Just thought I'd point out a few of the seemingingly little, unimportant differences between life in New Jersey versus Georgia. Of course, so many things are different up here - from the terrain, weather & climate, accents, culture,people, food, etc. - but here's a few little things you wouldn't normally think of at first comparison (at least I didn't).
1) You don't pump your own gas
At first I thought this was strange to sit in my car while a gas station attendant did all the work, but considering the chilly weather we've been having lately, it's kind of nice not having to get out of the car. Also, it seems to make the whole stopping-to-get-gas process go much faster - you're in, you're out, and on your way. Also, apparantly you're not expected to tip them because they get paid by the hour - though I like to give at least buck to them if they are so kind as to wash my windshield for me. (which a couple of them have! aha! how's that for Southern hospitality in New Jersey!)
2) Tags on the back AND front
I never even considered the fact that our car didn't have a license plate holder on the front bumper because we never needed one in Georgia. When you get your tag for your car, you just stick 'er on the back bumper and your done with it. But not in Jersey. Maybe it's because the drivers are so bad up here that the cops really want to make sure they catch you when you're driving like an idiot - so needless to say, everyone displays the tacky, bright-yellow Jersey license plate on both sides of the car. (And it's more in tag fees at the DMW, too)
3) You can buy beer on Sundays!
Goodbye, Bible-belt! In Jersey, it doesn't matter what day of the week it is, you can buy beer, vodka, whiskey, wine - whatever alcoholic beverage tickles your fancy! This applies to both at the package store or in restaurants! However, I have noticed that you can't buy beer inside the actual grocery store like you could in Georgia. Instead, the liquor stores are "attached" to the grocery stores but really it's a seperate store with a separate cash register.
4) No sales tax!
Well, you still pay sales tax on certain things, but you aren't charged tax for groceries, household paper products, medicine and clothing. Also, you don't pay sales tax on gasoline. I've heard that New Jersey actually has some of the cheapest gas in the United States - some research from various websites validates this point.
5) Giants and Yankees fans are everywhere
It would honestly shock me if I didn't see at least five people dressed in Giants attire when I go out in public, even if it's not game day. And, every store has at least one end-cap full of Giants merch in just about any item possible. I even saw Giants Snuggies at the Wal-mart up here. Being a Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Falcons fan, it's odd to be surrounded by Giants fever up here. They are actually my least favorite team in the NFL. The Yankees are extremely popular here, too. I constantly see Yankees bumper stickers, yard flags, t-shirts, you name it. And God forbid you try to say something bad about either of these two teams. You'd probably get jumped in a heartbeat.
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