Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are considering a move to the Austin area from NYC. My husband is finishing up his dental residency and eventually has plans to open up a practice. Both, hubs and I, are immigrants from Russia/Israel, with hubs having a noticeable accent. We also have two kiddos who we try to talk in Russian to so that they can retain the language. With Texas not having such a big/diverse international immigrant population (esp. Russian/Israeli), I wanted to reach out for some feedback. We are seriously considering resettling in or around Austin, which tends to be more progressive than the rest of the state (correct me if I'm wrong). Are folks generally accepting of first generation immigrants? Can I talk to my kids in Russian outside without getting "looks?" As a dental professional, will people be open to going to a transplant from NYC with an accent and Israeli background. Does it vary depending on how far from Austin you go. I apologize if I'm being presumptuous about Texas, but NYC is such a melting pot that feeling accepted based on our background or culture has never been a concern here and I just had to ask because I want to feel comfortable and accepted in the next place we live (ideally Austin!).
Where was he thinking about opening up a practice?
Other opinions in your post below.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RS1919
Hi Folks,
We are considering a move to the Austin area from NYC. Why?
My husband is finishing up his dental residency and eventually has plans to open up a practice. Where?
Both, hubs and I, are immigrants from Russia/Israel, with hubs having a noticeable accent. We also have two kiddos who we try to talk in Russian to so that they can retain the language. With Texas not having such a big/diverse international immigrant population. Plenty of Indian, Chinese, Viet (immigrants)
(esp. Russian/Israeli), The most "Jewish" area of town would be Far West Rd. to Steck Rd. & west of Mopac. Nice area, flows to Anderson HS.
I wanted to reach out for some feedback. We are seriously considering resettling in or around Austin, which tends to be more progressive than the rest of the state (correct me if I'm wrong). Please define "Progressive".
Are folks generally accepting of first generation immigrants? Yes.
Can I talk to my kids in Russian outside without getting "looks?" I would probably "look" to see who's speaking Russian.
As a dental professional, will people be open to going to a transplant from NYC with an accent and Israeli background. Yes.
Does it vary depending on how far from Austin you go. Good Question. Outside of the 5 major Cities in Texas (& their surrounding counties), a New Yorker with an accent (& Israeli at that), would definitely be a Unicorn type outsider (but Texans are pretty friendly, so as long as you use your turn signal indicator and keep your damn lawn mowed, no one will care about your race, religion or orientation.)
I apologize if I'm being presumptuous about Texas, but NYC is such a melting pot that feeling accepted based on our background or culture has never been a concern here and I just had to ask because I want to feel comfortable and accepted in the next place we live (ideally Austin!). Thanks all!
We are considering Austin due to better quality of life and professional opportunities. There is significant growth in the state, Austin being up there as far as growth, and the favorable tax environment. You get more bang for your buck and real estate prices, while high in Austin, are still reasonable compared to what you get in NYC. The schools are top notch in TX too. The warmer weather is also appealing (though I am a bit apprehensive about the hot summers).
Will you be working?
I will likely work part time as a speech-language pathologist initially or while the kids are still small.
Where was he thinking about opening up a practice?
Not sure where he would open a practice, but perhaps in the periphery of Austin or in Austin itself. Our plan is to first come and have him work for a practice until we get to know the area a bit better.
"Plenty of Indian, Chinese, Viet (immigrants"
"(esp. Russian/Israeli), The most "Jewish" area of town would be Far West Rd. to Steck Rd. & west of Mopac. Nice area, flows to Anderson HS."
Thanks for this info above. Did not know.
"Progressive" to me is more liberal in thinking and acceptance of differences and people from all walks of life.
"Can I talk to my kids in Russian outside without getting "looks?" I would probably "look" to see who's speaking Russian." Ha!
"Does it vary depending on how far from Austin you go. Good Question. Outside of the 5 major Cities in Texas (& their surrounding counties), a New Yorker with an accent (& Israeli at that), would definitely be a Unicorn type outsider (but Texans are pretty friendly, so as long as you use your turn signal indicator and keep your damn lawn mowed, no one will care about your race, religion or orientation.)" That's comforting.
Will you rent or buy? We will initially rent. If things go well and we decide to stay long term, we will buy.
