looking to hear from CA transplants (Tulsa, Broken Arrow: houses, unemployment, tornado)

[shannonM]

Hi, I am looking to hear from CA transpalnts......I was wondering if you could provide me with answers.

I want to know what you think about the Tulsa area. was it a big culture shock?? what about the weather. I hear that there is severe weather there.

As a Californian was or is it hard to get used to the weather....and is it as bad as I have heard?

I live in Southern CA and as you know there is really not alot of weather here. I am okay with the changing seasons and rain and even snow. but, does it negatively affect your life in the winter.

I hear OK is suppose to be very friendly and very beautiful. have you found this to be true? also what advice would you give me.....as this is a big decision. I hope I am not rambling too much. thanks in advance for your input. anything is helpful.

[okie333]

i was born in oklahoma city and lived there till i was 7. Its changed alot since then. All one side of our family lives there and Kansas , i now am in california also. From the times ive been back ive observed

- alot more social diversity now - abundant gay couples i spotted while shopping at one of the malls over the holidays. I was suprised, not how i remembered it when i was younger

-people do not know hwow to drive and do not take pride in their property it seems, the lifted truck guys will run you off the road as their doors are falling off, lol - kindof a dumb hick driving attitude. Not everyone is like this but it is a noticable difference

-In general Oklahoma from what ive seen has gone down hill financially since the early 90s -seems theres more poverty now

- The climate is the same its always been, lol. In the summer its is hot and humid, theres more bugs there. Winters are cold and icy

- the up side, its my home and i love the terrain out there, rolling hills and farm country. I love the spring time up there, absolutly beautiful

- theres tornado season unlike the suprise earthquake out here or the rain monsoons, lol. I personally grew up where my parents custom designed and built our house on 2 acres and they anchored their bedroom closet underground as a shelter built of solid concrete and solid steel door. Numberous times as a kid i remember waking up in there, sorry about the side story. I love the skies after a tornado has been near, absolutely beautiful to me. they can be green, purple, orange.

Oklahoma people are friendly and down to earth. The kids their have more respect for their elders and common courtesy that will baffle someone from california - ofcourse there are disrespecful kids anywhere tho


you know these things i listed may not be true to all but throughout the time i had lived there and come back to visit, it thats what i had observed.

[dekes1969]

okie333

sorry but have to disagree with you about the economy both okc and tulsa are boom towns for last 3 years or so with unemployment right around 3 % which is half the national average.the oil patch, aerospace, banking, and tech sectors in oklahoma are growing every day.As a matter of fact the tulsa chamber of commerce put out a site for aerospace workers because the market needs so many and is trying to recruit areas like socal. Forbes listed both as in the top 100 grow metro areas of the country. the proverty you might of seen, which to be honest i do not see, are people moving in to the area from economically depressed places.

[nevergoingback]

Originally Posted by shannonM

Hi, I am looking to hear from CA transpalnts......I was wondering if you could provide me with answers.

I want to know what you think about the Tulsa area. was it a big culture shock?? Yes, in a good way. what about the weather. I hear that there is severe weather there. Yes severe weather exists all over the midwest including Native America

As a Californian was or is it hard to get used to the weather....and is it as bad as I have heard? No, I don't care for the Cold though, Spring and Fall are alot better than in SoCal

I live in Southern CA and as you know there is really not alot of weather here. I am okay with the changing seasons and rain and even snow. but, does it negatively affect your life in the winter. A little, esp if you have trees on your prop or drive a rear wheeled car/truck.

I hear OK is suppose to be very friendly and very beautiful. have you found this to be true? Without a doubt. also what advice would you give me.....as this is a big decision. I hope I am not rambling too much. thanks in advance for your input. anything is helpful.

I would not move back to Ca for almost anything, its the people, its the culture. There is also alot more to do in the Tulsa area compared to the Santa Barbara area where I lived for 28 years.

[okie333]

hey nevergoingback,

I agree, i lived in the SB area for a while and absolutely hated it. I was thinking the same thing everyday that i would rather be in Oklahoma where people are actualy nice and normal. People in the central coast are weird adn i couldn't put my thumb on it when i was there

On a side note, maybe Oklahoma's economy is booming a little, i just was taking note that compared to how everything looked about 15 years ago this have gone down hill, alot. Things to me look alot trashier than they did when I lived there.

[nevergoingback]

Originally Posted by okie333

hey nevergoingback,

People in the central coast are weird adn i couldn't put my thumb on it when i was there

Funny you say that.
As a teenager and young adult I traveled more than most people, the more I traveled to different parts of Ca. and the country, I began to realize that as well. Kind of funny, I thought it was just me. Now when I go back to visit, It is very apparent that things, mostly people, are alot different there than most parts of the country including other parts of Ca.. Don't know what it is, but it is there.

