Author Topic: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!  (Read 16184 times)

tamiko17

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Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« on: July 01, 2016, 07:45:11 PM »
Hi Guys,

I'm 24 y/o and making a big move down to Uvalde, TX from the KW area in Ontario, Canada.
I'm moving for a job opportunity and I'm looking for advice from people who are from Texas and know the area that I'm going to be living in.

I'm currently considering driving my own car to Uvalde, on the recommendation of my employer, but I wanted to know if having a vehicle is really necessary, or if I would be able to maneuver around town with a bicycle, or other means. If that is the case, I'm considering using a Uhaul to bring my belongings down and leaving my car at my parent's house.

Anyone else make a big cross-continental move that has any advice?

Thanks in advance!

GoConfidently

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2016, 08:29:35 PM »
You'll definitely want your car in Texas. Uvalde is nothing great, but there are some wonderful areas in the hill country you'll want to explore.

Cyaphas

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2016, 08:32:34 PM »
You're going to need a vehicle. It's going to be extremely hot. Have you ever tried to do any physical activity in 105 degree weather? Right on the edge of the hill country will be very pretty. There are some great hikes in that area. It's also out in the middle of nowhere. You're only 3 hrs from the coast and 1 hr from Mexico... God help you.

pbkmaine

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2016, 08:54:11 PM »
Carry large amounts of water whenever you are outside in the hot weather.

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2016, 10:28:15 PM »
You're going to need a vehicle. It's going to be extremely hot. Have you ever tried to do any physical activity in 105 degree weather? Right on the edge of the hill country will be very pretty. There are some great hikes in that area. It's also out in the middle of nowhere. You're only 3 hrs from the coast and 1 hr from Mexico... God help you.

To be fair, where I'm going to be working is less than a mile away from my apartment - not a super far bike ride, but I get what you're saying about the extreme heat. Definitely hotter than what I'm used to in Canada. Trump's building a wall though, so I won't have to worry about the Mexican border, right?

Dicey

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2016, 10:33:13 PM »
Oh, honey, you've never experienced a Texas summer, have you? If you literally do not want to die, keep the car. Unless you live and work in the same air-conditioned building. Uh, nope, not even then.

I'm a CA girl, but dear friends of mine moved from Beverly Hills to Uvalde,* so of course I had to go visit them. I enjoyed the visit immensely, but it could have something to do with the fact that I missed my friends so much. Later, my sister moved to Boerne,  which is north of San Antonio. I visited her there and saw my friends in Uvalde again.

So here's a little Texas Hill Country tale for you. In pre-GPS days, my (Boerne) BIL was making a delivery in Uvalde. He couldn't find the address, so he when he saw a UPS driver, he asked if he knew where XYZ address was. Driver says "Who are you looking for?" Whereupon BIL provided the customer's name. Driver then provided exact directions, right down to the color of the house and the types of vehicles in the driveway. Gotta love small towns.

*They were from Corpus Christi originally, so not quite as extreme as it sounds, lol!

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2016, 10:40:07 PM »
Oh, honey, you've never experienced a Texas summer, have you? If you literally do not want to die, keep the car. Unless you live and work in the same air-conditioned building. Uh, nope, not even then.

I'm a CA girl, but dear friends of mine moved from Beverly Hills to Uvalde,* so of course I had to go visit them. I enjoyed the visit immensely, but it could have something to do with the fact that I missed my friends so much. Later, my sister moved to Boerne,  which is north of San Antonio. I visited her there and saw my friends in Uvalde again.

So here's a little Texas Hill Country tale for you. In pre-GPS days, my (Boerne) BIL was making a delivery in Uvalde. He couldn't find the address, so he when he saw a UPS driver, he asked if he knew where XYZ address was. Driver says "Who are you looking for?" Whereupon BIL provided the customer's name. Driver then provided exact directions, right down to the color of the house and the types of vehicles in the driveway. Gotta love small towns.

*They were from Corpus Christi originally, so not quite as extreme as it sounds, lol!

