trying to decide where to move to.. (Dallas: how much, schools)

[HappyinDallas]

You're very welcome!! I can only imagine how overwhelming it must be thinking of moving away to a new place all on your own!

As for bugs in apartments, I have friends who have lived in apartments, and they never had a problem that I know of. All lived in very nice, clean apartment complexes in nice areas. You can do your part to keep your apartment clean, however, any bugs in your neighbors' apartments would also have access to yours. Most nice complexes spray for bugs though I think. You might want to get one of those bug vacuums!!! haha That way, you can suck the bug up without having to get too close! LOL Here's an example of one: The Keep Your Distance Bug Vacuum - Hammacher Schlemmer If I were living alone and had a bug problem, I would SO have one of these!! haha

Yes, the JCC I would think would offer social events or could at least steer you in that direction. One of my best friends is Jewish (I grew up Baptist), and from what I hear from her, being Jewish sorta gives you an instant family among other Jews wherever you go, so I'm sure seeking them out would be a good idea!!

There used to be an adorable Israeli market in Plano, but it's no longer there. It was at 1820 Coit Rd in Plano. However, there is now a Russian market in it's place, and I did see some Israeli food last time I was there. I'm sure there are others though, or at least stores that sell Israeli foods, as there are definitely ethnic areas in Dallas full of Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, etc. markets.

Where in Dallas are you thinking of going to school? That will definitely be a determining factor as to what areas you should consider!

I'm sure you'll meet new friends at school and also at any Jewish functions you might attend. Volunteering is another way to meet people, though I know you'll have your plate full already! There are lots of things to do in Dallas. www.guidelive.com will give ideas. www.meetup.com might be another way to meet people with similar interests as yours. I find people in Dallas to be very open to making new friends. We are very friendly in Texas, so I don't think you'll have a problem.

SO neat that most of your family lives in Israel!! Wow! I bet you get to visit from time to time. Israel is one place I definitely want to visit one day!

For getting out of the city, there are really cute small towns and areas around with adorable Bed & Breakfasts, such as Granbury, Eastland, Graham, Possum Kingdom Lake (sooo beautiful out there! I recommend "The Cliffs Resort!!"), Lake Palo Pinto. I think people don't realize how beautiful and hilly it is west of Ft. Worth! Ft. Worth is a great city to visit as well. Their botanical gardens are wonderful as is their OMNI theater. The Dallas Arboretum is wonderful too if you enjoy beautiful gardens.

It's great that you're weighing all your options. I agree that SD would be too expensive!! I think you'll be happy to find your money goes pretty far, especially with housing/apartments in the Dallas area. Dallas really is a great city - classy, upscale, cultured, good weather (though it does get HOT in the summer! I love our mild winters and crazy thunderstorms). I've always loved it here.

Anything else I can help with, let me know! Curious to know where you'll be going to school too!!!

[mir86]

I was cracking up at the bug vacuum!! I didn't know such a thing exists! I bet it was invented by a squeamish female like myself! lol. I'm a pretty clean person so hopefully bugs won't be such a problem, but I need to invest in that!

thanks for the tips on the deli's! I don't think I've ever been to a Russian market, but I imagine they might have familiar foods as my dad has some eastern European heritage and he made some yummy food.

Its true about Jews feeling like family almost instantly! My mother lights up when she meets other Israeli's here. she's still homesick after 25 years so its good for her! My best friends mom is from Texas actually and she's one of my favorite people ever, though I don't remember what part she's from. And yes, I've been to Israel a few times, beautiful place with beautiful people! it has the landscape and beauty of all the beautiful countries in the world all rolled in this tiny piece of land! You definitely should sign up on a tour to Israel, I'm sure there are some around..I think some churches do them as well. I have a friend in the air force and they sent her to Israel and she wouldn't shut up about the gorgeous men there! haha

As for school, I'm finishing prereqs for the radiology tech program here in Tucson and I believe Dallas college is the one that has that program there so I'd be going there (I have to look it up again, unless you know for sure). While I wait to get accepted into the program, I want to finish my associates in fashion merchandising that I started while at FIDM in LA (couldn't afford to finish it). I'm almost done with the fashion degree, just a few units left. Also I work in semi high end retail (Everything But water and Papyrus) so my jobs would transfer at whichever malls they have hours for me at. I don't mind driving a little bit but no more than 30 minutes or so. I started looking at Rent.com for pricing and I didnt' realize how cheap Dallas is even compared to Tucson so I hope these areas are not skechy. Most of them say "north dallas" and on the map it looks like they're near george bush turnpike near Addison and some are by Love airport. I've noticed in a lot of cities that airport areas tend to be skechy so that makes me nervous. though in Florida the areas by the airport didn't seem that skechy, so maybe it depends on the city perhaps.

It is scary moving all by myself, but I lived in LA with almost no friends except my roommates (one of whom was a friend from home) so this next move is just a step more alone, lol. I've been through worse things so this is nothing. I do have a friend who has been talking about moving to Dallas for years to go to nursing school and she said her mom might be getting a transfer with American Airlines soon so hopefully she makes the move as well so I at least know her and her mom!

