How did Austin get so friendly? (Houston, San Antonio: home, vacation, deal)

[southwest1230]

How the hell did Austin get so friendly in the first place? Everything happens for a reason. I really think you can pin it on something, and this is what I am trying to do with this post. Read, and after reading, post what YOU feel
are the reasons.......nothing happens in a vacuum, BTW.


I met more people in my first 3 months here than I would in 5 years in Chicago......I think that its prob the most friendly city in Texas as well, but I hear San Antonio wins that one. Been told that by many Texans, so I would imagine its true.

My question is WHY? First, it's a friendly state by nature. The south as a region is friendly, and Texas would be near the top in that region as a state. Some southern states are not particularly friendly, so it isn't as much of a southern thing as you would think, therefore I wouldn't put a tremendous weight on that fact. Unfriendly southern states would be Florida(way at the top of the list,and yes, the north half north of Orlando is the only southern part, and they are not nice there. And if you had to deal with tourists and seniors 24/7 you would not be either). Next, per unfriendly southern states would be Virginia and the Carolinas(Virginia gets the DC attitude that rubs off on the rest of the state, and they get cocky with all the colonial historical stuff. The Carolinas are still fighting the civil war as we speak(oh yeah, they call it "the war between the states"). All the rest of the south is pretty friendly, particularly Georgia, Kentucky, tennessee(very much so), and the deep south in general, particularly Louisiana.

Second, Austin is a very intelligent city, and intelligent people like to talk, particularly in cafes and such.

Third, people from out-of-area are lacking a social network, looking to redefine thenselves as well, and are simply more open towards conversation and meeting people.

Lastly, it is a Texas thing. Austin doesn't sit in the middle of the state in isolation. It is the capitol after all, and very Texan in spirit, not to mention that the majority of relocatees are from Texas itself, just by sheer proximity and the huge size of the populations. Think of it. Just 3 hours away sits Houston, with over 6 million folks. dallas as well, with another 6 Mill.

So that leads one to the question, "Why are Texans friendly"? Very good question, and perhaps we should be asking only that question after all is said and done. First, it is a relatively isolated state. When you are out-of-the-way, you learn to entertain yourself, so to speak. The settlers came from many areas as well, and there was no decent farmland to grow crops, so they had to stick together as a group to survive, not to mention the weather and disasters and such. Last, they were a republic, the only(lone star) state to stand alone as such. Forthwith, they established their own persona,
and bonded together 100 times more because of it. It really IS sort of their own country, when all is said and done? Don't
you think?

So, why do YOU folks think Austin is as friendly as it is?

[HappyTexan]

It's not just Austin..Texan's are friendly all over the state

[southwest1230]

Happy, that was the last point I made. Indeed, It's really a Texas thing. people tend to
say Austin is friendly, when its really Texas itself. I tried to figure out why Texas was friendly in the last paragraph. Any reasons you can come up with, happy?

[Mike78613]

Oh yea!! When I worked for Gateway, I had to go to Chicago for some training for a few months. I remember this one-time when I was walking to a building door and open the door for a young lady. When I opened the door and told her "go ahead" she STOP and stared and did not nod, smile or say thanks. I just rolled my eyes and said "I want to go-back home"

[car957]

Our friendliness is pretty well summarized in a song written by Gary P. Nunn song, What I Like About Texas.

The first chord goes like this:

You ask me what I like about Texas
I tell you it's the wide open spaces!
It's everything between the Sabine and the Rio Grande.
It's the Llano Estacado,
It's the Brazos and the Colorado;
Spirit of the people down here who share this land!

The chorus line is:

It's another burrito, it's a cold Lone Star in my hand!
It's a quarter for the jukebox, boys,
Play some songs by your favorite Texas band!

Jerry Jeff Walker also sings it. Gary P. Nunn is a great Texas musician and was named by Governor Mark White in 1985 as the Official Ambassador of Texas for his song "London Home Sick Blues." Myself and other fellow Texans wish the legislators would propose legislation to adopt it as the official State Song. Now getting Governor Pretty Hair to sign it may be a little more challenging.

Also, I seem to recall that when you enter our state, the signs at the border say "Welcome to Texas - Drive Friendly." The last time I drove across the border was over 20 years ago so I could be wrong.

[jread]

As others have said, it's just "Texas". I would not group Texas with the "South", though, as it's very different. I notice people are friendly in the South only if you're the right color or you're dressed a certain way. Even then a lot of it is very fake... you can tell that they're making all sorts of judgements about you while they're pretending to ask about "your mom and them".

I hate the South.... Texas is NOT the South.

[texas7]

We often vacation in the panhandle of Florida and the area is filled with hard-core southerners with the major, major accent. And you know what, no matter what jokes are made about their state, etc. I have to admit that those people are by far the friendliest and warmest people I have been around ever. I love people from Texas and southern states in general. A few weeks in this vacation area around people who are considered deep south and I see what the term down-home friendly means.