Moving from FT.Worth Tx to Madison WI, need input in cultural diversity acceptance and weather

[bailieh]

I'm originally from WI and went to college in Madison and worked there for a year after college, but I'm now living in Austin TX, so I'm one of those people that Megan1967 was referring to (and actually, now that I'm in TX, many people that I spend time with are former WI residents too!).

Madison isn't a very diverse city, but I don't think it matters because the people there are quite open and educated. If anything, you might have some people there who are overly eager to get to know you solely because of your racial or cultural differences, but for the most part, they are good, sociable people who just like to befriend folks. I don't think you all will have a problem in Madison with meeting people because of your hispanic background, and I don't think your children would have any problems fitting in at all. It's just not that sort of a place. People there like you for being you. It wasn't a problem at all for me, and although I'm not hispanic, I am a minority and had a very happy social life there. Also, I had a lot of friends when I lived in Madison who were hispanic and from the caribbean as well (Puerto Rican), and they loved living there too. Two of my friends here in TX lived in Madison when I lived there and are Puerto Rican, and we reminisce about Madison together. I also have a friend who's Puerto Rican who liked it so much that he still lives there (he went away and then came back) and another who's Nicaraguan who went there for college and never left. I'd live in Madison again in a heart beat, but my husband is from the south, and he just can't handle living anywhere north.

The winter there is a real winter. It can be a shock to your system. I grew up in it and lived there for 25 years, and I think I'd have a hard time getting used to winters again. That said, many people do get used to it, and a lot of my warm weathered friends got used to it. Some people actually grow to like it and prefer it. There's something about having white Christmases and seeing new fallen snow that can't be beat.

Good luck and enjoy madtown!

[mdxn1141]

I moved to Madison in 2004 after my daughter and granddaughter moved for affordable housing. She was to go Madison Area Tech College for a Radiology program. We are African American. I have found Madison Not to be That Diverse..that being said the people here are great..I have made many aquaintances and a few friends. This is a family friendly city and there are many opportunties for minorities to excel. I can tell you the people I've met are very friendly and eager to understand your unique culture..if you are so inclined, you will like it. We celebrate Juneteenth an African American Celebration as well as Cinco De Mayo..there are always activities for families with children to enjoy. Madison has a desire to be culturally diverse, as is evident even though currently the population is mostly white. I have had 2 employers since moving here and in both I was promoted quickly..you will do fine..enjoy!

[Berkeley]

Wow, The people who wrote these opinions either never went out or never lived in madison. I grew up in madison and returned. Lived in Dulth MN (Believe me Duluth MN winters are worse), Minnapolis MN (Worse Winters), and have traveled all over the us an quite a bit of the world.
To sum up short, Madison is a college town, (as well as the capital of the state), filled with diverse people, both at the university and in the city. At lunch you can go into the student union and hear conversations from all over the world. While there is a hispanic community, the mix of madison is open to all races living togeather, like somone mentioned before it is not unusual to find people from all over as your neighbors. Winters are not 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad sledding. I know people from Bali indonesia, the Carribian, Mexico City, India etc. all who came directly here. Yes you will need a good warm coat in the winter, but you will not freeze to death.
Your kids will have an abundance of activities, and mix well into the public schools, as well as receiving an above average education in the public school system.
There are also a number of cultural events, as well as musiums, opera, theater, etc. that you would usually find only in a bigger city.
Crime is relatively low in most areas, and even in the worst areas you don't fear for your life like you would in some places.
To Cap off, the link before was filled with inaccurate data..here are a couple of links that will give you some information on Madison,

Madison, Wisconsin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I hope this helps and know you will find Madison to be a wonderful experience.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Berkeley

To Cap off, the link before was filled with inaccurate data..

What link are you referring to?

[mcs-m]

Madison has its pluses, some of which have already been noted. But, just to be clear, we've noitced:

Pluses--
Dane Co. airport is probably the nicest airport we've seen, ever. Small, easy to access, no parking problems, clean etc. It's small, but effective. Just returned from Richmond VA and their airport was awful and similar in size. Dirty, unwelcoming, etc. makes a difference if you travel alot

traffic is not really a problem, by west coast standards.

quality of life is good--schools, crime is low, most services readily accessible.

winters are beautiful with snow and sunshine, sometimes really grey though, too.


minuses-

winters are a real struggle--long, cold, and snowy

people are NOT friendly here. I'm not sure where this myth started, but friendly is not the word that comes to my mind when describing the mindset in the midwest. Try offish, socially awkward, and avoiding eye contact is of value here. That's hard to adjust to.

Did I say the winter's are tough?? TUFF.

Summer hmidity,

diversity? what diversity? Foreign students stick to themselves and dont mingle with the regular madison folks, there's little diversity in our neighborhood.

The downtown U. area as lots of cool older multifamily houses that the city should help families repurchase and encourage diversity of families living in this area rather than just student housing.

[Drover]

This thread is a year old and the OP never came back.

[usanaman]

. Middleton has changed so much over the last 20 years and so has Madison. I have there my entire life. The University life is central there, but after a while it gets old. The bars get old, the weather gets old and the people get old too. The weather will get to you, and that is the number one conversation starter....big deal. Wait a day, it will change. Summers are to short, although there are some nice days, especially mid June through September. But humidity can hang around, and you can sweat to you hearts content. Last summer the lakes were so high ( and putrid) they were declared a "no wake" for most of the summer. Beaches close down often due to polluted lakes.... But you never know what you are going to get. Winters have been long, snowy the last few years. Spring can be long and and cold to. Liberals abound. If you are looking for a change....Move to Madison. People are fake, make them selves appear more than they are. Over educated idots abound.... Plenty of change on the way this time around. Madison is not ready for the impending economic crisis which is not even close to bottoming out...but the Madison mindset is that they will always be insulated, they will never lose their coveted state, hospital, insurance, university jobs. This time around will be different. If you are a conservative, this is not the place for you. If you don't have a degree, forget it. You will have alot of competition, a whole lot. Land values are falling, and Madison is more broke than people will admit: Over 70% of homeowners have second mortages attached to them. Traffic is becoming unbearable: The archaic "Beltline" is clogged every morning and evening....and when it snows, people don't have a clue how to drive, even with all their four wheel drives and SUV's, they are some of the worst drivers i have ever seen. Road rage....Madisonians are stressed and more is coming....America's number one city?....

I am happy to be out...but won't tell you where I moved to!

Happy somewhere out West.....sunny 290 days a year!

[Megan1967]

If you've moved why don't you move on mentally as well. Aside from the benefits of venting for you your post has no value to someone thinking of moving here because it is so slanted it can't be taken seriously. While you have some points, you are seeing the worst in everything and everyone and no place is completely negative.

Plus, as Drover pointed out, the thread is a year old and the op didn't respond after his original post.