Dropping major RGV wisdom
RGV folks,
Before the wisdom is dropped, it should be said, this does not apply to every person who hates on el Valle. There is a distinct difference between folks who would benefit from moving away from their hometown and those who are being adressed in this post. Most of y'all should be able to tell who is who.
Next up and most importantly, everybody has a right to their feelings. Please don’t take this post as an attack on what you’ve got going on inside. It is just an insight from someone who has lived the song and dance of this particular form of RGV hating, got burned, and wanting to help folks avoid getting burned like I did.
Not going to make this long or drawn out. I can speak from personal experience when I tell you, LEAVING THE VALLEY DOES NOT MAGICALLY MAKE YOUR LIFE BETTER. A lot of folks down here think moving to Austin or San Ann is going to fix everything about their lives because they are going to leave the Valley “someday” and when “someday” comes all of life’s problems will vanish.
As a former RGV hater, Austin romanticizer, I bolted from this place in 2009 and came crawling back with more problems than when I left. The truth of the matter was, my problems originated within myself, and hating on this place was a way of avoiding any kind of self reflection. It’s easy to hate this place and the people who live here because, to these particular type of haters: “it’s boring, it’s simple, it’s this, it’s that” but let me tell y'all something - this place IS magical.
The Valley is filled with immense culture, delicious food, beautiful spots urban and natural, with amazing artists new and old, and lot’s of different music/dances to enjoy. It has a history which is sadly not told enough and a people who have endured a lot. Still enduring a lot. You think this place is boring? You think this place is plain? The Valley is an adventure waiting to happen, from Rio Grande City to SPI. We have a salt flat, a walmart turned library, cafes & bakeries of all kinds in every city, a corn maze, new and old architecture, a sea turtle rescue, vintage shops, kid’s museum, abandoned buildings and bridges to explore, THE PULGA, bike polo, nights celebrating art, festivals, porch front get togethers, carnivals and go carts, shows of different kinds, skate parks, amazing theater productions, costume museum, wildlife refuges, open land and sunflower fields, an 80’s bar and creative incubator, blues on the hill, strong beautiful brave women, a zoo, incredible street art to name a few bits and pieces of this place we call home.
The people here, if you would stop and say hello to them, will change your life and stay with your forever if you give them a chance. Some won’t be friendly but I promise they’re many friendly folks out there who could tell you a story or two worth your while.
Just look through this Tumblr. JUST LOOK AT THIS TUMBLR POR DIOS!
Are there bad aspects? Sure. Is there room for improvement? Always. But how can we change and improve this already magical place if everyone just bounces? You take your ganas, dreams, talent, and resources when you go to places like Austin, away from the Valley. Why not stay and be the game changer?
Finally and more to a personal aspect to all of this. Running away from home will not solve your problems. There are some situations where leaving helps but some of y'all don’t need to be leaving or bouncing. You need to get out there (el valle), face your fears, JUST DO IT, and learn gratitude. You need to learn to see the beauty in the Valley or you will never be able to see the true beauty in the world. A big fancy building can take your breath away for a moment but you’ll never appreciate the view if you can’t appreciate this place. There are a lot of “Valleys” out there ya’ll, though this one for sure is unique. Nonetheless, you will find that no matter where you go, your problems will follow until you can be honest and face them head on. It ain’t easy to do but you'll benefit in the long run. Just try it and see what happens.
The major wisdom in all of this? To truly live your life fruitfully, you need to learn how to appreciate and love the place and people you’re around, no matter where you are. You don’t think they’re are people in Dallas who wanna get away? Of course there are. Why? Because no matter where you live or how “badass” your life will be “someday,” if you have a certain mind-set/Habits/Outlook (non-self-reflection||denial) and hater attitude, you will never totally enjoy life.
Btw, after a while, Austin is pretty much like anywhere else. Bars, shows, yadda yadda, same thing down here except bigger bands with BIGGER price tags. In fact a majority of places are more expensive than here. FYI Y'ALL.
thx