Nope, I'm from Canada, so never experienced a Texas summer.  Closest I've been to Texas is Florida for a week long vacation. I heard that Uvalde was a small town ......
I appreciate the advice, I'll keep my car then. :)

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2016, 11:45:48 PM »
Wear sunblock every day. Face, neck, ears, arms. I don't care if you're only outside to walk to the car and then drive a short distance... you're going to get a very strong dose of UV rays every day practically, so protect your skin. Skin cancer is VERY common in sunny climes like TX and you need to be protecting yourself even if you're not going to a pool.

Texas can be surface of the sun hot. You just can't imagine how awful it can be, and many times it does not cool off in the nighttime either. So take care to recognize the signs of overheating - feeling light headed, clammy, or dizzy, and get water and into a cool place ASAP.

Likely to be a conservative area politically and Texans love guns and voted in a concealed carry law in the last year or so, so be aware that there are probably lots of armed folks walking around for what it's worth. And larger cities, (not sure about the smaller ones) people just do not drive nicely - 1st in the nation for the worst drivers and rudest was Houston, and the rest of Texas that I've seen isn't much better. Be very careful if you decide to ride a bike on a road, because you will be at serious risk and need to be very aware of your surroundings. Lots of road rage in the big cities including shootings/deaths.

Oh! And this is just my area (SE Texas) but likely to be state wide, drunk driving and alcohol related assaults are very sadly common. Because the state is not hard on drunk drivers, it happens far more often than it should. I personally know of a co-worker's husband killing a father and two children under the age of 10 that only received 4 years in prison! And that wasn't his first offense either (he was a rat bastard and should have gotten the death penalty really). :(

Hope you like the state flag, because they plaster that sucker on EVERYTHING. Sigh. State pride is somehow a huge deal to the point where folks seem to think they're better than everyone else just because of the happenstance of being born in the area. I still don't get it, and my husband is a native Texan and doesn't get it either (and is frequently flabbergasted at the silliness).
« Last Edit: July 01, 2016, 11:49:50 PM by Frankies Girl »

Dicey

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2016, 01:24:05 AM »
Print out what FG said and memorize every word of it. Pure gospel.

Another bike strike: Texans drive big vehicles. (Pronounced vee-HICK-uhls.) They will squash you flat and not even notice. Seriously, my friends had two small kids and a minivan then they moved back to Texas. Very shortly that van morphed into a Suburban, then another, etc. Prolly more of those monsters per capita in Texas than anywhere in the CONUS, except perhaps inside the Beltway.

Bonus points: Binge-watch Friday Night Lights, the movie and the entire TV series. Find yourself a copy of Lyle Lovett's "Road To Ensenada" and learn "That's Right" by heart.

If you're so even remotely inclined, finding a church to join might give you a fighting chance at a social life. Most folks in small towns grew up there, so making more than surface connections might be tricky for someone "Not from here, bless their heart". The pool of eligibles is as small as the town. Maybe even smaller.

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2016, 03:11:19 AM »
Wear sunblock every day. Face, neck, ears, arms. I don't care if you're only outside to walk to the car and then drive a short distance... you're going to get a very strong dose of UV rays every day practically, so protect your skin. Skin cancer is VERY common in sunny climes like TX and you need to be protecting yourself even if you're not going to a pool.

Texas can be surface of the sun hot. You just can't imagine how awful it can be, and many times it does not cool off in the nighttime either. So take care to recognize the signs of overheating - feeling light headed, clammy, or dizzy, and get water and into a cool place ASAP.

Likely to be a conservative area politically and Texans love guns and voted in a concealed carry law in the last year or so, so be aware that there are probably lots of armed folks walking around for what it's worth. And larger cities, (not sure about the smaller ones) people just do not drive nicely - 1st in the nation for the worst drivers and rudest was Houston, and the rest of Texas that I've seen isn't much better. Be very careful if you decide to ride a bike on a road, because you will be at serious risk and need to be very aware of your surroundings. Lots of road rage in the big cities including shootings/deaths.

