What Are You Doing Here?

September 8, 2025 at 7:00 AM PDT

Narrator:All right, let's keep it real. Out of all the places in the world, you're here in Central California. Maybe your family dragged you here. Maybe life threw you a curveball. Or maybe—just maybe—you don’t even know how you ended up in this desert. But the real question is: is this just a pit stop, or is this where your story actually starts?

Welcome to What Are You Doing Here? We're being real about life, chasing dreams, and figuring out what the hell we're doing. Today, we're talking to people who weren’t born here but somehow ended up in this small town. We’re diving into why they came, what they see in this place, and most importantly, where they’re headed next. Is El Centro a place that fuels their dreams—or the place they’ve got to break free from?This ain’t small talk. This is about ambition, struggles, and making moves.So let’s get into it.What are you doing here?

Narrator:Here, there's a common belief that the Imperial Valley is a place to raise a family. Our cities have a small-town feel, and it seems almost everybody knows everybody—or at least almost everyone. For someone from a bigger city, moving to the Valley means learning more than just the school system. It usually means learning how to adapt to the climate and culture.When Mitzi moved to the Valley, she was fortunate—because the weather in Yuma, Arizona is pretty similar. But she did change schools a lot: from Calexico to Imperial, and finally to El Centro. Mitzi knows the question: What are you doing here?

Mitzi: Hi, I'm Mitzi, and I'm not from here. I'm originally from Somerton, which is pretty close by, but there’s always been a lot of differences traveling from there to here.Growing up in Somerton, I moved around a lot—living with my grandma, then with my aunt, and finally with my parents in a home of our own. When I moved from third grade to fourth grade, my parents told me we were moving to California—to Calexico, specifically—so my mom’s job would work out better for us. My brother had just been born, and we were in a small apartment. From Calexico, I went to many schools and lived in apartments, then even a hotel. Eventually, we were waiting for our house to be built in Imperial. And it’s funny, because up in Imperial, I didn’t really feel like I belonged in Imperial—or in El Centro either. Coming here from Somerton in third grade, I lived in these apartments near the border, so I was close to people who spoke mostly Spanish and had a better understanding of what life felt like over there.In third grade, I went to Dual and it was very welcoming. They saw I had certain passions—like being interested in culinary arts. They actually let me go to Calexico High School to cook with some of the high schoolers. I have vivid memories of me and four other kids going to Calexico High and cooking with them. We made things like ice cream, pizza, cookies—it felt good to go back home knowing I made something that day.

Mitzi:Going into fourth grade, I started spending more time in El Centro. I went to schools like McKinley and Harding. I’d do one year at one school, then another year at a different one, then go back to a previous one. It was a lot of moving—so much that I wasn’t really able to build stable relationships with people. I didn’t fully understand what it felt like to truly live here because I still felt like a newcomer. Especially living far up in Imperial, I wasn’t really able to hang out with friends since I didn’t live near them. But as I got older, I was able to maintain more stable relationships. I started meeting people and realized how welcoming people here can be once you really get to know them. I met some really good people like Destiny and Yzma. I’ve had a lot of fun living here.

But it’s not just me—other people I know also dream of leaving here and pursuing their own hopes. I have dreams too—of living in a bigger state, meeting new people. Now that I’m used to being more connected with people, I understand how El Centro works. It’s not just a pit stop. It’s a place you can learn from. And hey, if I came here and embraced it, then we don’t have to hide the fact that we’re from such a small place.

Mitzi:The question I have for you is: what’s your plan? If you want to leave El Centro, I definitely understand. I want to pursue something that puts me out there—something that’s meaningful to other people.

I’ve really been into things like cosmetology—hair, nails, lashes—because I’m close to friends who love it too. I’ve done Destiny’s lashes, my sister’s lashes. I’ve cut my friends’ hair. I’ve done makeup for a lot of people. I love helping others express themselves. For me, having curly hair, it’s hard to find a style that works. You do too much and it gets ruined. So I want to specialize in different hair types. I want to be somewhere with lots of cultural diversity—somewhere I can learn and highlight beauty across all kinds of people.

I believe every skin type and hair texture has its own beauty. Capturing that is essential to showing who you really are. I believe in decorating your character. I love when people do the most. I have friends with face piercings and tattoos—it’s really cool to see people express themselves that way.

But here, it’s a little more modest. Most of the expressive people here are the kids. A lot of adults have families, responsibilities. So the kids are the ones who get to be loud and creative. And I think that’s really cool, because that’s how you find people with ideas like yours.

I’ve even talked about moving to LA with friends, getting an apartment, going to art school together—doing something we’re excited about. I want to enjoy high school, because high school is where you learn about yourself.

And once high school ends—that’s it. That’s your life. I’d rather wake up every day doing something I love than be stuck somewhere wishing I were somewhere else.

I want to take this opportunity and make it into something real—something that puts me where I truly believe I deserve to be.

