Hello, Readers ~

This side chapter is basically a summary of relationships my 50 States OCs have toward Canadian provinces/territories and Mexican states. However, I won't go in-depth on those regions due to knowing little about those places. Like the U.S. territories, I'll give brief ideas and traits on each region followed by some of the 50 States' views and interactions with the personification.

If there's anything that doesn't make sense or doesn't match with a personification, my apologies. I might fix the problem determining if it's major or not. Just know such mistakes are due to my inexperience with such places, and that this chapter was never meant to offend anyone.

The reason I'm doing a side chapter on the matter is because I'm aware of other Hetalia OCs not based on the States of America, so I thought it would be neat to do a side chapter regarding my OCs' relationship with their respective neighbors. Like always, feel free to skip this chapter if not interested, but for anyone curious on the matter feel free to continue reading.

~

Despite this fanfiction being based on the States of America, I would like to take this side chapter/opportunity to explain more of their relationship with the rest of the world.

Hetalia OCs tend to be created from various reasons and influences. In general, most Hetalia OCs are based on personifications of the land, similar to how countries are personified. For others and myself included, we like APH America and want to see his States personified and see what he and the States would do in that same universe. This kind of thinking may also apply to those outside the United States of America as well.

For example, take America's neighbors, Canada and Mexico. Some Hetalians from either of those places have created their own OCs based on the smaller areas within their favorite country. I've seen a couple of their artwork and writing, and grew interested in such personifications, teaching me a little more of that region and its respective country while providing some humor as well.

Even though I'll give brief explanations on such regions and state their relationship with my 50 States OCs, most likely I'll never have OCs based on such regions show up in this fanfiction series. This is due to having over fifty OCs which already is enough hard work for me to deal with. Still, I thought it would be neat to briefly go over what I learned from these regions and state my characters' thoughts on such places. Plus, this chapter is in a way a shout-out to such OC creators for their passion in the subject, and for anyone interested in such places as to look them up or make OCs based on such places.

Anyway, let's begin this side chapter.

To start things off, I'll talk about Canada's 10 provinces and 3 territories first. Normally I would list each province/territory according to their formation, but due to my lack of knowledge on Canada (along with other complications) I'll simply go down the list according to their population. Before explaining each province/territory, here's a brief summary on how they came to be:

Like America, Canada came to be partly due to England/Great Britain's control over them. Originally there were three divisions of Canada at the time during colonization. There's the Province of Canada (Quebec and Ontario), the Colony of New Brunswick, and the Colony of Nova Scotia. Until the eventual exploration of the north and west were more territories created and provinces established to where the country is today.

Today, Ontario is the most populated among Canada's provinces. As such, most Canadians and some native Ontarians tend to think of the province as the center of Canada, a place full of selfish, urban dwellers who like their daily Tim Burton's coffee and mug of beer whose only fear are pesky mosquitos, heavy snowfall, and death by pollution. In a sense, they are the New York of Canada.

Speaking of New York, York himself gets along with Ontario simply due to sharing similar egos and views toward the insignificance of their respective neighbors. On the opposite spectrum, Michigan will probably mess with Ontario, pretending to not know they're there much to Ontario's annoyance. During hockey season, Michigan will taunt them in a hockey match accompanied with Wisconsin and Minnesota by their side. Most matches will end up with a fight, Michigan getting a black eye and Ontario losing a tooth. Overall, Ontario is quite popular, even when referred to by their American neighbors.

Quebec, the second most populated, is somewhat similar to Ontario only more French. In fact, if I were to compare Quebec to an American state, I would say Vermont but with California's popularity. The province is often made fun of for being the France of Canada thanks to its French influenced culture. Such influences include their arrogant criticism on the English language, being a liberal, smoking hipster, and their hidden desire for separation. Despite such French-like feelings, they are indeed Canadian. I mean, their love for poutine, maple syrup, and hockey is the very definition of Canada itself.

