The Truth About Texas: An Outsider’s Perspective on the LoneStar State.

Hi, my name is Meredith, and I’m a Texas transplant. Up until four months ago, I lived in coffee loving, mountain bearing, often raining, sweater-wearing Seattle, Washington where the mention of Texas conjures images of big hair, cowboy boots, honky-tonks and George Bush. And while there are some truths to the Texan stereotypes (the hair is fairly big, honky-tonks actually happen, and people do love George Bush) I find myself pleasantly surprised by the inspiring culture and the amazing people I interact with on a daily basis. So, for the rest of you Texas outsiders, I wanted to shed light on some truths I’ve discovered about the Lonestar state:

The Language: It’s actually more efficient: The Texan twang receives a bad rap for being slow, drawn out, and less “sophisticated” compared to dialect heard in the rest of the country, but after listening to it for several months, I’d argue that the language is actually much more efficient than the rest of the US. Maybe that’s why Texas has one of the strongest economies, they communicate in fewer words than the rest of the county. Anyhow, here are two examples:

Exhibit A: “Ya’ll” the Texan version of “You guys”. Half the amount of syllables and way more gender neutral.

Exhibit B: “Fixin to”, the Texan version of “I would like to”. Once again, half amount of syllables and extremely to the point.

The Art Scene: It Actually Exists: While Texas is known for their larger than life rodeo culture, a strong country music scene, and amazing bbq, you rarely hear about the rich art culture of Texas, especially the Dallas Fort-Worth area. The Fort Worth Cultural District boasts the third most museums per capita in the U.S. just behind New York and Chicago, as well as the internationally renowned Kimbell Art Museum, whose hallways frequent the likes of Michelangelo, Caravaggio and Picasso. And beyond the formal museums, local artists and musicians are celebrated regularly through street festivals and free concerts throughout town.

The People: They Actually Are the Nicest They Come: I moved to Texas knowing no one except for my husband, and I could not have imagined a warmer, more authentic, genuine and welcoming group of people. When I started my job search, I sent out my resume to two contacts I had through my old agency and within hours complete strangers were reaching out to me offering to help me navigate the agency world, whether it be a phone call or invite me out to lunch, they would have gone out of their way to help a complete stranger. Texans stop to listen and learn about you, welcome you into their homes and their lives. I know I’m lucky enough to work with some of the greatest Texans I’ve met, but there hasn’t been one person who isn’t warm and genuine. I have been enriched by their lives and humbled by their generosity, learn something new from everyone each and every day

And while there are still some downfalls to the big State of Texas (the drivers are maniacs – Drive into Dallas, you could have sworn you just turned onto the Autobahn, the summers are hotter than you can ever imagine, and the only type of skyline you see are buildings or the Nascar Stadium in the distance, Texas is a state of culture, kindness, intelligence and fun. And if you have a chance, I’d reckon ya’ll come pay a visit to the LoneStar state.