[sameoldsonganddance]

Hey, from Eufaula, Oklahoma. I lived in the San Joaquin valley for about half of my life. And in the Bay area for a bit. Everything in Cali is pretty much over rated. Its a lot cheaper to live here, thats for sure. You can get a nicer home here in Oklahoma than you can in California. Taxes are much lower. Small town life is o.k. Depending on what you like to do. We have four seasons. And it has not been too hard to adjust to that. I love the fall colors. Most people are pretty nice. Oklahoma is growing in a lot of ways. You have a lot of freedom here. Try it. You might like it! Good luck.

[okie333]

Originally Posted by nevergoingback

Funny you say that.
As a teenager and young adult I traveled more than most people, the more I traveled to different parts of Ca. and the country, I began to realize that as well. Kind of funny, I thought it was just me. Now when I go back to visit, It is very apparent that things, mostly people, are alot different there than most parts of the country including other parts of Ca.. Don't know what it is, but it is there.

thats really good to here, especially from someone who has been all around california. Its beautiful on the central coast just very odd. I tried to addapt when i was there but i had a tough time finding my identity while there, i have only lived there and in the bay area and i feel the bay area was more the norm. There are so many other nice places in california also, its just beautiful here.

[Honeybee]

Originally Posted by shannonM

Hi, I am looking to hear from CA transpalnts......I was wondering if you could provide me with answers.

I want to know what you think about the Tulsa area. was it a big culture shock?? what about the weather. I hear that there is severe weather there.

As a Californian was or is it hard to get used to the weather....and is it as bad as I have heard?

I live in Southern CA and as you know there is really not alot of weather here. I am okay with the changing seasons and rain and even snow. but, does it negatively affect your life in the winter.

I hear OK is suppose to be very friendly and very beautiful. have you found this to be true? also what advice would you give me.....as this is a big decision. I hope I am not rambling too much. thanks in advance for your input. anything is helpful.

I was born @ raised in Ca. Lived in Turlock Ca. about 1 1/2 hr. from Sacramento We moved here in the Tulsa Area Broken Arrow last year , The first yr.we exp. the worst Ice Strom in the States History we lost power for 6 days due to Ice Stroms we lost all the trees in back yard they split in two It was very intense and I was not happy being without Electric for 6 days .They had to send in Guys from 4 diff. States to get all the Power back on so many lines down and Hundreds of Trees damaged fell on homes in streets it was aweful . That Ice strom lasted about 3 days but the damage took mo. to clean it all up .So Then the snow came it was just Beauitfullllllllllll I have never lived in a place where I could stand in the window and see it coming down it does not snow very much I think it snowed 5 times and the last snow was the best 6 in, over night Awwww just beautiful to wake up and see it all white everywhere Now I loved that part of Winter . Also the Thunder and Lighten here is Awesome it is very diff. then Ca. here you get Thunder that shakes the house and lighten bolts !! just make sure your inside and safe when your having Stroms I love the Thunder though it is very Loud ! I would have to say the Fall is beautiful as you have all the pretty colors Reds,Golds,Ambers,Yellows ,Oranges we go for scenic drives up to AR.@MO. to see all the beauty Branson is only about 2 hrs' away @ Eureka Springs AR. is even closer like 1 1/2 hrs.away .As Spring is pretty to because everything turns Green again Yep you have the 4 seasons for sure .It can get cold in Winter but then comes Spring Tulsa is called Green Country and it is very Green Rolling Hills pretty . It is very diff. here the people here are very friendly .I live in a beautiful area with nice homes and everyone takes care of homes and yards .They have areas that are bad but you will find that anywhere you live . I also find it to be very alive and growing there are many moving here from Ca. and other areas .Property is very cheap here but my taxes are alittle higher then my house in Ca. I guess it goes by where your house is at . Some areas have cheaper taxes . I love it here and I'm adjusting for me I don't miss Ca. that much except for Carmel @ the Moutains I mainly just Miss my Momma and family there very much. But I fly back and visit as long as I want I was just there for 2 mo. so that helps me to not be so sad missing everyone .I also had 17 family memebers all fly out here for July 4 they Loved it here we went to Branson also Silver Dollor City Theame Park in the Ozark Mt. had a blast Well sorry to rambel on but your right it is a Very Big Decsion to make .We kept our home there so we still have it just in case

[Carolinemoveswhere?]

Originally Posted by Honeybee

I was born @ raised in Ca. Lived in Turlock Ca.

How did I miss that?? I can't believe you are from my neck of the woods, moved to a town I'm considering and I haven't bugged you yet! I'm so glad everything is working out for your family. We get all gung-ho, and then start to have doubts. Who knows what we'll end up doing.

I had to also comment about all the weirdos on the central coast of CA. Couldn't pass that one up. It's really strange there, indeed. (and, I agree, not like anywhere else in CA) We go there for weekend get-away type trips because it is so beautiful. One time though, we went to Montecito to stay at a b&b. The place gave us such a creepy feeling, we ended up leaving and finding someplace else. Ended up, the people that owned the new one, the wife grew up about 10 houses down from where we were living then. Funny coincidence.