Speaking of Vermont, the two would probably get along like besties regarding their shared French culture. New Hampshire might tag along, secretly envious of their friendship, but he'll still be polite to them nevertheless although he would have issues with Quebec's criticisms on being an English speaker. As for Maine, the two rarely interact due to Maine being unable to keep up her basic French. Plus, Maine prefers to interact more with Nova Scotia due to similar interests in her opinion. In summary, the States of America will usually poke fun at Quebec for being French Canadians, but other than that they get along just fine.

Getting away from the east for a moment, the next province to talk about is British Columbia. As mentioned before, most Canadians (as far as I know) tend to lean toward liberal. For this province, they're the very definition of a liberal hippie. Not only do they take priority in the environment, they're also more open in terms of sexual orientation and race (especially Asian) alongside a toleration toward weed. In a sense, I see the personification to be quite chill and friendly, only getting on other's nerves whenever they're more concerned with nature than other problems.

Lying next door to the province, Washington would get along with British Columbia just fine. Oregon, too, will occasionally visit the province to see its fauna and flora, so it wouldn't be surprising the three would visit each other's houses and enjoy each other's company. As for their other next-door American neighbors, Idaho and Montana aren't particularly fond of British Columbia. Idaho, although interested in nature, may not share the same level of fondness as them. For Montana, she disagrees with the province's policies, especially their tolerance toward smoking, so it's unlikely they'll meet each other's eye. Other than those mentioned, the rest of the States of America typically see British Columbia as weed-smoking hipster who'll either be okay to hang around, or not stand their presence.

Next door to British Columbia is Alberta. For a better idea on what this province is about to any outsider, according to one answer on Reddit, the province is the Texas of Canada. Now I understand why I see Alberta x Texas fanfiction whenever I search through Hetalia OCs. Makes sense considering Alberta's oil-rich prairies, cowboy culture, and conservative values make the region no different from Texas. And like Texas, it's often frowned upon by its liberal neighbors, so I'm not surprised.

Of course, Texas wouldn't have a problem getting along with Alberta as mentioned earlier. Same goes for Wyoming who, too, shares such interests. As for their only American neighbor, Montana, the two are close buds. With such States mentioned, I can see them roaming around the prairies on horseback going hunting or camping in the wilderness of their homes. As for the rest of the States of America, they would either like them or dislike them determining their ideals.

Despite having a population of over a million residents, Manitoba is comparatively similarly to some of the central Midwestern states of the United States without its cornfields. From what I could gather, the province is known for cheap, closely knit towns, freezing temperatures, and slurpees. Other than that, Canadians tend to see Manitoba as a boring province on the exception of Winnipeg. Still, there's not a whole lot to this province.

Because of their plain appearance, many States of America tend to not recognize Manitoba, especially in comparison to their more popular neighbors. For one of Manitoba's neighbors, North Dakota can relate to their struggle. The two would often tell each other suggestions on how to grow popular in their relative houses. As for Minnesota, she isn't the most social person, so the two would rarely talk to one another. Occasionally they'll bond over food and hockey, but that's about it. Overall, the States of America are more likely to pay attention to Winnipeg much to Manitoba's disappointment.

Lying between Alberta and Manitoba is a province that's hard to pronounce and spell (in my opinion) known as Saskatchewan. The thing about this province is the fact they're similar to Manitoba such as being flat and boring, but with some grain and conservative policies to the mix. If I have to compare the province to a State of America, I think Iowa would be a perfect match. Lonely and looking for attention, I'm not surprised if they and Manitoba are best friends.

As mentioned before, the State of America will probably not remember much of Saskatchewan. For the province's neighbors, Montana would probably not hang out with them as much due to finding no interest in them while North Dakota would probably join them and Manitoba in their plans toward popularity. But other than that, Saskatchewan isn't quite noteworthy among the Canadian provinces.

