Embracing Culture Shock as a City Transplant
Written by: Marquart Doty
Many big-city transplants don’t consider how Montana’s culture might fundamentally differ from our own, or how we might fit into the local community. It feels cramped where we’re from, and we’re eager to fill our spirits with fresh air and wide-open landscapes. Often, we’re so focused on the state’s natural beauty that we forget the transition from a major city to Montana might require some cultural adjustment. I spoke with other transplants and found that while our experiences of culture shock varied, we all had to navigate a shift in values, priorities, and identity to truly feel at home in Montana.
I moved to Montana from Baltimore in 2021, and the culture shock I experienced made me quickly realize how vast America is and how moving states can feel like moving countries. Ultimately, the experience transformed my worldview — but first, I had to wade through intense discomfort and growth.
I always thought I was an ‘outdoorsy person’, but Montanan’s extreme approach to outdoor hobbies made me feel inadequate. There was even a language gap. I often had to repeat certain words and explain my dialect. I fielded questions about my city that I perceived as ignorant and offensive, though, at the time, I did not stop to think about how I might sound the same if I asked about rural life. I did not understand the way people dressed, their mannerisms, their musical taste, or even the pop-culture references they made. People called me “ghetto” or “hood” and clearly didn’t understand my preferences, either. Worst of all, my blunt East Coast personality came off as too abrasive and clashed with people’s “midwest nice” demeanor, which I perceived as passive-aggressive and hard to read. Sometimes I felt like I might as well have been from a different continent.
I still have moments where the gaps in regional differences feel vast, but I navigate those gaps by learning from the community around me, listening with an open heart, and embracing new values and experiences. To explore how others navigated culture shock, I spoke with a few city transplants about the values they brought with them and the ones they’ve adopted since moving here.
I wanted to get a Montanan’s perspective before discussing the state’s values with other transplants, so I asked my friend Annika Jeske. She was raised in Hamilton, Montana and Bozeman, Montana, and identifies, in part, by her experience as a Montanan.
“I put an extremely high value on hard work and integrity,” she said. “Manners and helping a neighbor in need are paramount to me, but I seek out solitude and greatly enjoy being alone in the woods.”
To Jeske, Montana’s values are “hard work, kindness, loyalty, selflessness, mental toughness, and integrity.” She said she innately understands and works well with other Montanans, but that everyone is welcome here, “so long as they come ready to respect and revere the outdoors, and with kindness in their hearts.”
Bozeman-based snowboarder and artist, Jared Carter said he was excited to move here to “live close enough to mountains to have a close relationship with nature.” He’s from a suburb outside of Dallas, Texas, but considers himself a city kid.
“I find comfort in the chaos and busyness of cities.”
Carter said he doesn’t mind feeling out of place. Through traveling the world, he’s grown comfortable standing out instead of fitting in.
Pablo Santibanez, a South-Central Los Angeles-raised Montana State University graduate student, defines himself as a city person and enjoys living in an area with easy access to goods and services. While he’s not big on winter sports and finds it hard to get through the winters, he moved here to be around more nature. He sees Montana’s values as “working hard and being respectful.”
Kelly Hammaren, an Montana State University undergraduate student from Long Island, New York, was most excited to move here because of the challenge it would bring. “Coming to Montana meant stepping into something completely different from what I was used to, and I was eager to experience that contrast,” she said.
“I liked the idea of pushing myself outside my comfort zone and learning to adapt to a new way of life.”
As for the most significant way she’s had to adapt, she said, “Adjusting to the slower pace of life in a smaller, more ru- ral area like Bozeman has definitely been an adjustment,” Hammaren said. “The cultural differences are noticeable, especially in the way people prioritize their time. Back home, the focus is on efficiency, career ambition, and constant movement.” Here, the focus is more on personal well-being and sustainable habits.
Everyone I interviewed agreed that growing up in a city taught them to remain cautious, alert, and keep their head on a constant swivel. Learned behaviors like these live deep in your psyche, and it can be hard to adjust to a completely different pace and way of life. I sometimes grow frustrated, but I remind myself that the slow pace here reflects the community’s fo- cus on remaining present, patient, and calm.
The principles I’ve absorbed while living in Montana have pushed me into a better version of myself. I’ve learned to adopt the “midwest nice” demeanor by pausing and considering the diplomatic thing to say, rather than valuing realness above others’ feelings. I find it easier to see the value in hard work and independence, and I’ve started to place less value on material things — clothes, shoes, money — and more on connecting with myself through nature.
I always strived toward these values, and it’s possible to live them out anywhere, whether in a town of hundreds or a city of millions. It’s just easier to see those values plainly here.
There’s more space to work on yourself, and people are more patient.
Santibanez emphasized how much he appreciates the value of hard work here. He finds a sense of belonging by “volunteering with different organizations in the community, which gives me an opportunity to connect with others.”
Hammaren has developed a deeper appreciation for the outdoors since moving here. “Back home, nature was more of a backdrop, something you passed by rather than actively engaged with,” she said. “Here, people truly immerse themselves in it, and I’ve come to understand why. I also identify with the emphasis on individuality and privacy. There’s a strong sense of self-sufficiency here that I admire.”
Carter found community almost immediately through art and skiing. He said he relates to Montana’s values of “family, freedom, and hard work.”
I found a community here through listening to peoples’ stories. This comes naturally to me as an outgoing person from a city where people are always in each other’s business and talk to everyone about everything. I’ve made so many friends — and learned so much about myself — by asking other people about their lives. I felt a lot more at home out here as soon as I realized that many Montanans love to talk, too. If you’re feeling lonely or out of place, talk to Montanans — volunteer, go to a bar, join a club, or just make more small talk. You’ll feel at home sooner than you know.
To embrace the Montana mindset and find community, “an anti-littering mindset is essential in order to keep our state beautiful, as well as a zeal for helping out your neighbor,” Jeske asserted. “If we all work together, we can achieve great things.”