What do you think of when you think of New Mexico?

[Greta]

Just a point of personal curiosity.  I'd like to know what those of you have never lived in NM think of it.  What's the first thing that comes to your mind?  Be honest, you won't offend me even if it's something terrible!  I'd really like to know.  And please also mention whether you've traveled here, or never even set foot in this state.

 

By way of explanation, this came about because the "quirky regional habits" thread reminded me of this video about Burqueños, which then led me to this video about state stereotypes. 

 

I'm not from NM originally, and would not have understood that Burqueños video prior to moving here.  But I'm curious if the NM stereotype in the second video is really what people think of when they think of this state. 

 

(And for those who would wish to be warned, the first video does have an expletive in the title, in case you have little ones reading over your shoulder.)

 

[Parrothead]

Desert and Roswell and the training center.

[Greta]

Desert and Roswell

 

Okay, I guess the stereotype in the video really IS what people think of!  :laugh:

 

 

 

and the training center.

 

What training center?

 

Thanks for answering!  My impression of NM prior to moving here was:  adobe houses, chile ristras, yuccas, and atomic weapons.  :lol:  (ETA, and I *had* traveled here, several times, starting when I was about 12 I think.)

[Samiam]

Deserts, hot, and many Mexican natives...both legal and illegal.  

[Guest inoubliable]

Desert. Dig sites. 

[Greta]

Deserts, hot, and many Mexican natives...both legal and illegal.  

 

I'd say that's pretty accurate.  :001_smile:  I live in the northern part of the state, and at a high-ish altitude (my house is somewhere b/t 5800 and 5900 ft of elevation), so with that and the dry air it's actually not as hot as where I grew up (Oklahoma), but it's definitely a warm climate.

 

Thanks!

[Stacia]

Hot

Desert

Not much there -- lots of expanses of dirt

White sands (for some reason, I've always wanted to see these)

 

And, that you guys there are a different country, not part of the US.  ;)  (That's my own regional bias as there was a big issue for Atlanta when it hosted the Olympics & one of the ticket sellers kept telling a guy from New Mexico that he was going to have to pay international shipping fees for his tickets -- or something like that. Basically, the Atlanta person kept thinking New Mexico was a different country. Yikes. And, no, I never really thought New Mexico was a different country.)

 

Reading the other responses, I didn't even think about Roswell. But, I'm not really into UFOs & such....

[Chelle in MO]

I think of Native Americans and hot, dry weather. 

 

 

[DarlaS]

My nephew lives there. Looks like AZ to me.

[Greta]

Desert. Dig sites. 

 

Oh, yeah, I had forgotten this, but interesting archaeological sites was actually one of the things that I thought about NM prior to moving here! 

 

Thanks!

[DawnM]

Desert

Hot

Top Secret Government Facilities

Bunkers (there prob aren't any but for some reason it comes to mind)

Roswell

[Χά�ων]

Aliens

[BigMamaBird]

Hot desert.

[Cinder]

Ok, I didn't even think of Roswell first. I thought of the flag and Larry, a guy I knew in college and the only person I've met who was actually from NM. Then I thought of high, mountain deserts.

 

Then I decided to read the rest of the thread to see what other people were thinking.

[Parrothead]

What training center?

 

 

The one in Artesia.

[myfunnybunch]

My first thoughts....

Georgia O'Keefe

Desert

Beautiful sunsets

Native American art and culture

[Sara in AZ]

I live in AZ, but I haven't really ever been further than 30 miles over the border into NM. I always figured it was pretty much like here. Also, I've always wanted to visit Santa Fe because there's a pretty interesting arts/music scene there, right? Alien storage is low down on my list of NM associations.

[bettyandbob]

Dry

[TXMomof4]

Mountains, beautiful art, fantastic Hatch chili on eggs.

My family has a cabin in N. New Mexico and I grew up going there every summer. We'd visit Taos and Santa Fe and I adore that part of the country.

[Jean in Newcastle]

First thing I think of?  A bright yellow flag with a red stylized sun on it.  (At least I think it is supposed to be a stylized sun).  

 

Then I think of what Myfunnybunch said:

Georgia O'Keefe

Desert

Beautiful sunsets

Native American art and culture

 

[SKL]

I picture desert.  :)

[TXMomof4]

It's funny - I never think of desert and NM together. I always think of cool mountains and soft summer rain.

[Greta]

 

And, that you guys there are a different country, not part of the US. ;) (That's my own regional bias as there was a big issue for Atlanta when it hosted the Olympics & one of the ticket sellers kept telling a guy from New Mexico that he was going to have to pay international shipping fees for his tickets -- or something like that. Basically, the Atlanta person kept thinking New Mexico was a different country. Yikes. And, no, I never really thought New Mexico was a different country.)

I've never encountered this one personally, but I have heard other people here complain about getting into arguments with people from other parts of the US about the fact that yes, this IS a state!

The one in Artesia.

Oh, yeah! Um, yes, I know my own state really well. :blush:

 

I live in AZ, but I haven't really ever been further than 30 miles over the border into NM. I always figured it was pretty much like here.

