I've been on SoCal for roughly three weeks now. With the exception of one night in Corona, I have been living on Torrance. It has definitely been a culture shock coming from bcn. Hell, I still got culture shock when every time I came down from Seattle.
There is the standard shock of everything being bigger, faster, and newer. Then, of course, there are things I should have anticipated, but forgot about.
Cars.
I haven't driven in over a year. Gas prices have continued to rise in my absence. Filling up the tank in the Honda Element was a modest $50...I thought I was going to cry. Californians really don't and can't walk anywhere so a tank of gas is nothing. Traffic is always horrendous. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown on the 15 to 91 bridge and has to call my dad.
Pop culture.
I have no idea what is going on.
Customer service.
People are so nice! They keep trying to carry my groceries to my car and refill my free glasses of water and I keep giving them dirty looks. I don't know how to respond.
Prices.
All the wrong things are expensive again, i.e. wine.
Food.
Maybe my tastebuds died in Spain, but the food here is not as good as I remember. It is trying too hard (and sometimes scary). I just has breakfast with my dad. On the menu: a fried mozarella sticks sandwich, a bacon maple sundae, and a nacho salad. And...everything has high fructose corn syrup again.
Fam.
I'm spending time with family I never had much exposure too. They're alright. Yesterday my niece and I ate gummy vitamins with peanut butter for snack. The day before she dipped them in chocolate fondue. She's classy.
Note: this was painstakingly typed on a touchscreen phone.
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