South Texas VS West Texas (Houston, San Antonio: travel, salary, lease)

[conanS]

crb, I guess my experience with the schools might be different than the people you work with. I have serious issues when my daughters' kindergarten teacher sends notes home with misspelled words. Not atriculate writings either, I am talking flyes and tryes (flies and tries). Makes me a bit nervous!!

I have experienced a little racism toward me, as I am Anglo, but it doesn't bother me. I can take care of myself and won't hesitate to stand up when the time arises. But, I do worry about my kids here. My wife is hispanic as well (born in Weslaco), but my kids look just as white as me.

Not criticizing you, but if you hate it here so much, why are you still here??

We are here because my wife's family is all here. If it were up to me, I'd be interested in moving elsewhere. But, my wife has made plenty sacrifices and changes for me over the years, so I happy to do this for her.

[conanS]

Forgot to ask, have you lived in West Texas??

[crbcrbrgv]

I don't hate it here. I was only stating my observations.. The Mexican on Mexican racism is dying out but you should see some of the looks I get from people when I'm with my wife It bothers me because we even get them when we are with my daughter. You haven't noticed how darker people live in certain places? I've always found this intriguing.
Does your daughter go to Weslaco ISD? The district is all smoke and mirrors. I'd suggest IDEA academy.

[RGV]

I think the white Mexican (Spanish blood) attitude toward the darker Mexicans (indian blood) is a vestige of the Spanish caste system which was set up after the conquest.

It's unfortunate that it still lingers but it does. My grandmother still has this attitude toward the Mexicans of mainly indian blood. I think it's dyeing out with the younger generations though.

[crbcrbrgv]

My wife is quite dark and used to be called things like the "n" word. In fact she even claims her lighter relatives such as her grandmother who were very light treated her very poorly. It is dying out however until it dies out almost completely the RGV will continue to progress slowly. People from other parts of Texas still have the "triangle" attitude where nothing counts south of an imaginary line between Laredo and Corpus down to here. And for those famililar with Weslaco, Mid-Valley Christian school is an excellent example of the caste system.

[tootcipop]

Well, the weather is a big part. West Texas is very dry and flat. Not alot of trees a few lakes. People are nice and it is hotter than hell. Schools are very good. Crime rate is about the same as anywhere else. IT isnt so bad. Taxes are not that bad if you live out a little.
South texas well depends on where, Houston area is nice but expensive. If you are going further east toward beaumont area it is a little more reasonible. Very racial area around there. Very. So crime is little higher, but hopefully you will be living in a communioty where you dont have to deal with that much.
San Antonio- great place to live, wonderful people, but you better learn some spanish. Hot, but nice. Not too far from the coast and great shopping and lots of things to do around there. Great lakes.
Austin is a good area also.
tobie

Originally Posted by Azzurri

I know this is a very general question, but I was wondering what the major differences betweeen these to parts of the great state of Texas.

I am possibly moving shorlty and would like some information for the following. (Pros and Cons)

-Climate
-Schools
-Crime
-Quality of Life
-Cost of Living
-Taxes
-Missing anything else?

Some backround info. I am from Michigan. I am starting a new family, no kids yet, but hopefully soon!

(My other choice would be Southern Cal. but cost of living seems WAY out of hand!)

Thanks for any help!

[Diamond Dee]

I'm From west Texas Plainview area and San Angelo Area. If you like hot and humid then East texas is for you.Ive visited that part of the state and didn't care for it.tax wise no state taxes so that helps.low crime rate in west texas less people per square mile maybe?The smaller cities are great like Abilene and San Angelo,even the Midland Odessa area seem to be good places to raise a family never heard any complaints.Even Lubbock a larger city seemed to have a great quality of life .Good Churches and Restruants is what I miss about west texas myself.

[conanS]

crb, yes both my girls go to Weslaco ISD, but from what have been told it was the lesser of 2 evils.

As far as the looks, I get them all the time just because I am Anglo here, but it doesn't bother me a single bit. I wouldn't allow my aggravation to show in front of your daughter or you she'll adopt that reaction. Would be a GREAT time to teach the lesson of ignorance that others sometimes show

[texassports#1]

