Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We have an oppertunity to move from Toronto to Dallas. We are considering moving to the Plano/Richardson area as my husband's commute would be to the 635 and 75 intersection. When I look at all the stats - house prices, schools, the CNN rankings (for best places to live) as being in the top 20, the weather - I would take warm over cold!, I am excited about moving. But as soon as I mention that we are thinking about Texas, I get mostly negative comments: from Americans, British and Canadians, people who have been there and who haven't, people from neighbouring states, people who have encountered Racisim and others who would not consider moving there because of the possible racisim. I have come across racisim in almost every city I have lived: London and Toronto included, although not directed at me. What is it really like? I am hoping that if we go it will be much the same as everywhere else - people are people and they vary, you find the people you like. Any input about day to day living - including the weather, would be appreciated.
Dear MtoTexas,
Hoping I can add a bit to your questions about DFW area.
First of all, I grew up in western Canada (Calgary), my husband grew up in Eastern Canada (TO area), my stepson just left the TO area and now lives in London, England.
I left Canada in 1995 - moved to Fort Worth area with an 8 month old. Was terrified about violence (guns), healthcare, the heat, snakes, rednecks, people of color etc...almost all sterotypes learned from the media, I might add!! My concerns were obliterated within months of moving here - okay, except for the heat - it gets really hot here, but its a dry heat, so they say !!!! And not as humid as TO summers can be.
When I first moved here, I worked, and had a "live in nanny" from Thunder Bay, Ontario (of all places). While pregnant with my second child, I quit work and became a stay at home mom. I was never so busy in my life - playdates, playgroups, kids activities, preschool, gymnastics, swimming etc...I don't know if I just got lucky with the neighborhood I was in, there were lots of SAHM's - and I met so many great women.
Aside from my neighbors, I found people here generally, to be very friendly, accommodating, open minded, in other words, not racist or redneck! Yes, there were a few of those big hair, big teeth, big chested, fake blondes but that's Texas, for ya! Ooops - guess that is a sterotype, isn't it
When we left in 1998 to move to Northern Virginia, I cried for months! I never thought I'd find another place as nice, friendly as my old DFW neighborhood. Several years later, after two more moves (one to San Diego, one back to Calgary), we found ourselves in a suburb north of Atlanta, GA. Absolutely loved it!!!! We also had our share of what we called "tennis moms" , who were perfect size 2's, with perfect hair, perfect make up, perfect clothes,, perfect kids, but we didn't hold it against them - no ones perfect
Told hubby I was not moving again for at least 5 years and even at that, the only place I would consider moving to would be Dallas. So guess what, we just moved back here Feb 1st of this year!!!
This time around, we are north of Dallas (Allen, Tx) - hubby's office is in Richardson off Campbell. The 8 month old I first moved to Texas with is now 15 and my daughter is 10!! We do miss Atlanta, but I think the DFW area is similar in many ways, and we will enjoy living here again. Just takes some time!
I know from travelling that there are many negative "stereotypes" about Americans, Texans, Canadians, Brits and even Scots! Of course 99% are untrue. I think if you find a neighborhood that suits you - you'll love it here!
Did we get a satisfactory answer as to why some people irrationally hate Texas? I can see why people hate the Spanish Inquisition, Nazi Germany or self-destructive societies such as Darfur. Texas is none of those places.
It goes without saying that you will not get factual, balanced information from a bigot. What you will get is a stark, blunt expression of mental and emotional dysfunction, wrapped in a fantasy of menace and evil. Most people try to hide their lunacy, in favor of a bland social veneer, but if their society permits it, then bigots will be happy to finally admit their hostility.
Consider the hatred of Jews in Nazi Germany, indeed, in much of Europe. The Nazis did not generate hatred as much as they permitted the psychopaths to be open about it.
Ultimately, people who hate are people who are humiliated and defeated. The classic example of a bigot is the fictional Archie Bunker... dead-end job, humiliated by his son-in-law, defeated in life, his only outlet is to dominate his wife, attack other people, and sit in his favorite chair.
A broader question... what is wrong with societies that permit bigotry? If Canadians feel free to hate, what is wrong with Canada as a society? I'm happy to know that Texas does not permit bigots... they soon go elsewhere and maybe spread their contagion. Good riddance!
Oh, for goodness sake.
First, the strongest critisim I recieved came from people I know from Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Second, I never even came close to saying that Canadians hate Texans. From them; there was just a lot more positive responses to Boston rather than Texas. Third - your response.
Hoping I can add a bit to your questions about DFW area.
First of all, I grew up in western Canada (Calgary), my husband grew up in Eastern Canada (TO area), my stepson just left the TO area and now lives in London, England.
I left Canada in 1995 - moved to Fort Worth area with an 8 month old. Was terrified about violence (guns), healthcare, the heat, snakes, rednecks, people of color etc...almost all sterotypes learned from the media, I might add!! My concerns were obliterated within months of moving here - okay, except for the heat - it gets really hot here, but its a dry heat, so they say !!!! And not as humid as TO summers can be.
When I first moved here, I worked, and had a "live in nanny" from Thunder Bay, Ontario (of all places). While pregnant with my second child, I quit work and became a stay at home mom. I was never so busy in my life - playdates, playgroups, kids activities, preschool, gymnastics, swimming etc...I don't know if I just got lucky with the neighborhood I was in, there were lots of SAHM's - and I met so many great women.
