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NOTAM, maybe I am wrong, but you seem a little down on Corpus. I have not been here long, and I am not in the city proper. I live out on the island, Port Aransas. This town is like a big tourist trap, but the people are friendly, accepting and laid back. What was it about Corpus that was so bad for you? I read something about Hispanics? Was that the problem? I have not seen many out here, if I go into town, I see a few here and there, but I see far many more white than hispanics. I have seen plenty of jobs out here that pay rather well, and you may think money is not everything, but it sure helps feed your family, give you security, and buy the things you need.
I read that your there near Fort Hood, what makes that area better than the Gulf Coast? I am retired Army, and I did not care for Fort Hood much. But I guess there are different strokes for different folks. I would love to know what your beef with the coast is. If it is too personal I understand your not sharing, and please forgive me if I am too forward.
Well I dont want to go into too much detail because it upsets some folks too much so if you want details, feel free to DM me. But in general, I missed "Texas" (the stereotypical Texas that I knew, where I have spent most my life), and down there (lived 30 min drive from CC, but worked in CC part time on my second job), I felt geographically, socially, and culturally isolated. I just simply could not acclimate and did not fit in. It was the only place in Texas where I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb and did not fit in. (blue eyed blonde "Anglo"-and oh i hated being called an Anglo all the time-how would other races like to be just labeled and identified by their race alone? i wanted to be just another person/human). And even wearing my normal Wranglers, roughstock boots, palmleaf cowboy hat, I was looked at as if I were odd, and kids even would remark "hey look Dad, a real cowgirl!" (this does NOT happen where i live now, there are plenty folks walking around my HEB and Walmart dressed JUST like me all the time). I had several bad things happen to me (crimes)-one of them, the perpetrator was a law enforcement officer. The list goes on. It was a nightmare that I wish to never experience again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TyranidCultist
NOTAM, maybe I am wrong, but you seem a little down on Corpus. I have not been here long, and I am not in the city proper. I live out on the island, Port Aransas. This town is like a big tourist trap, but the people are friendly, accepting and laid back. What was it about Corpus that was so bad for you? I read something about Hispanics? Was that the problem? I have not seen many out here, if I go into town, I see a few here and there, but I see far many more white than hispanics. I have seen plenty of jobs out here that pay rather well, and you may think money is not everything, but it sure helps feed your family, give you security, and buy the things you need.
I read that your there near Fort Hood, what makes that area better than the Gulf Coast? I am retired Army, and I did not care for Fort Hood much. But I guess there are different strokes for different folks. I would love to know what your beef with the coast is. If it is too personal I understand your not sharing, and please forgive me if I am too forward.
Last edited by NOTAM; 01-29-2009 at 05:47 AM..
Reason: add
Oh so your the kinda gal who wears cowboy boots with a nice flowered country style dress, a nice straw hat. Yeah, out here that would stand out some. I like Hawaiian shirts and khaki pants, and stand out a little, most out here are torn blue jeans and tee shirts. I am so happy to be in sandals instead of combat boots. I am sorry you did not fit in... but am glad you found where you do. I like crashing waves, and thunderstorms off the water, the chirping of flying rats, and the pipers and there little shuffling feet. So this is perfect for me.
I will admit corpus does look a bit run down in spots, and I see many empty retail strip malls about the town. I can only hope this city can become the gem I see under the dirt and grime.
Yeppers.
DM is direct message e.g. private message.
HOOAH!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TyranidCultist
Oh so your the kinda gal who wears cowboy boots with a nice flowered country style dress, a nice straw hat. Yeah, out here that would stand out some. I like Hawaiian shirts and khaki pants, and stand out a little, most out here are torn blue jeans and tee shirts. I am so happy to be in sandals instead of combat boots. I am sorry you did not fit in... but am glad you found where you do. I like crashing waves, and thunderstorms off the water, the chirping of flying rats, and the pipers and there little shuffling feet. So this is perfect for me.
