Where is Oregon?

It shouldn't surprise me that people here in the United Kingdom don't know a great deal about geographical locations in the United States. After all, the reverse is true: in my case, had we not made the decision to move back to the UK I would not know the geography of the country.

Still, it does bother me somewhat when people have no idea where Oregon is, or worse, have never even heard of the state. Fortunately, everyone has heard of California and knows where it is located, making it easy to tell people where Oregon is, but Oregon is a state with a significant history - vital to the United States' expansion west to the Pacific Ocean - and it shouldn't have to be cheapened by merely being "the state north of California". It shares a common ancestry with California and Washington, and the three states often work together, but Oregon is still its own state.

Oregon isn't really in the news much either, and when it does I despair that it's often an article about some bizarre behavior from someone, or a tragic event of sorts. Occasionally there is a piece of good news, such as a local hero, but reporting on the positives isn't commonplace.

Which is why I speak highly of the state when explaining it to people! I begin with how magnificent the landscape is, how friendly the people are, and how wonderful the wildlife is. I talk about the little things like the hummingbirds and the obsidian to the mountains and the coastlines. I tell people a little about Oregon's culture, and if they're interested in its history and/or its politics I'm happy to discuss them, too. Last but not least, I recommend it to people who express an interest in visiting the United States.

So, in a nutshell, where and what is Oregon? It's located on the west coast of the United States, just to the north of California; it's full of impressive terrain and great people, with a rich history and various cultures. It's somehow not as well known as its southern and northern neighbors yet it holds just as much significance as them. I haven't lived there for over two years, but it was my home for close to ten years and I love it as much now as I did when I left!