Dallas, Texas

I'm thinking there is a common mispercption that Texas is a western state. It is, in fact, not. Texas is often labeled as "sought plains state" or just simply as a 'southern " state (although El Paso is the largest city in New Mexico). To all westerners I know, The West begins (from north to south) with Montana/Wyoming/New Mexico. The Rocky Mountains seems to have been the original demarcation between the plains states and the western states and theres is very obviously a cultural difference between Nebraska/Kansas/Oklahoma and Texas and the western states. The one thing I do know about Texas is there are miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles in Texas.

Thomas - if you do a search on "Dallas" posts by "Lola", you'll find some interesting comments.

Lola! Of course!

I haven't decided 100%, but I am actually leaning towards it. My husband plans to call the schools today to get some additional information.

Then we will have to convince my parents that it is a good thing. I am very close to them and they watch my children alot now - especially the youngest as she isn't in school yet (starts this fall). I am hoping they will come and stay with us during the winters as the winters in Boston are getting to be too much for them now - that may help them out and help them to have us move so far away. I can't in good conscience move so far away without them at least being o-k with it.

My job isn't moving until next year so even though I was supposed to confirm already whether I was going to move or not, I have not. I could potentially lose my job as a result, but considering that people are not seeming to be interested in moving and the fact they will not recruit for these positions in quite a while, I think I am safe to wait another month. My company is also giving huge incentives to move and many things they are covering in costs so we would pretty much not pay a cent to move and would get deductions for or costs for closing and other costs to buying/selling a home.

I also met lots of transplants in the area and everyone seems to be open about how they feel about relocating. You may like this story one guy told us...

He was moving in and carrying a chair when suddenly he felt his load lighten - a couple of guys were helping him move it in his new home. After they dropped it inside, one of the guys took off next door - the newbie yelled his thanks thinking he was just assisting this one thing. A minute later the guy comes out with a case of beer and says lets get this stuff unpacked. That is the type of impression I got when visiting - lots of friendly helpful people - although I can see them being very opinionated and stuck in their ways.

That reminds me (even though I'm not in Dallas) when we've had weekend visitors here from out of state, one thing they ALL comment on is the friendliness of the people.

Now, living here, myself and other Austinites can certainly say we've encountered our share of A-holes, but honestly, compared to some other places, this is a friendly place. People think nothing of falling into conversation with strangers, and I feel a sense of community in my immediate neighborhood.

The pace is slower, not in a lazy way, but when people are calling each other to do business, you need to take a moment to ask, "how are you?" Or, if they ask first, answer and return the favor" You will win a lot of points with people, and garner future favors if you remember to ask how their son's croup is coming along, or ask them if their bathroom remodel is finished.

Where I work, I talk on the phone to co-workers all over the country. It shocks me now how someone will call me and immediately just get down to business. I know these people aren't trying to be rude, since I grew up in that environment. Also, they most likely think they are saving time by not wasting words like "How are you....oh....really?....that's good....so listen, I was call to find out..." Despite this little bit of goodwill, overall it takes you no longer to get things done.

Oh, also...please don't tell us how much better it is where you came from...if you think so, go back there.

Just keep saying to yourself "When in Rome...."

For Linkat...get used to being called a yankee. If it's said to you face, they're not insulting you, just acknowledging you can't help but do things different...you're a yankee.

I've lived here for about 12 years. I'm still referred to at times as "that yankee gal" I'll be called a yankee 10 years from now too...on the plus side though, I am at times called upon to interpret what yankees still living in yankeeland are talking about.

me: "Well, he didn't mean it that way...he's just asking a question, he wasn't accusing you or anything. Don't worry, he's a really nice guy, and he likes you too. I know he does, he said so just last week."

them: "well, alright....he was just so Short with me....I'll give him a call."

Yeah, definitely Southern.

This from my brother:

It's all in the attitude, dude. There are plenty of jobs in Dallas, homes
range in a wide choice of areas and prices, health care is near the top of
my list at the present time (although I never thought of it before). My wife
and I have lived here since 1988 and finally are buying a house as of six
years ago. Schools are good, plenty of cops and fire departments, writers
groups, arts district, good libraries in all areas. Lots of churches of all
faiths. The weather is good almost all year. We've had lots of rain lately
so all the surrounding lakes (and plenty of them) have filled to normal or
above capacity. Crime? Yes. We were burglarized three years ago. But no
damage done to the house or pets. And we were insured. Allstate.
****************************************************************************

Merely my opinion so take it for what it's worth.

I can only give my impression as a one time visitor. I was struck by the sameness of the place to the midwest. Many of the people I met there were actually transplanted midwesterners. There are more than a few crazy drivers. I also thought the place seemed disorganized. No zoning, it seemed.

I liked Houston much better. It seemed more like I thought Texas would be like.

McTag said it best, "Fast-moving, self-confident cosmopolitan city."

Deep Ellum is to Dallas as Haight-Ashbury is to San Francisco. It's the city's bohemian district. People go there to party hard.

http://www.deepellumtx.com/main.html

Like most all Western cities in the US Dallas is planned around automobile travel. Western US cities in general are not pedestrian friendly. I think you'd be better off living downtown, especially if you're thinking about walking as your major means of commuting.

While Texas is in general a conservative state politically speaking, Dallas being a cosmopolitan city--as McTag has pointed out--is rather more liberal than the rest of Texas, although the different alcohol restrictions among the different counties--12 in all within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area--are a constant, and frustrating reminder of the state's general conservatism.

I have a friend who left for Dallas to go to school a couple of years after we graduated from high school, and twenty or so years later he's still there. Dallas is a blast every time I go visit him. The city's too fast for my tastes to live there, but it's great to party in for a spell.

