Moving to oklahoma from massachusetts (Oklahoma City, Shawnee: transplants, house, public school)

[Tbone1983]

Hi everyone, I will be moving with my wife and six children to shawnee, oklahoma next weekend and was just wondering if any Okies have any advice for me, it's gonna be a big change from where we live now I've been in massachusetts my whole life and my wife is originally from okc ,any info will help, just kinda nervous lol Thanks so much, TB

[Gorilla97]

The winters won't be nearly as bad but the summers will be much warmer! Hopefully you can find a house with a storm shelter as the tornado season will be starting soon and it's a good peace of mind to have one. Best of luck on your move.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by Tbone1983

Hi everyone, I will be moving with my wife and six children to shawnee, oklahoma next weekend and was just wondering if any Okies have any advice for me, it's gonna be a big change from where we live now I've been in massachusetts my whole life and my wife is originally from okc ,any info will help, just kinda nervous lol Thanks so much, TB

I lived in New England for a year and the folks there thought I was one of the biggest Redneck Podunk fellas they had ever met. I reminded them often that THEY were the ones talking funny, not me. I also, many times, politely asked that they take the sugar out of my cornbread and put it in my iced tea.

Culturally, it's apples to oranges. Your wife has probably already apprised you of such. Dialects are extremely different. The food is better here; it's fried, but you're guaranteeing yourself that you won't live as long. Pace of life will seem like a snail's pace compared to what you're used to. Summers will feel like you're living in a furnace; you'll get used to it. Religiously, you're coming out of an area which is heavily Irish Catholic to Oklahoma which is Bible Belt Mecca/Southern Baptist Evangelicalism ground zero. In general, people are more outspoken about faith and issues of religion, including social issues!, here in the South-Central.

Get ready for change, but embrace it. Naturally, I'm biased, but I think Okies are the coolest folks on planet earth. (I've lived in every major region of the United States except the Midwest and I've found Okies to be the most helpful/outreach-oriented.) I think that, in general, you'll find Okies an outgoing bunch. They will say hi to you, ask you where you're from, ask about your family, ask what college football team you cheer for (Hint, Correct Answer: The SOONERS), and someone is bound to invite you to church. Don't view this as intrusion, but just as people simply trying to get to know you a bit better and make you feel welcome. Also, expect the depth of your relationships to develop slowly. Okies, like most Southerners, are more likely to be outgoing on the front end when you first meet them, but on the back end it can be tougher to develop deeper relationships. Many transplants have made note of this relational distinction from the state/region from which they came. Give it time.

Welcome to The Great STATE of Oklahoma and Blessings!

[flyingcat2k]

Moderator cut: snip

Keep an open mind and enjoy what Oklahoma has to offer. I would say that the two areas Oklahoma needs to change is the level public school funding and the corruption in OKC with the State Government. I'm not an Oklahoman but public opinion polls are showing that as well. Other than that, it's really a good place to live.

[StillwaterTownie]

Originally Posted by Tbone1983

Hi everyone, I will be moving with my wife and six children to shawnee, oklahoma next weekend and was just wondering if any Okies have any advice for me, it's gonna be a big change from where we live now I've been in massachusetts my whole life and my wife is originally from okc ,any info will help, just kinda nervous lol Thanks so much, TB

Shawnee isn't a bad place and good for not being real far from Oklahoma City. Your wife will like Shawnee's enclosed mall off I-40.

Don't be overly surprised to see huge 4 door pickups everywhere. It's aggravating how they stick out into the street when parked. But it's the type of vehicle Oklahomans absolutely must have now.

[Rubi3]

My brother's wife grew up in MA and most of her adult life they lived in Germany as he was in the US Military. Last account I had, she prefers MA and that's where they live, since he retired. First time she visited OK, she was floored to see the palatial mansions in Nichols Hills in OKC. She expected teepees.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

My brother's wife grew up in MA and most of her adult life they lived in Germany as he was in the US Military. Last account I had, she prefers MA and that's where they live, since he retired. First time she visited OK, she was floored to see the palatial mansions in Nichols Hills in OKC. She expected teepees.

Funny story regarding that: When New Englanders found out that I was part Native American they just assumed I was full-blooded Choctaw.

They had images in their mind that we lived on reservations still hunting the buffalo on horseback!

[Goodpasture]

Originally Posted by Bass&Catfish2008

They had images in their mind that we lived on reservations still hunting the buffalo on horseback!

How silly......we get our buffalo from the butcher shop........

[Rubi3]

Yesterday, at my local bridge game, someone mentioned wild hogs had been killed nearby. My comment they make good eating was met with blank stares. For a moment, I thought I'd been transported to the East Coast.

[Bass&Catfish2008]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

Yesterday, at my local bridge game, someone mentioned wild hogs had been killed nearby. My comment they make good eating was met with blank stares. For a moment, I thought I'd been transported to the East Coast.

Only the females. The males have too much testosterone coursing through their veins. Makes 'em too gamey.