Texas Chronicle - Part 4: “Guns up!”, hello Lubbock!

Article and photos:Phan Quoc Vinh(from the US)

Little by little, it makes me miss home less, even though here I can't find beef noodle soup, mussel rice, or even a drop of rain like in Hue.

Having been studying and working here for nearly three years, I still cannot pronounce the name of this city correctly. Sometimes it is “Liu béc”, sometimes “Lô đác” but the correct one should be… “Lô béc”. And the first impression is unmistakable when the locals greet you with “How are y'all” which means “you” and “all” is read as “Hao a giò?” with a Texan accent that you have to get used to slowly.

Lubbock is a county of the same name, located in the northwest of the state of Texas. According to a 2012 census estimate, Lubbock has a population of about 240,000 people, making it the 84th most populous city in the United States and the 11th most populous city in the state of Texas. Lubbock is nicknamed "Hub City", meaning the central city of the South Plains (Hub means the axle of the ox cart wheel, which moves the slowest in the movement of the wheel, located in the center).

Located in the geographic center of North America, Lubbock boasts excellent air and ground transportation, with easy access to the East and West coasts, Mexico, and Canada. Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, served by four commercial airlines, has helped make Lubbock a regional hub. Originally known as Lubbock International Airport, the airport was renamed in 2004 to honor former Texas Governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University. It is also the top airport among smaller cities in Texas (after Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso), and serves as a major hub for FedEx feeder flights serving cities near Lubbock.

When you come to Lubbock, always remember to ask about Texas Tech University, a large university with a campus that is among the top ten in the United States. It is no different from a miniature city with many member universities, dormitories, sports complexes with many departments, post offices, police stations, banks, bookstores, restaurants... with nearly 10 bus routes running in and out of school, private buses for students to go to the library late at night and drink at bars on weekends until they are too drunk to drive home. So it is not an exaggeration to compare that if this city did not have Texas Tech University, it would be like Hue suddenly losing the Imperial City when it woke up early in the morning.

Many Vietnamese students choose to study here partly because the school has the largest Vietnam Archive Center in the United States. In the past, Dang Thuy Tram's Diary suddenly made the school's Vietnam Archive Center noticed and famous all over the world. In fact, the Vietnam Archive Center in Lubbock is a latecomer, having only appeared since 1989, starting with a group of American veterans who fought in Vietnam in West Texas who wanted to form a center to archive documents and research lessons learned from the US military in Vietnam. The center's policy is to bring up objective voices and viewpoints from opposing sides in the war to draw lessons for the United States later. In addition, at the end of the Spice Cup 2011 Chess Tournament (October 26, 2011), Le Quang Liem came from behind to win the championship right on the campus of this school.

Lubbock is planned as the educational, economic, and health care center of Texas. But while Lubbock offers many of the facilities of a large city, it still maintains a small-town atmosphere and Western charm. Visitors will never feel like they are doing anything but enjoying themselves. The temperate climate allows for outdoor music, street festivals, sports, and healthy recreation. The city's recreational areas include seven golf courses, 3,000 acres of city parks, lakes, and public recreation areas.

Lubbock maintains a friendly small town atmosphere and Old West charm. Visitors will never feel like they are doing anything but enjoying their time here.

It is highly regarded as the birthplace of music, the birthplace of Charles Hardin Holley (born September 7, 1936, died February 3, 1959), better known as Buddy Holly, an American singer, songwriter, and pioneer of Rock & Rolls. Lubbock has a thriving performing arts and visual scene, including museums, theaters, and art galleries. Restaurants are also plentiful, with a variety of cuisines, including local produce, Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Mongolian, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, and of course, Vietnamese.