Pretty much, though Phoenix in April, (at least the one time I experienced it) is hotter than it is here in Albuquerque in July. Brutal!

Also, I've always wanted to visit Santa Fe because there's a pretty interesting arts/music scene there, right?

Lots of galleries and the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. The Palace of the Governors and the historic churches and missions are also interesting, if you ever make it there.

Alien storage is low down on my list of NM associations.

Same here! That's why the video surprised me.

[Greta]

First thing I think of?  A bright yellow flag with a red stylized sun on it.  (At least I think it is supposed to be a stylized sun).  

 

 

Yes, it's the sun symbol used by the Zia people, and now on our flag and seen/used quite a lot here.

[Greta]

It's funny - I never think of desert and NM together. I always think of cool mountains and soft summer rain.

 

Me too, since I live in the northern part of the state.  It is a desert, of course, but I don't think it fits most people's image of a desert.  It's really quite mild and pleasant!

[Stacia]

Yes, it's the sun symbol used by the Zia people, and now on our flag and seen/used quite a lot here.

 

It's beautiful. Love it.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

I think of red rock. I think of a beautiful landscape. I don't think of aliens--whether we're talking about the ones with big eyes or the good-looking teenagers who can heal wounds with a swipe of their hand.

 

I haven't been out west since I was a kid (except for trips to San Francisco and Las Vegas), but I would love to go back for a visit to New Mexico sometime. It would be fun to take a cross-country train trip.

[Cosmos]

Desert, mountains, Native American culture, poverty, my aunt in Taos, green chiles

 

Just visited NM for the first time this year. We didn't see a whole lot, but what we did was beautiful. And I had a meal that ranks up there as one of the best in my life.

[Greta]

It would be fun to take a cross-country train trip.

We once took a train trip from here (Albuquerque) to the Grand Canyon, and that was really fun. That's the only time I've traveled by train (I mean other than light rail or subway *within* a city) and it was really fun. Oh, I've done a couple of little excursion trains too, in Colorado and Alaska. I've heard great things about train travel in California, but I've never had the opportunity. Anyway, I agree with you, that would be fun!

[Luanne]

One of my college friends lived there for a while and I visited her there.  She lived in Soccoro.  We went to the grocery store with her when we were there (my then husband and daughter who was 2 at the time) and we were the only white people in the store and the only ones speaking English.  I felt like I had gone to a different country.  It definitely fits its name "New Mexico".

[Greta]

And I had a meal that ranks up there as one of the best in my life.

Was this in Taos? If you remember the restaurant, I'd love to know! Or maybe you meant a homemade meal that your aunt made. My husband goes skiing in Toas from time to time, so I'm sure he'd love to know of a good place to eat. I know a few restaurants in Santa Fe and several in Albuquerque that must be experienced, and some that must be avoided! But I'm not as familiar with Taos.

[Greta]

One of my college friends lived there for a while and I visited her there. She lived in Soccoro. We went to the grocery store with her when we were there (my then husband and daughter who was 2 at the time) and we were the only white people in the store and the only ones speaking English. I felt like I had gone to a different country. It definitely fits its name "New Mexico".

Yes, I think this is less true for Albuquerque (the biggest city in the state), Santa Fe (very touristy), and Los Alamos (lots of scientists from all over the country) but definitely true in many parts of the state, many small towns.

[Parrothead]

 

Oh, yeah! Um, yes, I know my own state really well. :blush:

 

.

I don't know the name of it. Dh isn't home. All I know about it is that my brother gets detailed to teach there fairly often.

[Cosmos]

Was this in Taos? If you remember the restaurant, I'd love to know! Or maybe you meant a homemade meal that your aunt made. My husband goes skiing in Toas from time to time, so I'm sure he'd love to know of a good place to eat. I know a few restaurants in Santa Fe and several in Albuquerque that must be experienced, and some that must be avoided! But I'm not as familiar with Taos.

 

It was at the El Paragua in Espanola. Everything was amazing, but the beef tacos were out of this world.

 

ETA: Saying "the El Paragua" sounds a little silly, doesn't it? But I think there a couple of them, and we were at the one in Espanola.

[Greta]

I'm sorry I haven't replied to every post, but thank you all so much for posting. This has been very interesting for me!

 

I love New Mexico very much, in so many ways. LOVE the climate: the constant sunshine, the clear skies, the gorgeous sunsets, the monsoon rains (when we get them, which has been much less often the last few years), the absence of icky bugs (mosquitos, chiggers, etc.). Love the food. Love the Native American art, pottery, architecture.

 

But NM has some very serious problems too. The crime here is shockingly bad. We have a very high rate of poverty. And a very poor education system. Of course, those things are all interrelated.

 

So those are the things that I think of when I think of New Mexico. I was wondering if other people really do think of old Mexico but with aliens. :D Really, everywhere but Roswell, aliens are not a big deal here.

[Greta]

It was at the El Paragua in Espanola. Everything was amazing, but the beef tacos were out of this world.