I will admit corpus does look a bit run down in spots, and I see many empty retail strip malls about the town. I can only hope this city can become the gem I see under the dirt and grime.
Well I dont want to go into too much detail because it upsets some folks too much so if you want details, feel free to DM me. But in general, I missed "Texas" (the stereotypical Texas that I knew, where I have spent most my life), and down there (lived 30 min drive from CC, but worked in CC part time on my second job), I felt geographically, socially, and culturally isolated. I just simply could not acclimate and did not fit in. It was the only place in Texas where I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb and did not fit in. (blue eyed blonde "Anglo"-and oh i hated being called an Anglo all the time-how would other races like to be just labeled and identified by their race alone? i wanted to be just another person/human). And even wearing my normal Wranglers, roughstock boots, palmleaf cowboy hat, I was looked at as if I were odd, and kids even would remark "hey look Dad, a real cowgirl!" (this does NOT happen where i live now, there are plenty folks walking around my HEB and Walmart dressed JUST like me all the time). I had several bad things happen to me (crimes)-one of them, the perpetrator was a law enforcement officer. The list goes on. It was a nightmare that I wish to never experience again.
Ppl in Corpus are very friendly and get along really well, in my opinion.
Isolated? You've got to be kidding me. Corpus is still at about 40-45% Anglo, last I heard. If you stay on the Southside, I'm sure that it is substantially higher. Of course, if you go out dressing like a country bumpkin, you might get a few ppl looking at you. It seems to me like you didn;t REALLY try at fitting in. Can you really say that the ppl in your current neck of the woods don't "label" mexican americans or anybody else that appears to be "different"? Maybe you got a small taste of what you've been dishing out all of these years.
OP, how old are your kids? If they're not yet school age, it's probably good to rent first to get a good idea of where you want to be. If they're older, you may want to minimize disruptions for them and stay in one place. I think there are 3 or 4 CC elementary schools that are "exemplary" and a bunch that are "recognized." Windsor Park in one that is exemplary, but it's a GT program and your kids have to test to get in. If you go to the CCISD website you can see which schools are which. You can also check out schools in the Flour Bluff, Calallen, Tuloso-Midway and Portland ISD's. Do you know what are of town you'll be working in? The refineries are close to Calallen, TM and Prtld. NAS-CC is close to FB.
The COL is generally pretty low, but property taxes and insurance are high. All of the hurricane insurance comes from the Texas Windstorm something or other and it's expensive. You buy it through your insurance agent. I doubt if you'll see any appreciable difference in other prices of goods and services from what you're used to.
Welcome to town and good luck with everything. If you like the water and beach activities, friendly people and good Mexican food, you'll be very happy.
I just had a friend stop by, we were sitting about chatting, and he tells me there is a huge water park that is slated to be built in near by Rockport. That is great news. There are a lot of projects here and there around the city. A rumor I hear a lot about is a community warf and shopping project from the old Ingleside naval station. I wonder if it will be like the warf in Mobile Alabama?
I have to agree with Marlow, if you like the Water and Beach, great Mexican food, this is a great place.
Now I am not from here, and I am learning as I go.. but what is considered the South Side of Corpus, what are the no go zones in the city. I was told when I got here not to travel around Hillcrest and Ayres parks above interstate 37. So I have avoided the area. What is it about these areas? I was also told that Flour Bluff was a bad area, and just recently it has changed to a more positive part of town.
I have met a few unfriendly people here, but mostly people have been very freindly and welcoming.
The Southside is considered any area South of SPID. You can certainly travel around Hillcrest during the day and I encourage you do do so. There are some interesting old neighborhoods and some amazing old houses in that part of town. It's old and poor and Leopard street has some questionable flop-house motels, but you should be fine during the day. It feels very different from the rest of CC. There's an old cemetery off of Lipan
--can't think of the name--but you'll feel like you're in a completely different town if you wander around in it.
The area north of 37 toward the Harbor Bridge is called The Cut. It's an historically black neighborhood and rough at night. There was a thread, or at least some posts about it, in the past few months.
