The implicit meaning in the line "now I'm someone who watches tractor pulls on obscure cable channels" is that, though an Indian immigrant, in some ways she feels very integrated into American society. The main contextual clue in the line is "tractor pulls" because tractor pulling is a kind of competition that one would not think is popular in India, but it is kind of motorsport competition that is popular in the United States. The fact that the speaker is watching this competitions on cable channels lets the reader know that she has adopted some american cultural customs.
To disturb or confuse; make uneasy or anxious
Run and arrive because an adverb is an action word and a train is arriving which is an action and they were running which is an action
A popular television series set in the far reaches of space
D: Jo is independent
Since it says that Jo is strong, wild, and happy all alone. I can only conclude that Beth is calling Jo Independent.