Boston Girl trying to compare a move to San Antonio, Huntsville, AL, or Tampa (Alamo: neighborhoods, high school)

[rsoceangirl]

Hi! I've been reading the relo threads and hope to get from my thread here the answers I still haven't seen.

My fiance and I are considering a relo from Boston. Places on the table are San Antonio, Tampa or Huntsville. He is retired military, now a Fed employee, I work in healthcare.

Any thoughts/input/advice on how SA compares to the other two cities? My key concerns as we compare our options are:

-I am worried I will miss the "European" feel of my hometown, Boston...walkable city, cultural diversity, great dining (Italian, Argentinian, Thai, whatever food you want....). Comments?

-We are an interracial couple (Puerto Rican and Caucasian). It never is an issue here in Boston, but has occassionally been when we travel to other parts of the country and world. What is the climate like between Latinos and others in San Antonio? Is there cultural diversity, acceptance?

-How welcoming are folks in San Antonio to new residents? Here in Boston, it can be a bit tough to make new friends once you are over the age of 10!

Thanks in advance for your comments...and btw, it's 17 degrees with gray skies here today...ugh!

[lemonfresh]

Originally Posted by rsoceangirl

My fiance and I are considering a relo from Boston. Places on the table are San Antonio, Tampa or Huntsville. He is retired military, now a Fed employee, I work in healthcare.

I will do my best to answer your questions.

To start off you're both employed into two of San Antonio's largest industries. Those being healthcare and military. Though you say your husbands retired.

-I am worried I will miss the "European" feel of my hometown, Boston...walkable city, cultural diversity, great dining (Italian, Argentinian, Thai, whatever food you want....). Comments?

Well, SA as a whole isn't very European (neither Tampa or Huntsville) but downtown San Antonio is.

I would recommend one of the many historical neighborhoods on the outskirts of downtown. King William, Lavaca, Monte Vista, even Tobin Hill.

Is there cultural diversity, acceptance?

Yes yes and yes. I can guarantee you'll have no problems.

-How welcoming are folks in San Antonio to new residents? Here in Boston, it can be a bit tough to make new friends once you are over the age of 10!

San Antonians are friendly people. You'll see it's one of the things more relocatees (?) talk about.

Thanks in advance for your comments...and btw, it's 17 degrees with gray skies here today...ugh!

Here it's 60 degrees and the sky looks like this:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/...4d042b0d4e.jpg

[dvlpr]

1. SA cannot compare with Boston with respect to walkability, urbanism, architecture, and culture. In fact, we're not even close (though few US cities are). Of course, neither is AL or Tampa. While we do have a great fabric of historic neighborhoods, and a vibrant downtown, it's simply not comparable to your hometown. Neighborhoods you'll be most interested in are King William, Lavaca, Monte Vista, Mahncke Park, Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills and Alta Vista. And there are lots of good, new residential options coming to downtown proper.

But also understand that, while we're not Boston (or NYC or SF or LA or Chicago) there's plenty to do here in SA, both high-brow and low-brow.

2. It is quite common to have interracial couples in SA (where whites are technically the minority), and I have found people to be very accepting.

3. You're going to get a lot of opinions on this board that vary from mine, but I'm pretty sure the one thing everyone agrees on is that people in SA are amongst the friendliest in the country. You'll have no problem making friends.

By the way........60 degrees and sunny right now.....and that's even a bit chilly.....of my friends who've lived in Boston, the thing they DON'T miss is the weather! Good luck with your decision.

[ashbeeigh]

Here is my input...


For the "European feel"... you'll probably find a better city to get that. Unless you are downtown or in a few very small areas, like someone else mentioned you probably will be driving places. We're slowly trying to make things a little bit more walkable, but if you like walking stay inside Loop 410. Diverse dinning shouldn't be too hard to find. I'm guilty of sticking to things I like, but I know there are plenty of good Thai, Indian, and Italian places around (of course you'll have to drive there).

The diversity is amazing. I wouldn't change it for anything. We're a majority of minorities. Someone can probably dig up what percentage of the city is Hispanic, White and African-American for you. Of course, the diversity of the town does depend on where you live. I've never seen anyone snub their noses at a white and hispanic couple, I mean, I think that's the norm compared to being out of the ordinary.

Health Care and Military are pretty much one and two in the city. We have several military bases and even on CD there are several retired military who will be very helpful to you in your quest for a place to relocate. I have heard of lots of military families retiring in San Antonio.

