Is Brownsville really that bad?!

[mmmstir]

Truth be told some of the information that you have received isn't that most accurate. Yes, along the mexican border there are a mixing of cultures. Its is truly what life you choose to interact in. I grew up here, moved away and returned after undergrad. There are kind and rude people everywhere. There are poor, moderate and lavish neighborhoods.
Don't get me wrong, I am not always happy with the way things are run down here, but to generalize that the city is run by criminals, is simply a generalization and thus not factual.

As a city grows so does everything crime, business, homes, education, etc. I have never been involved in any crimes, nor has my family. There are employment opportunities and I do more than "just get by". As some others stated there is positive and negative everywhere. Many of my friends were raised here, left for our educations and returned, it can't be that bad. Your choice

[thinblueline]

I have only spent one month in the Rio Grand Valley and have lived all over the USA. I currently call Missouri my home state, and have talked about relocating to this area for retirement (yes in my early 40's). Ahhh, i must have done something right to retire so early. With my retirement funds that I will be recieving, and the current economy of the Rio Grand, I should be able to live quite well. I have chosen this area, not only for the economy, but because when you have been surronded by land so much of your life, a nice gulf breeze is quite relaxing.

For those who constantly bad mouth the region they have chosen to live in (by birth or relocated), I pass on this wisdom from a deceased relative. "If you don't like your situation, GET OFF YOUR KEESTER AND CHANGE IT FOR THE BETTER!"

I don't mind the culture differences, after all tolerance is how things get changed and progress is made.

PRUOD TO BE A WINTER TEXAN IN MY EARLY 30'S, and even prouder to be an American Citizen with a choice of where and how I live.

[monarox]

Originally Posted by thinblueline

I have only spent one month in the Rio Grand Valley and have lived all over the USA. I currently call Missouri my home state, and have talked about relocating to this area for retirement (yes in my early 40's). Ahhh, i must have done something right to retire so early. With my retirement funds that I will be recieving, and the current economy of the Rio Grand, I should be able to live quite well. I have chosen this area, not only for the economy, but because when you have been surronded by land so much of your life, a nice gulf breeze is quite relaxing.

For those who constantly bad mouth the region they have chosen to live in (by birth or relocated), I pass on this wisdom from a deceased relative. "If you don't like your situation, GET OFF YOUR KEESTER AND CHANGE IT FOR THE BETTER!"

I don't mind the culture differences, after all tolerance is how things get changed and progress is made.

PRUOD TO BE A WINTER TEXAN IN MY EARLY 30'S, and even prouder to be an American Citizen with a choice of where and how I live.

couldnt agree more

ive read the whole thread and i hear these white ppl talking trash and even some hispanics. u poor things...... mcallen isnt filled w/ egotistical snobs. yes we may have some but not all

u know i just find it hard 2 find the words 2 make some of u understand that its not a bad place. it really isnt. all cities big and small have their fair share of problems. if uve been disrespected i would like 2 apologize 2 u.

but it seems as though u guys probably act out on ur rage and dissatisfaction. and some of u white ppl say that ure treated dif. and this MAY be true. but like the person who was passed on wisdom from a deceased loved 1 "If you don't like your situation, GET OFF YOUR KEESTER AND CHANGE IT FOR THE BETTER!"

[worldcitizen19]

My wife and kids and I are planning on a three-week cultural exposure/ educational/service-oriented trip to Brownsville leaving in a week. (She's Kenyan, and we just found out her passport won't be renewed in time for our planned trip to Mexico, so we're going for the next-best thing.)

We've got about $1000 budgeted for accommodations, and have ruled out S. Padre because of cost and distance from the culture we're looking for. We want a fairly Hispanic area which is also very safe. We'd like, ideally, to rent a 2-3 bedroom house or apartment. Any advice on where we might be able to find such a thing?

[sodapopinski]

Originally Posted by teatime

The reason UT-Brownsville has so many students is that they accept everyone! There are virtually no admissions standards -- no SAT/ACT scores required, no minimum GPA needed!

A bachelor's degree from UT-B is equal to a diploma from a good high school elsewhere.