OP, how old are your kids? If they're not yet school age, it's probably good to rent first to get a good idea of where you want to be. If they're older, you may want to minimize disruptions for them and stay in one place. I think there are 3 or 4 CC elementary schools that are "exemplary" and a bunch that are "recognized." Windsor Park in one that is exemplary, but it's a GT program and your kids have to test to get in. If you go to the CCISD website you can see which schools are which. You can also check out schools in the Flour Bluff, Calallen, Tuloso-Midway and Portland ISD's. Do you know what are of town you'll be working in? The refineries are close to Calallen, TM and Prtld. NAS-CC is close to FB.
The COL is generally pretty low, but property taxes and insurance are high. All of the hurricane insurance comes from the Texas Windstorm something or other and it's expensive. You buy it through your insurance agent. I doubt if you'll see any appreciable difference in other prices of goods and services from what you're used to.
Welcome to town and good luck with everything. If you like the water and beach activities, friendly people and good Mexican food, you'll be very happy.
Thanks, Marlow. I appreciate the information. My kids are pretty young (5 and 3), with the oldest in Pre-K. We definately want to get into a good school district area, but with us renting for at least the next few months until our house here sells, it is not a huge priority right at this minute. But, we still want to be in a decent area, nonetheless. Would you recommend any good apartment complexes? Any rent areas that would be considered decent?
As far as the Cost of Living, in particular with insurance, what have you seen as the general going rate for Hurricane insurance? Are property taxes high there? Here in Wichita Falls, I pay 3% on property taxes... among the highest in the state!
I appreciate all that have submitted information. Please feel free to continue to do so!
Ya, that's what minorities experience on a daily basis their whole lives. I know how it feels, and it's not a good feeling. I understand you may have stuck out. I am guessing it is just from the way you dress. South of Waco there really isn't really a cowboy style in the cities. Especially Corpus. The city has a laid back, casual style to it. But I am sure you didn't stick out because you are white.
Anyways txsizzler, welcome to Corpus! I sure hope you enjoy it. As mentioned, there are some areas of town that looks run down. That's in the ghetto areas of town such as the west side and the north side. When you first enter the city through I-37, after you pass Calallen, you will see a lot of refineries. But don't be mislead. Its just the industrial sector of town runs right along I-37 at the beginning of town. The rest of the city is really nice. Ocean Drive is a really nice drive. SPID is the main shopping corridor. The island has the nicer beaches. Calallen, Portland, Tuloso, and Flour Bluff are the best school districts.
It gets packed during spring break, and sometimes during the summer. Rush Hour from 5-6:15 gets pretty congested on SPID, I-37, and the Crosstown Expwy. Also in the mornings from 6:30-9. You really wont see many traffic jams though. Only on SPID or if there is an accident somewhere. Saratoga, Everhard, Staples, and Northwest Blvd in Calallen have bad traffic. Try avoiding Everhart.
Downtown has just recently started going through a revitalization phase. There are lofts and condo's occupying several old, vacant buildings. There are several proposals for the northside. An outlet mall is going to be built out by the fairgrounds in Robstown, about 3 miles from Calallen. Another mall type thing, a lifestyles center, is supposedly supposed to go up by the Crosstown and SPID interchange. The southside is growing like crazy and the northwest side, (Calallen), is starting to grow a lot too.
There are several activities to keep you entertained here. We have Minor League Baseball, Arena Football, professional hockey, and college basketball. We also have the Texas State Aquarium, the USS Lexington, the Harbor Playhouse, the American Bank Center (multipurpose arena), museums, and the bayfront, which is a beautiful walk along the downtown sea shore. Corpus is a great bird spotting location. Its also a great wind surfing and sailing location. Wonderful fishing and hunting as well.
Its typical Texas weather. Except without the chance of snow and all the more humidity. Hot one day, cold the next. You know how that goes.
Cost of living here is cheaper than most of the state northward. That shouldn't be an issue, and you can live in a nice and quiet neighborhood off of $50,000 a year.
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