WELL BELLESTAROF TEXAS, SO YOU DON'T LIKE IT HERE IN SO. TEXAS HUH? SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY. SO. TEXAS IS A VERY DIVERSE AREA, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN TEXAS. TRUE THE MAJORITY IS HISPANIC (NOT MEXICAN) BUT THAT IS THE CASE IN ALMOST ALL OF TEXAS ISNT IT? I WAS BORN IN SAN ANTONIO BUT HAVE BEEN IN THE VALLEY MOST OF MY LIFE AND IT IS A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY.THE SCHOOLS ARE STATE RECOGNIZED SCHOOLS WITH GREAT SPORTS PROGRAMS, AND A COUPLE OF VALLEY CITIES HAVE BEEN NAMED ALL-AMERICAN CITY A FEW YEARS AGO. THE FOOD IS SECOND TO NONE (REAL MEXICAN FOOD, NOT WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN WEST, EAST OR NORTH TEXAS). SO MAYBE ITS NOT THE AREA THAT IS THE PROBLEM, MAYBE ITS YOU, BECAUSE OF THE THOUSANDS OF "ANGLO BLONDE HAIR BLUE EYED" RESIDENTS WHO CURRENTLY RESIDE HERE IN THE VALLEY AND THE FLOCKS OF WINTER TEXAS THAT COME TO THE VALLEY YEAR AFTER YEAR(NOT TO EAST, WEST, OR NORTH TEXAS) YOU ARE PROBABLY OF THE .01% THAT DOES NOT LIKE IT HERE, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM IS WITHIN YOU (I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I AM SAYING) NOT IN SOUTH TEXAS, WITH THAT ATTITUDE I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED OUT ON A DATE.
AS FAR AS THE TEXAS DRAWL OR TWANG, THERE IS NO SUCH THINK. IF YOU HAVE EVER PICKED UP A HISTORY BOOK YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT TEXAS WAS ORIGINALLY PART OF MEXICO. SO THE TEXAS TWANG AS YOU CALL IT DID NOT ORIGINATE IN TEXAS, IT CAME TO TEXAS FROM THE OTHER SOUTHERN STATES IT JUST NEVER REACHED SO. TEXAS. OH AND FOR YOUR INFO. I HAVE NEVER CALLED ANY WOMAN MAMI, OR MAMA, OR MOMMY AND NO WOMAN HERE HAS EVERY CALLED ME PAPPI. I THINK YOU HAVE BEEN WATCHING TO MANY MOVIES OR MTV VIDEOS.
YOU CALL THE LAW ENFORMENT HERE PATHETIC, I THINK YOU ARE PATHETIC NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE EFFORTS OF OUR LOCAL TOUGH LAWMEN WHO NOT ONLY HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE EVERYDAY COMMUNITY PROBLEMS THAT ALL EAST, WEST AND NORTH TEXAS LAWMEN ARE EXPOSED TO BUT ALSO MANY OTHER SITUATION THE ARE UNIQUE TO THE BORDER AREA THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OTHER AREAS NO NOTHING ABOUT. SO SORRY TO SEE YOU GO, WELL NOT REALLY. HOPE WEST TEXAS WILL ACCEPT YOU, BUT WITH YOUR WAY OF THINKING I HAVE MY DOUBTS.

Originally Posted by bellestaroftexas

Do NOT move to South Texas unless you are prepared to, and dont mind being a minority. I am a Texan, and was uprooted to Georgia for 3 years thanks to the Army, and finally got back to Texas and chose South Texas because of a high paying contract...thinking that Texas was Texas. IT AINT.
South Texas is a WHOLE OTHER COUNTRY. You can compare East, North, West-they have the "Texas" feel to them...but South Texas is MEXICO.
I am telling you right now-it is NOT Texas. I am a female blonde blue eyed Anglo and stand out everywhere and am stared at like I am a freak. I have ZERO social life-i am semi attractive (or so they say) and have not even been asked out on a date and i have been here 6 months, and have no real friends. In the workplace, i have "acquaintances" but i have nothing in common with them. oh by the way, they think i TALK FUNNY. they think i have an accent. Ya know why? cuz i guess i have somewhat a Texas drawl or twang...which DOES NOT EXIST HERE! so another reason i dont fit in.
they call every woman here "mami" or "mama" or something like that...its a mexican term of endearment. i cant get used to it. my terms of endearment for my patients are "sweet pea" or "sugarpie" or "honey" or "darlin"...i dont call anyone MOMMY except MY MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!
and they call all males even young ones "pappy"....
it's freakin wierd.
oh and top it all off with wimpy law enforcement. i am used to feeling secure and protected by TOUGH TEXAS LAWMEN...NOT HERE. they are a bunch of wimps and all they do is take part in corruption...those drug runners can just pay them off...you should see the deputy sheriffs who come in with inmates to my hospital-they look like they are not at all self-assured and look about 18 years old! i am tougher than they are!!
it's PATHETIC.
choose WEST TEXAS AT ALL COSTS. i will. i am outta here by Oct when my lease is up

[teatime]

"SO. TEXAS IS A VERY DIVERSE AREA, PROBABLE ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN TEXAS. TRUE THE MAJORITY IS HISPANIC(NOT MEXICAN) BUT THAT IS THE CASE IN ALMOST ALL OF TEXAS ISNT IT?"

South Texas is NOT diverse. The cities in the Valley are 90-96 percent Hispanic. San Antonio is more diverse but it's also a large city that attracts people from all over. And, no, that's not the case in "almost all" of Texas. North Texas and West Texas cities aren't predominantly Hispanic. They might be in 20 years, but there is diversity here now.

Mind you, I came here from New Hampshire, which was at least 90 percent white, and that was weird, too. I like diversity, and enjoy having friends from many ethnic and racial groups.