Oh, and Phoenix is right about the women. You will see and meet some of the most drop-dead, breathtakingly gorgeous women in Dallas--a lot of them.

Good luck Thomas. For selfish reasons, I hope you make the move to Dallas.

I don't know anything about it, only how it has grown and how many people from all over the world now live there. I'm sure you will find your niche and develop good friendships.

The only issue I would have with being called a yankee is the NY Yankees! My daughters would probably flip out as all they know of yankees is yeck!

Dallas: Cold in the summer and hot in the winter. If you like the outdoors, Dallas is not the best place for you. Spring is the only season that I like, albeit the perpetual windstorms and tornado watches, it is beautiful in the spring.

Summer is way too hot. That's why everybody stays inside and turns the air conditioner to bone chilling. Some Russian diplomats once visited Dallas in the summer and declared it the coldest spot on Earth.

Autumn is nice if you're not allergic to ragweed. Dallas has allergenic plants for every season to accomodate every allergy sufferer, even Ashe Juniper in the winter.

Winter is just cold enough to keep people inside.

Culturally, it is rich. Both Dallas and Ft. Worth have symphonies. Andrew Litton who has announced his retirement was particularly fond of Mahler and performed the complete symphonies, some more than once.
The classical music station here went commercial a few years ago and so that is mostly unlistenable unless you prefer the classical period, period.

Dallas has an excellent art museum and sculpture garden. Ft. Worth--known as cowtown--has the Kimble Art Museum, The Amon Carter, and a brand new modern art museum--my favorite.




Richard Serra: Vortex. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

I have to laugh at what you consider too cold to be outside - I looked up the average temperatures - coldest is in January with a high of 55 and a low of 31! Ha try living in New England - that's a heat wave! To me that is comfortable.

Average for Feb between 36 - 61. 61 degrees! That is awesome in Feb.

Even the summers don't look too bad for me for averages a high of 97 in July and 96 in Aug isn't so bad - I understand you get humidity which makes the heat seem much worse, but we also get very high humidity in New England - temp don't average as high, but they can get as high. I wouldn't mind, myself so much as long as it cooled enough at night. And personally I rather deal with heat than the bitter cold and snow we get in the winter.

Thomas, congrats on the making the short list. I hope you get the offer. What the hell difference does it make whether Dallas is the best or even the worst place to live? Just get yourself settled somewhere and then give it a try. If you don't like it then you look elsewhere. You have a green card, not an H-1B. It's not like you'll be indentured to your sponsor and forced to stay in an unhappy situation. Take the job, give it your best shot and then relocate as necessary (welcome to America!).

My former employer had a large complex in Irving (closeby). I've spent time there... it's pretty hot in the summer but less humidity than the Mississippi delta.

Not too sure about cultural or social stuff. I always got along with my counterparts there.

Good luck! When do you hear back again?

Good points, JPB.

Getting back to the perfectly made-up women, Thomas, just think of Ann Richards. She was quite a woman! You might enjoy getting to find out about some of those Texas women underneath all the hair and the makeup.

More observations coming in, and overall they look very encouraging!

Chai, I liked your portrait of the people you met in Austin. I'm sure I'll find plenty of opportunities to insert my foot in my mouth, but the "why where I come from ..." line is one not one of them. I'm not quite as opinionated in real life as I am online.

Edgar, thanks for the comments from your brother. He's right about the attitude, of course.

Infrablue, more interesting notes about the city. Thanks for the Deep Ellum link! Your and coluber2001's descriptions seem to confirm me in narrowning my focus to Uptown (near the arts district), downtown (central), and Deep Ellum (artists district). Uptown and Deep Ellum are both close to downtown and are described as relatively pedestrian friendly in various links. I know I can't expect perfection in pedestrian friendliness, and I'm not.

Diane, if someone made a clone of Ann Richards or Molly Ivins, and if she's about my age, I would definitely be interested in her phone number.

coluber2001, that was a very detailed description, thank you so much. And it's an encouraging one, too! (Allergies have never been a major problem for me, knock on wood.) "Haight Ashbury of Dallas" sounds nice, unless you're referring to the tourist trap that the actual intersection of Haight and Ashbury has turned to. (Fortunately it's confined to a small area within three blocks of the intersection.) But you don't seem to be saying this. Also, I'm pretty much on Linkat's wavelength about temperatures, so that's generally encouraging too. (Summer is an exception, but that's what air conditioning is for.)

Swimpy, impressions from a one-time visitor are still better than what I know about the city. Thanks for sharing!

JPB, you're absolutely right about the visa. After the initial shock, I have now decided to accept the offer if I get it.

Thanks to you all for giving me a very decent picture very fast. I hope, I'll get back to this thread a lot when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of finding a home. (Note to self: Re-read Sozobe's Columbus thread about this too.) You have all been a great help!

Also, Thomas - it would be a great help if you move before next summer to send along some of your impressions as well for me.

We checked into the schools and other programs today and they all seemed promising. I haven't given the o-k one way or another yet myself.

Deal.

On a semi-related note, the New York Times's "Frugal Traveller" has arrived in Texas . His piece is mostly about Austin and doesn't mention Dallas. But to the extent that his observations about Austin can be generalized ('weird, but in a good way'), they are encouragaing, too.

oh wait!

here's a good one....any soda down here is a "coke"

I mean, you buy/order root beer, sprite, whatever else, but the overall term for them is "cokes"

that always tickles me.

oh Thomas, I'm not as opininated in reall life either.

Interesting. The writer's description of Austin also holds true for 2 A2Kers that live in Austin (Chai and Shewolf).

And another good news just in time, in today's paper: