How much of a culture shock is Texas coming from Canada? (Houston: live, moving to)

[beasley106]

Houston is in many ways just a bigger version of Calgary.

Anyways Texas as a state is more conservative than Alberta overall, but the major cities (ie Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio) and even a few of the suburbs themselves tend to be more liberal compared with the rest of the state. For instance Houston has a lesbian mayor and Dallas has or had a gay councilman and a lesbian sheriff.

The biggest adjustment for you for anyone else that is relocating from a cold climate would be weather related (ie trading dry/cold for heat/humid).

[High_Plains_Retired]

I have no clue what Calgary is like, or for that matter what Houston is like these days. All I will commit to, in a general sense, is that both Texas and Calgary have great rodeos.

Welcome to Texas.

[dolph09]

If you are from Calgary you should do fine in Houston.

Texas is warm, flat, and spread out. You will need a car.

[doctorjef]

If you think about some of the politicians who've been associated with Alberta, it certainly tells you that there are certain cultural similarities between Texas and Alberta. The obnoxious former premier, Ralph Klein, is a good example, as are Stephen Harper and Stockwell Day, neither of whom were born or grew up in Alberta, but both of whom had career phases out there. Harper has moderated himself since becoming PM -- I didn't think his government would last as long as it has. Stockwell Day is a political evangelical much like many Texas and Southern politicians generally.

Having said that, there are deep aspects of Canadian and American cultures that are quite different to one another, but perhaps hard to articulate. I think this could be a bigger aspect of experiencing a type of culture mismatch (more than culture shock), and since Texans are the "Super-Americans", that cultural mismatch is likely to be magnified there. Nonetheless, I've encountered a number of Canadians in Texas who seem to be fine with the place.

Alberta and Calgary in particular are likely to be more authentically Western and cowboy than Texas at this point in history.

If you like ENORMOUS cities that lack a comprehensive system of public transport, you may like Houston. I think the place may involve urban shock, however, in a way that Fort Worth or Austin would not.

[Dave_n_Tenn]

Texans don't drink as much as those from Calgary. lol... go figure.

[Raider Scott]

We are very "live and let live" here in Texas.


You will be fine.

[StealthRabbit]

Consider finding a nice small town within commute distance to your Houston employment. Move as if temporarily. (Don't sell Calgary home, don't immediately buy Houston home.). Texas is a very different culture than western Canada. +/-. You might love it, or not. After a few years it might affect your quality of life. Be prepared for private property, paying for access. There is very little public land in Texas. But a lot of very dinky counties !

Leave your long-johns in Alberta (unless you plan to join the Texans in Crested Butte Colorado weekend exodus).

And... Yes, buy a car in Texas with AC. Your Alberta car may have salt rust and not able to sell in Texas. Texas used cars are usually abundant and cheap. (Not at the moment).

Having lived in mtns for 60+ yrs, I have never had a car or house with AC, but my Texas Hill country cabin is a stretch w/o AC. even in shoulder season.

Many Houston people recreate and have cabins and retirement homes in the Texas Hill country. ~ 4 hr commute. A few neighbors work in Houston, and drive back and forth on weekends.

[ScoPro]

This is a 7 year old thread.

Just sayin’

[StealthRabbit]

date the last (or next) person from Calgary moved to Houston?

Forum is not a PM.

[Aussiehoff]

Originally Posted by whyhon

Except it’s not politically accurate to say that Canada is more “liberal” than the US. That’s not true.

Why do you keep bumping long dead threads?

But yes, Canada is more liberal than the US.