How old are the kids? The kids are currently 1 and 6. Planning to move when they will be 2 and 7.
If you get looks it'll be more out of curiosity than anything else "99%" of the time, as Russian isn't heard a lot. (Nobody would notice if it were Spanish.) Austin isn't Brighton Beach or Sacramento after all. Certainly the closer you live to the central or wealthier areas the less awkward it'll be, if ever, especially near the university. Austin and indeed the other large metros areas are a lot more open than reputation might suggest.
I have a great many Jewish friends in Austin and several of them are Israeli and a few are Ukrainians (from NYC) who speak Russian. Our Jewish community is diverse. (We also have a great Russian restaurant, Russian House, which is patronized by the Russian-speaking expat and immigrant community here. My Ukrainian friends say the food isn't as good as their mothers but they still think it's yummy and every time we eat there, there are numerous other Russian-speakers and their families dining.)
The families I am thinking of speak either Hebrew at home to their kids or Russian. No one bats an eyelid at them doing so when we are out in public. Austin has an ever-growing Jewish community here with synagogues of every flavor and several Jewish private school options. It's not what I'd consider a huge community compared to New York, but it's gotten bigger and will continue to do so. If you decide to move here I think you would find yourself at home--there are not whole Russian-speaking neighborhoods like there are in NYC, but you won't be the only ones. There are more Israelis than Russians, overall, I would say.
If being part of a Jewish area is important to you, definitely look in the Northwest Hills area that a prior poster recommended. There are Jews all over though, and both Jews and non-Jews alike who speak foreign languages. My husband and I speak primarily French to each other at home and often in public as well and I have never gotten a second look.
We are considering a move to the Austin area from NYC. My husband is finishing up his dental residency and eventually has plans to open up a practice. Both, hubs and I, are immigrants from Russia/Israel, with hubs having a noticeable accent. We also have two kiddos who we try to talk in Russian to so that they can retain the language.
I think teaching the kids and keeping them immersed in the "home" language is awesome! Just remember one thing - doing so in public can be considered rude, because others around you won't know what's being said. Think about how you would feel if you were out and the folks next to you looked at you, then spoke in German amongst themselves. It might be perfectly innocent, but that's usually where the issues begin. As a kid, I was trilingual (English, German and Spanish), and if I "forgot my manners" in public and spoke in other than English, mama would box my ears.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RS1919
With Texas not having such a big/diverse international immigrant population (esp. Russian/Israeli), I wanted to reach out for some feedback.
We live in New Braunfels. Thanks in large part to our proximity to the military bases in San Antonio, we have at least 5 non-native households on our one-block street, and about the only "issues" is our constant (polite) inquiries about comparisons between their home country and the US - foods, traditions, etc. We also tend to have a HUGE sense of humor, which can be lost on some folks - as long as we're not laughing AT someone, we generally will kid about almost anything.
A VERY dear friend is a Japanese national (who has since become a US citizen), who recently married a Polish gal. She's as sweet as can be, and has become as much a part of the family as he has. We often sit down an talk about some of the cultural differences, and it's a real delight to learn. He's never mentioned a problem of acceptance - if anything, he enjoys folks that are curious about his accent and ask him about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RS1919
We are seriously considering resettling in or around Austin, which tends to be more progressive than the rest of the state (correct me if I'm wrong).
With all due respect - Texas is pretty much a "Live and Let Live" state. I actually encountered more "push-back" in Northern states than I ever have in Southern ones. There is, of course, a caveat: We really don't care HOW you did it "back home". Folks don't seem to realize how condescending they sound when they make those kinds of comments. And please - don't try to "change things". YOU moved HERE for something better. Well, it's better because of how we've historically done things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RS1919
Are folks generally accepting of first generation immigrants? Can I talk to my kids in Russian outside without getting "looks?" As a dental professional, will people be open to going to a transplant from NYC with an accent and Israeli background. Does it vary depending on how far from Austin you go.
As noted above, you're more likely to be questioned out of true, honest curiosity than anything else. Most folks enjoy learning about foreign lands, peoples and customs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RS1919
I apologize if I'm being presumptuous about Texas, but NYC is such a melting pot that feeling accepted based on our background or culture has never been a concern here and I just had to ask because I want to feel comfortable and accepted in the next place we live (ideally Austin!).
