Hospitals (Houston, Pasadena, League City: apartments, condo, crime)

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

How are the hospitals in Houston? I have an opportunity to work there for 6 months and was wondering if it was worth the money? The main area would be around Pasadena but also west and south Houston.

How is Houston in general? Temps look the same as the Panhandle of Florida....and how about the crime?

[texas7]

Pasadena is very near industry and refineries. On the South end, you have new, nice neighborhoods with typical office worker types living there, a few NASA contractors, etc. On the North end, you have a very old community - looks like time stood still and a predominantly Hispanic population on that end. The South end is mixed in terms of ethnicity. The South end is nice. If you don't like that area, you can go a couple of miles down the road and live in either Deer Park or Clear Lake both nice communities with better schools than Pasadena. However, if you are only staying 6 mos. schools may not matter to you.

South Houston - no - wouldn't advise living there at all. West Houston - depends on where in West Houston - you have really good and really bad. Houston is big so the communities have their good and bad areas (no zoning).

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by MrsMtnsOnTheMind

How are the hospitals in Houston? I have an opportunity to work there for 6 months and was wondering if it was worth the money? The main area would be around Pasadena but also west and south Houston.

How is Houston in general? Temps look the same as the Panhandle of Florida....and how about the crime?

Hospitals in Houston---the 4th largest city in America---run the complete spectrum between major medical centers, major research/teaching hospitals, ultra-high-tech, specialty "boutique" hospitals, to smaller but excellent regional facilities, to small suburban "community" hospitals, to the rural outlying hospitals that are usually the only medical care in the community. Some are truly among the best in North America; others are pesthouses. It just depends. Overall, the quality of health care here is very high compared to other large cities. Texas Medical Center leads the world (not just the US) in cancer and cardiology.

Houston is as varied a city as you will find. Weather is roughly the same as Florida panhandle, though it has been hotter here this particular year. Beaches not nearly as nice as Florida's, but equally accessible. Friendly people. Complete lack of zoning will do one of two things for you: either you'll be like most of us who live here and LOVE it (very convenient; your house/apartment/condo is next door to shopping/services/restaurants) or you'll hate it and run screaming away.

This is one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the US (similar to NYC and LA), but race relations here are generally good---we all just try to get along.

Traffic can suck. Humidity can suck. Arts, culture, sports generally great. Architecture excellent. Nice large, -mostly- safe public parks. If you're bored in Houston, it's your own fault. Restaurant offerings are phenomenal---every ethnic cuisine plus plenty of modern American, everything from fast food (every street corner) to upscale. Eating out here is great.

Crime is...crime. No better or worse than most other big cities. It IS a big city. If you're from a small rural town and haven't been to the big city before---don't leave keys, purse, phone, computer, or anything else of value on the car seat. Lock the car. Be aware of your surroundings. As your mother said, don't get in the car with strangers. Lock your doors at home, even when you're there. I've lived in big cities, medium cities, and small towns, and I don't think it's worse here than anywhere else. Like other places, some parts of town are worse than others. Check your local listings...

You'll just have to try it out to see if you like it.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by Malvie

Hospitals in Houston---the 4th largest city in America---run the complete spectrum between major medical centers, major research/teaching hospitals, ultra-high-tech, specialty "boutique" hospitals, to smaller but excellent regional facilities, to small suburban "community" hospitals, to the rural outlying hospitals that are usually the only medical care in the community. Some are truly among the best in North America; others are pesthouses. It just depends. Overall, the quality of health care here is very high compared to other large cities. Texas Medical Center leads the world (not just the US) in cancer and cardiology.

Houston is as varied a city as you will find. Weather is roughly the same as Florida panhandle, though it has been hotter here this particular year. Beaches not nearly as nice as Florida's, but equally accessible. Friendly people. Complete lack of zoning will do one of two things for you: either you'll be like most of us who live here and LOVE it (very convenient; your house/apartment/condo is next door to shopping/services/restaurants) or you'll hate it and run screaming away.

This is one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the US (similar to NYC and LA), but race relations here are generally good---we all just try to get along.

