Hi, GoAskAlice, welcome to PsychCentral.

Agoraphobia is a phobia, fear of being in open spaces (like Los Angeles :-) What you had sounds like an anxiety reaction, a kind of "reactive" anxiety.

This Michigan college counseling center handout might explain it a little better: http://www.counseling.mtu.edu/anxiety_management.html

I suspect going to the new, strange place, Texas, where you didn't "know what was going to happen" and didn't have a familiar routine/life so it was all unknown, might have temporarily upset you. Kind of like if you imagine being dropped off in the middle of a European city without knowing the language; that would make a heck of a lot of people anxious even though others might find it exciting/challenging.

If you don't mind my asking, why are you asking this now; I take it you are back in California? Did it not work out in Texas and you're contemplating taking another trip but are worried about the anxiety returning?