Wow Texas, you have changed…or have I? Upon arrival into this beautiful state I realized a lot has changed as far as structures and local spots, yet a mentality that I was once blind to is still prevalent. I know there are a lot of things I will have to get used to in America, and ironically I’m finding America is more backward than I thought.
- Electricity – Power strips are in abundance and don’t even get me started on the unnecessary gadgets in cars
- Water – There is a ridiculous amount of bathrooms in houses and ongoing sprinkler systems to water nasty fake lawn grass…how does a state in a drought consume more water than a third world country by the ocean?
- Produce – The food is bland, and I am tasting so much salt or sugar in everything I consume.
- Oil – Disappointing how spread out everything is…without proper transport systems Texans and most American rely heavily on the car…if we consume so much petrol, then why are we leaving cars running while parked?
- Consumerism – I remember American’s always wanting to buy products and ‘keeping up with the Jones’ but I didn’t realize how bad it was when you see fake deals at the stores to trick customers into buying a product and save money.
- Signage – We don’t have effective signage…from airports to subway stations, and even access road exits, our signs contradict each other where the names, numbers and/or directional arrows are not consistent.
If I cannot change a nation, I can at least start with myself. I have this dream that I will move up to New York City to start fresh. A city where I can walk everywhere, or choose any other form of transportation than a vehicle. This dream consists of a studio apartment littered with plants, a struggling job to work my way to a career I’m passionate about, and friends who are curious about the world.