Traffic can suck. Humidity can suck. Arts, culture, sports generally great. Architecture excellent. Nice large, -mostly- safe public parks. If you're bored in Houston, it's your own fault. Restaurant offerings are phenomenal---every ethnic cuisine plus plenty of modern American, everything from fast food (every street corner) to upscale. Eating out here is great.

Crime is...crime. No better or worse than most other big cities. It IS a big city. If you're from a small rural town and haven't been to the big city before---don't leave keys, purse, phone, computer, or anything else of value on the car seat. Lock the car. Be aware of your surroundings. As your mother said, don't get in the car with strangers. Lock your doors at home, even when you're there. I've lived in big cities, medium cities, and small towns, and I don't think it's worse here than anywhere else. Like other places, some parts of town are worse than others. Check your local listings...

You'll just have to try it out to see if you like it.

I lived in Ft. Lauderdale for most of my childhood. Is it like that? We are looking at apartments in League City and Webster, with work in Pasadena. Any idea how long it will take me to drive to work in the evenings around 6:00 PM? I work nights.

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by MrsMtnsOnTheMind

I lived in Ft. Lauderdale for most of my childhood. Is it like that? We are looking at apartments in League City and Webster, with work in Pasadena. Any idea how long it will take me to drive to work in the evenings around 6:00 PM? I work nights.

I live in a different part of the city, so no clue on the travel times. I would THINK that would be against the traffic, so pretty quick travel times, but someone who lives down that way would probably be a better bet to ask.

Houston is kind of (in one way) like the "Miami/Dade metro"---many areas spread out over a large geographical area---except it's one very large city ringed with large suburbs instead of long and skinny, and it's bigger than Miami.

Like, from my house in West Houston, it's about 45 minutes to Kingwood or Webster. It's bigger than the state of New Jersey, land-wise. I have no need to go down to that area, so I rarely do. People who live down there would rarely come out here.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by Malvie

I live in a different part of the city, so no clue on the travel times. I would THINK that would be against the traffic, so pretty quick travel times, but someone who lives down that way would probably be a better bet to ask.

Houston is kind of (in one way) like the "Miami/Dade metro"---many areas spread out over a large geographical area---except it's one very large city ringed with large suburbs instead of long and skinny, and it's bigger than Miami.

Like, from my house in West Houston, it's about 45 minutes to Kingwood or Webster. It's bigger than the state of New Jersey, land-wise. I have no need to go down to that area, so I rarely do. People who live down there would rarely come out here.

So is it feasible then that I could live in Webster, work in Pasadena and just stay in that area for grocery shopping and such? I am going to be working 4 - twelve hour nights, which really kicks my butt so I sleep a lot. I really don't have the desire to venture out and do much but my husband and daughter might.

[EM1956]

Webster to Pasadena is very comutable. You will not have a problem- you will not be in any traffic "jams"

So yes, it would be feasible to live in Webster and work in Pasadena.

Just out of curiosity, which hospital?

[texas7]

Shouldn't be a problem for you at all. You might hit some traffic lights depending upon locations you are talking about but that is about it. Yes there will be some traffic at those lights -- nothing horrible though.

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by MrsMtnsOnTheMind

So is it feasible then that I could live in Webster, work in Pasadena and just stay in that area for grocery shopping and such? I am going to be working 4 - twelve hour nights, which really kicks my butt so I sleep a lot. I really don't have the desire to venture out and do much but my husband and daughter might.

Houston has no zoning at all. The grocery stores/restaurants/other businesses are scattered out over the entire city. I've got 3 colossal grocery stores within a 5 minute ride (or walking distance) of my house. That is true for all areas of Houston. In fact, one shock for Houstonians moving elsewhere is having to drive distances to get to those services.

Here in my part of town (totally different area, but I'm sure that area is similar), if you can get a job here, it's like living in a small town---you never have to go "into town"---but we're between two huge east-west routes, right off the Beltway, and are really right in town. You just don't have to ever travel outside our little area here if you don't want to do so.

[MrsMtnsOnTheMind]

Originally Posted by EM1956

Webster to Pasadena is very comutable. You will not have a problem- you will not be in any traffic "jams"

So yes, it would be feasible to live in Webster and work in Pasadena.

Just out of curiosity, which hospital?

Bayshore Medical Center. But I will have the opportunity to work in 5 of the HCA hospitals there.