TEXAS!

i kicked off my travels around the States with a two-week stint in Texas, which could well be the greatest place on earth!

Dallas/Fort-Worth
Texas is culturally-rich with a multitude of art galleries all over the place. the main reason i travelled to Dallas/Fort-Worth was to visit two world renowned buildings (both art galleries) i had studied in architecture school - the Modern, by Tadao Ando, and the Kimbell, by Lois Kahn. it was one thing to study a building, but to actually experience the architecture is something else. the Modern was pretty amazing, but i was underwhelmed by the Kimbell which has received so much attention.

THE MODERN

i also visited the Texas School Book Depository, where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, which i thought was pretty special.

VIEW FROM THE WINDOW WHICH LEE HARVEY OSWALD SHOT JFK FROM

i had no plans for Christmas except that i'd be staying in a hostel, but a family friend hooked me up with a Parsi (Zoroastrian) family who where kind enough to take me in for a few nights and show me a really fun time. they were so welcoming, i felt like one of the family. it was here that i learnt of the 'Invisible Parsi Passport' (IPP) - whereby anywhere in the world the kindness and generosity shown to you by a fellow Parsi can make you feel right back at home. shout out to the Balsara's from Dallas!

Houston - NAZC
i travelled to Houston for the North American Zoroastrian Congress, from the 29th - 31st of december. i didn't know anyone going, and am not entirely sure why i went besides it being on my travel route, but i came away with so many good friends, i feel like i have known them for ages. the Zoro population in Houston is quite big, and there was a strong youth contingent (~25%) which was heartening.

we partied up for 4 nights straight and regularly missed the talks, but i feel the value was in meeting new people and developing contacts. it's so easy making Zoro friends because we have that strong cultural heritage, almost an innate connection, and once again i came away with so many close friends, it was most definitely worth it! my aim of finding a wife there was unsuccessful :( but i am sold on the World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in Vancouver in july this year which i really hope i can make!

SOOO MANY GOOD LOOKERS!

Austin

i had originally put the University of Texas, Austin down as my first preference for exchange as i had heard great things about it, especially for architecture. having not been successful, i still wanted to check out Austin and see what the buzz was all about. i went there with a French buddy from KU and a couple of his mates.

SOME RANDOM CAVE WITH THREE RANDOM FRENCH DUDES

Austin is unique to Texas in that it has a young population with very liberal, non-Texas values and a bohemian vibe. it has a pretty happening nightlife with a shit-ton of bars, and is known as the music capital of the world. we watched a few crappy live acts (if you're not into that music) and went bar hopping on our few nights there, had a good time!

the university is intense! it has a student population of around 50,000, and is the 4th largest campus in the nation - as the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas! the football stadium has a capacity of 100,000, the same as the biggest in Australia! i was luck enough to score a touchdown there one night which is no doubt one of my trip highlights!!

LONGHORN STADIUM, TOUCHDOWN!