Narrator: Much like Mitzi’s story, Julian moved to El Centro from Chula Vista during the COVID quarantine year—and actually started school online. Online school didn’t stop him from making friends though. When he finally started in-person classes, sports became the thing that helped him adapt to his new home.

Julian:We're gonna start with elementary school in San Diego. It was… it was different. Pretty cool. Then middle school—I went to Bonita Vista Middle. And yeah, it was different. A lot of thugs there. People carried knives at school. It was wild.

I didn’t really know anyone there because I wasn’t really “out there” like how I am now. Then when I finished seventh grade, my parents started talking about moving to El Centro. In the middle of my eighth grade year, we moved—from San Diego to El Centro. That was during quarantine, so we were still doing online school. It was different—but I liked it, honestly. That’s when I met one person in particular—Davion. He was in my class. That was our eighth grade year, right?Davion: Yeah.Julian: So, I wasn’t doing my work. I had to go in person. But I didn’t really know anyone else in class. Maybe just one person—Edgar.Davion: I didn’t know Julian at all.

Davion (interjecting):The first time I saw him, he had to turn on his camera.And I was in class in person, but he was at home. I don’t know why he was at home, but he was. I was the only one in class. And this dude had the biggest hair. I had a flat top and everything.

Julian:When we graduated or whatever, I kind of saw him at the ceremony—we had that at Southwest. That was the first time I really saw him in person. We didn’t talk at all until freshman year.

Davion:Freshman year football. Yeah, that was it.We went to freshman year football training—just conditioning and stuff.That’s when I really started seeing him.

Julian:Yeah, but we didn’t really talk to each other then either. He was quiet. Nobody really knew anything about him. Then we added him to the freshman football group chat.

Davion:Yeah! On Snapchat. And his first snap? It was a hot dog bun—with just straight fries inside. No hot dog. Just fries. We were like, “What is this?” We called him "Fries," and it’s been his nickname ever since.

Julian:Yeah, we didn’t really talk at first. But once he started making friends, it was over from there. You’d see him talking to everyone.

Davion:Yeah, you could definitely tell he wasn’t from here at first. He wasn’t really talking to anyone. Everyone on the team freshman year knew each other—“Oh, I know him from this,” or “I know him from that.” But Julian? He only talked if you talked to him first.

Julian:I think making friends was the easiest part though, because I talk a lot. And I’m pretty friendly. I made five really close friends—Max, Davion, and some other guys from school.

Davion:How’d you meet Max?

Julian:Oh, I met Max the literal first day of school. It was in Mr. Wong’s class. We always sat in the back of the room. We liked the class, but we didn’t like history, so we just talked until the period ended.

I remember one time, it was hot outside—like HOT. I came into class sweating like a meatball. Max looked at me and said, “Dude, you’re sweating like crazy!” And I was like, “I know, I know. It’s hot.” And ever since then, we’ve been close—always hanging out.That was my first real friend at Central. And after that, I just started making friends left and right.

Davion:So how long did it take for you to get used to the school?

Julian:For me, coming from San Diego, it didn’t take long. Sports helped. That’s what I tell everyone—do sports in school. Not just because it keeps you active 24/7, but because you build bonds. Most of my closest friends are through sports.

Davion:The culture is really different here—100%. Right? From San Diego, like, the vibe and everything?

Julian:Oh yeah, 100%. There’s a huge difference. And I feel it. I can relate. I mean, I never lived in San Diego long-term, but I’ve played football for years. We’d go up there for games and stuff, and the vibe was just… different. I totally get it. I remember walking around campuses up there, and one time, a student was talking to me about how things worked there. It was totally different.

Davion:So, tell us about baseball. How was that?

Julian:Baseball was an experience. At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t even gonna try out. I had been playing on a travel ball team called Rise, and the coach there? I didn’t like him. And it turned out—he was the freshman coach. So, I didn’t want to play for him.

But my dad—he told me the tryouts were the next day. I told him I didn’t want to go. Still, the tryouts started at 7:00 in the morning, and my dad woke me up at 6:30 and said, “Get your stuff—we’re going.”

I didn’t have any baseball gear. All I had was sweatpants, some Vans, a glove, and a bat. That’s what I showed up to tryouts with.

But I made the team—obviously, it was freshman year. I played my whole freshman season, and by sophomore year, I made varsity. From there, it was just uphill. I started making tons of new friends, getting to know more people, and putting myself out there.

Honestly, I’m forever blessed that I moved here. El Centro is my home now. I can’t imagine where I’d be if I had stayed in Chula Vista.

That sums up my story—how I moved from San Diego to El Centro.

Narrator:Today’s next guest traded schnitzel for tacos—and we’re gonna ask the only question that matters: What are you doing here?

All right, picture this: You’re vibing in Germany—good bread, castles, and maybe some techno beats. Life’s solid. And then—boom. You wake up in El Centro, California. The land of palm trees, dust storms, and one Walmart. Culture shock? Yeah… just a bit.

Destiny: First, let me introduce myself. My name is Destiny. Any questions about our podcast—What Are You Doing Here—just ask. It’s about figuring out life when you’re not from here. So if you’re not from here, can you tell us about yourselves?

