Adjusting to Shreveport LA (New Orleans, Many: middle-class, sale, 2009)

[MyssaTx]

Originally Posted by North1

I moved to Shreveport from CA after having grown up in the Midwest. How long does it take to adjust to the area? Right now I'm pretty much in shock and ready to move out of the south but my husband's job will have us here for several years. Any suggestions for adjusting faster? What has shocked me is the segregation/racism, the sexism, homophobia and ultra religious conservatism. I guess I became a liberal somewhere along the way!

You will never get used to it here and why would you want?

Just move ASAP like we are trying to do.

Counting down the days....

[North1]

I have no plans on changing to fit in here. I was more looking for suggestions on how to deal with the situations. I didn't make that very clear though after rereading my post. We're not planning on staying here forever but can't move for several years - like 5-10.

I do have to say that it's getting easier to have a "whatever" attitude and just do my own thing. It's not my ideal - I'd like to have a few friends here but I'm pursuing hobbies I've put off so I'm accomplishing something.

Reading has been one. Have to say the public library is pretty good. I'd take suggestions.

[hdwell]

Originally Posted by North1

I have no plans on changing to fit in here. I was more looking for suggestions on how to deal with the situations. I didn't make that very clear though after rereading my post. We're not planning on staying here forever but can't move for several years - like 5-10.

I do have to say that it's getting easier to have a "whatever" attitude and just do my own thing. It's not my ideal - I'd like to have a few friends here but I'm pursuing hobbies I've put off so I'm accomplishing something.

Reading has been one. Have to say the public library is pretty good. I'd take suggestions.

That is what I do, North 1. Although I've pretty much been here all my life, I don't connect with the "mainstream" folks. But I am a strong realist and I know that no matter where I lived, I may find myself in the same boat. So I do what I enjoy for hobbies and it keeps me sane-haha. Also about your wine interest; there is a place on Airline dr other side of 220 beyond Target near a place called Little Joes welding shop. It is called Spirits. You may find something more than you have found previously. I haven't been to the store so I can't say what is in there but I think it is primarily wine. The area is pretty upscale. Little Joes existed when the area around it was rural.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by hdwell

That is what I do, North 1. Although I've pretty much been here all my life, I don't connect with the "mainstream" folks. But I am a strong realist and I know that no matter where I lived, I may find myself in the same boat. So I do what I enjoy for hobbies and it keeps me sane-haha. Also about your wine interest; there is a place on Airline dr other side of 220 beyond Target near a place called Little Joes welding shop. It is called Spirits. You may find something more than you have found previously. I haven't been to the store so I can't say what is in there but I think it is primarily wine. The area is pretty upscale. Little Joes existed when the area around it was rural.

No doubt, that area changed literally overnight. Little Joe's was out there basically all alone just 10 years ago, and now it's basically inside the city. Everything just runs right together out there, almost seamlessly.

[Northern La. gal]

Shreveport is not as conservative as Bossier City. I have lived in Bossier City/Bossier Parish for 30+ years and Shreveport continues to go to the toilet with crime rate, schools being taken over by the state and now it does not have enough money to open the pools during the summer. Yet Shreveport is losing $300,000 a year by not hiring someone to put the boot on parking ticket violators downtown. ??? Go figure. We have always taken care of our own in Bossier Parish. It is very conservative and that is why our crime rate is low and our schools have a high rating. It you get on the outskirts of Bossier into Benton or Haughton, both in Bossier Parish, they become more conservative. I like Benton High School more compared to Haughton High school because they have a swim team. Airline has a bowling team along with other sport programs, but bowling offers a scholarship too. Haughton is even more conservative then Benton and Bossier City. It is a small Christain town and we like to keep it that way. Nothing sold stronger than beer in Haughton, if it is, violators will be arrested. The Bossier City Police Dept., Bossier Parish Sherriff Dept. and state police keep violators to a minimum. Bossier Parish is also funded by the middle and upper middle class, which there are a lot of those classed communities throughout Bossier Parish. No matter how conservative an area you choose to live in, the bottom line is this; there will always be someone trying to pull someone down with them. I have always known who my children were with, who their parents are, check up on them when they are not at home, given strict guidelines about letting me know if they went elsewhere, talk to their teachers and even subbed at the schools they attended. I worked too through all this. Whenever my child crossed a line and I was unable to get in touch with them, I checked their cell phone records data online and called all the numbers listed for that day. I recieved a call from my child by the third number and they were embarrassed. I assured them of what was needed not to be embarrassed again. Conservative areas are good to battle outside influences, but they come at children in every direction. Not all parents think their child might do something you do not want yours to do. Best of luck in your search and welcome to the south.