I'm not much of a volunteerer, but I have always wanted to do Habitats for Humanity. It just sounds like such a blast, I just hear that you have to pitch in to pay for the building, which I don't have that kind of money . All I am able to donate is time and some building smarts, haha.


oh man! I'm looking at the guidelive site and I'm so excited that they have ballroom lessons everywhere! Dancing is my life and reason for living, lol. thank you so much for that link!

[texan4me]

HAHAHA TOO FUNNY that bug vacuum is!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!

[mir86]

Originally Posted by texan4me

HAHAHA TOO FUNNY that bug vacuum is!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!

lol! glad I'm not the only weird one! I should email that link to my friends..they'd die!

[HappyinDallas]

LOL!!! I'm all too happy to share about the bug vacuum with everyone!!!!! hahaahahah I agree about it must have being invented by a squeamish female! LOL!!! Gotta love it. I'm sure I will own one of those someday!

You're making me want to go to Israel even more now!! haha I just need to schedule it and make it happen! I feel bad for your mom missing it so much. Glad she has friends from Israel around though.

I couldn't find a Dallas College?

I love the stores you work at!! I shop at Papyrus quite a bit, and the people that work there are always so fun and friendly - just like you I would imagine!

About the apartments in Addison, that's the area where I live! haha You should know that a few years back, some public housing units went up, and unfortunately, so did crime in our area. Some of the apartment complexes in this area take Section 8 vouchers, and crime has been an issue for some of those complexes, so look out for that. I would actually advise going a little further north into Plano. I would use this map as a gauge for safe areas: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed. I've lived in this area for a long time, and that crime map sounds about right to me.

I'm not too familiar with the Love Field area, but according the neighborhood scout website, it has some rough areas.

I hope your friend and her mom are able to move to Dallas!! It's great that you have such a great attitude and strength about moving away all on your own. I think it's amazing what you're setting out to do!! 2 part-time jobs, school, and moving all in one! Wow! I wish I had that kind of energy!! haha

Bet you'd have a blast working with Habitat!! So cool that you're wanting to take ballroom dance lessons! You are very welcome for the link!! Anything else I can help with, let me know!

[mir86]

you won't regret going to Israel! the Middle east is a beautiful area..(too bad for the problems in the other countries that ruin them!)

I might have to google the college again..I can't remember the exact name of it.

haha, ya I love working at Everything But water and Papyrus. Great places to work!

ya, I noticed some of the apartments say "we accept section 8" and I immediately click out of it..lol..nooo thank you! I'll definitely check out the crime maps! The villages sound nice too, but very few of their units have washer/dryer in unit and they're a little more than what I can pay.

haha, trust me, I don't feel that strong about moving..its scaring the crap out of me. but when I left Tucson for LA, I never planned to come back and now that I'm back, I hate this place even more. I feel like I'm at a standstill here..nothing moves forward in this place. I just hope Dallas is a good fit for me. Everything is looking good on paper so far, but I have to see if I can deal with the weather compared to living here and if the bugs are really that bad...lol. oh, and I have to keep that busy, or else I'll go insane with boredom, though sometimes I do run out of energy.

I have to find the time to do Habitat first, but I definitely want to! I've danced since I was a kid, but ballroom just seems more "grown up" haha....and tons of fun!

Thank you so much for your input! I can't think of anything else, but I'll be sure to ask if I do!

[HappyinDallas]

Isreal will prevail - God will see to it.

Apartmentratings.com can be helpful, although don't let negative posts scare you too much. Often, the happy people never take the time to post - it's the angry ones that usually want to post, so the reviews can be very unbalanced. However, they are worth considering.

If you do come to Dallas, I really hope you like it here! Again, post if you have more questions, and good luck with everything!

[HappyinDallas]

ha, you asked about the weather here.... well, I just got notice from The Weather Channel that we're currently under a tornado watch until about 7am! This sort of thing usually happens in late Spring though, and luckily, it's usually during the day as well. Hopefully my weather radio won't be waking me up tonight! I've lived in the Dallas area my whole life though and I have yet to incur any damage from one and have only had two close calls, both in the past 2 years oddly enough, and one of which was a very close call (and yes, it was super scary!! haha). No worries... haha I just wish this storm cell had come through during the day time so I could have enjoyed it!

[mir86]

oh my! let me know how the tornado is! I love storms and also enjoy just watching them! but tornados sound scary! haha

I found the school I'd be going to and its in the dallas community college district and I believe the radiology program is at the El Centro location. I don't know exactly where that would be..but where I live also depends on which mall my jobs can transfer me too, unless they let me choose! I may want to attend a university though and get a bachelors degree...but I may just finish my fashion degree instead since that's more what I want to do on the side, while I do rad tech. to have stable income.

[momof2dfw]

Tornado............ there was no tornado. The weather people get all bonkers now w/ all of the new technology. They get into hyper overdrive sometimes and it is just flat out funny sometimes and pathetic. Anytime there is ANY kind of "hook" in the front pushing thru they all of a sudden give out these watches. It never became a "warning". HUGE difference.