My take on El Paso (Austin, Portland: taxes, living, professionals)

[Smooth from ELP]

Originally Posted by vjsoto

I would love to move back to El Paso because I love the city and the people there........

You sound like I did about a year ago. You wont catch me saying that again.

I opened my eyes to the fact that El Paso has radically changed in the last 5 to 6 years with the troop buildup (not a bad thing) and the migration from your permanent visitors from the south (IMO a bad thing).

The city is growing really fast but the laid back mentality has not caught up with the expansion.

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by Smooth from ELP

I opened my eyes to the fact that El Paso has radically changed in the last 5 to 6 years with the troop buildup (not a bad thing) and the migration from your permanent visitors from the south (IMO a bad thing).

Not trying to offend, but coming from an Occupational Safety and Health standpoint, can you expand why you don't feel the extra military transplant are bad but Mexicans are? I'm not accusing you of anything racial either. I'm curious on your actual thoughts.

Because I have access to actual statistics and facts, I always find it interesting what people think about our new transplants - whether they be Mexicans or military. The facts might surprise you...

[Smooth from ELP]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

Not trying to offend, but coming from an Occupational Safety and Health standpoint, can you expand why you don't feel the extra military transplant are bad but Mexicans are? I'm not accusing you of anything racial either. I'm curious on your actual thoughts.

Because I have access to actual statistics and facts, I always find it interesting what people think about our new transplants - whether they be Mexicans or military. The facts might surprise you...

I guess I don't have facts to back up my statements. Having not living here for 10 yrs but visit two or three times a year I see the changes a little bit at a time. My recent bad experiences in El Paso are directed more to the raza than the military transplant.

I am here in your city for another week and it never fails. Almost hit by crazy chih Mex drivers, bad service by Spanish speaking retail/service workers, my old neighborhood let run down by Mexican transplants, renters that don't pay on time (renting my moms house)....the list goes on and on. Next door neighbor claims there are at least 10 people staying in the house. Could it be a safe house for illegal aliens? Who knows.

My statements are based on recent experienceS not numbers or studies.

[OLLY1969]

Originally Posted by Smooth from ELP

I guess I don't have facts to back up my statements. Having not living here for 10 yrs but visit two or three times a year I see the changes a little bit at a time. My recent bad experiences in El Paso are directed more to the raza than the military transplant.

I am here in your city for another week and it never fails. Almost hit by crazy chih Mex drivers, bad service by Spanish speaking retail/service workers, my old neighborhood let run down by Mexican transplants, renters that don't pay on time (renting my moms house)....the list goes on and on. Next door neighbor claims there are at least 10 people staying in the house. Could it be a safe house for illegal aliens? Who knows.

My statements are based on recent experienceS not numbers or studies.

I agree

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by Smooth from ELP

My statements are based on recent experienceS not numbers or studies.

What part of town is your old neighborhood in? Honestly, I work about 60 hours a week at my full time job mostly in the northeast. I live on the east side near Montwood. My small business literally takes me all over town dealing with the service industry, medical industry, and the safety industry. I simply never run into the problems you and malamute encounter. I don't encounter Spanish only speakers very often professionally.

Originally Posted by OLLY1969

I agree

I'm glad you do not disagree with Smooth's experiences.

[Smooth from ELP]

Originally Posted by mistabinks

What part of town is your old neighborhood in? Honestly, I work about 60 hours a week at my full time job mostly in the northeast. I live on the east side near Montwood. My small business literally takes me all over town dealing with the service industry, medical industry, and the safety industry. I simply never run into the problems you and malamute encounter. I don't encounter Spanish only speakers very often professionally.



I'm glad you do not disagree with Smooth's experiences.

Central El Paso.....Zia Village. Problems with Spanish speaking workers mostly in eastside.

[temazepam]

Why are El Pasoans so in love with Mustangs? I see more of them here than any other city I've been in.

[Ameliahope1541]

I am turning 50 and have been pretty successful in El Paso. I have family members that have moved away from El Paso and have been twice as successful, have had to work a lot less and enjoy a good quality of life with many options. I have hit a bump when it comes to moving ahead in this town in many ways. I find El Pasoans in positions of leadership and with authority abuse the system, practice nepotism and are complacent,at best. There iexists a very sublime forms of discrimination for people that don't fit the prototype of a typical El Pasoan. ( married, 2-3 kids, or more,complacent,not well traveled,etc.)
While I do love my hometown, I am getting ready to leave and hopefully work less and enjoy a better quality of life.

[unnativeelpasoan]

Originally Posted by Ameliahope1541

I am turning 50 and have been pretty successful in El Paso. I have family members that have moved away from El Paso and have been twice as successful, have had to work a lot less and enjoy a good quality of life with many options. I have hit a bump when it comes to moving ahead in this town in many ways. I find El Pasoans in positions of leadership and with authority abuse the system, practice nepotism and are complacent,at best. There iexists a very sublime forms of discrimination for people that don't fit the prototype of a typical El Pasoan. ( married, 2-3 kids, or more,complacent,not well traveled,etc.)
While I do love my hometown, I am getting ready to leave and hopefully work less and enjoy a better quality of life.

This is a really good post! Complacent is actually a great word to describe the El Paso mentality, couldn't have said it better myself. I have also found it to be very true that if you aren't the right type of person, you just will NOT fit in here, period! And people will treat you like you don't fit too. And, heaven forbid that, because you've lived elsewhere or traveled a bit, you have an even slightly different perspective. Most people here are really NOT interested in any other perspectives than the one they've known their whole lives. For the most part, it is a very narrow minded mentality in this city, akin to a very small, isolated town. It's really frustrating. And it's also true about people with power abusing the system, a lot of corruption. Sure, to some degree that is true everywhere, it just seems more evident and widespread here. What is strange to me is that many El Pasoans reaction to that sort of thing tends to be just to shrug one's shoulders and say, "Oh, well, that's just the way it goes". Again, complacency. It's hard for me to understand...

Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hope you find happiness and fulfillment wherever you are headed.

[ognend]

Originally Posted by unnativeelpasoan

This is a really good post! Complacent is actually a great word to describe the El Paso mentality, couldn't have said it better myself. I have also found it to be very true that if you aren't the right type of person, you just will NOT fit in here, period! And people will treat you like you don't fit too. And, heaven forbid that, because you've lived elsewhere or traveled a bit, you have an even slightly different perspective. Most people here are really NOT interested in any other perspectives than the one they've known their whole lives. For the most part, it is a very narrow minded mentality in this city, akin to a very small, isolated town. It's really frustrating. And it's also true about people with power abusing the system, a lot of corruption. Sure, to some degree that is true everywhere, it just seems more evident and widespread here. What is strange to me is that many El Pasoans reaction to that sort of thing tends to be just to shrug one's shoulders and say, "Oh, well, that's just the way it goes". Again, complacency. It's hard for me to understand...

Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts. I hope you find happiness and fulfillment wherever you are headed.

If you live in a city where there is a good sized number of people that are transplants from elsewhere, your "opinions" (veiled or open criticisms?) will be well received. Everyone has something to point out here that is different from where they came from. If there are enough similar ears and mouths, these kinds of conversations will flow and you will describe the place as "open minded". Places like Austin, TX or Portland, OR or Boise, ID or Asheville, NC come to mind.

If, however, you come from elsewhere and you are in the minority an you open your mouth full of "this is how we do it back where I am from" and someone puts you back in your place - well, the city must be full of closed minded minions, no?