[beau99]

Don't worry, you'll find your niche! Everyone in Shreveport is not conservative! It's that the conservatives are the loudest! There are many progressive people in Shreveport and there's getting to be more. The religious nuts in the city have stifled it for too long, and many people here have gotten sick of it. True, being vocal is a Southern trait, but I think that's a good thing. Express your opinions and be who you are! I do! By doing so, you'll encounter many other people just like yourself and you'll be fine! What I've found to be true here is this...be friendly, but respect and stand up for yourself and you'll find that you'll be more accepted than you think! I know this from personal experience!

[RW11290]

Originally Posted by hank0604

I know you aren't asking me, but NO!

For starters, the private schools in the Shreveport area have worse drug problems than the public schools; a lot of rich kids with nothing better to spend money on. Second, I have met some really, really, really stupid people who have come out of Loyola and Evangel (the 2 private schools that you would be looking into). Not that the public schools don't also produce idiots, but they produce them for free. I went to Airline, a very good school in north Bossier, and I would put the top 10% of Airline students up against the top 10% of students from any private school in the state. I imagine the same also goes for Captain Shreve, Byrd, and Caddo Magnet, all very good public schools, all with great honors and gifted programs.

Well, I went to Loyola and I'm not from a ''rich'' family; upper-middle class maybe. And yes there are some stupid people there, but its not fair to call us all "a bunch of rich kids with nothing better to spend money on." I am currently in college and I feel like the opportunites offered to me at Loyola prepared me for college more than the public school people with me. Not to say they didn't get a good education; I am friends with very intelligent people from public schools. But many people from public school don't seem as prepared. I am considerably ahead and more prepared, I feel, because Loyola is a College Prep School that I did prepare me for college academics. Honestly, my classes in college are easier than they were at Loyola, whereas people from the public schools complain because, as they say, in High School "they could pass with straight A's without trying." I really had to work for my A's in high school.

Personally, I think a lot of people's success in high school depends on their own personal motivation, not solely what school they attend. However, I also think that the opportunites at Loyola are considerably helpful to a motivated person. But, as you say, there are some stupid rich snobbish kids that I went to school with as well, but I wouldn't say its the majority. As for drugs, once again there were the select few who were into that, but no more than I would say at any public school.

I am just telling you my first-hand experience.
I can't say anything to Evangel, although it does seem their motivation is sports...

[Montana Heaven]

Originally Posted by North1

I moved to Shreveport from CA after having grown up in the Midwest. How long does it take to adjust to the area? Right now I'm pretty much in shock and ready to move out of the south but my husband's job will have us here for several years. Any suggestions for adjusting faster? What has shocked me is the segregation/racism, the sexism, homophobia and ultra religious conservatism. I guess I became a liberal somewhere along the way!

If you haven't grown up here, you're going to have big problems. They people and the way they think don't change. The only thing you can do is let the crap roll off your back.

I grew up in the south, but after having lived away from here and returning, I can understand how others see this place. IT'S HARD.

Good luck.

[hindsight2020]

Originally Posted by Montana Heaven

If you haven't grown up here, you're going to have big problems. They people and the way they think don't change. The only thing you can do is let the crap roll off your back.

I grew up in the south, but after having lived away from here and returning, I can understand how others see this place. IT'S HARD.

Good luck.

What? I didn't grow up here and I haven't had any "big" problems. It's not San Fransisco, but who cares?

A lot of bossier city and the upper middle class establishment of Shreveport is military. This means this town is transient heavy. This means a population less hung up on the generic sense of "religion-based conservatism" some people are belly aching about, which would be more true of the rural areas in the state.

I think these people are just flakes. They want race homogenity (even if they dont admit it) but they don't want racism. They want a progressive feel, but they want low population density. They want high paying jobs, but they want low cost of living. Shreveport/Bossier is much more center of the line that's being painted here of bible-thumping baptist gaybashing n-word spewing local yokels that have never left the parish. This place is an MSA full of townies, military transient, whites, blacks, asians, muslims, hispanics, rednecks, n-words, old money, faux rich, oil rich, trailer trash poor, bright thinkers and fatally ignorants... it's all here. It's not even what you make of it, it is what it is. If you're unable to find your comfort zone here then move to Colorado and good luck with unemployment and sprawl....them mountains are pretty so all is well with the world right? To suggest one has to grow up in the South to be remotely able to adjust or *gasp* be comfortable in Shreveport/Bossier is disingenuous.

[urbanexplorer2009]

Originally Posted by Montana Heaven

If you haven't grown up here, you're going to have big problems. They people and the way they think don't change. The only thing you can do is let the crap roll off your back.

I grew up in the south, but after having lived away from here and returning, I can understand how others see this place. IT'S HARD.

Good luck.

Not so fast! I have had the displeasure of living in Montana, and I can say that, despite how much I dislike the south in general, Montana is one place I disliked even more. If you like Montana, that is great ... but please do not even try to say that living there is better than living in the south. I must say, before leaving here I thought we had too many rednecks and hillbillies in the south, but I have never seen as many as I did when I was in Montana.