15 Things You Quickly Learn When You Move To Arizona
By Monica Spencer|Published March 21, 2017
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Monica Spencer
Author
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
Like many other native Arizonans, I didn’t realize just how great our state is until I left. Once the novelty of a new state (or country) wears off, you realize all the little things you miss about home: the sun, the lack of humidity, the delicious food.
If you’re new to Arizona, though, there are a few things you’ll learn right away about your new home: where are the swarms of bugs, the long stretch of weeks without rain, and how intense that sun can feel. In fact, here are 15 things you’ll probably figure out during your first year here.
Bring your sunglasses and sunscreen! Yuma is the sunniest place, averaging sunny days at 90% throughout the year. Other places like Phoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff also have decidedly high percentages for sunny days, ranging from 78 to 85%.
2. Whether or not you can cook food by harnessing the power of the sun.
Frying an egg on the sidewalk and leaving a tray of raw cookie dough on your dashboard are just a few ways Arizonans have tried to see if our summer heat can also make dinner.
We have heated debates over whether to use "dust storm" or "haboob" and watching the local weather news segment during the summer will tell you just how much we look forward to the summer rains.
5. Walking on the dirt or sidewalk in summer is a mistake.
We have museums, orchestras, festivals, and diverse groups of people. Historically, Arizona's culture comes from its Indigenous tribes, Mexicans, and early American settlers.
There’s definitely nothing quite like Arizona! What is something you learned after moving (back) to Arizona?
