Got a Job Offer in Oklahoma City-moving from Idaho to OK (Norman: appointed, fit in)

[_redbird_]

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

I agree its not welcoming to outsiders. Sure, people will be friendly to your face and you'll think "wow, this place really is friendly". However, when you try to get to know people and hang out with them, good luck. You'll be busy working and spending time with your family anyway, so it may not be a huge deal, but I'm guessing it will be hard for your wife. Also, I hope you like going to church. If you ask anyone how to meet people, thats what they'll tell you is to go to church. I don't know what the weather is like in Idaho, but its not great here. Tornadoes, strong winds, harsh winters, 100 degree summers. Its crazy. This year has been pretty good compared to normal. 2013, my first full year here was terrible weather. Cost of living is pretty good and traffic isn't bad.

I have never told anyone to go to church to meet people. And no one has EVER told me to go to church to meet people, nor has anyone ever asked me what church do I go to.

Oklahoma has very mild winters compared to the northeast portion of US. We might get a dusting of snow 3 or 4 times per winter. But the real hazard is the ice storms. Driving on ice is not like driving on snow.

To the OP, don't mind atlguy, he is wedded to unhappiness.

I wish you and your family well and good luck on the move.

[Atlguy39]

Originally Posted by _redbird_

I have never told anyone to go to church to meet people. And no one has EVER told me to go to church to meet people, nor has anyone ever asked me what church do I go to.

Oklahoma has very mild winters compared to the northeast portion of US. We might get a dusting of snow 3 or 4 times per winter. But the real hazard is the ice storms. Driving on ice is not like driving on snow.

To the OP, don't mind atlguy, he is wedded to unhappiness.

I wish you and your family well and good luck on the move.

Because I disagree with you, I'm wedded to unhappiness. Ok, whatever you say. He can judge for himself when he gets here. My experience is different from yours, but it doesn't make it wrong. It's my experience. For you to say nobody has ever mentioned church to you is really shocking, but ok. Its more religious here than it is in Atlanta, thats for sure. Then again, Atlanta is more transient and everyone wants to move there vs. here.

[JohnnyDenver]

-crime rate
Overall bad and above the national average, but seems to be unevenly distributed and more concentrated in some areas.

-school system (we currently home school, due to lack of education emphasis here)
Needs improvement from what I understand.

The public high schools in the state have some of the lowest graduation rates in the nation and highest teen pregnancy rates. I know some non-catholic people who send their children to catholic high school in OKC and gladly pay more.

The crime rate is heinous and one of the main factors is the low quality of education.

I'm not sure what it's like in Idaho, but when a friend of mine lived in Goldsby, he became extremely fed up on being judged by what church he attended. He is Catholic and to some people in OK, that's worse than being a felony sex offender.

He also stated his neighbors couldn't mind their own business, to the point he stopped talking with them. He felt that people in OK generally have an attitude that "they have a right to know your personal affairs and an obligation to talk with others about it." He couldn't wait to move. He said the best way to see Oklahoma is through the rear view mirror.

[Rubi3]

My longtime SO in OKC is Catholic and if anyone ever was critical of his choice, he never knew it. It's highly unlikely he was judged worse than a felony sex offender.
I lived there more than 30 years and was never asked to go to church, although, my mother would suggest it, but she didn't live in OKC.

It's my experience if people want to be unhappy in a place, that's what they will be. Right now I'm unhappy because I was typing a great post and the browser went dead and all my work is gone. I give up!

[Howest2008]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

My longtime SO in OKC is Catholic and if anyone ever was critical of his choice, he never knew it. It's highly unlikely he was judged worse than a felony sex offender.
I lived there more than 30 years and was never asked to go to church, although, my mother would suggest it, but she didn't live in OKC.

It's my experience if people want to be unhappy in a place, that's what they will be. Right now I'm unhappy because I was typing a great post and the browser went dead and all my work is gone. I give up!

I have lost sooooo... many great posts on really interesting threads , but I just type in a new one.....

[JohnnyDenver]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

My longtime SO in OKC is Catholic and if anyone ever was critical of his choice, he never knew it. It's highly unlikely he was judged worse than a felony sex offender.
I lived there more than 30 years and was never asked to go to church, although, my mother would suggest it, but she didn't live in OKC.

It's my experience if people want to be unhappy in a place, that's what they will be. Right now I'm unhappy because I was typing a great post and the browser went dead and all my work is gone. I give up!

Go down to Ada and mention you're Catholic. See the stares you'll be on the receiving end of. 50 churches for only 18,000 people. One Catholic church.

However, be careful anywhere in Ada. The current district attorney is the biggest piece of sh*t I've ever met. His predecessor was worse and should have been disbarred and prosecuted. RIP Ron Williamson.

[_redbird_]

Originally Posted by Atlguy39

Because I disagree with you, I'm wedded to unhappiness. Ok, whatever you say. He can judge for himself when he gets here. My experience is different from yours, but it doesn't make it wrong. It's my experience. For you to say nobody has ever mentioned church to you is really shocking, but ok. Its more religious here than it is in Atlanta, thats for sure. Then again, Atlanta is more transient and everyone wants to move there vs. here.

I never said it was wrong. The difference is you hate Oklahoma. Instead of admitting there are 77 counties full of people you have never met, you are lumping everyone and everything into your hatred. Every post you make is a slice of your unhappiness.

I agree people should hear the good, bad, and the ugly before they relocate. But your unhappiness has clouded your worldview.

Saying "and everyone wants to move there vs. here" is just another example of your whining. I seriously doubt EVERYONE wants to move to Atlanta. I don't. So that already negates your statement.

[el gato bandito]

I've lived in Oklahoma my entire life as an atheist and have never had an angry mob show up on my front porch. My best friend is catholic and he hasn't had any issues either. I'm not sure why some people are stuck on this idea that the religious culture here is so bad. Are the majority of people here fundamentalist Christians? Yeah probably, but they aren't the only ones who live here and for the most part unless you are shoving it in their face and telling them they are wrong they don't give a rip what you do in your spare time.

Coming from Idaho I would expect things to be fairly similar culturally.

[_redbird_]

I agree. We are catholic and have been to Ada for mass. Sorry, no lynch mob there either.

I think eastern WA and eastern OR topography looks a lot like Oklahoma. I would miss the beauty of northern Idaho for sure. I worked a summer job up in Clearwater National Forest (north central Idaho) and that is one beautiful place!

Again, I hope everything works out for the OP should he choose to move to OK.

[Rubi3]

Originally Posted by JohnnyDenver

Go down to Ada and mention you're Catholic. See the stares you'll be on the receiving end of. 50 churches for only 18,000 people. One Catholic church.

However, be careful anywhere in Ada. The current district attorney is the biggest piece of sh*t I've ever met. His predecessor was worse and should have been disbarred and prosecuted. RIP Ron Williamson.

Has Ada ever been mentioned as a destination? I don't recall reading any post about Ada, other than this one. There were very few Catholics in the small Oklahoma town where I grew up, but one of my best friends was Catholic and my mother, who was a very strict Pentecostal woman, explained to me that if Catholics lived their belief they were just as eligible to go to heaven as anyone. My parents weren't fazed by John Kennedy being Catholic. They were all for his presidency. One of my good friends is a Jehovah Witness... go figure!