Oh! And this is just my area (SE Texas) but likely to be state wide, drunk driving and alcohol related assaults are very sadly common. Because the state is not hard on drunk drivers, it happens far more often than it should. I personally know of a co-worker's husband killing a father and two children under the age of 10 that only received 4 years in prison! And that wasn't his first offense either (he was a rat bastard and should have gotten the death penalty really). :(

Hope you like the state flag, because they plaster that sucker on EVERYTHING. Sigh. State pride is somehow a huge deal to the point where folks seem to think they're better than everyone else just because of the happenstance of being born in the area. I still don't get it, and my husband is a native Texan and doesn't get it either (and is frequently flabbergasted at the silliness).

Here's the something that is true, whenever you move out of your comfort zone.

If you make an effort to fit in, you'll do just fine.

If you decide "I don't like all them Republican rednecks with their trucks and guns" or whatever, you'll be miserable (as the person who wrote the post above clearly is).  People who choose to "hate" a new area because it's not what they grew up with will be miserable.  Those who can embrace change will do fine.

I've never had a problem in new areas.  I grew up in far upstate NY (probably pretty similar to Canada).  I have lived in a number of places, from Germany to Maryland/DC to Texas.  Traveled around the world for business and pleasure.

My opinion on Texas is far different than that of Miss Grumpy Pants. 

First off, the part she got right.  It's damn hot from June through August, sometimes into September.  But we have something down here called "air conditioning" that renders this largely not a big deal.

I chose to live in San Antonio after I got out of the military here.  Far from what Grumpy Pants posted, I find drivers in Texas to be RIDICULOUSLY POLITE.  When I first came here, I noticed vehicles in front of me pulled over for no reason.  Coming from NY, where driving is considered a competitive sport and a test of manhood, I had no idea what they were doing.  It turns out that in Texas, slower drivers tend to pull over as a courteous.  That was one of my first "culture shocks" in Texas.

And it's not just driving.  People in Texas are just a whole lot friendlier and more polite than the folks in the NE USA.  You'll meet some rude people.  Most of them are transplants from CA or NY or PA.  Texas is growing very quickly, and that means lots of economic refugees not just from Mexico, but from states like NY, MA, PA, CA, etc.

And in 24 years here, I've never seen all this "road rage" Grumpy Pants was talking about.  Maybe it's different in Houston, which is a massive city, and maybe more like the big cities on the coast.  But I just haven't seen it in San Antonio (which is pretty damned big, too).

Yeah, Texas is mostly Republican and pretty religious (the Dems down here tend to be religious too- lots of Hispanic Catholics). 

So what?   I'm an atheist Libertarian Yankee, and I get along just fine here.

Quote
so be aware that there are probably lots of armed folks

You know how many armed folks (other than when I was in the military) I've seen here in Texas in 24 years? ZERO.

That's not to say that there aren't armed people, but they don't typically wave their weapons around.  It's not "shootout at the OK corral."

"State pride is somehow a huge deal to the point where folks seem to think they're better than everyone else just because of the happenstance of being born in the area."

Grumpy Pants is right about the flag, but she's pretty clueless about why Texans takes pride in the Lone Star flag in a way that other states don't.  Texas is the only American state that was a long-term successful nation in it's own right (as opposed to, say, the California "Bear flag" Republic that lasted less than a month) before agreeing to join the USA.  Texas fought for, and won it's own independence, just as the 13-colonies did from Britain.  That's why they are more proud of the flag than, say, Nebraska or Oregon or Florida or Indiana.

Regarding the car, Uvalde is a pretty small town.  It's got a Walmart, a few bars, a few restaurants, but not much else.  You are probably going to want a car to make the ~80 mile trek into San Antonio from time to time.

Did I mention that Texas doesn't have a state income tax?  Even if you don't like the politics/religion/weather/whatever, you've got to love that! :)





ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2016, 04:45:49 AM »
To clear up a few things: South Texas is much, much more Democratic-inclined than the rest of the state (not necessarily liberal, though) - Obama got 45% of the vote in Uvalde County in 2012, which I'm sure means he won the city of Uvalde itself. Some people on this thread are just posting Texas stereotypes. With anything about Texas in general, keep in mind it's about 60% the physical size of Ontario and has more than double the people - there's enormous human and geographical diversity.

