You definitely are a real Texan if you enjoy cumin on Mexican food! The Northern Mexicans use it. We don't!

You provoked my foody PTSD with the sauce from a can bit. I had a similar experience in the midwest (Michigan). It was a Sunday morning. I ordered menudo in a small Mexican restaurant (that mostly served Non-Mexicans). Well, the menudo broth tasted like tomato sauce from a can. It was horrible.

Your upbringing (save for the Catholic part) closely resembles a few White kids I knew in California. They were raised around Mexicans and pretty much fit in.

Yeah, culture shock happens. When I first moved here, I complained about the food and stuff. But, I like it here.

Re fruterías, Idk... if there are any in this state, I haven't seen them.

P.S. LOL anchor babies! The soap box type social justicey Chicanos would be soo pissed about that term. In general though, I don't think people outside the border areas use it. Even then, I think many people consider it a put down. Dreamers sounds so damn corny to me that I think its just as bad if not worst than wetback or border buddies or etc. lol