From exciting wine tasting tours to famous wineries like Llano, Caprock Winery… to fun local theme parks, Lubbock is sure to keep residents and visitors feeling truly vacation-like all year long. In addition, Lubbock’s annual calendar is filled with festivals, celebrations, and concerts. I’ve also been fortunate enough to hear live shows from famous American rock bands like Evanescence, Bon Jovi, Gun & Roses…

Lubbock is also known for its rich musical heritage, including Buddy Holly, singer-songwriter and actress Mac Davis and Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. The downtown area has many great theaters and great art galleries. Whether you like classical, rock, or Tejano music, you will definitely find something to suit your taste in a concert hall or a streetside bar. My favorite is the “First Art Trail” on the first Friday of each month when trolleys take you to art attractions for free. Museum collections, including works ranging from ancient civilizations to modern art, can also be found in several locations.

Whether you like classical, rock, or Tejano music, there's sure to be something to suit your taste in a concert hall or roadside bar.

Indeed, the city of Lubbock has a lot to offer anyone who enjoys the art of living. Major attractions include: Texas Tech University Museum, Heritage Museum, Buddy Holly Center, America's Largest Windmill Museum, American Farm Tool Museum, Mac Kenzie Park and many more. And don't forget to visit the AT&T Jones Football Stadium with a capacity of over 55,000 to see the grandeur of a popular sport here!

And the best place to see the stadium is the Texas Tech Club, with its elegant, luxurious decor and enthusiastic, elegant service staff. If you are unfamiliar with the local menu, boldly choose the “West Texas Salpicon” salad to nibble on a salad with tomatoes, avocado, cheese, Mexican-style jalapeños, red onions, beef brisket and chipotle sauce. Be sure to ask for the Mexican-style “pico de gallo” vegetable mix to experience more of the diverse local cuisine.

Just as Manchester United fans wear red and Chelsea fans wear blue, girls from Lubbock often wear red and black, and boys from parties wear red and black bow ties - the two colors of the city. So the easiest way to make friends is for visitors to wear clothes that have these two main colors.

The friendliness of the local people is shown in the fact that they always help strangers, especially foreigners, from the shopkeeper to the bus driver. When you go out in the morning, don’t be surprised if a stranger greets you enthusiastically. And especially, just raise your hand with the sign made by extending the index fingers outward while extending the thumb up and tucking in the little finger and the middle fourth to form a gun means “Guns up!”, a friendly greeting gesture.

“Guns Up” is also a salute to a Texas Tech University Red Raider fan. It is also a victory sign displayed by the crowd at every sporting event featuring the home team. According to history, L. Glenn Dippe, a 1961 Texas Tech alumnus, and his wife Roxie were living in Austin and faced the daily presence of “Hook ‘em Horns” – the hand sign used by fans of the University of Texas at Austin football team. So the Dippels decided to… retaliate. They looked to the Red Raider mascot and his raised gun for their inspiration. In 1971, Texas Tech University fans and cheerleaders immediately adopted the “Guns Up” gesture and a new tradition was born that exists to this day.

For me, when asked about life in Lubbock, I would probably just raise my hand and say “Guns up” to express my satisfaction with the long trip to this place.

More information:

- You can find more basic information about the city of Lubbock at the Vietnamese webpage created by the author before coming to the US:http://welcometolubbock.weebly.com/index.html. Also refer to the city's tourist information athttp://www.visitlubbock.org/index.phpWhen researching, remember not to mistake it for the city of Bullock in the state of Alabama.

- All city buses are free for Texas Tech students and children under 6 years old. It is cheaper to buy a day pass than to buy a single-trip bus ticket. The bus routes within Texas Tech are free for everyone. If you drive on campus, you are only allowed to go 20 miles per hour. If you go over the speed limit, a police car will immediately flash its lights behind you because there is a speed monitoring system everywhere.

- There is only one Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Café, located at 4515 50th Street. Phone: (806) 788-1367. And there are several Asian markets owned by Chinese and Filipinos.

Check out these 25 must-see attractions in Lubbock.http://www.tripadvisor.com/to arrange a reasonable schedule. In addition, when going sightseeing, you should look for discount coupons from restaurants atwww.groupon.comOr sign up for membership of some insurance companies like AAA will be introduced to discount prices at restaurants for official members.  

The Thanh