I’ve been in Texas for three months now, and honestly, it’s been a journey from day one. Moving here was quite overwhelming, and it was a lot to take in. Things drastically changed from day one. The roads are massive and always filled with cars, houses are spread out and even the simplest things, like crossing the road, take more time and courage than I’m used to. Back home in Fiji, everything is slower, smaller and more familiar. I really notice how different it is not being able to walk somewhere quickly or see familiar faces by chance.
The first few weeks after my arrival were really hard. I was homesick a lot. I missed my friends, my family, the place I grew up in and even the little things that didn’t matter to me when I was back home. Every day, I’d sit alone and wonder what my loved ones back home were doing, and at times I’d stay up late at night catching up with my family and my friends. There’s a lot to enjoy about Texas, but it can feel surprisingly lonely, especially when you’re away from the people who matter most.
School here is very different from what I was used to back in Fiji. Like, we use laptops for almost all our schoolwork, from taking notes to submitting assignments and even doing research in class. Back in Fiji, using electronics is strictly forbidden, so I never got to experience learning this way before. I am still trying to catch up when people talk about local events, news, or sports like football. Their conversations often leave me puzzled: everyone seems to know exactly what’s going on. I’ve made a few friends, and they made me feel better and miss Fiji less, but it still takes a lot to adjust. Even the small things, like food, make me miss home sometimes. I like trying Texan food like barbecue, nachos and chili, but I still miss dishes from Fiji, like roti and curry, lovo or fresh fruits from the market.
The weather here astonishes me. Some days it’s freezing in the morning, then warm by the afternoon, then cold again at night. I often complain about it, but I guess that’s part of living somewhere new. There are so many varieties of things here that feel so unreal. There are stores for every specific thing. I get culture shock a lot whenever I go out shopping or for lunch. Being able to experience things that I only saw in movies back in Fiji makes me realize that maybe it’s not even that bad. Maybe with time, I’ll begin adapting to things and settle in perfectly, even though I miss walking on the sandy beaches.
The holiday season was a big deal for me, especially since everything here was still so new and unfamiliar. Walking around with my family and seeing the streets decorated with lights and festive decorations was honestly amazing. I had never seen anything like it before. It felt really uplifting to see how everyone was excited for the holidays, and just looking at the displays made me feel excited in a way I hadn’t expected. Despite being homesick and new to all this, I really love the rich culture and the way people come together to celebrate. One of the highlights of my holiday was going out and exploring new places. We went to Fort Worth and Grapevine Mills, which I personally found very exciting. Fort Worth had a lot of interesting sights, and a completely different vibe compared to what I’m used to, and walking around Grapevine Mills was fun because it felt like such a big, busy place. There were so many stores, decorations, and lights. Experiencing all of that made me realize that even though I missed my family and the traditions back home, I could still create new memories here and enjoy the holidays in a different way.
Winter in Texas wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. It got kind of cold, and seeing the temperature drop to the lowest it had really surprised me because that’s something I know I’d never experience in Fiji. The climate here is a rollercoaster, so I got used to constantly taking off and putting on jackets throughout the day. It was definitely different from the steady, warm weather I’m used to back in Fiji, but it felt great after I experienced it.
By the beginning of this year, I started to feel a bit more settled. I started going out with friends. Roads and places started to look familiar. I began noticing little things about life here that I really like, such as how welcoming and helpful people were here, and how everyone did their own part of the work instead of worrying about the other person. From what I have observed in different situations, everyone is focused on completing their own responsibilities, trusting that everyone will handle their own part. Because I have seen this pattern repeatedly, I came to believe this is how people act. This is very much different from Fiji, as people tend to be more involved in each other’s progress and somehow try to figure out things for the other person, even if someone didn’t ask for assistance. My Texas experience taught me how to be more independent, and I strongly like this mindset.
Even though I still miss Fiji, January felt like a fresh start, and I am slowly learning to live in the moment and enjoy the present, like spending time with my family and friends here instead of not being able to move on from my past and my experiences in Fiji.
