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To all other posters, thanks for your input, I have heard that Austin was a bit more progressive, but I guess I'm trapped if the downtown area is similar to Houston.
Austin downtown will be more progressive than Houston suburbs as Houston's inside the inner loop is more progressive than Houston suburbs. Is Austin's central city any more progressive than Houston's? Not really (ssh. . .don't tell that to the keep Austin weird crowd) - we're just more vocal about it. Houston has a lively and diverse arts culture that is on a scale Austin can't match. There's just so much more endless suburbia in Houston in relation that it makes it seem smaller.
There's a lot of hype with Austin right now, some of it even deserved. But the reality is something less that what it matches.
But heck, you're just down the street really - come over for a weekend visit now and then, walk around, see if it suits you.
See, I was mistaken about the burbs. I have lived in the PDX area for many years and never had an issue, burbs or not (lived in Lake O and Salem, worked in Yamhill County).I thought that, having an international city reputation, Houston would be OK, burbs or not. We wanted good schools and diversity. The schools are average. diversity non existent and frankly, Houston is not that international. It has a bit of an Atlanta vibe to it to be honest. Amsterdam is international and diverse, despite being small. All and all I just want to walk to the corner store, have a few nice pubs around, have my kids in decent schools and not to be bothered by people that think they know me because of the way I look. And I mean both ways, I hate the disapproving, angry looks but I also hate the ones coming to tell me how beautiful or how cool it is. I am a very private person and where I come from it is considered rude to approach strangers like that. Now, my daughter is in middle school and is having the HARDEST of times, she is an A student and she is a beautiful girl, however, she does not shop at forever 21 or dye her hair blonde and because she comes from a liberal country and has said in class that she does not believe in god, she is now being targeted as a drug user, satanist that had three abortions back home. She has lost her will to live and I had to go to the school and threaten to take legal action if nothing is done, but thats far from ideal. We just want peace to deal with the years to come without having to break our family apart.
See, I was mistaken about the burbs. I have lived in the PDX area for many years and never had an issue, burbs or not (lived in Lake O and Salem, worked in Yamhill County).I thought that, having an international city reputation, Houston would be OK, burbs or not. We wanted good schools and diversity. The schools are average. diversity non existent and frankly, Houston is not that international. It has a bit of an Atlanta vibe to it to be honest. Amsterdam is international and diverse, despite being small. All and all I just want to walk to the corner store, have a few nice pubs around, have my kids in decent schools and not to be bothered by people that think they know me because of the way I look. And I mean both ways, I hate the disapproving, angry looks but I also hate the ones coming to tell me how beautiful or how cool it is. I am a very private person and where I come from it is considered rude to approach strangers like that. Now, my daughter is in middle school and is having the HARDEST of times, she is an A student and she is a beautiful girl, however, she does not shop at forever 21 or dye her hair blonde and because she comes from a liberal country and has said in class that she does not believe in god, she is now being targeted as a drug user, satanist that had three abortions back home. She has lost her will to live and I had to go to the school and threaten to take legal action if nothing is done, but thats far from ideal. We just want peace to deal with the years to come without having to break our family apart.
Out of curiosity, why would you even leave the Netherlands? It seems like a really FREE place to live. The United States is not free. For example, our country does not give man the ability to reason whether a soft drug is good for him or not. The government decides that. The gov't makes all kinds of restrictive rules in this country for prostitution, parking, marriage, airport security, overzealous traffic cops, drug busts, etc. We are really not a free country like the way that the Nederlands seems to be.
See, I was mistaken about the burbs. I have lived in the PDX area for many years and never had an issue, burbs or not (lived in Lake O and Salem, worked in Yamhill County).I thought that, having an international city reputation, Houston would be OK, burbs or not. We wanted good schools and diversity. The schools are average. diversity non existent and frankly, Houston is not that international. It has a bit of an Atlanta vibe to it to be honest. Amsterdam is international and diverse, despite being small. All and all I just want to walk to the corner store, have a few nice pubs around, have my kids in decent schools and not to be bothered by people that think they know me because of the way I look. And I mean both ways, I hate the disapproving, angry looks but I also hate the ones coming to tell me how beautiful or how cool it is. I am a very private person and where I come from it is considered rude to approach strangers like that. Now, my daughter is in middle school and is having the HARDEST of times, she is an A student and she is a beautiful girl, however, she does not shop at forever 21 or dye her hair blonde and because she comes from a liberal country and has said in class that she does not believe in god, she is now being targeted as a drug user, satanist that had three abortions back home. She has lost her will to live and I had to go to the school and threaten to take legal action if nothing is done, but thats far from ideal. We just want peace to deal with the years to come without having to break our family apart.
Now, I have to say, with this extra information: perhaps psychological therapy along with a move might change things. If you are a parent, your child should feel the entire world is in front of them. From what you're telling us, I am turning towards the view that your problems are not outward, but inward within the home. Perhaps going back to Europe is best. To be blunt (as a Texan), if you don't have the wherewithal as a parent to properly support your child (mentally, socially, financially) give him/her to someone who can (your parents, your grandparents, somebody special). More than likely, they may be religious..after all, you're still running from your parents and your daughter's confused. Maybe she needs role models who are not confused. Just saying..