Aside from my neighbors, I found people here generally, to be very friendly, accommodating, open minded, in other words, not racist or redneck! Yes, there were a few of those big hair, big teeth, big chested, fake blondes but that's Texas, for ya! Ooops - guess that is a sterotype, isn't it
When we left in 1998 to move to Northern Virginia, I cried for months! I never thought I'd find another place as nice, friendly as my old DFW neighborhood. Several years later, after two more moves (one to San Diego, one back to Calgary), we found ourselves in a suburb north of Atlanta, GA. Absolutely loved it!!!! We also had our share of what we called "tennis moms" , who were perfect size 2's, with perfect hair, perfect make up, perfect clothes,, perfect kids, but we didn't hold it against them - no ones perfect
Told hubby I was not moving again for at least 5 years and even at that, the only place I would consider moving to would be Dallas. So guess what, we just moved back here Feb 1st of this year!!!
This time around, we are north of Dallas (Allen, Tx) - hubby's office is in Richardson off Campbell. The 8 month old I first moved to Texas with is now 15 and my daughter is 10!! We do miss Atlanta, but I think the DFW area is similar in many ways, and we will enjoy living here again. Just takes some time!
I know from travelling that there are many negative "stereotypes" about Americans, Texans, Canadians, Brits and even Scots! Of course 99% are untrue. I think if you find a neighborhood that suits you - you'll love it here!
Thank you for taking the time to reply, it was very helpful. I am glad to hear about all the kids activities - that is very much how things are for me here and would like that to continue.
P.S. Stereotypes about Scots? I would bet there are none if I was willing to part money fot it.
LOL And us (UK) Northerners still wear flat caps and have no electricity
There is someone in my extended family who lives in the north of Scotland with no hot running water (need to put logs on the fire for that) and no phone line!
I quite like the idea of no phone line but I like my hot running water. Our house in the UK is along the road from where Hannah Hauxwell used to live. Don't know if you remember her but there was a documentary about her in the 80s/90s which was shown worldwide I believe. She lived by herself, never married no kids etc. She lived in an old farmhouse with no electricity or water. She had to walk down to the reservoir every day for her water. After the program aired, she had electricity and running water provided but eventually moved to the nearest village as the winters were too harsh for her. I saw her in the post office about a year ago. For all the less materalistic lifestyle may have been a lot simpler, I don't think they were easy on her as she looked a lot older than her years.
I quite like the idea of no phone line but I like my hot running water. Our house in the UK is along the road from where Hannah Hauxwell used to live. Don't know if you remember her but there was a documentary about her in the 80s/90s which was shown worldwide I believe. She lived by herself, never married no kids etc. She lived in an old farmhouse with no electricity or water. She had to walk down to the reservoir every day for her water. After the program aired, she had electricity and running water provided but eventually moved to the nearest village as the winters were too harsh for her. I saw her in the post office about a year ago. For all the less materalistic lifestyle may have been a lot simpler, I don't think they were easy on her as she looked a lot older than her years.
No - I don't remember that. But I did study rural poverty and how that was not as uncommon as you may think.
Hannah got quite famous out of it all and the locals didn't like it as they were all in the same boat, but she was the one that got the exposure probably because she lived alone.
First, the strongest critisim I recieved came from people I know from Pennsylvania and New Mexico. Second, I never even came close to saying that Canadians hate Texans. From them; there was just a lot more positive responses to Boston rather than Texas. Third - your response.
Well, I have heard that Canadians, as a generalization, look down on Americans, and have an even worse image of Texans. Sorry to have to disagree with your sense of equanimity and fairness, but the Texans decide if the Canadians are offensive to Texas... Canadians don't get to decide if Canadians are being offensive.
Believe me, in my travel and residence around the United States, I have encountered too many anti-Texas bigots. If you don't think you are one, perhaps you are right. Let's hope so. Perhaps a few of them were Canadian. On the other hand, Canadians who want to visit our part of the world and learn what they can learn about us are welcomed and appreciated here.
Canada depends for its physical integrity and survival on the United States. If the USA chose to allow it, various world powers would partition the country like kids devouring a pizza. It is that unpleasant fact of international life that unsettles Canada and motivates it to develop an attitude. Add to that the vast differences in politics and the role of government, and you have even more cultural dissonance.
There's too much ethnic conflict in the world, from Ulster to Kosovo to half of the Middle East. If Canadians share a piece of this antagonism, it's not the fault of Texas or the USA. Perhaps you can prevail on your countrymen not to go to war with us, in spite of the contempt they hold?
We have an oppertunity to move from Toronto to Dallas. We are considering moving to the Plano/Richardson area as my husband's commute would be to the 635 and 75 intersection. When I look at all the stats - house prices, schools, the CNN rankings (for best places to live) as being in the top 20, the weather - I would take warm over cold!, I am excited about moving. But as soon as I mention that we are thinking about Texas, I get mostly negative comments: from Americans, British and Canadians, people who have been there and who haven't, people from neighbouring states, people who have encountered Racisim and others who would not consider moving there because of the possible racisim. I have come across racisim in almost every city I have lived: London and Toronto included, although not directed at me. What is it really like? I am hoping that if we go it will be much the same as everywhere else - people are people and they vary, you find the people you like. Any input about day to day living - including the weather, would be appreciated.
I haven't read all of the other replies, so I apologize if I'm being redundant here.
I moved FROM Dallas to the metro Detroit area about 8 months ago. I got the same BS that you are getting up there. Everyone was *shocked* we were leaving Texas and moving to "the frozen tundra". Trust me, I was shocked too! LOL!
Personally, I don't think there is a place in the US that is as fantastic as Texas. However, life is what you make of it. Michigan is the LAST place I ever pictured myself living, but I'm fine here. I do miss Texas a lot, and go home to visit whenever I can. But, after hearing ALL of the negative comments from friends, acquaintances, family, etc...it really is not that bad here. I choose to make it work.
I think you will find most Texans to be extremely kind, helpful and proud. If you can get over the heat (this is my first winter in MI, and trust me, I would take TX heat any day, lol) then you'll be fine!
Good luck!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
