My thoughts after leaving (Dallas, San Antonio: new home, tax, living in)

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by DTXman34

He at least specified where he lived unlike others that are completely vague but chronically negative about the region. At least that gives us some context on how he experienced DFW.

I was very surprised about Arlington. I figured that moving to a city of 300K residents would feel similar to New Orleans, Cleveland, St Louis, or Tampa since those cities are similar in size. NOPE!

Columbia, MO, the small college town I lived in for grad school felt more like a big city to me. If you lived downtown, you could walk almost anywhere. And the bus system would take you most other places.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by Annikan

That's true. It reminds me that my now-husband first lived in Euless when he moved to DFW. He lived in a older, semi-rundown but very safe townhouse community that was mainly immigrant families. When I asked him why Euless of all places (his job was in Frisco!), he just said he didn't know the area at all and he'd had a cousin that lived in Euless and said it was safe, so he went there first. Imagine in a 25 year old fresh college graduate with no friends in the state moving to Euless. =) =)

Anyway, eventually he moved right off Beltline in Addison and stayed there. He's not even American, but he really liked that area. When we first met and started dating, we were constantly grappling over if I had to go to Addison (ugh, Addison, popped collars, the 'burbs!~~ semi kidding), or if he came to me and I'd drag him to hipstery places like Fair park and the Doublewide.

I do think in the age of the internet, it's pretty hard to not find your scene, whatever it is you're looking for.

Euless would be one of the last places for a young, single person to live in! Lol. On top of that, the commute to Frisco must've been brutal. Funny you mentioned Addison -- the worst part isn't so much the scene, it's the fact that you have to take a tollroad to there. No walkability either.

There's so many apps out there that allows you to check local events daily.

[DTXman34]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

I was very surprised about Arlington. I figured that moving to a city of 300K residents would feel similar to New Orleans, Cleveland, St Louis, or Tampa since those cities are similar in size. NOPE!

Columbia, MO, the small college town I lived in for grad school felt more like a big city to me. If you lived downtown, you could walk almost anywhere. And the bus system would take you most other places.

The most surprising part about Arlington is the fact that UTA is there, but with no true downtown area or even a walkable area of college shops, bars, etc near campus. No transit, nothing. Arlington just flat out sucks. It really is embarrassing that in many ways it's the face of DFW to outsiders -- Cowboys & Rangers games, Six Flags, etc. If that was my first visit to DFW, I wouldn't want to come back either.

[Annikan]

Yeah, Arlington is definitely not a typical college town. It's more of a bedroom community, and the people in charge of the city have made a variety of choices (the no DART, no Rail choices for example) that are keeping it that way. OP would have fared much better in downtown Ft. Worth, several neighborhoods in Dallas proper, or even in Denton.

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by Annikan

Yeah, Arlington is definitely not a typical college town. It's more of a bedroom community, and the people in charge of the city have made a variety of choices (the no DART, no Rail choices for example) that are keeping it that way. OP would have fared much better in downtown Ft. Worth, several neighborhoods in Dallas proper, or even in Denton.

The people in charge of the city are in freaking denial. They act like Arlington is some sort of larger version of Dalworthington Gardens and want to keep "others" out. They're too dumb to realize that a large chunk of Arlington is dumpy and "others" already live there.

The city would be sooo much better if they would transform the area around UTA and fund a bus system. Even a bus going down Cooper, Pioneer Pkwy, and some of the other major roads in town would be better than nothing.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

I was very surprised about Arlington. I figured that moving to a city of 300K residents would feel similar to New Orleans, Cleveland, St Louis, or Tampa since those cities are similar in size. NOPE!

Columbia, MO, the small college town I lived in for grad school felt more like a big city to me. If you lived downtown, you could walk almost anywhere. And the bus system would take you most other places.

So did you move there without visiting?

I'm not sure how you could expect Arrington to be the same as more historic cities you mentioned?

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

So did you move there without visiting?

I'm not sure how you could expect Arrington to be the same as more historic cities you mentioned?

Yup! A mistake I'll never make again. I did my interviews over Skype and accepted the position over the phone. The first time I went to Arlington was looking for a place to live. I knew I had made a mistake as soon as I saw the place.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

Yup! A mistake I'll never make again. I did my interviews over Skype and accepted the position over the phone. The first time I went to Arlington was looking for a place to live. I knew I had made a mistake as soon as I saw the place.

Lessons learned the hard way are always the worst!

You sound fairly young and like you're still finding your way in the world (as we all are). I have made plenty of mistakes myself. But as you get older, you'll realize that every season of your life has a reason. Your time in DFW will help shape your life, even if it's 30 years from now when you see how it all plays out.

I hope that made sense.

It is hard to be young and without a partner and not much money in your pocket. It can be very lonely and depressing. I wish you better fortune in Chicago.

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by calgirlinnc

Lessons learned the hard way are always the worst!

You sound fairly young and like you're still finding your way in the world (as we all are). I have made plenty of mistakes myself. But as you get older, you'll realize that every season of your life has a reason. Your time in DFW will help shape your life, even if it's 30 years from now when you see how it all plays out.

I hope that made sense.

It is hard to be young and without a partner and not much money in your pocket. It can be very lonely and depressing. I wish you better fortune in Chicago.

Thanks! I'll hit the big three zero pretty soon. I guess that's still young to some people.

I definitely don't regret coming to DFW. I wouldn't have the job I have today if it weren't for my time there. I was teaching high school before and making a career change. UT-Arlington gave me a chance.

Who knows where life will take you... Maybe I'll be back in DFW some day.

[cordata]

The worst thing about turning thirty is being blinded to how young you really are.