Vagrant Ambitions

It was a puzzling moment when I found myself at the Jersey Shore.I had always been an avid reality TV lover and had found the Jersey Shore to be a serious obsession of mine, but reality TV hasn't been so great for the Shore.Though it has brought more attention to the area, it has turned this tourist attraction into the laughing stock of New Jersey and along with this, it has formed a brutal stereotype of Jersey natives. On the drive to the Shore, my family and I mentally prepared ourselves to face the "Jersey Grenades" and "Meat heads". We attempted to brace ourselves for overly spray tanned, drunken "Guidos" stumbling down the boardwalk and bumping house music. We wondered to ourselves when the beautiful, green pastures filled with dairy cows and bright, lively grass would become dirty sidewalks, littered with beer bottles and Mardi Gras beads. The transformation never came. The Jersey Shore was bright, fresh and beautiful all the way to the boardwalk.The Jersey locals were not drunk or disgusting as they are portrayed on reality TV. The natives were welcoming, beach babes with hospitality, nice tans and very little leopard print.I am proud to say I didn't see a single cat fight or even an inebriated dance battle. Being as I have spent many summers in Southern California and have visited every beach on the East Coast, I was shocked to say that Jersey had the cleanest and most beautiful beach I had ever seen. Due to Hurricane Sandy having ripped through the area, there was an eight dollar fee to access the ocean; however, the sense of community in rebuilding the board walk was inspiring. It was easy to see that the entire society had strong feelings of love and dedication for their home. The show must have generated lots of revenue for the area because it was absolutely incredible. The outstanding appreciation for the area was clearly evident in the lack of an available hotel room in the entire city. When I first came to the Shore, I was prepared for a terrible expieriance, but the misconception I had created could not have been more wrong. I am here to inform you all that the Jersey stereotype is false and to encourage everyone to make the time to visit this beautiful attraction. Just be sure to book your hotel rooms in advance, this place is quite the hot topic. I wasn't exactly sure how or why I had ended up at the Jersey Shore, but I can't say I regret it.