<p>I live in a fairly big city in Oregon, but every spring break, a couple of my friends and I have been traveling to the more rural areas of Oregon since 7th grade. Basically we stay at local farmhouses of host families and help them with daily chores like milking cows, churning butter, etc. It's pretty simple stuff, but I really enjoy living over there for a week or two every eyar.</p>
<p>Plus the part of Oregon that I live in is like super-Democratic, but the rural areas of Oregon are actually quite conservative. I've learned a lot about broadening my world view and opening my mind to different perspectives through these experiences. I've learned that no matter what our political alignment, or no matter what kind of environment we grew up in, people are still people and that those superficial differences don't really matter.</p>
<p>Yeah, the more I think about this, the more cliche it sounds. How can I improve my angle on this topic to make it more original?</p>
<p>it does sound similar to the ones that are like "i went to a country elsewhere and i learned this much from it!" in general travel essays are to be avoided but i think yours sounds good.</p>
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people are still people and that those superficial differences don't really matter
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<p>This is indeed a pretty common observation.</p>
<p>But that doesn't mean that you can't use your rural experiences. It's not the topic, it's what you do with the topic. If this topic allows for a personal, detailed, honest and revealing essay, allows for something only you could write, then this topic can work well for you. </p>
<p>An essay doesn't have to have a lesson, moral, etc. It just has to reveal you. I've read many excellent essays that describe something or someone, or why the writer likes a certain thing. But all of those essays were personal, detailed (often lovingly detailed), and revealing--because the writer's connection with the topic revealed something about the writer's personality.</p>