Growing up in Texas made me uncultured and uneducated

Texas's lack of public transit accessibility paired with watered-down education standards makes for a difficult childhood.

The Texas Flag that I pledged my allegiance to everyday in school for 17 years of my life. I still remember the pledge, it’s etched into my brain.

It’s springtime again in the Bay Area and I’ve been frolicking in the super blooms and sprawled out in sunny green fields catching the sun while Sade plays in the background.

The warmer weather has allowed for some perfect days filled with breathing in all the fresh air laced with the Pacific Ocean breeze. I walk through San Francisco’s forested public parks and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, both of which are seamlessly connected to each other through spiderwebbing public transit lines. I can go from the cold waters that overlook the golden gate bridge in Presidio to the hilly cliff viewpoints at Glen Canyon in a little over an hour by bus, a period of time that flies by, especially when I have a good book to read on hand.

And during these moments that bring me such joy and appreciation for the city, I can’t help but notice that these Bay Area attributes of accessibility to public transport and preserved nature allow me to feel so much more fulfilled here than I ever did in Texas.