To Move or Not to Move (to Austin)?? (Leander, Memphis: fit in, apartments)
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I've been back and forth on your forum pages here for weeks trying to figure out what my next step in life is, and I know that, ultimately, a forum can't tell me that, but help from the locals is always appreciated.
I currently live just outside of Memphis, TN, which, except for some amazing BBQ and some good music, is pretty much the cesspool of the South with all its racial tension and religious fanatics. I've been here most of my life (21 years now) and have only ever lived in North Carolina, which I loved dearly but don't want to go back to because of the educational system. I'm a high school teacher, and I love my job, but I'm considering getting out of the field because each day becomes more soul-draining than the last, so NC is out of the question. I'm 33, my husband is 36, and we don't have (and don't really want) children. Those details aside...
My husband lived in Austin for almost a decade, and he took me to visit in October of 2012. I loved it. I've read here about the horrendous traffic, which I witnessed and agree is awful, and I read here about people saying that Austin's "weird" is either running rampant and they want out into the 'burbs; is cliche' and now if you're not over-the-top, you're looked down upon; or that it's all becoming commercialized and is falling apart. So, no one agrees there, or rather, as is more likely, it's situational and based on experience.
All the same - I can't do Memphis anymore. This place is one of the most backwards places I've ever been in, and despite some amazing people here, it continues to be run by idiots and drain me of my will to live. So, I'm asking you guys if I can lose some of the things I hate about Memphis by moving to Austin. Any experience(s) you have with any of the following points is appreciated.
*Racism: I'm over it. It's all Memphis can talk about anymore. Every little sideways glance ends up on the news with a racism charge and a community of either the KKK or the NAACP backing the claims and
threatening to sue. People here will NOT let these issues die no matter how hard some of us fight. What's the racial tension in Austin like? I know there's a decent mix of white and Hispanic communities, whereas here, it's white and black communities. Can folks get along decently? At least be civil and humane with one another?
*Progressiveness: I'm so tired of living in a place where, for the most part, progressive thinking is a contemplation of insurance providers. I'm not a fanatic, but I do like to have a place to recycle things (and love when public places offer bins) and a place to buy organic or locally grown foods. I'd love a place where energy efficiency and alternative energy sources are priorities. Austin's "weird" may be in question, but what would you say about the ability to find things like this conveniently? (The only fresh markets in our area are 30+ minutes away and overpriced.) If you said you were going to take away someone's 4-wheel-drive turbo diesel, you might get shot.
*Conservatism: I know that Texas is a red state, but isn't Austin a little blue speck in the midst of all that? Tennessee is as red as it gets, and there's nothing wrong with conservative values -- goodness knows the last thing I'm trying to do here is argue politics -- but it'd be nice to live in a place that respected the beliefs and ideals of everyone. Around here, if you're not in church every time the doors are open, and usually a Southern Baptist church, then you're going to hell. I'd consider us somewhere in the middle of the politics, but my husband and I are definitely more accepting and liberal than most of the population here. On the day-to-day, does Austin manage to respect everyone's humanity and allow them to just exist?
*Education: As a high school teacher, I'm watching the teens of our area become more and more pretentious and entitled daily, and here, their parents support it and will threaten to have meetings, take teachers to the Board, and even sue teachers, administrators, and the district-at-large if they don't get their way. Do we have any Austinite teachers online? Which district are you in? What have your experiences been?
*Job Satisfaction: I know everyone tends to dislike their job from time to time, but do most of you finally end up doing something that makes you happy in life? In Memphis, the job market isn't so great, and many people are doing what they need to to get by. I know there's some of that in every city and in every tax bracket, but I was just wondering what the general consensus was.
*Music: I'm in a cover band here in Memphis, and I love it dearly. I know that Austin has an amazing music scene, with bands all over the place nightly. Does anyone know if it's hard to get involved in a project out there? I'd love to be able to find another band home because I'll miss my guys here terribly. What are the popular musical styles out that way? (Memphis is a largely country-western fan base, of course.)
*Housing: I know my cost of living will increase, and I'm hoping to find a job that will keep up and allow us to maintain our standard of living. With that in mind, though, what are some of the economical places to be? I'd love to live in Austin proper, downtown especially, but I figure that's not happening because we'll never be able to afford it. We're considering Leander because my husband lived there before moving back to Memphis a few years ago and enjoyed the atmosphere. According to Google Earth, it's gotten more populated out that way. Where are the best places to call home?
I have a million more questions, but these are my biggies, and I look forward to your posts and responses. I'm not attempting to incite any kinds of arguments or turf wars, so I hope that can be avoided here. I'm genuinely looking for guidance. I have 5 job applications out right now and could hear back from them any day, so I'm definitely looking to be productive.