I don't go a day without hearing about nurses or the need for health care professionals. If I could deal with bruising I would be a nurse in a heartbeat.



As far as friends go...I've lived here since I was 4 and am 24 now so I can't really help with that.


I'd also recomend coming down for a visit at some point and visit us, and don't just do the touristy downtown things as well, if you're considering SA a permanent home.


I hope that helps a bit.

[jdk]

Between Tampa and San Antonio, I would hands down pick San Antonio. I live in Tampa currently, and my wife is stationed in San Antonio so I've spent quite a bit of time out there and will be moving shortly. The only thing Tampa has going for it is the weather.

Originally Posted by rsoceangirl

-I am worried I will miss the "European" feel of my hometown, Boston...walkable city, cultural diversity, great dining (Italian, Argentinian, Thai, whatever food you want....). Comments?

There is plenty of cultural diversity in downtown San Antonio, however it's not quite as walkable as Boston. I type this from downtown Tampa, and the only attraction we have here is a CVS. Everything in Tampa is at least 30 minutes away whereas in San Antonio it's a maximum of 10 minutes to get anywhere.

Originally Posted by rsoceangirl

-We are an interracial couple (Puerto Rican and Caucasian). It never is an issue here in Boston, but has occassionally been when we travel to other parts of the country and world. What is the climate like between Latinos and others in San Antonio? Is there cultural diversity, acceptance?

Not a problem in either city. She's PR and I'm Caucasian, no strange looks.

[Dopo]

Hello "rsoceangirl", I grew up in Venezuela and lived 15 years in Missouri and I've been in San Antonio for 3 months.


- I've travelled though most of the Midwest (Everywhere between Colorado to SC and South of there) and the only city that I can think of that has an european feeling that is not on the Atlantic ocean is St. Louis, MO.

- Downtown San Antonio is VERY walkable, has the Riverwalk and many historic buildings to see/visit. Outside of downtown, I don't think it's walkable.

- I'm darkskinned latino (a little darker than Alex Rodriguez) and my wife is "very white" (blonde) and I feel 1000 times more comfortable here than I did anywhere in the Midwest (Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, etc)
San Antonio feels to me like a homogenous city. Seems to me like there's no racial areas, but instead everybody lives everywhere and you hear spanish everywhere.
I've read that there's a lot of puertoricans in San Antonio, I just don't know the numbers.

The weather here is amazing, it feels to me as if there's no winter, it still feels to me like Fall.

[Chaka]

I agree with all dvlpr said, although I don't think SA is as diverse as some might think.... For the most part, diversity = Hispanic, White, a small pocket of African American. While you *will* find people from all over the world here, there are no large pockets of any one group, more individual expats who tend to congregate together. You'll meet more depending on the type of environment you're in (most of my international friends work at the university or a large research institute).

However, it's very accepting of different cultures.

(When I think "diverse," I think places like DC - where you can hear 5 different languages on the street in one afternoon, or Boston, or NYC)

I don't think it really compares to Boston, but I gather you're not looking for "Boston in a warmer climate." Interestingly, I've found Boston to be diverse in terms of people who live there, but the groups don't intermix much. I had friends who were Boston Irish who considered themselves very distinct from the Boston Italians the next block over....

can't comment on Tampa or Huntsville though.

[lemonfresh]

Originally Posted by Chaka

While you *will* find people from all over the world here, there are no large pockets of any one group

And I like that about San Antonio, that there isn't large pockets of one race living somewhere instead everyone lives everywhere. It's like instead of a cafeteria in high school being groups of jocks, cheerleaders, geeks, goths, punks, etc all eating in separate groups, you have groups of jocks, geeks, goths and whatever eating together.

Also, SA is diverse. Maybe not as diverse as you'd like it but it is.

[wCat]

Most everyone pretty much seems to agree in their responses here. You will definitely not have that European thing going on here as you have in Boston, but you are specifically asking about San Antonio, Huntsville, and Tampa. Keeping comparison within those three....San Antonio hands down has more cultural/international interest than the other two choices.

Good luck with your decision! Cost of living here ...well....you might faint compared to Boston!

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by wCat

San Antonio hands down has more cultural/international interest than the other two choices.

Keep in mind that one of them is Tampa, that from what I know (I was there 1 day) there's a lot of latinamerican immigrants.