Sophia: Sure. Well, my name is Sophia. I’m 25 now. I came to Central when I was 15. I think I was one of the youngest exchange students that year. In 2016, I went back to Germany, finished high school, and then started college. I’m almost done now—I study industrial engineering and I’m close to finishing my master’s.

Clara: Hi, I’m Clara. I’m also 25, turning 26 soon. After I returned to Germany in 2016, I finished high school, then studied law. That took a long time, but I just graduated a few months ago. Now I’m kind of figuring out what I want to do next.

Destiny: How did you even find El Centro?

Sophia: We didn’t exactly find it ourselves. We were exchange students through an organization. They basically choose where you go. They find a host family, and then you go wherever they place you. Clara and I knew of each other before coming. We met at a prep weekend the organization hosted. We sat next to each other and found out we only lived 20 minutes apart in Germany.

Destiny: What surprised you the most when you got to El Centro?

Sophia: The heat. I knew it would be hot, but I had never experienced that kind of heat before. I still remember—it was like 1:00 a.m. when I arrived with my host family, and it was still so hot outside.

Clara: For me, it was the absence of plants. Everything looked so dry. In Germany, you see green everywhere. And the absence of rain! I remember the one time it rained when I was there—it felt like a religious experience.

Destiny: What else caught your attention when you first arrived? Besides the heat—was it the people, the places, something else?

Sophia: For me, it was all the Mexican food places. In Germany, where I live, there are maybe one or two Mexican restaurants—and they’re not very good. In El Centro, there were Mexican restaurants everywhere. It was crazy! And they were all really good.

Clara: Yeah, barely any good Mexican food back home. It was such a big change. Just the amount of food places in general—it was a shock.

Destiny: Did you have any expectations before you came to El Centro?

Clara: I think my vision was really influenced by American movies I watched as a kid. I imagined American high schools to be full of drama, like with the mean cheerleaders and all that. But when I got there, everyone was actually really nice. My host sister was a cheerleader and she was super cool. So it wasn’t like the stereotype. And the school spirit? That was real. I remember Blue Fridays and all those spirit days—it was just like the movies in that way.

Destiny: When you came to the U.S., was it a big difference from Germany?

Sophia: For me, it was a huge difference. I thought Americans and Germans were similar—both Western countries, right? But once I got there, I realized Americans are very different, especially with things like small talk. And the AC—air conditioning was everywhere. Every single house had it. In Germany, we don’t have that at all.

Clara: Same here. Also, the way people eat is so different. It’s not just the Mexican food—though that was a big change—it’s also how often people eat out. In Germany, we cook at home more. And the portion sizes! I was shocked. You can get a gallon of soda. That just doesn’t exist in Germany. I forgot about it until I visited again in 2023. I landed at the airport and thought, “Oh my God, I forgot how big everything is.”

Destiny: Did you have any language struggles when you first arrived?

Sophia: Yeah. Before I came, I thought my English was nearly perfect. I could watch shows and movies and understand everything. But when I got there, I didn’t understand anything people were saying—especially in school. Everyone used slang. I remember thinking, “Please don’t ask me anything!” And the Spanish! I had taken two years of Spanish in school, but it was so different from the Spanish people spoke in El Centro.

Clara: For me, it was the opposite. I never thought I was good at English. I got bad grades in school. But that’s partly why I wanted to come here—to get better. And everyone was so nice and patient. They didn’t expect me to speak perfect English, and that was such a relief. It helped me feel comfortable from the beginning.

Destiny: So… final thoughts. What do you think of El Centro and the Imperial Valley as a whole?

Sophia: When I think of El Centro, it’s just bright in my mind. Such a happy place. It’s been a few years since I went back—I last visited in 2017—but I always remember it so positively. It really felt like a second home.

Clara: Same here. I still talk about it like it was a second home. When I tell people about it, I say, “Yeah, I lived in the middle of the desert for a year!” It was such a cool thing to experience—not just for a few days, but for almost a full year. We were really part of the community.

Sophia: There’s no other year in my life I remember as fondly. Being 16, living in a place so different from everything I’d known for 15 years—it changed me. It showed me you can find friends anywhere in the world. You can show up in a random desert town and still meet kind people who invite you into their homes, try to talk to you even if you barely speak the language, and make you feel welcome.

Clara: That experience really shaped me. Now, when I start a new job or move to a new place, I remember how kind people can be—how a place that seems random at first can actually become meaningful.

Sophia: I still talk to my host family. In 2023, I visited them again—spent two and a half weeks there. I even saw my host sister again—she’s a mom now, with two kids! It was crazy seeing how everyone’s lives changed. But they still welcomed me into their home, just like they did 10 years ago. I really gained a second family—on the other side of the world.

Narrator: Imagine it’s 10 years from now. You made it. Where are you? What are you doing?

If you leave, are you coming back? If you make it big, will you represent the Valley—or is it just part of the past?

If someone younger than you, someone here in the Valley, has the same dream… What advice would you give them?