Valley natives have a culture and lifestyle that differentiates them from the rest of Texas. Here are 30 things you can relate to if you are from the Rio Grande Valley.
1. Even though it's a four-county region with a population of over one million, no one knows where you're from when you say the Rio Grande Valley.
2. So you say, "It's next to South Padre Island."
Even though you're used to calling it "the Island."
3. You're accustomed to driving to the beach and being back home that same night.
4. Trips to Mexico happened every weekend.
5. You lived surrounded by Hispanics and very little diversity.
6. You can hold an entire conversation in Spanglish or "Valley Slang."
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8. Running into someone you knew in high school was a given at HEB.
9. You can't enter a parking lot without seeing plates from Mexico and Canada.
10. And you can never get along with these same cars on the road.
Gotta love our tourists and Winter Birds
11. Friday night football is a community outing.
12. Winning a football game against a high school team from San Antonio was a big deal.
13. You know where all the Tom Landry and Freddy Fender memorials are located.
14. You're from Cowboy territory.
You would have to be one brave soul to wear a Giants jersey in public on a Sunday.
15. The Livestock Show was your excuse to bust out your cowboy boots.
16. And pig out.
17. 100-degree heat in the summer is nothing.
18. You don't eat snow cones, you eat raspas.
And you could find one at any street corner.
19. Hot Cheetos with cheese are a thing.
How else would you eat them?
20. You would do anything for a Q-Taco from Stripes.
"Sure, I'll help you move in... if you buy me a Q-Taco."
21. You're not surprised to see a policeman directing traffic in front of Delia's Tamales.
During Christmas, you can forget about it.
22. You'd wake up to pan dulce from the local bakery for breakfast on cold mornings.
23. You're used to bundling up for 60-degree weather.
You know you won't get much use out of your winter clothes, might as well put them on now...
24. You've only had one white Christmas, and it was the most magical thing in the world.
Who cares that the snowman was more mud than snow!
25. You always had the option of buying fruit off the side of the road.
26. Along with Valentine baskets in February and cascarones on Easter.
27. Easter is a time of war.
Especially if your family filled their cascarones with things other than confetti...
28. Now that you're gone, you get excited every time you meet someone new from the Valley.
29. You always dreamt of leaving.
30. Now that you miss it, you talk about your home with pride.
