Well, it's hard to articulate, but it felt a bit like I was an immigrant visiting America.
Where I'm living currently, it honestly feels like living in an international airport. I would guesstimate that a full 50% of my neighbors are Asian, with another 20% being Indian, Persian or Arab. It has a lot to do with my proximity to a U.C. school, but it can be a little overwhelming when most of your neighbors prefer to speak Mandarin or Farsi, and many won't even make eye contact with me.
I've lived in California so long, that I had almost become conditioned to being a minority. My neighborhood went from "diverse" to "mostly Chinese" within a decade.
So visiting N.Carolina felt a little like travelling back in time -- in a good way. It was nicely diverse, but it didn't feel like it had been sold to China, which is increasingly how So.Cal feels to me. I tend to skew a bit liberal, and I'm all for diversity, but So.Cal. (like Silicon Valley) has become strangely homogenized. And there's not a great deal of assimilation. Everyone mostly sticks to their own groups, and they don't bother speaking English.
The next thing I noticed was how friendly and helpful people were to a visitor like myself. Right off the bat, people were drawing me maps of where I should go to eat, which bars I might like, etc. I was half expecting people to be really annoyed by a Californian looking to relocate there, but everyone without exception was very friendly and helpful.
The third thing I noticed was the food. Being originally from the east coast, I'd never been a fan of the whole bean sprouts and avocado thing. ;) I missed greasy fried food and barbecue. And OMFG do they have it. Make sure you're sitting before trying N.Carolina barbecue, because your knees will buckle.
Lastly, all the trees and the fresh air they're pumping out. Where I live, in a former desert, there's not a single tree that hasn't been planted from somewhere else. Seeing trees stretch on for miles is glorious, and the air after a rainfall almost seems flavored it's so nice.
So to summarize, N.C. reminded me of my childhood, and made me realize how strangely dystopian my current living situation has become. I can't wait to pack up and move. I spend my nights browsing Zillow.com, just marveling at the nice, attainable homes. :)