Culture shock coming from Northern Virginia/DC? (San Antonio, Alamo: how much, neighborhoods)

[gottamovesomewhere]

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

If you're already going into the return with negative feelings than you're move back is going to be negative as well. Why ask for advice if you're going to just feel the same way you did in '97? Although the city does have poor areas (as do all large cities) many areas have under gone revitalization since your move.

OP here - I'm definitely not the Tone person. I left SA in 1997 to go to college on the East Coast and I never returned. No ill will here.

And to all of those posters who are focusing on the "poor" parts of San Antonio, I'm not as concerned with this description. As some PPs correctly noted, every major metropolitan area has areas of high poverty and high crime. I don't live in one of those areas of DC (and there are many) and I won't live in one of those areas in SA. There are plenty nice areas of SA, too.

Here are a few of my concerns: like I said, we're bi-racial and husband is of "terrorist" (Fox News word, not mine) decent. We don't attend church. We are extremely socially liberal and usually vote democrat. We don't hunt. We have a lot of professional degrees. Tell me that these attributes won't destroy our hope of a social network in SA. From following Facebook, it appears that all of the kids I went to high school with are the exact opposite of all of those things.

[ashbeeigh]

Originally Posted by gottamovesomewhere

Here are a few of my concerns: like I said, we're bi-racial and husband is of "terrorist" (Fox News word, not mine) decent. We don't attend church. We are extremely socially liberal and usually vote democrat. We don't hunt. We have a lot of professional degrees. Tell me that these attributes won't destroy our hope of a social network in SA. From following Facebook, it appears that all of the kids I went to high school with are the exact opposite of all of those things.

You'll be fine. I'm a young professional working on my masters who votes primarily democratic and I never feel like I'm out of place (except when talking to my Republican parents). Although I'm white and 100% Methodist I understand your concerns as we are relatively conservative city. Things demographically haven't changed too much since you left. Depending on your budget you should feel comfortable inside the loop around Alamo Heights and the Monte Vista/Alta Vista area. You know, as a native San Antonian that you'll run into people that will give your husband dirty looks but remember that we do have quite a high Southeast Asian population with UTHSC and USAA here.

[toc1996]

I grew up in fairfax and moved here about 2 yrs ago. It was a
big change, much slower ( good in some ways, bad in others)
not as " global" a city as DC and my 2nd home ,NYC.
Although I like the move here it will take some time. There
is some much more to see and do in DC.
I miss it but do not regret the move. I'm an attorney and can
live like a king down here, cost of living is sooo much lower!

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by skeet09

Buzzkillngton. *Looking up word in SA's dictionary*
Ok, I found it.

lol

Originally Posted by ashbeeigh

I never feel like I'm out of place (except when talking to my Republican parents).

I know what you mean but luckily the years have softened things.

[FutureBrennanDad]

I moved down here 5 years ago from NOVA. I am a country boy originally from NY that married a city girl from TX. I went through MP school in the Marine Corps down here at Lackland where I met my wife. We traveled all over the world but spent the most time there in NOVA. I did not know what to expect moving here but we came in when the west side was still growing like crazy and got a good deal on a house where I put over half down from just some of the money I made selling a townhome in Woodbridge. You are right the cost of living is alot cheaper down here but keep in mind so will be the pay. You will be able to make it easy enough. I found that some of the native San Antonians tended to be tighter at work and less likely to welcome a Yankee in, but after a while I began saying Y'all enough to get by. Good luck to you and welcome back.

[majormadmax]

OK, I was stationed up in the Washington-Baltimore area twice, and know/work a lot of people who have moved to San Antonio from that area. It is a bit of an adjustment, some of it will be good (better weather, less traffic, lower cost of living, friendlier people, less crime!) and some will be not-so-good (lower education levels, less "cosmopolitan" living). But for the most part everyone that I know that has migrated here from the DC/NOVA area have been happy with the move.

And before anyone challenges the "less crime" comment, I did experience firsthand more crime in that part of the country than I ever have in SA.

As for SA being poor, obviously the person who posted that has not traveled around much of the DC area!

There is nothing to fear moving to this area, there are plenty of safe, nice areas to choose from; lots to see and do, and the folks here are much nicer. It may not be as culturally diverse as the DC area, but there are strong Hispanic and German heritages and history here that is just as interesting and entertaining.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Cheers! M2

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by ToneCityTrill

You will be in for a major culture shock.

San Antonio is more like Mexico than the United States of America.

There are so many unwritten codes of the land so to speak that you will need to learn in order to enjoy it here.

Welcome back "firstclassflyer"

[L210]

Austin Highway was revitalized and Windcrest is trying to revitalize Walzem. The rest of the NE side has gone downhill. We have a lot of new residents from New Orleans. SA does lack diversity, but no one is going to leave burning crosses on your yard. D.C. is not diverse either. Replace the black population with the Hispanic population and you have San Antonio.

SA does have an above average poverty rate even with a low unemployment rate, but much of DC is poor too. D.C.'s poverty rate is actually very similar to SA's, but with more crime. Washington, DC has one of the worst crime rates in the country. The only reason why DC has more educated people is because of all the government jobs around. Besides the medical and military industries, SA mostly depends on low paying industries in construction, tourism and hospitality, and customer service.

[Merovee]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Welcome back "firstclassflyer"

fcf is simply classier, that is not him.

[Newk]

The culture shock is not that extreme if you find your area of town. I lived previously on the northeast side of town off Perrin Beitel, and at my apartment complex it was diverse that is for sure. But that area as a whole is going downhill. Windcrest, Walzem, Converse, Camelot II, just not that great over there.

Remember the DC metro is damn expensive, that is sometimes harder to make it there, if you are in a low paying blue collar job.