Houston vs. Maracaibo in my perspective

      When I moved to Houston in the USA, I didn't know how many things here were different and how they changed my feelings and made me miss ordinary things. For 32 years I lived in Maracaibo-Venezuela, "The beloved land of the Sun"("La Tierra del Sol Amada"). I decide to move to Houston with my husband because there are many problems in my country. To do simple things there were difficult and dangerous. We knew that the USA was different, but we didn't realize hoy many things affect our lives until we moved here.

     The first difference is the sensation of security. This was one of the reasons that we decided to move to Houston. In Maracaibo, we tried not to drive at night, and I was scared when a motorcyclist approached near me. We didn't walk in the streets. If we went to a shopping center or a restaurant, we ran to the car in the parking when we went out. We were assaulted with guns a lot of time. In Houston, we think to be safe, but we aren't paranoid. We walk in the parks and drive at nights without fear. We enjoy the nights in restaurants and feel safe.

    Another aspect that I didn't think would affects me is the economy. I only thought that here to work and to spend money was easy. But I think here the people buy a lot of food, things to decorate their homes about the seasons, clothes, shoes, etc. And they have many storages with old and unnecessary things. In contrast, In Venezuela people buy only what they need for two weeks, the food was restricted to weekly rations, the clothes and shoes are very expensive. Venezuelans don't have storages to save nothing.

   I missed my city in many aspects, but I realize on one strange situation I miss the sounds. Maracaibo is very noisy. The cars in the streets made much noise; people use the horn in many situations. Almost, people scream in the streets to call somebody. In my neighborhood in Maracaibo, the neighbors talk very loud. In Houston people is quiet and in the streets the loudest sound is the hooter of the fire truck. In my community, people talk in whispers.

   I love Houston because I made It my home now. It's very different to Maracaibo. I like some of these differences, and the other things I try not pay special attention. I miss Maracaibo, I realize somethings that I never thought I miss too.