Job offer in Brownsville, TX area (Harlengin, TX, McAllen, TX) (Houston: college, pros and cons)

[Marlow]

Yes, North McAllen or Edinburg would be too far for a daily commute to Brownsville. Port Isabel would be about 20-25 mins. though and that could be a fun place to spend a couple of years.

[NOTAM]

happiness is more important than money, and so is time. life is too short, and i personally believe that i dont want to waste a SINGLE day being unhappy. i thought "2 year contract"...how bad can it be? i surely can survive anything for 2 years...wow the money is incredible...think of all i can do with all that money-get completely out of debt, save for the ranch i want and everything else.
i was SO miserable, that every day felt like it would never end. after one year i bailed out, and took a 20K paycut. i didnt care. i just wanted out. i didnt want to waste another day, or year of my life. tomorrow is not promised to us. i want to be happy in the here and now. and now i am. just my thoughts...but then again, i am in a different position, as a medical professional, i can get a high paying job anywhere, and i mean, anywhere, in one day.

[danieloneil01]

Originally Posted by AKACarmen

Sorry, I have never saw those shows; and honestly being that I just graduated from college (dec 2008 with MBA), I don't invest in cable when enroled in school, so i have never seen those shows.

i was told since brownsville is tx, pple ar required to spk english, i understand some spanish, but if u r asking if i can hold a full conversation - no, i can not.

yes i am extremely afraid of bugs, i just got over the fear of dogs...

again, thanks for the insight, the things i am finding out here, pple at the jo site are not telling me.

so i appreciate all of you and everyone who is responding to this thread. relocating is very hard, esp. when u don't know the are and when u r trying to make a move in the industry.

again, thanks to all.

Who said it was on cable

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by texan55

wait wait... culture of dependence...


how much money has wall street received from the government? what about banks? GM, Chrysler, Ford?

Apparently most of the country is living in a culture of dependence these days.

Oh thanks for reminding me, Texan. People love to rationalize in the Valley.

[texan55]

Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv

Oh thanks for reminding me, Texan. People love to rationalize in the Valley.

i'm not rationalizing it.

i'm just stating the truth.

these days everyone wants their cut.


one day it'll stop. bye bye dept. of education, federal reserve, etc

[tigerwoodsyall]

Yes sorry didn't mean to confuse you, it's just that out of all the valley the McAllen area is thought of as the best area in the valley, and I still don't like it lol. I have been to Brownsville a couple of times and it just seemed more ghetto than a lot of south McAllen.

Sorry if I came off as frustrated. The valley is not that "bad"; I would not mind living here so much if it was closer to San Antonio or Houston. I am so used to being close to a big city while still living in a pretty decent sized place and that's prob. the biggest reason I hate it. BTW Dallas is such a nice city I would not mind living there at all. I have only been there twice, once for R and R while on leave from the Army. The other time it was for a 2nd job interview/test's where they put all of the recruits in a hotel downtown.

The crime is not that bad, out of the three years my family has moved here we have had only one incident and that was when someone tried to break into my sister’s car lol (get a car alarm if you don't already lol ). I hear crime is worse in Brownsville though. Did I mention the politicians here are corrupt?

Like I said earlier if it's going to really help your career I would bite my tongue and do it, just don't get stuck in the valley and stay in a rut.



Also Houston is not at all like the valley, there is actually some diversity in that city as opposed to the valley. I have only been to San Antonio once but I saw more black people there in one day that I have seen my whole time in the valley lol.

[crbcrbrgv]

Originally Posted by tigerwoodsyall

Also Houston is not at all like the valley, there is actually some diversity in that city as opposed to the valley. I have only been to San Antonio once but I saw more black people there in one day that I have seen my whole time in the valley lol.

That's so funny. When I was working at Home Depot in the Valley part time, I came across a black customer who needed help. He was wearing a cowboy hat. He came up to me and said, "Hi there, could ya'll point me toward the fencing?" in a huge Texas drawl. He was a rancher.

One thing that concerns me in regards to the OP is the fact that she is from New York and California (or has lived there). People from big cities have a hard time adjusting to the Valley as a rule.

[hellpaso]

Originally Posted by DesertDog

AKACarmen
To some people living in south Texas is like another planet but to some people NY, Calif., MISS., South Carolina seem strange also. It depends on your life experiences. I live in a border town and have friends from the area you're looking at and they can't wait to get back there. Yes it's different but that's what makes life fun. Do you want to experience new things or stay within your little comfort zone? You may not decide to live there forever but if it's a good opportunity to learn and grow then why not? My daughter's blondie head stands out in a sea of brown but she loves where we are and has made many good friends. You will find that Hispanic people are generally the warmest, friendliest people you will ever meet so don't let color cloud your judgement. Where I have lived for the past 2 years has been called horrible things by people but the reality is it's one of the safest cities in the nation and it's right on the border. There's bad people everywhere and you'll find Texas has fewer than a lot of other places. Heat, humidity, and occasional language issues are what you will need to deal with the rest is subjective. As far as auto insurance shop around, I found better rates in my border town than I paid in Nevada. Good luck with your new adventure.

The valley does have some good points--but it is definitely nothing like El Paso. My car insurance doubled when moving here from El Paso. The people are soooo different from those in El Paso. I was accustomed to most everyone being laid back and polite--it is the total opposite in the valley.
That said, it is a good place to settle for a few years and rack up some excellent money (if you're in the right profession).
There are several options for vegetarian foods--HEB has a great produce section with lots of different ethnic foods available, and there's a Sun Harvest in McAllen as well.
It is NOT Mexican food here, as a previous poster noted. Definitely Tex-Mex, as opposed to El Paso where the food is more New Mexican/Mexican.
And yeah--when the temp drops into the eighties I put on jeans!

[AKACarmen]

Originally Posted by crbcrbrgv

One thing that concerns me in regards to the OP is the fact that she is from New York and California (or has lived there). People from big cities have a hard time adjusting to the Valley as a rule.

I was born, raised, and attended undergrad College in SoCal. I currently live in NY, I've been here for five years. I agree, pple from BIG cities to find it hard to adjust, we miss the hustle and bustle of congested traffic, late hours of conveneint stores, etc. But when time comes, you face challenges, or you can run...

[AKACarmen]

Originally Posted by hellpaso

That said, it is a good place to settle for a few years and rack up some excellent money (if you're in the right profession).
Yes. decent money, I can save BIG time.

There are several options for vegetarian foods--HEB has a great produce section with lots of different ethnic foods available, and there's a Sun Harvest in McAllen as well.
I did see HEB, tha is one of the places they pointed out; what does it stands for? Persons name? Owner name????

It is NOT Mexican food here, as a previous poster noted. Definitely Tex-Mex, as opposed to El Paso where the food is more New Mexican/Mexican.

I am not a mexican food eater...Taco Bell did that in for me, when in the late 90's with the customer who well...i'm sure u hear dthe story. And i know Taco Bell is not mexican foods, but, thats my way of saying i don't like mexican foods.


And yeah--when the temp drops into the eighties I put on jeans!

no this is what i needed to hear, i thought for a minute i would have to invest in sundresses, and shorts, i know it gets hot...but jeans i can live with . In Cali, if its 50 degrees, we have a sweater, esp at night, and in NY, well u wear a jacket all year round...and this 10 inch of snow - i cannot take it anymore....