirrels in Illinois don’t make a sound so that was an experience. The hummingbirds were nice, though their flapping wings sound like buzzing hornets so I did get startled for like a second and then in awe the next. You guys, I really do like nature.
And I’ll prove it to you with this -- the first time I saw a Pileated Woodpecker I was mesmerized. It also prompted me to teach my kid how Woody the Woodpecker laughs cause I’m very mature. I spotted them three times during the summer and each time I just stared. Made me think I would probably make a good bird watcher. Adding that hobby to my “Things to Do when I’m 50” list.
There are two things that are nice about living in an isolated area. People generally leave you be and neighbors are willing to help when you need. (I mean, I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking onto someone’s property to ask for a cup of sugar. I may or may not have had someone make the there’s-a-brown-person-on-your-property phone call. All Jordan has to do is say who he’s related to and people are like, okay cool.) So when a massive pine tree fell over our driveway after a big wind storm, a neighbor was ready to help. And buddy just happened to be driving on his four wheeler with his chainsaw at the ready. I’m not kidding, he drove around looking for trees to cut up. It’s both hilarious and very helpful.
I just want to ask, because I can’t be the only one, but if you’re a POC married to a white person and you and your white spouse are introduced to friends of the family who are white, does your face want to melt off from their surprised looks of “oh, his wife/in-law is brown?” Cause it me.
The best burgers and fries in town are from Thunder Mountain Burger. I wonder if they get their beef from the cows 20 miles down the road?
Mountain Flowers all summer long. It’s the best.
So that’s the reality of it all. Some good things. Some very average everyday things. And some very uncomfortable things. But it really was a good summer, and I do intend on returning. Perhaps this time with a Black Lives Matter flag attached to (oh geez, what’s a progressive car because Subaru ain’t it anymore) my car. Haha, I joke. No ways am I going to be in a political yelling match when you have people driving around with chainsaws! Okay, I’ll stop with the jokes. Just enjoy the photos now.
I’m wearing a SelfPortrait top rented from The Fixx Collective, Skims Scoop Bralette, Zara Long Shorts, Belt and Earrings from Nisolo, and Love Seen lashes.
