outsiders in texas towns (Dallas, Garland: new home, buy, live in)

[ready_to_settle]

rwr... sounds great! Ill check those towns out. Thanks!

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

No doubt about that either but with the many people in the area, they all don't expect you to fall in love with Texas (although you might) and if you don't, they'll love you anyway.

Yes, but we won't tolerate constant biotching about anything for too long without laying it on the line. Texas mentality is make do, get her done, make lemonade out of lemons, and can do spirit. Whining, and contending with people who think they are "special," really gets on our nerves.

[bamba_boy]

My wife, is a South Joisey girl from Camden County outside Phillie and like your wife has a law background (Rutgers S.of Law and former lawyer in Pa, DE, and NJ). She moved to Houston about 15 years ago and loves it - says she'd never move back to the NE. I, on the other hand, came to first Austin, then Houston from Covina California and loved Austin even better but job prospects being better in Houston and raging Cedar Fever allergies in the Hill country put an unfortunate end to that first stop. We still go up to a time share on Canyon Lake outside Boerne frequently and have a great time for short stretches before my sniffles start. If you end up in Boerne or some other little town around there let me know and we'll invite you for some beer and inner-tube rafting down the Guadalupe rapids and the ladies can talk legal precedents and stays of executions (you know it's TX!) and stuff like that.

People in Texas are just extremely friendly, and I've travelled all over the world in the oil business and there are just no better people anywhere. They embraced both me and my wife wife tremendously. In Texas, esp places like Austin and Houston which have grown so tremendously, there is a wonderful combination of original southern hospitality of the natives and a welcome all newcomers from all parts of the US and abroad, poly-cultural acceptance compared to many parts of the US. For instance, we have some but a lot less of the ignorant immigrant (both illegal and LEGAL) bashing that I observed in SoCal. LA area is wonderfully scenic and has a ton of stuff to do and be wowed about but I found the people quite a bit more chilly and distant than Texans. (Maybe Santa Barbara is better in that regard but I never made enough money to be able to even consider living there!).

Anyway, welcome to Texas and if you have an open attitude and don't fuss too much about the heat (104 in Houston yesterday, but at least the humidity was lower than usual) and fire ants you should have a great time here.

Originally Posted by ready_to_settle

I hesitate to ask this question as my few experiences in Texas have all been quite good... very friendly people in general.

We will be moving from our current location (New Jersey) to Texas and are strongly considering a town like San Marcos, Boerne, New Braunfels, or similar. We like the hill country setting, the small town feel, and the proximity to SA and Austin.

My wife and I are a bit concerned how we'll be looked at as outsiders. We moved to New Jersey (outside of Philly) from Santa Barbara, CA (we were both raised in CA) so my wife could attend law school and found it very very frustrating to make new friends and break into new social groups. Its as if since we didnt goto high school around here, many folks didnt want much to do with us. It was really disappointing actually. We've equated it with the fact that Jersey doesnt get a lot of folks who move INTO the state so they aren't used to accepting newer people.

I feel that Texas is more used to outsiders and out-of-state folks moving in but learned a hard lesson here in Jersey. So, its a two pronged question:

1) Those of you who are Texas natives, what's your opinion of outsiders moving in?

2) Those of you who moved into Texas from out-of-state, what was your experience with it?

Please, I mean no offense by the question but wanted to cover all my bases. Thanks, in advance, for any thoughts you can send our way.

kevin

[bamba_boy]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

Yes, but we won't tolerate constant biotching about anything for too long without laying it on the line. Texas mentality is make do, get her done, make lemonade out of lemons, and can do spirit. Whining, and contending with people who think they are "special," really gets on our nerves.

Please, the correct spelling is "beyotching". What is this "biotching" - some new type of medical procedure?

[EasilyAmused]

Originally Posted by bamba_boy

Please, the correct spelling is "beyotching". What is this "biotching" - some new type of medical procedure?

NO, it's Beyotching with a Yankee accent.

[bamba_boy]

Originally Posted by EasilyAmused

NO, it's Beyotching with a Yankee accent.

"Sheeyit daiyam ! I shoulda figured that out",
he said in Texan.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by ready_to_settle

TexasReb, she was raised and is now buried in May, TX which is West of Fort Worth and South of I20... i couldn't even find a dot on the map for it but Google helped me locate it.

That would be right near Rising Star? (I have friends who went back to the old family place to semi-retire and noted May on the map when I was looking for their place.)

[tstone]

Originally Posted by bamba_boy

Please, the correct spelling is "beyotching". What is this "biotching" - some new type of medical procedure?

The infallible Urbandictionary says both are correct.

Texas mentality is make do, get her done, make lemonade out of lemons, and can do spirit.

This is very true in the big cities and most of their suburbs. However I don't think this applies very often to remote small towns or rural areas that have a lot of retired people and a median household income of $30k for the working folks. Even mid-size satellite cities can be this way. Texas is still part of the South where things outside of the large metros are still very slow.

[love roses]

Originally Posted by rwr

Welcome to Texas !! If you are not already set on New Braunfels ( which is a great town ) and want a little bit slower pace ,take a look at Pleasanton or Floresville. Both are 30 minutes south of San Antonio and about 90 minutes from the coast. Pleasanton is ,after all, known as the " City of Live Oaks and Friendly Folks". God Bless

I'm familiar with Pleasanton and Floresville. When I was a little kid, my dad's parents lived there before they "retired" to Tyler and my dad grew up there. He still goes back to visit his old running buddies that he's known since grade school. Floresville is where my great grandparents on my mom's side were born and grew up. I still have relatives that live there. My cousins that live Austin are going to move out there to a family ranch. Both places are small towns, but friendly people. Floresville is more of a farming and ranching community. I think Pleasanton was or is too, but IMO I think is a little more rounded as to what is in town.

[hound 109]

I don't know, love roses. imo, Floresville is pretty "well rounded" too.

Not only is it a county seat & it has a nice historic downtown.....it also hosts the annual "Peanut Festival" (with "goober games" & a Peanut Queen)

Floresville_Peanut_Festival

Sounds pretty well rounded to me.