West, from Texas

About six weeks ago I drove into Polson on a cold, clear evening.

While driving for more than 30 hours from my hometown in Texas, I saw mountains in west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho and southern Montana. But when I saw the Mission Mountain range, even in the darkness, I found myself impressed by its beauty.

Mountain ranges are new to me. It wasn’t until the age of 18 that I hiked my first mountain — also the first time I saw snow.

North of San Antonio, Texas, the hills gently roll. To the south, the land is so flat that I have spotted downtown Corpus Christi, Texas, from my grandparents’ small town nearly 30 miles away.

I left Texas to study photojournalism at Ohio University in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. While there, I worked as the photo editor for the school’s magazine, Southeast Ohio, and concentrated my photography on everything from sports to social issues.

I am often reminded of Texas by the similarities between this state and my own. My grandfather was a Texas rancher, and it’s nice to once again see huge ranches stretching into the distance. The hunting and fishing cultures are familiar as well. My grandfather was one of the last hunters in my family. He died when I was very young, so I never became much of a hunter, but my dad taught me how to fish in the Gulf of Mexico as a child.

Yet it’s the differences between these states that intrigue me most. The wildlife in Montana is unimaginable. I bought bear-mace the other day for a simple hike in the mountains, an investment I never could have foreseen while in Texas. There are more people living in San Antonio than there are in the entire state of Montana, another reason I was drawn to this place.

Traffic jams are scarce, tall buildings don’t obstruct nature, and communities are often more tight-knit than in the city. The county’s small population, however, can be misleading. Though the towns in Lake County are small, there’s a lot going on. I’ve found people here to be involved in their community, friendly and willing to share their stories and teach me about this beautiful place.

I look forward to learning about history, culture, community and day-to-day life in Lake County. I’m excited to learn more about this place and the people who call it home.