For five days last week, I traveled more miles in a car than anyone ever should back to my “home country,” i.e. Minnesota/North Dakota.

I claim both states (and South Dakota, but I didn’t go there) because, to make a long story short, I have lived in all three states and have family in all three. I attended a wedding in St. Paul and visited friends and family during my trip.

During the many, many hours on the Midwest’s interstate highways, I had probably too much time to think. While I was contemplating the meaning of life; why drivers from particular states are slower than others; how much I want a llama farm; why Wisconsin is littered with businesses promoting “Cheese, Gifts and Fireworks,” I thought it was interesting how even though the destination was within driving distance, the states I visited are so starkly different.

Check it out: Michigan has the worst economy in the U.S. with a 14 percent unemployment rate; North Dakota has the best at 3.8 percent.

Minnesota has the 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Hawaii and Florida combined, whereas Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world.

Michigan has the only floating post office in the world (on the J.W. Wescott II boat, which delivers to ships); the post office at Angle Inlet, Minn. is the northernmost post office in the lower 48 states (I have been inside it).

The average annual temperature in North Dakota is 40.43 degrees; in Minnesota it is 41.13 (although they claim it is much warmer); and in Michigan, it is 44.41 degrees (many would claim it is much colder).

Anyway, moving from Minnesota to Michiana may not be a huge culture shock – it’s not like Florida or Texas; it’s still in the Midwest – but I do like to note differences and similarities in places I have lived.

It’s funny how a lifetime resident of a particular community will move just 30 miles away and you would swear they relocated to Antarctica.

Nothing against Antarctica – I’m sure it’s really nice – but where would you compare yourself to? You really would have everyone beat in terms of winter snow tall tales.

Katie Johnson is the managing editor of the Niles Daily Star, Cassopolis Vigilant and Edwardsburg Argus. She can be reached at (269) 687-7713 or at katie.johnson@leaderpub .com.