Trevor Huxham

When I moved back home to Texas in 2015 after having spent three years living and working in Spain, the reverse culture shock I experienced was sharp— and it was mainly because I didn’t own a car . To get to work, I had to walk half an hour to the closest bus stop and hope that I didn’t miss a bus that only came by once every 30 minutes. Walking through sprawling neighborhoods of single-story homes to ride a bus to get to an office park on the other side of town felt so inefficient to me having just left Spain, where most people live in mid-rise apartments or condos above ground-level shops, restaurants, and offices. Getting groceries, going to the doctor, and grabbing something to eat or some coffee all meant I had to either hop in my parents’ car or face up to an hourlong walk—one way—from my parents’ house in the suburbs just to run a simple errand. It was frustrating to return to the U.S. and feel such a lack of agency after spending my first three...

A little over a month ago I finally gave in and bought my very first car, a brand-new Toyota Corolla. I first learned how to drive on a 2003-era Corolla, so I couldn’t pass up this familiar yet reliable model when I showed up at the dealership for the dreaded car hunt. But in between moving back home to Texas in July of last year and getting a car this past March, I had to make do without one. Fortunately my parents did have a car that they used for buying groceries and the like, but as far as getting to work, shopping, or having fun, I was basically on my own. View this post on Instagram Bought my first car today!!! 🎉🚗 It's a Toyota Corolla, most basic of the base line model possible, but I'm excited to be able to zip around town, get to work in 15 minutes (vs. 60 minutes walking + on the bus), and make day trips whenever I feel like it. In some ways I feel like I've sold out my walkable, transit-loving soul, but I...