Non-Austin natives... what are your thoughts on Austinites?

[CallmeJamie]

So far I am finding everyone wonderfully friendly but not very helpful...I will explain.

Since we are new I was looking for a little league for my son. I contacted RRBL and they said, welcome to the area but we are closed try again in the fall.

I wanted to find out about umpiring they said welcome to the area but we don't have any classes until next year.

I don't expect people to drop everything to take up my cause but I don't know anyone here I am just looking for a little guidance. Maybe I didn't contact the right folks I don't know.

Definitely not disappointed I have loved the 2 weeks I have been here...especially this weather so far.

[Jennibc]

Originally Posted by CallmeJamie

So far I am finding everyone wonderfully friendly but not very helpful...I will explain.

Since we are new I was looking for a little league for my son. I contacted RRBL and they said, welcome to the area but we are closed try again in the fall.

I wanted to find out about umpiring they said welcome to the area but we don't have any classes until next year.

I don't expect people to drop everything to take up my cause but I don't know anyone here I am just looking for a little guidance. Maybe I didn't contact the right folks I don't know.

Definitely not disappointed I have loved the 2 weeks I have been here...especially this weather so far.

I'll call you Jaimie, Hi Jamie,
I don't see that as particularly intentionally unhelpful, if something you want isn't open or they don't have classes until next year, those folks cannot be helpful because there is no way to help you.

Now if you told me you were in the parking lot in need of a jump and everyone scurried to their cars without making eye contact and there you sat for a couple of hours with jumper cables in hand and no one willing to stop and assist, then I'd say they were unhelpful. My experience has been strangers here are much more helpful in that manner than I'd experienced in So Cal, the Northeast, or Seattle (the other three regions where I've lived).

[jonsoncd]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm glad to hear that some of this may be in my head, but also relieved that others feel the same way.

mark311, I have not used meetup.com, but I recently used a similar site and made plans to hang out with a guy and got stood up after about 5 days of planning (never heard from him again).

Just to clarify, of the people I "know," about 50% are from out-of-state, 40% are Texans and 10% are Austin natives (my approximation).

[mark311]

Originally Posted by CallmeJamie

Since we are new I was looking for a little league for my son. I contacted RRBL and they said, welcome to the area but we are closed try again in the fall.

I wanted to find out about umpiring they said welcome to the area but we don't have any classes until next year.

Check out the YMCA for their youth leagues. I could be wrong, but my bet is that the RRBL is probably more serious about themselves than they need to be or should be. If you're more than a couple miles West of I35 in RR, I might even check out the Cedar Park YMCA leagues over the RR ones. My kids aren't old enough yet, but I think most of my neighbors' kids play there.

Twin Lakes Family YMCA - YMCA of Greater Williamson County (http://www.ymcagwc.org/twin-lakes/index.php - broken link)

[nickasarbata]

I had a conversation with my partner about this after we visited Austin last year. I was blown away by how friendly EVERYONE we had contact with was. It was so nice and refreshing compared to life in NYC where you often run into unfriendly people, even in a business setting! My partner, a native Texan, argued that the friendliness isn't necessarily genuine. He said that it's true that everyone seems friendly, but that doesn't mean they all want to be your best friend, that's just how they are in Austin. And that I noticed it because I'm so frustrated with the rudeness I encounter in NYC.

So let's say most people in Austin are quite friendly but not all are necessarily jumping down your throat to be your best friend tomorrow. I'll take that mentality over what I experience in NYC, which is that many (not most, but many) people are rude, and certainly nobody is jumping down your throat to be your best friend tomorrow!

(There are tons of super-friendly people in NYC too, of course. But has anyone ever interacted with any employee of ANY Duane Reade pharmacy or asked for help from an MTA employee in a subway station? Then you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!)

I agree with the person who said you should check out meetup. It's a great way to meet people with similar interests. And although some people might "flake" and not show up to the meetup activity, at least a few people will! You won't get stood up by everyone! :-)

[jonsoncd]

Where I come from, we don't pretend to be your friend. Yes, there are fake people in Ohio, but we don't take you on a ride and make plans that we don't intend to keep. We'll be cordial, say "nice to meet you," and move on.