Summer is done. Three out of three trips are complete, and we've made it back to school for in-service. The kids start Wednesday. I'm not ready, but I will be.
To review, I started the summer in Boston, Brooklyn (NYC), and Bermuda. Then, we did Iceland and Turkiye. And finally, I did a road trip through Arkansas and Texas to see Jin (one of the BTS members) in concert.
Let's make one thing clear, the concert was spectacular. It was a game show concept based on the YouTube content Jin has done since he finished his mandatory South Korean military service, and it was hilarious. The music and performance were top-tier, but the interactive games with the crowd made the whole thing extra special. I was in the second to highest row of the venue and I still felt involved. And this was a concert for just one BTS member. They've made promises to go on tour next year with all seven, and I can only imagine how good that will be. Please help me manifest tickets.
As for what else I did, I hit up Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and Little Rock with stops in Tyler, Waco, and Forth Worth. And to be 100% honest, Texas is probably my least favorite place I traveled this summer. I did enjoy having access to Raising Cane's, Buc-ee's, and Cheesecake Factory. And of course, there were certainly exceptional highlights (the bats in Austin, the Alamo, the Dallas Museum of Art, and Fort Worth's big cows), but overall the vibes were not as cool as other places (in my opinion).
For one, I thought there was just too much highway driving. Even getting around in one city, it felt like I was going from highway to highway, which of course, may have just been a side effect of the places I chose to visit. However, I do think street driving adds more color and culture to a trip.
Another reason I didn't fully enjoy Texas is more about how they present themselves in American culture at large versus actual history. Texas brings to mind cowboys and Westerns and all these "American" ideals from history. The Dallas Cowboys are supposed to be "America's Team." But Texas existed as a part of France (yes, France), as a part of Mexico, as an independent country, or as a part of the southern confederacy for just as long if not longer than it has been a part of the United States. Cowboys came from Mexican livestock practices and Hispanic culture is still very much present in food and in language and in other ways. And I think embracing that part of history, instead of rebranding it as American, would set Texas apart.
Also, UT-Austin (the fake UT) needs to stop stealing color schemes and logo ideas from UT- Knoxville (the real UT). I'm just saying. Our football stadium is bigger too.
Little Rock I enjoyed. I have done a few things there in the past, like the Clinton Presidential Library, and the city had many interesting things to do. I focused my brief time here on learning about the Little Rock Nine, and I highly recommend the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.
As far as the road trip aspect goes, coming from someone who usually flies, I didn't mind it. I had my playlists and my podcasts, and I enjoyed the freedom having a vehicle brings. Plus, there's no luggage restrictions, which make packing a little easier. So, hit me up if you live in the US and want to do a road trip with me.
And here are some pictures from my final summer 2025 adventure:
