Here are my thoughts on Austin and why we might be leaving for SA (Houston: insurance, find a job)

[hornraider]

Originally Posted by The_Man74

yes the money in Dallas is very very good, if you can put up with the people and "soullessness" of the city

I don't find much of a difference in the people I've met in Dallas, the native Texans are pretty much the same, I haven't encountered the soullessness in Dallas that you speak of. In fact, couldn't ask for a better group of co-workers.

Now, back where I grew up at in California, I can show you some cold-hearted soullessness (is that even a word? Lol).

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by daisyschic

I was about to say the same thing, for some reason this person seems relentless to just keep posting nonsense and making assumptions, which she is very good at!

We went down there and we didn't have one ounce of problem with talking to people, the people seemed real nice there.

I wasn't talking about being able to get around or being a tourist. I was talking about marketability in a job market that where about 60 percent of the population are bilingual.

Think.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

Strange assumption on your part. I studied Spanish in college and have visited San Antonio numerous times, but never felt like I needed to use Spanish to communicate with anyone there. Same was true of Laredo.

Perhaps your experience was different.

See above. Once again, I'm not talking about visiting San Antonio. I'm talking to a person who is having some difficulty with employment - a person who is moving to a city that is about 60 percent bilingual, and marketability in that particular job market.

It seems that it would be obvious that being bilingual would increase one's employment marketability in San Antonio considerably.

[KathrynAragon]

Originally Posted by TXEX06

LOL! What an ignorant statement.

So you don't think that being bilingual in a city that is about 60 percent bilingual would be a serious asset on the job?

The OP is having a hard time with employment. Being bilingual would level the playing field in a city like San Antonio.

Let's just put it this way. If I was a hiring manager in San Antonio, and two people with the same credentials showed up to interview, but one was bilingual - I'd probably choose the bilingual person.

San Antonio is a great city. In fact, we visit there often. I personally love the Hispanic influence there. But the fact of the matter is that the city has a huge Hispanic presence and being bilingual is not only an asset, but would be almost a requirement in many jobs there.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

So you don't think that being bilingual in a city that is about 60 percent bilingual would be a serious asset on the job?

The OP is having a hard time with employment. Being bilingual would level the playing field in a city like San Antonio.

Let's just put it this way. If I was a hiring manager in San Antonio, and two people with the same credentials showed up to interview, but one was bilingual - I'd probably choose the bilingual person.

San Antonio is a great city. In fact, we visit there often. I personally love the Hispanic influence there. But the fact of the matter is that the city has a huge Hispanic presence and being bilingual is not only an asset, but would be almost a requirement in many jobs there.

Heck, this was even the case in Austin back in the day when I paid attention to employment ads. Being bilingual is often a plus, if not a requirement, for jobs where there is a high or even relatively high ratio of Hispanic citizens.

[Gunion Powder]

Originally Posted by KathrynAragon

It's a big plus when it comes to employment ANYWHERE in Texas to be bilingual.

In much of Texas, speaking Spanish is definitely an advantage, but that's true of most major American cities, today. It sounded as if you were singling out SA, where Spanish is probably of less use than it is in Houston.

The Tejanos in SA are heavily Americanized. You'll meet a lot of the younger ones that may even know less Spanish than you do.

[Seymour_Butts]

If you want a city where it is easy for a couple to develop professional careers and build up their wealth... move out of Austin.

As has been stated by many posters: The job market in Austin is over saturated.

You might say: 'But I want to live in a 'cool' city'.

Well, in that case stay there.

I was born and raised in Austin and still see many positives but simply had to move in order to progress past service level jobs.

I can't really say much about Dallas/San Antonio/Houston except that I live in Houston and find it has a much more practical outlook on life than Austin does. Austin to me is like a mirage which appears as many different things to many people but really is none of those things.

As far as the attitude of people in Austin I have not spent much time there lately but on the past visits I did notice tension between people who I grew up with and other recent transplants.

Some drunk girl at the bar I was at last time was digging on native Austinites and how lame they are... I asked what city she was from. I can't remember exactly what it was but it was a place I had never heard of in Arizona. I asked her what she thought about the natives of that city and she didn't have much of an answer.

All in all people living in and moving to Austin are dealing with some stressful life situations. It is natural for this to boil over into antagonism but it doesn't mean it is enjoyable.

I guess thats why they call them 'growing pains'.

[The_Man74]

Originally Posted by hornraider

I don't find much of a difference in the people I've met in Dallas, the native Texans are pretty much the same, I haven't encountered the soullessness in Dallas that you speak of. In fact, couldn't ask for a better group of co-workers.

Now, back where I grew up at in California, I can show you some cold-hearted soullessness (is that even a word? Lol).

You've got to get out then lol

Or just actually "live in" all the cities

You will be able to tell a difference in personalities if you lived in them

Yes most of us native Texans are the same... But there's probably the least natives in Dallas actually lol

[The_Man74]

Being bi or even tri lingual will always be a plus...

If you are fluent in Engish, Spanish, and Chinese for example... you will be VERY marketable throughout the world

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by L210

San Antonio is more socially conservative, but it's a fiscally liberal city that mostly elects Democrats who, ultimately, vote for socially liberal ordinances.

Ouch.....sorry to hear it....