Going back east, despite having a smaller population than other provinces, Nova Scotia is a part of the Maritime Trio (them, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island). Unlike their boring, central prairie counterparts, this province is mainly known for their friendly, hardworking, proud residents who love their folk songs, seafood, and beer. Not surprising considering Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland", so the cultural traits somewhat make sense. Usually they're pretty nice and quirky, so most Canadians don't usually dislike them.

Even though the province doesn't touch the borders of America, the province has its fair share of interest from Americans. Maine in particular had a history with them, especially in the Acadia colony which is a subject I'll get to another time. The two are known to compete in terms of who's the best among the "maritime" regions; most of their competitions involve lighthouses and lobster baiting much to Massachusetts's confusion. For New Hampshire, he finds Nova Scotia to be somewhat annoying, but the two still get along just fine. Overall, Nova Scotia is seen as being a sociable neighbor to most States of America.

In between Nova Scotia and Quebec is another province known as New Brunswick who's often referred to as a miniature Quebec only not as French. To clarify, they are the only province to officially be bilingual, so I could see them being a moderator between Quebec and the rest of the English-speaking provinces. Like Nova Scotia, they're usually friendly and quirky in appearance. In summary, there's not a lot to know about New Brunswick although their reputation is overall positive.

To the States of America, New Brunswick lies between the memorable and forgettable provinces. As for New Brunswick's only American neighbor, Maine, the two had a history together in relation to the colony of Acadia (which again I'll explain in one of Maine's chapters). Honestly, I think New Brunswick would have some sort of grudge toward Maine regarding what happened to Acadia, but that's speculation on my part. Without the grudge in mind, I think the two would be alright with one another, occasionally hanging out and participating in various outdoor activities. Overall, New Brunswick is somewhere in the middle among the provinces' notoriety according to the State of America.

Heading north of Quebec and the maritime provinces is Newfoundland and Labrador. Regarding their name, it came about during a territorial argument with Quebec; eventually joining Canada after becoming bankrupt. Despite being neighbors to Quebec, their culture is similar to Nova Scotia's although more extreme from what I could gather. Generally they're known for drunk fishermen, often leading to jokes about their dumb exterior. On an additional note, they have a love for the arts, notably with paintings, literature, and music.

To the States of America, they tend to remember Newfoundland and Labrador for its dog breeds than the actual province itself. Due to the province's location, the States rarely see them. Newfoundland and Labrador do like their neighbors, wishing to see them as much as their own Canadian neighbors. So far, they're working on their image, hoping to be more memorable than its dog breeds.

Among the last of the provinces is Prince Edward Island. As the tiniest among the provinces and territories, the province is usually made fun of for their fancy name, its size, and POTATOES. Basically the province is known as the miniature Idaho of Canada. Other than being known for a series of books, the province is quite forgettable, especially among its maritime associates.

Being the only province off of mainland Canada, Prince Edward Island is rarely around for the States of America to see. In a sense, I see the province to like its private, personal sphere on its little island, thus would have an aloof personality. Rarely will the States of America socialize with them, especially considering the province's plain appearance.

As for Canada's territories, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon are rarely significant due to their low native population and the winter wasteland they inhabit. I imagine such territories being somewhat detached to the provinces, alienated and possibly envious of them, but for the most part they aren't entirely hostile toward them. Rather, I see them minding their own business who'll only take interest in others until they start to take an interest in their culture.

As for the States of America, they aren't particularly close to those territories due the territories isolated location that make getting to know them unlikely. One exception to this is Alaska being next door to Yukon. Despite the rugged mountainous landscape, the two may visit one another and enjoy a couple of hobbies such as ice fishing and dog sledding. Other than her, the rest of the States seem oblivious to their existence.

Overall, Canada's provinces and territories usually get along with their weird American neighbors. Again, I'm still new to this idea of Canada's provinces and territories being personifications of their own, so such parts of my explanation may be disagreeable to some. Even so, I'm open to polite comments on the matter.

Anyway, there's much more to talk about, so let's continue to the second part of this side chapter.

