When you've lived in West Texas since the day you were born, there are a few standard concepts you learn to accept: you're always hot, you always smile at strangers, and you always drive 6 hours to get to a decent shopping experience. This is the life of a West Texan.
So what happens when a West Texas girl travels to Las Vegas? She experiences a little bit of culture shock, and learns a whole lot. Here are five things I learned on my first trip to Sin City:
1. West Texas heat is nothing compared to Las Vegas heat.
If you've ever lived in West Texas, or even just visited for a few days, you'll know I mean it when I say we are used to weeklong forecasts of 100° days. That's nothing new to us -- when Ron Roberts tells us to stay inside and crank the AC, we do just that. But there is no comparison to the blistering temps you'll face in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In Las Vegas, you will have five consecutive days of 110°+ days regularly throughout the summer. Mentally prepping yourself for the misery you'll experience once you walk out of that air conditioned paradise is a must, because as soon as your foot hits the sizzling pavement, you'll be begging for mercy. Walking across parking lots will seem like torture, and it is not uncommon to find your trusty flip flops sticking to the pavement, melting as you make your way to your car.
West Texas heat is uncomfortable, but Las Vegas heat is downright torturous.
2. Your "it's just down the street" mentality is thrown completely out of whack.
In West Texas, you can get anywhere in the area if you allow yourself 15 minutes, give or take. Everything is logical in its location and the area is easy to navigate. That's not the case in Las Vegas.
In Vegas, everything looks super close together. It looks like it's going to be easy to get from point A to point B. It looks like you can just walk right up to the building in five minutes and call it good. I'm here to tell you that those looks will deceive you. Every. Single. Time.
In Vegas, you can't trust your eyes to tell you how far away something is. You will be watching the fountains at the Bellagio, see Caesar's Palace and think to yourself, "Hm, I'd really like to see the inside of that place. It doesn't seem to be too far." So you begin the trek. 5 minutes later, you're sitting dehydrated in the heat of the sun because it was actually a mile away and not around the block.
3. The people of Las Vegas don't want to talk to you. Period.
In West Texas, if someone bumps into you while walking down the street, you can absolutely expect a, " 'scuse me," or a, "Sorry, y'all." It's expected to hold the door for the person after you, and if one of your buddies gets stuck holding the door for a pack, you wait until he's done to move on. West Texas people are as friendly as they come.
In Vegas, people want nothing to do with you unless it means a quick buck or three for them. You hold your own doors and if you get bumped on the sidewalk, you keep walking. Vegas natives don't care about you or where you come from -- they care about their destination and their destination only.
4. Some people are really confident in their skin. Like, really confident.
When you come to Las Vegas for the first time, everyone tells you to watch out for the freaks on the streets. In my experience, it was the freaks on Fremont Street.
Having been raised in a fairly conservative town, seeing these performers walking down the street in the light of day stunned me. I've seen my fair share of crop tops and booty shorts, but never in my life have I ever seen a foot of feathers hanging from a woman's bare breast or a man wearing only a blue, sequined body thong.
These entertainers have a whole new level of courage and, quite frankly, audacity to bare themselves like that. I could never go in public in anything more revealing than my swimsuit, but kudos to you for having that kind of confidence!
5. There's a whole world out there, waiting to be seen from your point of view.
The most beautiful thing about Las Vegas is not the games, the money, the shows, or the architecture. It is not the abundance of alcohol or lack of responsibility. The thing that makes Vegas so very incredible is the people. People come from all over the world to see this legendary city, when in all reality it is the people that make the place so special. During a single day in Vegas, I met a woman from Alaska, a kid from Indiana, a couple from Taiwan, a very handsome gondolier from all over Europe, and the best taxi driver ever, Ron.
I loved Las Vegas and the buildings and shows and the magic it holds inside, but I loved the people even more (even if most of them didn't want to talk to me). The way I see it, cities like Las Vegas or New York are just grounds to meet new people. To explore new cultures we've never been exposed to. To love new people that we would have never expected to love.
The world is full of these cities, and after my trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, I am eager to see the rest of them. The world's stories need to be told. Let's get exploring.
