Surfs Up!

I spent the last week in San Diego and Los Angeles, California.  I loved the atmosphere there, but I couldn't help but notice how different it was from Chicago and other cities I have visited.   Many people know about the laid back California stereotype.  Some think of California as all surfers or stoners.  But really it was all sorts of different people.  Yet every single person I met seemed so carefree!  I knew that California was known for being relaxed, but every single person seemed to just go with the laid back flow of the environment. Coming from the stressful life I lead balancing school, friends, family, and other day to day obligations I was blown away with how people in California balance all these tasks and still seem to handle life with a laid back attitude.  Although I am able to balance these things and still hold a positive attitude, being in California just really changed my views on things. It made me take my life into perspective. Have you ever been somewhere that had an atmosphere very different from what you were used to?  Did you realize anything about your own life after noticing how people in that atmosphere lived?