The concealed carry law in Texas has been around for decades. FG might be referring to the open carry law, in which Texas joins such scary places as Pennsylvania and Vermont. Basically, if that were to cause a problem, we'd already know.

My Uvalde-specific experience consists of driving through on the way to a business trip in Del Rio, but a few items about South Texas:
1. Do you have any familiarity with Spanish? It really is a bilingual society there and being able to read a little Spanish will make you feel more comfortable.
2. The sun is a different animal down there. You just need to get your idea of what seasons are fun to be outside reversed. New Year's Day is a great day for a walk outside. Easter is likely to be very pleasant. August is downright nasty. You do need to give your body some time to adjust, but it's entirely possible. My father grew up in New England and now works in his big yard in Houston all weekend, the whole year round. All that said, the day I drove through Uvalde lots of families were relaxing in its central riverfront park, and it must have been June or July.
3. Drink plenty of water in all seasons. The air is much drier than you are used to. While we're talking about water, it's very precious in the arid climate there and should not be wasted.
4. You should definitely keep your car so you can get to San Antonio and beyond, for visits home if nothing else.
5. As with anywhere, if you make an effort at first to be friendly, you will feel welcomed.

Also, can we ask what the job is that brings you to Uvalde?

Frankies Girl

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2016, 05:32:48 AM »

Here's the something that is true, whenever you move out of your comfort zone.

If you make an effort to fit in, you'll do just fine.

If you decide "I don't like all them Republican rednecks with their trucks and guns" or whatever, you'll be miserable (as the person who wrote the post above clearly is).  People who choose to "hate" a new area because it's not what they grew up with will be miserable.  Those who can embrace change will do fine.

I've never had a problem in new areas.  I grew up in far upstate NY (probably pretty similar to Canada).  I have lived in a number of places, from Germany to Maryland/DC to Texas.  Traveled around the world for business and pleasure.

My opinion on Texas is far different than that of Miss Grumpy Pants. 

First off, the part she got right.  It's damn hot from June through August, sometimes into September.  But we have something down here called "air conditioning" that renders this largely not a big deal.

I chose to live in San Antonio after I got out of the military here.  Far from what Grumpy Pants posted, I find drivers in Texas to be RIDICULOUSLY POLITE.  When I first came here, I noticed vehicles in front of me pulled over for no reason.  Coming from NY, where driving is considered a competitive sport and a test of manhood, I had no idea what they were doing.  It turns out that in Texas, slower drivers tend to pull over as a courteous.  That was one of my first "culture shocks" in Texas.

And it's not just driving.  People in Texas are just a whole lot friendlier and more polite than the folks in the NE USA.  You'll meet some rude people.  Most of them are transplants from CA or NY or PA.  Texas is growing very quickly, and that means lots of economic refugees not just from Mexico, but from states like NY, MA, PA, CA, etc.

And in 24 years here, I've never seen all this "road rage" Grumpy Pants was talking about.  Maybe it's different in Houston, which is a massive city, and maybe more like the big cities on the coast.  But I just haven't seen it in San Antonio (which is pretty damned big, too).

Yeah, Texas is mostly Republican and pretty religious (the Dems down here tend to be religious too- lots of Hispanic Catholics). 

So what?   I'm an atheist Libertarian Yankee, and I get along just fine here.

Quote
so be aware that there are probably lots of armed folks

You know how many armed folks (other than when I was in the military) I've seen here in Texas in 24 years? ZERO.

That's not to say that there aren't armed people, but they don't typically wave their weapons around.  It's not "shootout at the OK corral."

"State pride is somehow a huge deal to the point where folks seem to think they're better than everyone else just because of the happenstance of being born in the area."

Grumpy Pants is right about the flag, but she's pretty clueless about why Texans takes pride in the Lone Star flag in a way that other states don't.  Texas is the only American state that was a long-term successful nation in it's own right (as opposed to, say, the California "Bear flag" Republic that lasted less than a month) before agreeing to join the USA.  Texas fought for, and won it's own independence, just as the 13-colonies did from Britain.  That's why they are more proud of the flag than, say, Nebraska or Oregon or Florida or Indiana.

