Whether you’ve lived in Montana your entire life or you just spend a few glorious years here, when you move somewhere else or travel extensively, there’s one thing you notice: Life in the Treasure State changes you. This isn’t a bad thing, of course, but it does seem that life experiences here are just a bit different than they are anywhere else.

For those who have lived in Montana and left – or for those who often travel out of the state or the country – these are a few things you might notice.

1. You never can quite adjust to crowds.
TMView / Flickr
Montana's biggest city would be considered a mid-sized town by most folks from other states. When you grow up with a view like this, you'll always feel claustrophobic when you're walking through crowds of people.
2. Your first inclination will always be to give strangers a friendly smile.
Vladimir Pustovit / Flickr
Of course, not everyone in Montana will smile at you, but you'll always be met with more smiles than frowns when you're in public. And that's something that stays with you.
3. No berry will ever be as delicious as the huckleberry.
Julie / Flickr
There's just no comparing a freshly baked huckleberry pie to anything else.
4. No matter where you go, you can typically identify a fellow Montanan after a short conversation.
Thomas8047 / Flickr
It's not about the way they dress or the way they look. It's the things you talk about, their interests, and their values that scream "Montana...." or they use the word "spendy" a lot.
5. You'll never think of certain places - like Manhattan, Belgrade or Glasgow - the same again.
Bastian / Flickr
You'll catch yourself clarifying... "Montana, or?"
6. There will always be that urge to drive just a little faster.
Sean Kimmel / Flickr
The need for speed never goes away.
7. And on that note, you'll never quite adjust to other concepts of time.
Om / Flickr
A 20 mile drive should take 20-25 minutes, not an hour or longer. Right?
8. You won't realize how jaded you are about things like wildlife until someone in your company freaks out about spotting a deer and you have to feign fascination.
Selbe Lynn / Flickr
"Why, yes, how unique and unexpected...."
9. Your ideal date night will always look just a little bit different than everyone else's.
Dann McKenzie / Flickr
A crowded, trendy restaurant with a 2 hour wait? No, thank you.
10. No matter how far you roam or how many places you call home, you'll never stop feeling a bit homesick for Montana.
JD Hascup / Flickr
Home is where the heart is, and the Treasure State tends to capture our hearts like no other place can.

It’s easy to see why life in Montana can change a person. After all, it’s the best state in the country.

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