Haha! Not a troll and I'm 35. And however not typical to look like this (or any other way) in the NL, nobody judges you based on your looks over there. I see that the idea of becoming old is usually associated with becoming boring and I disagree with that. I am the same person, just wiser. And a good mom, my looks don't prevent me from checking homeworks, cooking meals or loving my kids dearly. My house is cleaner than most soccer mom houses out there. This is the type of attitude that makes me want to vomit. I am already unemployable here, despite my qualifications, now apparently I am not qualified to be a mother. Open your mind wehotex, old does not mean boring and judgmental
To all other posters, thanks for your input, I have heard that Austin was a bit more progressive, but I guess I'm trapped if the downtown area is similar to Houston. The input was much appreciated. Tot zo!
I agree! I'm a little older than you and live in a suburb and you wouldn't scare me a bit. I've lived in Houston and agree that an inner loop neighborhood would be a great fit. Heights, Montrose, Rice Village...I lived in Rice Village and loved it and all of my friends look similar to how you describe yourself. You might like Austin too....come for a weekend visit.
Are we going to have access to a somewhat rich music/cultural scene?
On that point, yes. There is literally something for everyone in Austin.
As to the rest, I have a somewhat different take on it than the others.
First, you will get stared at in Austin. Guaranteed. Matter of fact, I can't think of a city in this country where you won't get stared at. Presumably that's why you make the choice to look the way you do, in order to attract attention:
Quote:
Let me explain, I have a waist long blue mohawk of dreadlocks, plenty of tattoos and piercings and my young daughter has a Kurt Cobain like mop of bright red hair and worships Jimmy Hendrix.
Clearly from that description you're saying "LOOK AT ME! I'M DIFFERENT!" loud and clear. (I'm not judging you for it, I'm just trying to engender some straight talk about your situation.) Then you're upset that people treat you as being different, when you seem to want them to treat you as "being normal," i.e., as being a loving mother, as being a diligent housekeeper. But your "personal presentation" says you are anything but normal, and you clearly like it that way.
I'm not Dr. Phil, and I'm not here to get into your stuff, but unless you take some personal responsibility for the situation you've created for yourself, then looking to move somewhere else to solve your issues is just going to be, to borrow a phrase from the recovery movement, merely "switching deck chairs on the Titanic."
There are parts of Austin where you would be "more accepted" than others, such as East Austin, where lots of artists live, but whenever you interface with "normal" people... at the supermarket, at your child's school, at the neighborhood bar... you'll get a certain amount of pushback because you choose to look so different. Ultimately it is experienced as a rejection of who THEY are, and that's upsetting to people.
Yes, that will happen even in Weird Ol' Austin. And I think it is a disservice to say otherwise.
Now, I have to say, with this extra information: perhaps psychological therapy along with a move might change things. If you are a parent, your child should feel the entire world is in front of them. From what you're telling us, I am turning towards the view that your problems are not outward, but inward within the home. Perhaps going back to Europe is best. To be blunt (as a Texan), if you don't have the wherewithal as a parent to properly support your child (mentally, socially, financially) give him/her to someone who can (your parents, your grandparents, somebody special). More than likely, they may be religious..after all, you're still running from your parents and your daughter's confused. Maybe she needs role models who are not confused. Just saying..
Hmmm, having lived in a variety of places (Brazil, Germany, Oregon and Maryland) I can say that I have never encountered such problems before. I am very stable financially, thank you very much, and am not working at the moment because, in my area of work (finance) I will not be able to get hired here in TX, again, due to my appearance. I worked for a large multinational in Amsterdam without any issues. And we have moved here because my British husband have been internally transferred from the NL to here. The amount of money involved made it sort of dumb for us to not accept it and, having lived in the US before with no issues we could not foresee any problems. And I am not confused just because I don't fit in your idea of normalcy, I am very, very sure of who I am and I think I am doing a great job raising smart, aware, compassionate and intelligent children. It is not my fault that other parents rather not. And that is the issue at core here, why different has always to be wrong? Why are people so afraid of what does not resemble them? And, just to finish, my parents, like any Italians, are mildly Catholic but not really. I have a wonderful relationship with them, but have lived away for about 15 years, more if you count university, but I visit with them at least twice a year. I guess the confusion is yours here
It is about a two hour drive from Houston to Austin, come and check out the central city of Austin and see for yourself. Even easier than that, go to central Houston (Museum District, Montrose, Rice Village etc) and spend some time and see if it is a better fit.
We are planning to visit Austin in January. We considered having myself and the kids stay in the NW and have my husband fly on the weekends but unfortunately there are not many flights that would satisfy our requirements between HOU-SEA and it would be a strain in the long run. We are just trying to find a solution, short term, that does not involve going back home since that would most likely include a divorce and that is not what either of us want. We will check Austin out but, as I said, any input is appreciated.
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