New yorkers still don't fit (Houston, Dallas: fence, military, moving)

[young&restless]

I personally think the best place for Northerners/New Yorkers/Yankees in the South West region is Santa Fe, NM. They would fit in really well. In fact there is no need for them to fit in, they pretty much own the place!! It is the North with a bit of chili

[PetiteFleur]

Originally Posted by slaleman

I think there's just a general lack of respect for the other guy, and I experienced it both in the Chicago area, where I lived for 3 years, and downstate, where I grew up. It's an attitude of "I'm going to step on you before you step on me," which is quite different from the kindness and generosity of south Texas.

I have noticed that people in Wisconsin and Minnesota tend to be more friendly. I just always felt that when I lived in Illinois, I had to look out for myself because no one else was going to look out for me.

Geez, there are a LOT of over-generalizations going on in this thread! I was born and raised in Illinois (Chicago suburbs and the city) and couldn't disagree more. Yes, you're going to get more people "keeping to themselves" in a large, urban city, but to make this generalization is ridiculous. I'm now in Nebraska and while I have to admit people are more laid back, talk to you more, etc, it's not that much different.

I'm a firm believer in "you get back what you put out there".

[mpope409]

Originally Posted by young&restless

I personally think the best place for Northerners/New Yorkers/Yankees in the South West region is Santa Fe, NM. They would fit in really well. In fact there is no need for them to fit in, they pretty much own the place!! It is the North with a bit of chili

I'm guessing you're from Santa Fe.

[Mom2Feebs]

Originally Posted by mpope409

I can't imagine why any Houstonian would give a New Yorker a hard time. Houston is way too diverse and I've met way too many "Yankees" here in Houston and they love it. My mother is from Bedford-Stuyvesant and she can't get enough of this city. Maybe you just thought your Brooklyn accent was noticed. People from Houston are used to hearing all sorts of foreign accents everyday, so I find it hard to believe that they would even pay attention to something so American sounding as a New York dialect.

Amen, mpope. My mother was from New Jersey (Chatham) and both she and my dad (originally from PA) worked in NYC for 10 years before moving to Houston. At first, she HATED it (my dad had lived here in Houston before and loved it, which is why he wanted to come back). However, she died right here in Houston as Texan as any native, despite her slight Jersey accent and Yankee ways. In the end, she loved it here. Her friends appreciated her mannerisms and humor, and respected her tremendously.

Being her daughter, I am proud as I can be that she and my dad were Texas Yankees. It's a wonderful blend, so please, all you Yanks that are here, give us a chance, we're worth it. I promise you! We want you to be as proud to live here as we are.

One thing I have learned from having both Swedish and Iranian neighbors: We have more things in common than things we don't.

[Jim Finn]

"Don't feel too badly. I too have lived in Texas for 28 years moving from California. When we first moved here, we were referred to as d**n Yankees. " I moved to Calif and was treated as a forigner for22 years! NOthing like that at all in west Texas! MUCh nicer people here!

[Jim Finn]

My relatives are in Wisconsin and I've only found friendly people, so I'm not familiar with this aspect.

I was raised in wisconsin and I KNOW how rude folks form Wisconsin are! I am now in Texas and am accepted very well!

[cazelais]

Texas people seem so wonderfully warm.

[KerrTown]

Originally Posted by Jim Finn

I was raised in wisconsin and I KNOW how rude folks form Wisconsin are! I am now in Texas and am accepted very well!

What happened to the nice Midwesterners?

[Spade]

Originally Posted by cazelais

Texas people seem so wonderfully warm.

Yeah, whatever. No offense to you whatsoever and this is not meant to you at all. But I find the friendliness that is known with Texans to be completely overrated. It probably exists in areas with a population with less than 300,000. But that's about it. The whole southern hospitality thing is such a giant myth. Hope I didn't step on anyone's toes with that comment but oh well.

[Amerina]

I'm from Brooklyn (Coney Island/Sea Gate) and have been in Texas some 40 years on and off. Married a Texas girl and now live in Galveston. What's the name of your restaurant?