 

ETA: Saying "the El Paragua" sounds a little silly, doesn't it? But I think there a couple of them, and we were at the one in Espanola.

Thanks, I'll mention this to my husband! I know he passes through Española on his way to. . . . I forget, but one of the many places he goes hiking/climbing/skiing.

[Greta]

I don't know the name of it. Dh isn't home. All I know about it is that my brother gets detailed to teach there fairly often.

I did remember it, vaguely, after you said Artesia. I don't know anything about it, but I've heard it mentioned. I don't make it to the southern part of the state very often at all. And even then just to do the most common things like Carlsbad Caverns, etc.

[Excelsior! Academy]

Honestly, rudeness. We have taken several cross country trips and most people are friendly even in touristy areas. NM not so much.

[Happy]

My first thoughts....

Georgia O'Keefe

Desert

Beautiful sunsets

Native American art and culture

Yep, plus mountains and camping and cholla cactus. I learned to ski at Red River, NM. And, yes, Roswell, too. :)

 

I was with a friend many many years ago, when we crossed the American Canadian border to see the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. The border guy asked her where she was born. When she replied New Mexico, he asked for her passport. We practically had to show him on a map where New Mexico was. Goofy.

[happymomofboys]

Desert and Roswell and the training center.

 

Desert and Roswell were my first thoughts as well.

[Miss Marple]

Haven't read all the responses and I really don't fit the focus group, but just had to chime in.  We moved to NM from Texas when I was in 3rd grade.  What a shock!  It definitely required a bit of retraining...my reality of teachers who loved their students didn't hold up there.  Teachers were resentful to get new students, esp. from Texas (little were we aware of the rivalry before moving).  But our family stuck it out and we eventually found our niche.  And what a beautiful state it was...skiing 30 minutes from home, cool evenings, amazing sunsets, mountains, lakes, rivers, deserts, dunes, ruins...oh, there was so much to see and do.

 

We traveled a lot when I was a kid.  When we went to Canada we were asked in many places (not just Canada) if one could drink the water in NM, and what it was like living in "Mexico", etc.  We patiently explained that it was one of the 50 United States and we had clean running water :)  Then, in the privacy of our camper, we talked about how poorly educated those folks were LOL!

 

I spent the majority of my growing up years in NM.  Unfortunately Albuquerque became such a gang infested town that my family eventually moved to OK where dh and I ended up.  I still miss the convenience of skiing :)

[Spryte]

Home.   :wub: 

[Jennifer]

Georgia O'Keefe (I don't even know if she has anything to do with NM.  It's just the first thing that popped in my head)

[Greta]

Cynthia, I'm glad you chimed in! Very interesting to hear your experiences. I'm from OK but in Abq now, funny that it's the opposite for you! And I agree with you about Abq and the gangs and crime. It's scary. And it's frustrating. It's not like there's a whole lot to do in Abq to begin with, and then most interesting things happen in the downtown or university area, where it's not safe to leave your car unattended, and often not even safe to BE there after dark. So we end up missing out on a lot, and Abq ends up being a rather boring place.

[Greta]

Honestly, rudeness. We have taken several cross country trips and most people are friendly even in touristy areas. NM not so much.

Oh no! I'm sorry you had such a bad experience (experiences?) here. I have experienced some absolutely shocking rudeness, but I've also lived here for 15 years, so that's to be expected, human nature being what it is. I've only lived two other places, and this one is in the middle in terms of a rudeness to friendliness ranking (at least in my opinion).

[Greta]

Georgia O'Keefe (I don't even know if she has anything to do with NM. It's just the first thing that popped in my head)

Yes, she lived here for a number of years, painted many New Mexico scenes, and there is a museum of her work in Santa Fe.

[Greta]

Goat heads! I lived in ABQ for three years and I remember all too well those nasty stickers coming through our flip-flops! We've been back down a number of times after moving to CO--I much prefer CO. So, I also think of selling wool in Taos and playing in Sante Fe.

I love Colorado! It's one of the places we talk about moving to when dh retires.

 

The goat heads were much worse in OK, as I recall. :D

[texasmama]

Carlsbad Caverns and desert.

[Greta]

I guess this misconception about New Mexico being an extension of old Mexico rather than a US state is a lot more widespread that I thought! I thought it was just a handful of (forgive me) ignorant people. I'm not particularly good at geography, but even I know all 50 states!

[Miss Marple]

I love Colorado! It's one of the places we talk about moving to when dh retires.

 

The goat heads were much worse in OK, as I recall. :D

OH, yeah!  The goatheads here in OK are horrible!  We have acreage and we converted part of it to a lawn around the house.  I remember my son, about age 6, riding his bike and falling onto the pasture.  He came up with his sweatsuit stuck to his body because it was covered in 100s of goatheads.

 

We didn't have as much trouble in ABQ probably because it was a city and the lawns didn't support goatheads as much.  I remember the sand whipping my bare legs, though, during the windy spring months.  Our schools didn't have grass, just dirt/sand.  Felt a little like being sandblasted LOL.