Hmm... I was planning on moving to Texas to finish up my pre-reqs for Dentistry and become a Texas Resident. Many of the UT schools I have already missed the deadline for admissions. I noticed that UT-B's deadline was way later than the rest so I planned on going there. I sure hope the Dental Schools won't frown on my education coming from UT-B. My plan was to move there next month.

Any more info you could give me, or people I could talk to about how their diplomas differ from other UT schools would be appreciated. I had just assumed that one UT diploma is as good as another. Thanks

[teatime]

soda,
I'm not sure what the diploma says, and I've wondered about that myself. I was in the MA program for English and was planning to teach in England and pursue post-graduate studies there. I was a bit concerned that I'd have difficulty being accepted into an English D.Phil. program from UT-B but since the English system is different, I thought it might be OK on the strength of my own research and Master's thesis. But that all went out the window two years ago when I became ill and disabled.

I'm originally from Pennsylvania and attended a state university there. A difference I noted was that in Pennsylvania, the Penn State branch campuses were ALL considered Penn State and called the Nittany Lions; most of them fed into Penn State itself and you had priority in admission to Penn State if you wanted to transfer to College Park.

It's not like that with the Texas institutions. They seem to have separate identities -- different admissions procedures/standards, academic regulations, even different mascots. (UT-B is the Scorpions; UT-Pan. Am. is the Broncos...) You don't have priority if you want to transfer to UT-Austin, from what I can tell.

I was quite surprised that there was no thesis requirement for the MA in English at UT-B and most students did the non-thesis route, taking 6 extra classroom hours and a comprehensive exam, instead. The faculty tried to talk more students into doing a thesis but the vast majority chose to avoid it. Strange, for an English degree!

My son is a student at Texas Tech University and my best friend's daughter just graduated from UT-Austin. These institutions are VERY strict about earning credit hours and accepting coursework from other schools. My son is taking elective courses this summer at a community college near Lubbock because it's a WHOLE lot less expensive but he had to check with the registrar to make sure TTU would accept these courses for his electives. They will, but the grades won't be included in his GPA. TTU and UT-Austin (and, I assume, A&M) are adamant that when they confer a degree, it means the graduates did their work at the university and didn't transfer in a bunch of credits from other schools.

As I stated previously, UT-B doesn't have any admissions requirements outside of the statewide demands. If you have not attended school in Texas, then I believe you will have to take the standardized Texas exam since you won't have any TAKS tests on your record. (It sounds stupid, I know, but that's a requirement of all Texas colleges and universities. I had a BA and they STILL made me take the advanced high-school level exam in reading, writing, and math!)

From what I see, UT-Pan American, down the road in Edinburgh near McAllen, is much stronger academically than UT-B, particularly in the sciences. I know people who attended UT-San Antonio and were pleased, too.

[RGV]

Some of the best professors I had were at UTB/TSC. Anyone know if Professor Kearney is still there?

[monkid]

I have been living and working all over the United States for the past 30 years and Brownsville is by far the WORST place I have been to. The Mexicans have taken over and have turned this place into a Mexican slum. Even though this is the USA almost nobody speaks english, customer service is a joke, the stores are dirty, crime is high and the police seem corupt. I have been here for 6 weeks and I am going to take a big financial hit to leave, but I am out of here.

Like a previous post said this is what the USA will be like in 20 years, God help us all.

[NOTAM]

yep. that seems to be what you find in many places in South Texas. and the corruption in law enforcement is absolutely UNBELIEVABLE. it's almost hard to believe that some of these police departments are working under the laws of the United States. how are they getting away with it?
you say you are taking a big financial hit to leave. so am i, and ya know what? it's only money. i dont care. i would rather be happy and safe, than live like this with all the money i make in South Texas.

Originally Posted by monkid

I have been living and working all over the United States for the past 30 years and Brownsville is by far the WORST place I have been to. The Mexicans have taken over and have turned this place into a Mexican slum. Even though this is the USA almost nobody speaks english, customer service is a joke, the stores are dirty, crime is high and the police seem corupt. I have been here for 6 weeks and I am going to take a big financial hit to leave, but I am out of here.

Like a previous post said this is what the USA will be like in 20 years, God help us all.