There are numerous small cultural differences between here and Texas and one of the differences that we've noticed is that despite being one of the more remote cities in the US, the culture here seems less insular.

For example, when people were voicing prayer concerns in church, one person mentioned the conflict in Tibet and another person mentioned struggles in Congo. From years of going to church in Texas, I can't really remember anyone praying for anything outside of the United States, other than the war in Iraq. And, when praying for the war in Iraq in Texas, the prayer was almost always for our troops to come home safely, whereas at church here, they prayed for a peaceful end to the conflict and protection for both sides. I'm not trying to say one way is right and one way is wrong - you can make your own opinion about that - I just think it's an interesting difference.

I found another couple examples at the basketball game we went to. Now, I haven't been to nearly as many basketball games as I've been to church services, so maybe these examples are a little weaker. Still, I thought it was interesting, and even a little strange, that at the game I went to the anthem was sung by a group of young adults from Uganda. It seemed a little weird to have people who could only dream about enjoying the security and freedoms that we have to be singing our anthem, and I don't know how often something like that happens here, but I couldn't really see that happening in Dallas. Another example, and this one could be common at other basketball games, too, I've just never noticed it, but there was an advertising for the Nothing But Nets Campaign, a campaign to reduce the deadly and historically unstoppable grip of malaria on millions of Africans. Maybe they advertise at Mavs games, too, but it would seem a little more out of place there than it did here.

And the final example I can think of is again just my perspective, but people here made a pretty big deal about the Dalai Lama being in town and I have a hard time imagining people in Dallas/Fort Worth having the same enthusiasm.

Those are all the examples I've noticed so far. While I may not be correct in my perspective for a couple of them, both Lesley and I have noticed the overall difference in culture, however subtle and difficult to quantify. Seattlites just seem more worldly and make Texan culture seem more insular. I just think it's interesting.