Thanksgiving is upon us, and as I sit here at home sipping on my Austin-based, Peach Deep Eddy drink, I know that I’m glad to be home.
Living in Washington, DC has been amazing these past two-and-a-half years of college, and I consider DC to be my second home. I feel like I know the city like the back of my hand, and every experience and adventure has been truly a dream. I don’t believe anyone can ever be bored in DC, but if they say they are then they’re doing DC-life wrong. Have no plans and want something to do? Go to the National Mall and just walk for hours. Hit up the musems — all of them. You seriously can’t be bored. The people are amazing, and the experiences are even more so.
But there’s something to be said for coming home, like, home home. That flying-over-your-city-and-you’re-smiling home. For me, home is Houston and has been my entire life. It’s where I was born and raised, so I know (almost) all of its ins-and-outs (except it’s the fourth largest city in America, sooo maybe not). But arriving back to Texas after months of school is one of the best feelings to have. I love coming home to this incredible and culturally diverse city, I love the people, and I love the hospitality. And the food also kind of rocks. You want Italian? Well, the Carrabba family is from Houston, and the original Carrabba’s (and the best Carrabba’s) is therefore in Houston. You want Vietnamese food? You can buy a huge baguette sandwich for 3 bucks. Authentic Mexian food? Tex-Mex? Barbeque? Indian? Greek? Thai? Alcohol (Tito’s, Deep Eddy, Shiner Bock, etc.)? We literally have all of it, and it’s all amazing. And don’t forget to get your fixing of donuts from famous Shipley Donuts, and your daily calorie’s worth of food at Whataburger (the #13 is a personal favorite). Also, Blue Bell. I could go on, but I won’t. Here in Houston and across this great state, we have all the food (and drink) you could ever dream of, and it’s all amazing.
But the state is more than just the food, it’s what we call here in Texas a “State of Mind”. The State of Mind is the hospitality, the way we take pride in our history and culture, and the friendliness all around. The warmth (not just in degrees Farenheit) is contagious, yet I can’t fully describe or put into words what this warmth and hospitality are like — it’s just something that is. It just exists here. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that “Tejas” (the word where “Texas” comes from), means “friend”. This friendliness is something I am always so grateful to come home to, and something that now I never take for granted. I am so grateful that I get to call DC my second home, and I have found so much joy in living in the nation’s capitol. But Texas is my number one home. So as I finish my Deep Eddy, all I can say is “Texas our Texas, all hail the mighty state”.