Every year, I leave my home in Texas for the East Coast to visit my dad for a few weeks. Every time I step foot on Connecticut soil, I fall in love with everything it has to offer. From beautiful scenery and the absolute best pizza places, to a true community feeling resulting from almost all of my dad’s family living in one area, Connecticut is a special place in my life. In addition to the many wonderful attributes I notice each time I visit New England, it also gives me a greater appreciation for the unique Texas culture that became my own, as I’ve called Texas home for longer than I can remember. Here are 13 humorous realizations I’ve had resulting from the Texas/ New England culture shock
1. “Where is your accent?”
Even though I’ve lived in Texas since I was 4 years old, I do not have a thick southern accent like some. However, it still makes me laugh when I hear my friends and family from Connecticut say “you all” instead of y’all; it just sounds unnatural.
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2. “Ma’am” and “sir” imply age when used in conversation up north.
In the South, pretty much everyone says yes ma’am, no sir, etc. when addressing others, even in casual conversation. Sometimes, I even find my using it when speaking to my friends. However, when I was in Connecticut, two friends explained to me that ma’am and sir imply age, and many people hate being called ma’am or sir, and may even get offended by it. PSA to every adult I addressed while in New England: I don’t think you’re old, I promise!
3. Any drive longer than 15-20 minutes is considered “long.”
In Texas, we drive for hours and miles and we are still in Texas, and often not at our destination. However, in New England, any drive longer than 20 minutes is long to them. Then again, it takes them like an hour to cross their state versus more than half a day for Texans, so I guess I understand.
4. Some people don’t even work in the state they live in.
A lot of people take a train from Connecticut to work in New York City. I guess since it takes virtually no time to cross the entire state, it’s reasonable.
5. The land isn’t flat for miles.
I sent my family a picture of a Texas sunset and their response was, “it is so flat!”
6. The entire state doesn’t close down for a snow storm.
When I got off the plane in Connecticut for this year’s trip, it was snowing and you can bet that I was completely amazed, ran outside the airport and snapchatted it, and then excitedly told my dad it was snowing when I ran back into the airport to get my luggage. You can also bet that half of the people in my general area were staring at me like I was a crazy person. You see, in Texas, we don’t see snow too often. Where I live in Texas, we may see an inch or so about once a year, and in other places they see even less. Not to mention, any little bit of snow, even just flurries, results in any part of the state affected shutting down like it’s a total emergency. People cannot drive in it, they stock up on non-perishable items like it won’t be 75 degrees again in a few days and schools close days in advance. However, this will come as a shock to Texans, but when it snows up north the entire state doesn’t close. They even have to go to school when it snows. Imagine that.
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7. Snow plows and sand trucks are real.
Apparently those aren’t just in the movies. I almost can’t believe it.
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8. Where are all the fast food places?
In Texas, we have a fast food restaurant on every corner. Literally. We even have fast food places no other state has ever heard of before. However, New England does not. Apparently the people there don’t particularly enjoying shoveling toxic waste into their mouths and calling it food.
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9. I automatically feel sorry for everyone because they have never experienced Whataburger.
They’ve never stole the numbers, or watched all of the drunks, or showed up at midnight after a rodeo or football game. They haven’t lived.
10. Dunkin' Donuts are on every corner.
I’ve never seen so many commercially owned doughnut places in my entire life.
11. “People in Texas actually have mullets?”
Sadly.
12. A heat wave is 95 degrees.
We may shut down for snow, but we can handle heat, including the months of 100+ degree days.
13. There is no place like Texas.
It's my home, and I couldn't be more proud.
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