Regarding the car, Uvalde is a pretty small town.  It's got a Walmart, a few bars, a few restaurants, but not much else.  You are probably going to want a car to make the ~80 mile trek into San Antonio from time to time.

Did I mention that Texas doesn't have a state income tax?  Even if you don't like the politics/religion/weather/whatever, you've got to love that! :)


Always have to have drama and name-calling here don't we? Can't just be nice and say "hey, here's my experience" or "here are some many fine things about X" Instead, gotta pick on people and make statements based off of innuendo and misreading things. Can't see that maybe since you never lived in the areas I lived in, that maybe there might be differences in our experiences because the state is FUCKING HUGE and might just be possible to have different experiences? Nope, gotta plaster patronizing bullshit in there to put me in my place instead of just helping the OP out. Sigh. Okay fine.


I don't think I've said anything that came off as nasty or grumpy, and really appreciate the name-calling. I was trying to mention things that might be culture shock for someone coming from Canada to a small Texas township or visiting larger cities in the area.

How is stating there is a concealed and now open carry for firearms and that they love guns here "for what its worth," or stating that some areas are politically conservative a criticism? Is it a bad thing to love guns? Or to be politically conservative? What is negative about saying the OP should be very cautious about riding bikes on roadways and being more aware of bad drivers because the state has been rated dangerous by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration? It was all informational because I myself would want to be aware of those facts. Maybe the OP is politically conservative, and into guns? And maybe they appreciate knowing they need to bone up on how to be a defensive driver themselves when driving or riding a bike to keep themselves safe. Is that a bad thing?

Nowhere did I say that folks in Texas are all rude, awful or "rednecks in big trucks" or otherwise. You're inferring that somehow, but not sure why? I didn't to my knowledge use any inflammatory words or call people names or use any biased stereotypes in my original post... but I guess you get to decide I meant that anyway?

Having a little state pride and being crazy about being a Texan are two very different things. It is an unusual phenomenon, and I've never seen it in any other state. Which means folks coming in should be made aware of the idea because it is a big shock to see the absolute frenzy folks can get into and yes, it can border on silliness in my opinion (am I not allowed to have an opinion for some reason?). There is a small contingent that takes it too far like my inlaws with the "Texas is better than everyone else" crap, (they objected to us getting married because I wasn't a Texas native and for the last umpteen generations they'd all been native Texans, but they're a creepy minority thank dog). And anyone that has lived here longer than 5 minutes has probably seen the "native Texan" bumper stickers and the "I wasn't born here, but I got here as quick as I could" ones. Hell, I'm currently looking at houses, and I'll be damned if every third one doesn't have the lone star or flag in their stained glass, their dining room chairs or tiled into their flooring. For goodness sake - the Houston football team was named the Houston Texans because they were so crazy about Texas! That's fucking hilarious! I didn't say it was a huge negative in general and I get the history, but even Norwegians use 'texas' to mean 'crazy' in their slang. That's saying something. Mostly, it's just silly and in good fun. How on earth can someone not point out the level of state pride without finding it funny?

I've lived here for over 25 years, and am married to a native. I don't claim to know the whole state end to end, but I've moved about quite a bit and lived many different places. Anything that was an opinion, I stated it as such, and qualified it with things like how I wasn't sure about the smaller towns. I've obviously liked living here if I've been here this long and continue to do so.

And for what its worth... I've taken many, many Texas history classes, as I attended both grade school and college here.  So no, not grumpy pants and definitely not "clueless" about the history either. But thanks for letting me down and being grumpy and mean yourself as a transplanted Texan.



OP - this is a lovely state filled with amazing cities and natural beauty. But it is also filled with people that can be nice, nasty, friendly and helpful, or careless and mean... or just plain crazy. There are some state-specific things that you might want to be aware of, but just take things slow and maybe ask your coworkers about how things work. And state flags ON EVERYTHING!! EVERYTHING I TELL YOU!! :D


(And wear some damned sunblock if you step outside. Seriously.)

