General advice on Houma, LA (apartments, houses, find a job)

[tamosy]

Sorry but I just have to comment on this...

"You can't go anywhere else (other than south LA) and get the multiple cultures that make up the south."

I relocated to Houma from a metro area and my biggest dislike is the LACK of diversity. Yes, there is a unique "cajun" culture here and it is interesting and well worth a visit to the area to experience, but anyone from anywhere else that has lived amongst many different cultural and religious perspectives would likely find the area a bit stifling. I was very surprised at how much prayer I found at work in meetings and at schools. I personaly find it uncomfortable coming from a place that respected diverse religions. Prayer was private between the person, their god, and their religious community. I see very little representation of other faiths outside of christianity/catholocism.

LOL and the food! OMG...I miss real ethnic foods. The cajun cuisine is excellent in New Orleans, alright in Houma, but as far as ethnic goes, I would give anything for some Mongolian BBQ, real mexican food (La Casa isn't real mexican food), some authentic and fresh chinese food, Thai food, Morracan, I could go on, but alas, if they found their way here, I doubt the market would support it.

I have found both the warmest and most friendly people along with the most offensively rude and prejudiced people I've ever met personally. For instance, when we moved in neighbors we never met before were helping us unload our U-haul! That wouldn't have happened back home. What people consider friendly can sometimes seem offensively nosey to me. I'm simply not accustomed to strangers asking me personal questions. It makes me uncomfortable how probing people are, but most think of it as being friendly and wanting to know someone. I have come to understand that everyone here is connected through family lines and the community engagements of family. This leads to a need for people here to ask questions to figure out where to place me in their schema of social networks in this area.

It's not "bad" it is just very different from what I am accustomed. I find just as much good as I do bad in my personal opinions of the area. If I were honest, I could say the same about where I came from.

I do hope to relocate away from this area, but not with any ill feelings towards the community here. I simply don't feel like I belong. It is a community rich with history of generations and names to perpetuate that tradition. I'm still asked often where I am from and get the same questions I got moving here almost five years ago, probing why I moved here and who I am married to...just trying to connect the dots. Every time it seems to just remind me, I'll never be "part" of this community, but I do feel welcomed in many ways, that was not meant as an insult.

Houma is not a big city. It is rural and has most of the elements you would expect to find in a rural area. It is growing, but has a long way to go before it could fairly be compared to other bigger cities and especially metro areas. It has its pros and cons like any other place. It is also unique with its cajun influence and shrimping industry. It seems like people either love it or hate it, whether from here or elsewhere.

I find it highly improbably that someone with an Ivy League degree and no family or social network here would find it a desirable place to live. NOT because the people are crass or drunks (that describes a small percent of the population) but because it lacks the ethnic and cultural diversity that creates a myriad of perspectives, cultural experiences, and insightfulness. The musuems, social experiences (outside of family), and recreational interests are limited in comparison to other areas.

I find Houma to be a hard place to assimilate into. I'll always be an outsider. I can understand some of the negativity on this post, but I think it is unfair to not give credit where credit is due. Houma has many great qualities. The average middle class person is open minded, interested in others experiences, helpful, and genuinely caring. It simply isn't remotely close to a bigger city experience. The area is changing slowly, but it is still predominantly white/black and very little of anything else. With for the most part, whites and blacks separated by an invisible wall of oppositional attitudes and ideas.

I apologize if I offended anyone, it was not my intention. I'm simply sharing my honest opinion.

[mrkool]

Originally Posted by avantgarder

My license plate cost $1,000,

Oh really?? What do you drive... an M1 tank ??

[Get out of my way]

Originally Posted by abcrutledge

I totally resent the way you describe the people down here. I was born and raised here in Houma and I really can't imagine leaving. You can't go anywhere else (other than south LA) and get the multiple cultures that make up the south. The food is great, the people are great. I have made plenty of trips to Alabama and Miss. and the people there knew right away that I was from Louisiana because of my friendly nature. My father and my husband are in the oilfield. I bet you never worked as hard as they do. They do what they have to do for their families. That's what the south is about. Family. If given the chance, this is a great place. The festivals around the area are fun and family oriented. There are so many reasons to come to the south. The negative and closed-minded people-stay away.

I totally resent the way Houma has treated my family. Moderator cut: edit
I lived in the South for 8 years, loved it, and have had to defend it many times. Every body sticks up for and defends their hometown - but don't listen to them defend Houma. Maybe the locals think Houma is the greatest place in the world, but for outsiders, it has earned its bad reputation.

And questioning someone else's work integrity and telling them to stay away doesn't say much for your friendly nature.

[Sam I Am]

MODERATOR: Keep the tone civil, folks - debate the idea and not the individual poster.

[tamosy]

Originally Posted by mrkool

Oh really?? What do you drive... an M1 tank ??

Just an fyi...it cost me $2300.00 to register my Toyota Sequioa. The state charged me taxes on the full value of the vehicle just for moving here. What really sucked, is I just bought it and paid taxes to California 2 months before that. Seemed like highway robbery to me.

[Anole]

I made a post on 4/15/08 about Houma and the possible hurricane impacts. Today is 9/17/08 and wanted to let you know that after Gustave and Ike there is probably a lot less solid ground between Houma and the Gulf of Mexico. In general, the people here are hard working and good but the increasing damage brought about by direct hits and "near misses" is making life difficult.

[Drouzin]

After Ike and Gustav I just wanted to say my thoughts and prayers go out to Lafourche and Terrebonne.

[MetroBTR]

Anyone with an Ivy League degree coming to Houma would probably doing something big and important for some oil company. Even though it is a pretty small town and many think of it as "backwoods" there are a fair amount of oppertunities there, particularly in banking, petroleum, and heavy equipment. As far as Hurricanes go, Houma-Thibodaux is probably one of the least vulnerable places on the coast. Don't get me wrong, Houma can flood if the storm hits in just the right spot, but It isn't below sea level or anything rediculous like that that would make it super-vulnerable. Public schools are sub-par, but are pretty average for Louisiana public schools, meaning that you could do much worse. There are a few Private schools, as well.

Overall, if you migrate there for an average-joe job, you may feel underpaid and unfulfilled. But if you are in the right industry you could make alot of money there. I would definitely suggest visiting several times and doing a huge amount of research before you make the move. It is definitely not for everybody.

[Anole]

Houma is vulnerable, if you go the Houma Courier website you can see pics of flooding on Jean Ellen Ave, Lyles St., and I saw flooding on Industrial Blvd. These areas are on the south side of the Intracoastal waterway but I still consider this Houma. Do a mapquest and see the locations. Please remember this storm was not a direct hit- it passed to the south of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes but the effects of the water build up and strong south winds overtopping and eroding of the levees caused a lot of damage. Each new storm is causing water to appear in areas not affected in the past. I know someone on hwy 90 along Bayou Black who never had a problem with water who found his business with 6" of water there. I watched HGTV channel 10 from Houma and they showed the levees in the lower sections of Terrebonne parish getting pounded. These levees are not very high and are just can't handle the stroms. Everyone is wanting the Feds to come in and build higher and stronger levees and until that happens flooding will continue to occur.

[MetroBTR]

Never claimed that flooding wasn't possible. What I said was, in general, Houma-Thibodaux is less vulnerable than places like New Orleans and Lake Charles. Do you realize how catastropic a near-direct hit from a strom like Gustav would be for New Orleans or Lake Charles. Of course street flooding is going to occur. Trust me, you are not doing badly considering that you are located on the "dissapearing coast".