Before diving into Mexico's states, I want to confess an issue I had with this part. Compared to Canada's simple 13 divisions, Mexico is made up of a whopping 31 states including a Federal District that works similarly to America's District of Columbia. Although paled in comparison to America's 50 states, I wish to keep this side chapter "short", so I won't be dealing with all of Mexico's states. Plus, information on Mexico's states is quite limited compared to Canada's provinces and territories, so the descriptions I'll be writing may not be as thorough. Apologies to anyone who is disappointed.

Rather than cover all 31 states, I'll instead describe the states that border America. If there are any Mexican states I should include besides the ones I decided to mention, feel free to mention the state along with some information about it. I'll be sure to credit the comments. Anyway, thanks for the understanding.

As some quick info on Mexico, Mexico's true name is the United States of Mexico for those wondering where their states came from. For those unaware of Mexico's history, feel free to check out Side Chapter 4 for a brief history lesson on the nation. Basically, Mexico's states were around when Mexico was founded. Inspired by America and his states, Mexico, upon gaining independence from Spain, decided to be a country made up of states, thus how he and his states became the United States of Mexico.

Starting on the left of Mexico's border to America, the first state to talk about is Baja California. The state is also (Alta) California's sister, so it isn't surprising they have similar personalities. Like her, the state was known to be a bit rebellious back then; having only become Mexico's 29th state around 1952. Their rough past was riddled with vice and cholos (stereotypical gangsters), however, the state is turning around for the better although I could imagine them still retaining parts of their past. Like their American sibling, this California has been promoting real estate, better education, and even wine from their valleys; make them one of the wealthier and more diverse states of Mexico.

Currently Baja California continues to be close to California, often visiting her American sister across the border, occasionally sharing fish tacos every lunch or so. California isn't as close to Baja California as back then due to her more prominent role in America's economy, but she does keep in touch with her hermana (sister) every once in a while. As for the rest of the States of America, they sometimes mistake her for their Cali due to their similarities, but after hearing her accent could they then absolutely tell. For Texas, she normally isn't as close to her Mexican siblings since her split, but she likes Baja California quite much for making her favorite alcoholic drink: margaritas. She may possibly prefer her over the "other" California, but I digress. Overall, Baja California is one of the more popular Mexican states the States of America enjoy interacting with.

Next door to Baja California is Sonora. Similar to Arizona, this state has a large, indigenous population in addition to being closely tied to native traditions such as herbal medicine, indigenous dances, and the creation of palo fierro (the carving of figures out of ironwood). Most of their neighbors tend to regard them as a hot desert full of weirdly made tortillas (made out of wheat and are large and paper thin). Currently this state is having trouble with illegal border crossings, especially those involving the drug trade, but hopefully such an issue is solved soon.

Sonora rarely interacts with the States of America considering their past track record on their treatment toward Native Americans. Still, they would often have Arizona and New Mexico as a visitor. For Arizona, she's quite interested in Sonora's culture and native traditions, often asking Sonora to teach her a few of the native dances and all sorts of crafting techniques. For New Mexico, he often visits Sonora for literary advice as she is quite gifted in this category. Once in a while the three would have lunch, of course involving her homemade tortillas and some stew. Other than those two, the rest of the States don't react much to Sonora's appearance. 

Next to Sonora is a state who's often made fun of for sharing the same name as a tiny, feisty dog. Chihuahua is the largest state in Mexico, thus inheriting the nickname "Big State" to Texas's chagrin. Much of the state's geography is diverse. It's most notable landmarks include Copper Canyon and Chihuahua Desert. Although a Mexican state, Chihuahua has some American sentiments thanks to its American immigrants, especially Mennonites (Anabaptist) and Mormons who've made the state become the Utah of Mexico. Overall, I imagine them to be quite tall and friendly.

To the States of America, they're usually indifferent to the Mexican state although some of them would giggle whenever saying their name much to Chihuahua's annoyed sighs. One of the few who are friendly to Chihuahua is New Mexico who would visit the state on occasion. For Texas, she would not only make fun of their name, but she'll also brag how she's bigger than them. Surprisingly, I imagine them to either like or dislike Utah for their Mormon influence on them. I consider them to be admirable toward Utah considering their love for cheese. In summary, Chihuahua remains friendly to their American neighbors no matter how much they make fun of their name.

