Vermont--any comments before I submit it?

My parents talk about moving, and I just roll my eyes. “Never.” I tell them, ignoring when they say that maybe, a time will come when I don't have a choice. “Until I graduate high school,” I say, “I'm not leaving Vermont.”

With the economy the way it is and IBM laying off workers everyday, conversations like that happen a lot. Although my parents complain about the cold, the isolation, and the smallness of the state we live in, I know that in their heart, they don't want to move either. They just like teasing me about it.

Vermont has one of the smallest populations in the country. Only Wyoming has less people, and even Wyoming has a bigger city than Burlington—the smallest largest city in a state.

Vermont is a state where once, cows outnumbered people. It's a state where sometimes, you have to stand on park benches to get service for your cell phone, and where the state capital doesn't have a McDonald's.

And that's why it is what it is.

Vermont has a mostly rural population, yet IBM is the largest employer.

Vermont is counted on to vote Democratic, yet we have a Republican governor.

Calm but vibrant, quiet but musical, It's a state full of opposites and surprises, and no one who hasn't lived there understands it completely. And those who do live here? We're Vermonters. We survive cold, snowy winters that last from as early as mid October to as late as mid April. We slog through pounds of mud after winter finally ends, and tenderly plant seeds that will later bloom to give Vermont its colorful summer. We are healthier than those in other states, and we love the land we live in.

If I could change something though, I would. I would change the way we get around. With the threat of climate change looming ahead, public transportation is the way to go. Although distances are short, and driving is convenient, what if people took a train to Stowe instead of their car? With tourists pouring in from around the globe, I bet they would prefer a quick train than a long drive on unfamiliar, snowy highways. Also, in the cities, buses would help. Buses to and from Burlington from places like South Burlington, Essex, or Colchester would help high school or college kids needing to get around.

Apart from that, Vermont in my mind, is perfect. Small, intimate communities, all four seasons (plus a bonus one), and of course, the beautiful scenery make Vermont an amazing place to live. Growing up here, I've had a very different life than a kid living in New York City. I'm probably not as street-savvy, not as worldly or sophisticated, but I'm also probably more unique, more in tune with nature, and more happy. I may be a little biased though. In my mind, Vermont is the place to grow up. The schools aren't very large, with graduating classes of about 150 kids, and it's green and wide open, the perfect place to run around. Not to forget that our state is very safe.

Vermont is an embodiment of my soul. The snowy winters and hot summers, the not-so-tall mountains and deep blue lake, the small towns and warm people, everything is special, and no other place can capture it. Vermonters are survivors, smilers, and do-gooders, and the state would not be what it is without the people who inhabit it.

Yeah, we have about fifteen malls and about six thousand farms; five seasons, one of them which lasts six months; and our state capital doesn't have a McDonald's.

But who needs McDonald's?