First off, you and your husband are welcome here. Apart from traffic and cost of living you'll find that all the things you mentioned in your post will be to your liking here in Austin.
Racism: Never heard of any racial tension here. There might be miniscule pockets of tension here and there but generally speaking we tend to "live and let live" here.
Progressiveness: My take: very progressive in the core and less so towards the burbs.
Conservatism: of course, you'd find more diversity here compared to Memphis.
Music scene: A+
Housing: live close to your jobs. Only way to soften the daily traffic blows.
Can't really say much about education and job satisfaction.
*Racism: I'm over it. It's all Memphis can talk about anymore. Every little sideways glance ends up on the news with a racism charge and a community of either the KKK or the NAACP backing the claims and
threatening to sue. People here will NOT let these issues die no matter how hard some of us fight. What's the racial tension in Austin like? I know there's a decent mix of white and Hispanic communities, whereas here, it's white and black communities. Can folks get along decently? At least be civil and humane with one another?
Having spent some time in Memphis as a consultant (albeit decades ago), I think you will find the racism much less apparent. I won't even start to say it isn't here, but the AA community is tiny here, so there just isn't that much opportunity for issues to arise. The Caucasian/Hispanic racism is much less volatile. I think many people, myself included, hardly notice if a person is Hispanic or not. OF course, there are people that have 'issues', but they are more of a minority and have to generally keep their mouth shut to keep from looking like an idiot.
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*Progressiveness: I'm so tired of living in a place where, for the most part, progressive thinking is a contemplation of insurance providers. I'm not a fanatic, but I do like to have a place to recycle things (and love when public places offer bins) and a place to buy organic or locally grown foods. I'd love a place where energy efficiency and alternative energy sources are priorities. Austin's "weird" may be in question, but what would you say about the ability to find things like this conveniently? (The only fresh markets in our area are 30+ minutes away and overpriced.) If you said you were going to take away someone's 4-wheel-drive turbo diesel, you might get shot.
Just to keep it brief - based on your description and definition, you will like the progressiveness here .
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*Conservatism: I know that Texas is a red state, but isn't Austin a little blue speck in the midst of all that? Tennessee is as red as it gets, and there's nothing wrong with conservative values -- goodness knows the last thing I'm trying to do here is argue politics -- but it'd be nice to live in a place that respected the beliefs and ideals of everyone. Around here, if you're not in church every time the doors are open, and usually a Southern Baptist church, then you're going to hell. I'd consider us somewhere in the middle of the politics, but my husband and I are definitely more accepting and liberal than most of the population here. On the day-to-day, does Austin manage to respect everyone's humanity and allow them to just exist?
From my personal experience, very little emphasis on what church, if any, you go to. The 'buzz' is that the suburbs have more emphasis on that, but I live on the outskirts and can't tell you where, or if, my neighbors go to church even though we interact weekly, if not daily. It hasn't come up. Politically, I think you will find redder suburbs and bluer city center, but I think you will find a lot of practicing moderates. I don't know if it is true or not for everyone, but most everyone I know is in the socially liberal/fiscally conservative group, at least when they vote. I am sure there some friends of mine that lean more socially conservative, but they tend to be very pragmatic about separation of church/state ( I work mainly with engineers, FWIW).
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*Music: I'm in a cover band here in Memphis, and I love it dearly. I know that Austin has an amazing music scene, with bands all over the place nightly. Does anyone know if it's hard to get involved in a project out there? I'd love to be able to find another band home because I'll miss my guys here terribly. What are the popular musical styles out that way? (Memphis is a largely country-western fan base, of course.)
You will likely have not trouble finding a group to play with, and about any style of music is present - but you will NOT make any money doing it - you will not even cover costs, in many cases - because there is just too much competition; however, if you want to be in a band just to play and want to perform in public, there are no shortages of opportunities.
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*Housing: I know my cost of living will increase, and I'm hoping to find a job that will keep up and allow us to maintain our standard of living. With that in mind, though, what are some of the economical places to be? I'd love to live in Austin proper, downtown especially, but I figure that's not happening because we'll never be able to afford it. We're considering Leander because my husband lived there before moving back to Memphis a few years ago and enjoyed the atmosphere. According to Google Earth, it's gotten more populated out that way. Where are the best places to call home?
Too many variables to give an answer - but live close to work (i.e. same side of the river). Monthly housing budget (including taxes) would be required to give you a better answer, as well. Taxes will be around 2.5% of total appraised value (search forum for loads of info), so don't forget that. I think TN is only taxes on 1/4 of value, don't remember the rates. Since you don't have kids, that opens up a lot of options for 'neglected' areas (i.e. have 'bad' schools). Some areas in south central Austin might suit your needs.
Things have improved slightly from when that was posted, but not significantly. It can still be difficult finding a teaching job in Austin unless you have some special in-demand qualifications.
unless you have some special in-demand qualifications.
Math and Science, Secondary level, ESL a plus but not as big an issue in HS, good resume (not straight out of school). Sounds like you are secondary, so that actually helps a ton. You have some years of experience, it sounds like. Not sure if you are math/sci. I have two friends that are in fact in a program that transfers engineers to teaching via a 1 (?) year program that included student teaching, teaching methods, etc. and placed you in a school in the central Texas area.
Y'all's responses have been awesome so far. Thank you!! These are exactly the honest replies I was hoping to get, and I hope they continue.
I have been teaching for about 9 years, so I have a little bit of a resume built up. I did a short semester of freshman comp at the University of Memphis, and then I have spent the rest of my time as a high school English teacher, teaching everything from remedial to advanced courses in all grades but 10th. I honestly wouldn't mind shifting out of the classroom and into a leadership position with a district somewhere or even UT Austin. I've applied for a few things I've seen online. I'm currently researching a KIPP leadership position to decide if I want to apply for it, and I even found an opening for a high school English teacher in the Leander ISD, which would be perfect for us, but I know how the politics can be, too. They're the same here, unfortunately. I can only hope that my qualifications might help me out some, as well as my immediate availability (whereas most people looking to transfer around are settled and won't leave mid-year). As far as in-demand qualifications, I'm afraid I'm lacking there. I'm an English kid (not STEM), and I don't speak Spanish, but I'm working on it.
Thank you guys for the feedback regarding teaching, though, and the link! That's been one of my toughest obstacles - to keep teaching in a climate that hates teachers or to move forward and explore my other strengths.
I appreciate the stats on housing and such, too. I know that's a tricky question to respond to without a lot of details. We're not sure what we'll be able to afford yet, honestly, and we'll end up in apartments for a little bit while researching and settling in, so it's not the most pressing question I've got, but it's definitely a consideration.
I'm grateful for the information on the other topics as well. Austin seemed the place to respect boundaries and beliefs with the whole "keep it weird" mentality. It seemed like there was just a general acceptance for everyone, and even visiting, I felt and appreciated that. I can understand that the suburbs will be more of what I'm used to here as far as that conservative mentality. I like the description you gave, though. I'd say that I, too, am socially liberal and fiscally conservative and for simplicity's sake, call myself a moderate in most things.
The music news is a little depressing, although I'm not surprised. I expected a similar response. We don't make anything doing it here, either, so that's not new, but at least we're breaking even most nights. The idea of not even being able to cover expenses while working as hard as it takes is kind of deterring. Definitely one for trial and error and research.
Ultimately, I just want to be somewhere where people live and let live and respect one another as human beings and pick up after themselves.
My wife was a Special Ed teacher when we lived there. Its pretty competitive getting into certain districts unless you have a specialty like Special Ed, Math, and Science. Politics are always present. Schools and pay are just middle of the road compared to the rest of the US.
You will fit in fine there, but don't expect what you read in the magazines. It's becoming a pretty busy, hectic place. Its not really all that "weird" or different than any other big city.... especially in the suburbs where you say you will probably have to live. The housing is fairly inexpensive out there, and it is very safe.... but it is pretty plastic and generic and strip mallish. Houses are jammed together. A fine place to raise a family, but lacking true big city amenities.
There are people playing music everywhere, but they aren't all good musicians I can tell you that.
Thanks, dbsteel! I'm thinking that might be the problem I have trying to keep teaching. I have been optimistic about the Leander ISD posting I found because it was specifically high school English, but know that there's probably more to it than just me applying. Teachers get paid much less there than here (about $10K/year less), according to the salary schedules I've found, so I might not be able to afford to do it anyway.
I definitely don't expect a utopia. No place is perfect. I'm just looking for a place less hateful than Memphis where people live and let live and are generally accepting of one another. I want to live in a place that cares about the world around it. I know that capitalism and consumerism get the best of all the great places, and from the posts I've read here, it sounds like they haven't left Austin out, sadly. And I figure suburbia will be just that - placid. Being close to downtown Austin with an opportunity to shake off the mediocrity on the weekends/evenings, though, would be nice. Not keen on the jam-packed housing. I'm used to a sprawl here. Of course, with that comes less yard to take care of, which is its own benefit. You win some; you lose some. Knowing that if we decide to have kids they'll be a great place is nice, though.
As for the musicians bit... we definitely noticed that they weren't all good ones on our visit. We even hit one place - great little bar - but their band that night was awful. We had to finish our drinks and leave; we couldn't take it.
Teaching jobs are very competitive in the Austin area- even in Leander. UT and Texas State churn out hundreds of new grads every year as well. Do you have your Texas teaching certificate yet? Get your portfolio and ducks in a row to be ready for next spring's applications. Start networking now- positions in the better schools are about who you know.
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