Now who's sounding snobbish?<gentle laugh> I honestly feel you can get more "bang for your buck", and a better overall environment in which to raise your kids by going outside of the more populated cities. Places like Waco (close proximity to a major military installation has acclimated them to foreign folks), West Texas, even North Texas - all offer unique life experiences and opportunities IMO. There's also Kerrville and even here in New Braunfels!
We are considering a move to the Austin area from NYC. My husband is finishing up his dental residency and eventually has plans to open up a practice. Both, hubs and I, are immigrants from Russia/Israel, with hubs having a noticeable accent. We also have two kiddos who we try to talk in Russian to so that they can retain the language. With Texas not having such a big/diverse international immigrant population (esp. Russian/Israeli), I wanted to reach out for some feedback. We are seriously considering resettling in or around Austin, which tends to be more progressive than the rest of the state (correct me if I'm wrong). Are folks generally accepting of first generation immigrants? Can I talk to my kids in Russian outside without getting "looks?" As a dental professional, will people be open to going to a transplant from NYC with an accent and Israeli background. Does it vary depending on how far from Austin you go. I apologize if I'm being presumptuous about Texas, but NYC is such a melting pot that feeling accepted based on our background or culture has never been a concern here and I just had to ask because I want to feel comfortable and accepted in the next place we live (ideally Austin!).
Thanks all!
Nobody in Austin will care that you are an immigrant. Sorry.
We get a lot of these "will people like me?" or "will I fit in?" on the forums over the years for all variety or race, creed, color, mixed race marriage, conservative, liberal, gay, hunters, vegans, Redskin fans, pierced/tatted, etc, etc, etc.
It's actually kind of funny because (and I'm not saying you are doing this) a lot of the dialog is about "will I be accepted by Austin" rather than "how can I best contribute to the Austin community and become a part of it?"
I can't speak for everyone and their thoughts or attitudes about blending into the communities they choose, but if I personally was going to move to a place where I felt I might be "different", I would do my best to learn about and adopt the norms, customs and traditions of that place while retaining whatever degree of my heritage or "ways" I felt comfortable with. I would still be "me", but aware that I have a new envirnment to adapt to and find ways to contribute to it.
For example, if I retired to Mexico, I would 100% learn Spanish, learns the "ways" of the locals (not just seek out only other expatriate Americans), while remembering that I am an American and that I need not try to fully become a "Mexican" to fit in.
You can become an "Austintie" without giving up who you are, but it's a two way street.
Nobody in Austin will care that you are an immigrant. Sorry.
We get a lot of these "will people like me?" or "will I fit in?" on the forums over the years for all variety or race, creed, color, mixed race marriage, conservative, liberal, gay, hunters, vegans, Redskin fans, pierced/tatted, etc, etc, etc.
I'm not so sure about that one... might be going to far.
Quote:
It's actually kind of funny because (and I'm not saying you are doing this) a lot of the dialog is about "will I be accepted by Austin" rather than "how can I best contribute to the Austin community and become a part of it?"
I can't speak for everyone and their thoughts or attitudes about blending into the communities they choose, but if I personally was going to move to a place where I felt I might be "different", I would do my best to learn about and adopt the norms, customs and traditions of that place while retaining whatever degree of my heritage or "ways" I felt comfortable with. I would still be "me", but aware that I have a new environment to adapt to and find ways to contribute to it.
For example, if I retired to Mexico, I would 100% learn Spanish, learns the "ways" of the locals (not just seek out only other expatriate Americans), while remembering that I am an American and that I need not try to fully become a "Mexican" to fit in.
You can become an "Austinite" without giving up who you are, but it's a two way street.
What do you have to offer Austin?
Steve
Eh, couple of professionals in high-demand services (dentistry and speech pathology), seems they'd be bringing something to the table for sure.
That, and expanding the area's diversity a little more out of the Asian/Hispanic/White/Black realm?
Well you'll probably like it that brisket is the most important part of BBQ for Texas and can be found anywhere. You won't like that the main Jewish deli closed a few years ago.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