Onto the next state, Coahuila is formally known as Coahuila de Zaragoza. The state has a bad record as a sibling, once being together with Nuevo Leon and Tejas (Texas) as a single state before Nuevo Leon became separated from them (twice) and Tejas's insistence on being a separate state. To add to their woes as a bad sibling, their relation toward Mexico is complex. During their beginnings under Spanish rule, they were one of the states who leaned toward Spain; they were more concerned on controlling the indigenous revolts than independence. In fact, they were a part of the short-lived Republic of the Rio Grande before being forced to follow Mexico once again, much to their disappointment. Their unruly attitude continues today although to a lesser extent.

Of course, Coahuila's sibling and American neighbor, Texas, isn't particularly fond of them. Tex's revolution, although admirable in Coahuila's eyes at the time, has deeply affected their relationship. They'll occasionally chat whenever they meet eye to eye, but that's about it. As for the rest of the States of America, they somewhat know Coahuila although to a lesser extent.

Close by to Coahuila is Nuevo Leon. The state was previously known as the New Kingdom of Leon before becoming a state and changing their name much to their disappointment. Today, Nuevo Leon is known to be one of the most industrialized regions in not only Northern Mexico but Latin America as well. Adorning a tejana (cowboy hats) and a loud voice, Nuevo Leon is often characterized as the Texas of Mexico. As such, I consider Nuevo Leon to be infamous among the Mexican states.

For sure, Texas likes Nuevo Leon for having a similar culture to hers. The two would occasionally ride horses together, sometimes rounding up cattle whenever possible. I can see Texas showing off her shooting skills to Nuevo Leon while they watch, maybe taking a turn in shooting a couple of beer bottles in the distance. I can also see Nuevo Leon be invited by Texas to meet Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, and other States with a Western influence. Overall, I see them getting along with the States of America just fine although they may annoy some States to an extent.

The last among the Mexican states that border America is Tamaulipas. Similar to Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas shares some similarities to Texas. Mainly industrialized in manufacturing and agriculture, the state boasts some lovely cities and tourist attractions with plenty of activities to do. Sadly, the state is blanketed with problems as of recently. Bordering Texas, Tamaulipas has become a key route for illegal drug trafficking and the sort, causing much drug violence, media censorship (due to the drug cartels), and mass graves to pop up around the state. 

Because of such problems, a couple of both Mexican and American states assume Tamaulipas to be a trouble-making crime lord when they're more of a victim in this mess. Surprisingly, Texas understands Tamaulipas problems, being the receiving end of the drugs that happen to cross her southern border. With a goal to stop the drug war, Texas has teamed up with Tamaulipas, however, she can only do so much, especially considering Tamaulipas fear of the cartels going after their hide. Tex has been encouraging Tamaulipas to do more and speak out against the violence, but so far progress has been slow.

In conclusion, the Northern Mexican states are usually friendly to their American neighbors, at least more friendly toward them in comparison to their Southern counterparts. Although with recent politics as of late, their relationship is currently on the rocks, but they remain friendly to one another to an extent. For now, they get along fine as good neighbors to one another.

I've already discussed a bunch of OCs, yet there are many more I could talk about. Again, Hetalia OCs can be based on almost anything. Like, I've seen a couple on South America and the Italian states, so such possibilities are endless. As much fun as I had knowing a little more about of such places, I'll remain close to the States of America.

In conclusion, the States of America aren't the only state-like personifications in the world. As seen by various Hetalians, there are numerous regions and places that have yet to be official. As such, character creators who are fans of Hetalia are given the opportunity to work like Himaruya and make a personification of their own.

~

Feel free to vote or comment on anything interesting regarding Hetalia OCs (especially those in relation to Canada and Mexico).