moving to Beaumont (Brownsville, Lufkin, Kingsville: private schools, gated, living in)

[indotexan]

I am Indian nurse from Singapore moving to Beaumont with 6 year old child and husband.I am totally ignorant about everything.Can someone please help me with information

[BobTex]

I am a nurse in Beaumont. Ask specific questions and I'll see what you want to know and answer. My unit clerk is from Singapore and we have an Indian nurse that has been here for 14 years (on my unit) and this is a small unit. My hospital employs nearly 3,000 and there is a lot of diversity there.

Bob

[NOTAM]

bobtex...you didnt tell me you are a nurse too? i am moving back to Texas..to Kingsville this month

[BobTex]

Yeah....can't you tell by the "streesful attitude" I display here? I hear the closer to the border the more of an impact the shortage is having! I had a young lady I worked with went to the Brownsville area for a 4 year commit and a $40K bonus!

Glad to know I have a "fellow" nurse here!

[Kurt]

Hey Bob: Nice of you to help out that East Indian lady. Looks like Beaumont is attracting some good medical professionals. But if I am living in Hemphill, Texas, someday, what can I get there? Us Boomers like our amenities. Maybe there will be an open-heart surgical facility there any day now. Naw! Guess I will have to go to Shreveport or Beaumont for now. But, the day will come in the not too distant future.

[NOTAM]

bobtex-what is your specialty?
yes, closer to border, more shortages and bigger sign ons. i sure hope i like Kingsville........praying that i made the right choice

[BobTex]

Kurt ......Woodland Heights in Lufkin is a heart specialty hospital. About 45 minutes to an hour from Hemphilll area. If one is on T Bend and needs emergent medical care he could find himself in a bit of a pickle. I ran into that with myself and my grandfather when he was alive. Just a measured risk we take for the privelege of living "out"! There is even neuro surgical services in Lufkin (not bad for a city of 35K). Except for Jasper and Lufkin you'll probably be relegated to the aforementioned 2 places. (I know nothing of Hemphill facilities as it's been a few years since I've been over there. If they still have their hospital there still won't be many services available there.

Belle.......I charge a seven bed neuro surgical/neuro trauma ICU. Expansion within 2 years to a 12 bed unit (we stay full). I've worked this unit for 12 years and spent 2 years in New England as a staff nurse in a Level II medical ICU. I've always worked critical care.

I would think that area with its proximity to Padre Island would be neat. Probably be pretty "quiet" there though! Best brush up on the Espanol. I need desperately to increase my fluency! Take care and good luck!

[english_teacher]

Originally Posted by indotexan

I am Indian nurse from Singapore moving to Beaumont with 6 year old child and husband.I am totally ignorant about everything.Can someone please help me with information

We lived in Beaumont a few years ago and it's quite livable despite being killer-hot and humid beginning in April. The west side of this pretty small-city is the best; least crime, most affluent, though SW is up and coming too.

It is a rather segregated place though. I remember stopping to ask for directions when I was driving through the NE section of town and the man behind the counter of the convenience store actually said "your people" to me. (People meaning family). I don't think he meant in an overtly racist or bad way, just pointing out the obvious, "your people aren't around here". Whites and blacks live, for the most part, in different sections of the city.

This segregation may be due to economic conditions but even poor blacks live separately from poor whites. Weird. However, Lumberton, just to the north of Beaumont, and Vidor to the west of Beaumont, are nearly all-white; not sure how that sort of thing happens without some negative racial attitudes playing into the mix.

Beaumont public schools are less than fantastic- lots of private schools to choose from though. Check the stats out on www.greatschools.net

[jread]

Originally Posted by english_teacher

This segregation may be due to economic conditions but even poor blacks live separately from poor whites. Weird. However, Lumberton, just to the north of Beaumont, and Vidor to the west of Beaumont, are nearly all-white; not sure how that sort of thing happens without some negative racial attitudes playing into the mix.

Racial problems have always existed in Southeast Texas. I think Beaumont is probably a little more integrated than most as it's larger and a little more progressive, but the rest of the area is a different story.

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by jread

Racial problems have always existed in Southeast Texas. I think Beaumont is probably a little more integrated than most as it's larger and a little more progressive.

Beaumont is only 40% white. Is that "intergrated"? I dare yout to take a "progressive" walk down one of the streets on the north end JRead....heh heh! BTW.......what is "progressive"? Is it a synonym for liberal?

There are active Indian and Phillipino organizations there....mostly comprised of professionals.