Culture Shock

My friend from the Valley and I were having a chat about my impending move to Seattle. I remarked to her how I would be one of only a handful of brown folk at the school. I told her it didn't bother me and that in fact, I thrive in those environments. She asked me if I was going to experience culture shock. I told her I experienced culture shock when I went to UT.She told me she experienced culture shock when she went to A&M. She's white and experienced culture shock when she saw so many other white people. Imagine that.

My friend grew up in the Rio Grande Valley. She's originally from Ohio, but her dad moved the family down there and started a very successful produce company. It's interesting that she says she experienced culture shock.

White people often talk about experiencing culture shock in the Valley. We could say, "It's not the same. Socio-economic class has a lot to do with it." And in some respect it does, but it doesn't mean that a gringita growing up in the Valley doesn't feel weird when she goes to a piñata. I guess we might be able to ask Oso about this, as well.