Four months ago I quit my job and moved to a quiet and dusty
small town. Aside from the general
feeling of being away from my friends and family, the closeness that me and da
mister have is comparable to nothing else.
It is the small town mentality that I have trouble relating
to. Let me start with segregation and
the idea that white folk hold the power over the minorities, even though; the
minorities are the majority in this town. It is strange being in a town where Mexican’s
don’t speak to white people much less offer to pick up a cane they dropped, in
an effort to give them assistance. I
have been fortunate enough to grow up in a city where being outgoing and
friendly are an asset and now it is like I have cotties and no one wants my
germs.
There is no recycling program and paper and plastic are
thrown out with the other trash. Dogs
run free with no leash, tags, or collars.
At the top of my list is the lack of fitness awareness programs. The rates for the only gym in town are three
times as expensive with less than half the amenities. Saturdays they open at noon and Sunday are closed;
there are no showers and only a communal bathroom, and no group exercise
classes. Let me repeat, there is no boot
camp, no yoga, no total conditioning and no spin classes.
I may be complaining about the lack of bicycle lanes in and
around town, but really I am perturbed by the culture of the town. I have spent
much of my years reading and exploring women’s empowerment only to be uprooted
into a town where girls do not speak until spoken to and only respond with a
yes or no.
As a woman minority, it is an everyday battle being an
entrepreneur in a small town. With all
my will, I am determined to continue forward thinking and not digress to a time
of the past.