« Last Edit: July 02, 2016, 05:35:52 AM by Frankies Girl »

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2016, 07:21:20 AM »
To clear up a few things: South Texas is much, much more Democratic-inclined than the rest of the state (not necessarily liberal, though) - Obama got 45% of the vote in Uvalde County in 2012, which I'm sure means he won the city of Uvalde itself. Some people on this thread are just posting Texas stereotypes. With anything about Texas in general, keep in mind it's about 60% the physical size of Ontario and has more than double the people - there's enormous human and geographical diversity.

The concealed carry law in Texas has been around for decades. FG might be referring to the open carry law, in which Texas joins such scary places as Pennsylvania and Vermont. Basically, if that were to cause a problem, we'd already know.

My Uvalde-specific experience consists of driving through on the way to a business trip in Del Rio, but a few items about South Texas:
1. Do you have any familiarity with Spanish? It really is a bilingual society there and being able to read a little Spanish will make you feel more comfortable.
2. The sun is a different animal down there. You just need to get your idea of what seasons are fun to be outside reversed. New Year's Day is a great day for a walk outside. Easter is likely to be very pleasant. August is downright nasty. You do need to give your body some time to adjust, but it's entirely possible. My father grew up in New England and now works in his big yard in Houston all weekend, the whole year round. All that said, the day I drove through Uvalde lots of families were relaxing in its central riverfront park, and it must have been June or July.
3. Drink plenty of water in all seasons. The air is much drier than you are used to. While we're talking about water, it's very precious in the arid climate there and should not be wasted.
4. You should definitely keep your car so you can get to San Antonio and beyond, for visits home if nothing else.
5. As with anywhere, if you make an effort at first to be friendly, you will feel welcomed.

Also, can we ask what the job is that brings you to Uvalde?

I'm moving for a Registered Nurse job, the nursing director at the hospital in Uvalde is Canadian and recruits alot of Canadian nurses.  I went to university in Ohio and have encountered alot of resistance from the Ontario government in terms of becoming a licensed nurse, so moving to Uvalde keeps my nursing practice up to date. And they give me a 4k signing bonus, so there's that!

I really appreciate the advice, I did hear about Texas not having income tax, so I'm pretty excited about that. Everyone I know that has spoke to me about Texas, told me to get a gun.  (24 y/o, Petite, and have never held a gun before) I don't know if that is legitimate advice, or Canadian stereotypes for Texans.

pbkmaine

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2016, 08:00:40 AM »
The nursing director will help you get acclimated, then. I wouldn't buy a gun until and unless you get there and decide you want a gun. I have spent a lot of time working in Texas and Oklahoma and my impressions are a mix of all that has been said above. I found the people to be super friendly, outgoing, positive and great to work with. The term "larger than life" was always in my mind. Learning Spanish would be useful. Church does tend to be the center of social lives. I am not particularly religious myself - "agnostic" probably comes the closest to describing it - but if I lived there I might join a church just for the social aspect. The River Walk in San Antonio is lots of fun. Thanks to Lady Bird Johnson, there are gorgeous native wildflowers everywhere. Texas Hill Country is just beautiful.

Oh, and it seems to be mandatory to own cowboy boots if you live there. Make sure you find ones that are comfortable!

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #14 on: July 02, 2016, 09:06:54 AM »
The nursing director will help you get acclimated, then. I wouldn't buy a gun until and unless you get there and decide you want a gun. I have spent a lot of time working in Texas and Oklahoma and my impressions are a mix of all that has been said above. I found the people to be super friendly, outgoing, positive and great to work with. The term "larger than life" was always in my mind. Learning Spanish would be useful. Church does tend to be the center of social lives. I am not particularly religious myself - "agnostic" probably comes the closest to describing it - but if I lived there I might join a church just for the social aspect. The River Walk in San Antonio is lots of fun. Thanks to Lady Bird Johnson, there are gorgeous native wildflowers everywhere. Texas Hill Country is just beautiful.

Oh, and it seems to be mandatory to own cowboy boots if you live there. Make sure you find ones that are comfortable!

Yes it seems like there are mixed opinions, I'm not particularly religious, but I'll consider a church just to meet people. I'm looking forward to the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

Any tips for living frugally in the area, what vegetables do okay in the heat?

