Most common question for new transplants? (San Antonio, Austin: live, moving, ferry)

[xcountrymover]

When people find out I'm new to Texas, I usually get a warm 'Welcome to Texas!'. It really makes me smile : ) This usually happens 'outside' of Austin, though.

[twange]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

For the first couple of seasons, the theme song was "Moon over Parma". When I first went there, I ask our friends if we could go to Parma and they said no, it sucks.

Yea, it kind of does. Ultra-white, drab car 'burb(not all of it, but most). But I suppose it's the go-to spot for the classic Polish-American vibe...Perogies, sausage, polka, tacky lawn ornaments, uber-manicured yards, beer. Awe, I'm getting home sick

Originally Posted by atxcio

I don't know exactly how we got here, but when people mention Cleveland, what always pops in my mind to say is "Hello Cleveland!!!" ...

I also feel like saying that if I get lost in a building.

Thank Spinal Tap for that one! Every band in Cleveland, post 198? has used that one. What a great scene!

[ramones85]

We get asked "What brought you to Austin?" allllllll the time. I've started to change my response.

I used to tell the complete truth: "My boyfriend's friend moved here and called us to say it was amazing. Five weeks later, we sold my car and packed everything we could into his toyota and moved."

After some odd looks, or people assuming we were the vagrant-type who might not be the greatest candidates for jobs, I've changed my response to:

"My boyfriend is a chemist and the opportunities here are amazing."

People seem to dig that much more

[twange]

Originally Posted by ramones85

"My boyfriend is a chemist and the opportunities here are amazing."

People seem to dig that much more

That's an awesome response. Question: Is he really a chemist?

[twange]

Originally Posted by Franklyn

3. Its OK except the food's too bland and the dental care here suck.

BTW, is this true? I haven't found a dentist yet and I'm a bit overdue

[Franklyn]

Nope. I'se jus' pullin' your laig.

[schoenfraun]

The question I hear the most is the general: "What do you think of Texas?" or I get "Welcome to Texas!!" which amuses me to no end.

Texans have such pride in their state, it's amazing. I should say that I am a public historian here, and I came for the job, but when people ask me, "What brought you to Austin" or "What brought you to Texas," I usually reply, "I drove myself, I have a Honda."

But in Chicago, Illinois, my hometown, when I heard that folks are new, I have never asked them "What do you think of Illinois?" I guess our state pride is fairly poor in contrast to Texans'. It seems like such a goofy question to me but I hear it all the time.

But Texans want to know!

I was told that the public school curricula in this state require a course in Texas state history before graduation, whereas in Illinois there was no such requirement.

And I think that Spinal Tap is the reason for most things, not only the reason why you shout out every time you land at the Cleveland airport.

[Phisch]

Funny thing I've noticed. When I get asked "what brought you to Texas" like most I get a nice welcome; that is, so long as the person is a native. If they're from somewhere else, the question has a tone of "why on earth did you pick this place"?

We had some folks visiting from Kansas and they wanted to know why Austin. I guess it's hard to see past California? The media works wonders, I think to myself.

I got the same vibe from someone who used to be from CA, but they moved because her husband's job moved him, not that she wanted to leave.

I guess my point is that in spite of all the "Top Places to Live/Work/Whatever" positive press Austin gets, it's not a shoe-in that people will want to move here because they don't really get Austin. They're moving in droves, but if people really got it, those droves would probably be a lot bigger

I second the love of state thing. My MIL, on her visit, commented about how many Texas flags fly along side/under the US flag. You don't see that anywhere near as much in California.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by Phisch

Funny thing I've noticed. When I get asked "what brought you to Texas" like most I get a nice welcome; that is, so long as the person is a native. If they're from somewhere else, the question has a tone of "why on earth did you pick this place"?

I'm a 6th or 7th generation Texan and I can't figure out why anybody would move to any place in Texas outside of Austin. Really, the rest of the state sucks. Be honest and you'll realize it's true.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Originally Posted by achtungpv

I'm a 6th or 7th generation Texan and I can't figure out why anybody would move to any place in Texas outside of Austin. Really, the rest of the state sucks. Be honest and you'll realize it's true.

While it's true that I LOVE Austin, I think there are other cities that are unique in their own ways within the state of Texas. For example, Fort Worth and San Antonio. Each place has a uniqueness about it. I have never been in West Texas, so I cannot speak of those towns/cities. If you count the small towns, ie: Gruene, New Braunfels, Fredricksburg...these are some very cute towns. I wouldn't say the rest of the state sucks.