We all do it – get complacent with one’s surroundings so that we tune out to new happenings. We eat at the same restaurants, play at the same parks, and see the old sites. It’s safe. Familiar. There is nothing like shaking up the status quo than having guests from out-of-state… or having an international pen-pal or three. Our pen-pals are from Isreal, Australia, and France. If you were wanting to show someone how awesome your hometown, your state, your country was, what would show them? What is important? This adventure has added several new destinations to our “Places To Go” list, and taught us a lot about our state. For instance, did you know the Lightening Whelk is the only sea shell that opens left to right?
Considering I’m a perfectionist, it was hard to pull together essentials. Texas is the second largest state, and is diverse in geography as well as population. I’m still collecting free stuff, but have had to limit store-bought items. Most items we got on sale, thanks to the recent holiday. Books were picked up at a used book shop. The U.S. Post Office has a great freebie entitled “Meet the Wonders of America” that is a coloring book representing regions in the U.S. Our local zoo has a trading post that allowed us to barter a menacing-looking cicada killer for two lightening whelk; we’re trying to scrounge more nature items to obtain a third shell.
So far, we have an American Flag, a Presidents of the U.S. placemat, a wipe-off U.S. map, an Oklahoma timeline, a packet of Chili seasoning (sache for Europeans!), beef jerky, a cookbook, a roserock, a lightening whelk seashell,a hispanic prayer candle, a nursery rhyme music cd from a local preschool, a book on road signs, an American Atlas, a leathercraft kit, a dreamcatcher kit, a book about American Indians, a money game, a magnet explaining the term “Oklahoma Sooners,” and a harmonica. We have also made a booklet about major Texas cities, our weather, sports teams, and the things we do on a daily basis. We have not collected a pecan praline or a Texas Ranger badge, which was on the list. We plan to go to the tourism office to pick up pamphlets of fun things to do.
So the question is, what would you put into a box to let people know about your little part of the world?
playfulyetplanned 