ALSO, thanks FG for the tips about sunscreen, I usually wear a facial sunscreen everyday, but I'll remember to be extra cautious about UV rays and wear spf all over my body when out and about!

Cyaphas

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #15 on: July 02, 2016, 09:28:45 AM »

Trump's building a wall though, so I won't have to worry about the Mexican border, right?


I was talking about for entertainment. Mexico is a good time, if you visit the right places.

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #16 on: July 02, 2016, 09:35:17 AM »

Here's the something that is true, whenever you move out of your comfort zone.

If you make an effort to fit in, you'll do just fine.

If you decide "I don't like all them Republican rednecks with their trucks and guns" or whatever, you'll be miserable (as the person who wrote the post above clearly is).  People who choose to "hate" a new area because it's not what they grew up with will be miserable.  Those who can embrace change will do fine.

I've never had a problem in new areas.  I grew up in far upstate NY (probably pretty similar to Canada).  I have lived in a number of places, from Germany to Maryland/DC to Texas.  Traveled around the world for business and pleasure.

My opinion on Texas is far different than that of Miss Grumpy Pants. 

First off, the part she got right.  It's damn hot from June through August, sometimes into September.  But we have something down here called "air conditioning" that renders this largely not a big deal.

I chose to live in San Antonio after I got out of the military here.  Far from what Grumpy Pants posted, I find drivers in Texas to be RIDICULOUSLY POLITE.  When I first came here, I noticed vehicles in front of me pulled over for no reason.  Coming from NY, where driving is considered a competitive sport and a test of manhood, I had no idea what they were doing.  It turns out that in Texas, slower drivers tend to pull over as a courteous.  That was one of my first "culture shocks" in Texas.

And it's not just driving.  People in Texas are just a whole lot friendlier and more polite than the folks in the NE USA.  You'll meet some rude people.  Most of them are transplants from CA or NY or PA.  Texas is growing very quickly, and that means lots of economic refugees not just from Mexico, but from states like NY, MA, PA, CA, etc.

And in 24 years here, I've never seen all this "road rage" Grumpy Pants was talking about.  Maybe it's different in Houston, which is a massive city, and maybe more like the big cities on the coast.  But I just haven't seen it in San Antonio (which is pretty damned big, too).

Yeah, Texas is mostly Republican and pretty religious (the Dems down here tend to be religious too- lots of Hispanic Catholics). 

So what?   I'm an atheist Libertarian Yankee, and I get along just fine here.

Quote
so be aware that there are probably lots of armed folks

You know how many armed folks (other than when I was in the military) I've seen here in Texas in 24 years? ZERO.

That's not to say that there aren't armed people, but they don't typically wave their weapons around.  It's not "shootout at the OK corral."

"State pride is somehow a huge deal to the point where folks seem to think they're better than everyone else just because of the happenstance of being born in the area."

Grumpy Pants is right about the flag, but she's pretty clueless about why Texans takes pride in the Lone Star flag in a way that other states don't.  Texas is the only American state that was a long-term successful nation in it's own right (as opposed to, say, the California "Bear flag" Republic that lasted less than a month) before agreeing to join the USA.  Texas fought for, and won it's own independence, just as the 13-colonies did from Britain.  That's why they are more proud of the flag than, say, Nebraska or Oregon or Florida or Indiana.

Regarding the car, Uvalde is a pretty small town.  It's got a Walmart, a few bars, a few restaurants, but not much else.  You are probably going to want a car to make the ~80 mile trek into San Antonio from time to time.

Did I mention that Texas doesn't have a state income tax?  Even if you don't like the politics/religion/weather/whatever, you've got to love that! :)


Always have to have drama and name-calling here don't we? Can't just be nice and say "hey, here's my experience" or "here are some many fine things about X" Instead, gotta pick on people and make statements based off of innuendo and misreading things. Can't see that maybe since you never lived in the areas I lived in, that maybe there might be differences in our experiences because the state is FUCKING HUGE and might just be possible to have different experiences? Nope, gotta plaster patronizing bullshit in there to put me in my place instead of just helping the OP out. Sigh. Okay fine.


I don't think I've said anything that came off as nasty or grumpy, and really appreciate the name-calling. I was trying to mention things that might be culture shock for someone coming from Canada to a small Texas township or visiting larger cities in the area.

How is stating there is a concealed and now open carry for firearms and that they love guns here "for what its worth," or stating that some areas are politically conservative a criticism? Is it a bad thing to love guns? Or to be politically conservative? What is negative about saying the OP should be very cautious about riding bikes on roadways and being more aware of bad drivers because the state has been rated dangerous by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration? It was all informational because I myself would want to be aware of those facts. Maybe the OP is politically conservative, and into guns? And maybe they appreciate knowing they need to bone up on how to be a defensive driver themselves when driving or riding a bike to keep themselves safe. Is that a bad thing?

Nowhere did I say that folks in Texas are all rude, awful or "rednecks in big trucks" or otherwise. You're inferring that somehow, but not sure why? I didn't to my knowledge use any inflammatory words or call people names or use any biased stereotypes in my original post... but I guess you get to decide I meant that anyway?

Having a little state pride and being crazy about being a Texan are two very different things. It is an unusual phenomenon, and I've never seen it in any other state. Which means folks coming in should be made aware of the idea because it is a big shock to see the absolute frenzy folks can get into and yes, it can border on silliness in my opinion (am I not allowed to have an opinion for some reason?). There is a small contingent that takes it too far like my inlaws with the "Texas is better than everyone else" crap, (they objected to us getting married because I wasn't a Texas native and for the last umpteen generations they'd all been native Texans, but they're a creepy minority thank dog). And anyone that has lived here longer than 5 minutes has probably seen the "native Texan" bumper stickers and the "I wasn't born here, but I got here as quick as I could" ones. Hell, I'm currently looking at houses, and I'll be damned if every third one doesn't have the lone star or flag in their stained glass, their dining room chairs or tiled into their flooring. For goodness sake - the Houston football team was named the Houston Texans because they were so crazy about Texas! That's fucking hilarious! I didn't say it was a huge negative in general and I get the history, but even Norwegians use 'texas' to mean 'crazy' in their slang. That's saying something. Mostly, it's just silly and in good fun. How on earth can someone not point out the level of state pride without finding it funny?

I've lived here for over 25 years, and am married to a native. I don't claim to know the whole state end to end, but I've moved about quite a bit and lived many different places. Anything that was an opinion, I stated it as such, and qualified it with things like how I wasn't sure about the smaller towns. I've obviously liked living here if I've been here this long and continue to do so.

And for what its worth... I've taken many, many Texas history classes, as I attended both grade school and college here.  So no, not grumpy pants and definitely not "clueless" about the history either. But thanks for letting me down and being grumpy and mean yourself as a transplanted Texan.



OP - this is a lovely state filled with amazing cities and natural beauty. But it is also filled with people that can be nice, nasty, friendly and helpful, or careless and mean... or just plain crazy. There are some state-specific things that you might want to be aware of, but just take things slow and maybe ask your coworkers about how things work. And state flags ON EVERYTHING!! EVERYTHING I TELL YOU!! :D


(And wear some damned sunblock if you step outside. Seriously.)


I live in Houston. +1 to everything FG said.

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #17 on: July 02, 2016, 09:38:59 AM »

Trump's building a wall though, so I won't have to worry about the Mexican border, right?


I was talking about for entertainment. Mexico is a good time, if you visit the right places.

Haha  - where's a good place to visit?

Rezdent

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #18 on: July 02, 2016, 10:09:33 AM »
Uvalde is a lovely, rather sleepy smaller town.
I visit there regularly and I've considered moving there after FIRE.

You asked about gardening...very little will grow during July and August.  But that's okay - because you can start your 10-month long garden in September.  Just consider summer the "wintertime" of Texas.  The rest of the year is pretty awesome.

You will most definitely want a vehicle.  You can walk or bike in town, but it's a small town and the next nearest is far away.

It is a pass-through town for hunters so you will see activity around that - especially deer season (Sep-Jan).  These hunters bring a lot of money to the area, so most people welcome them.
You'll be close to the Frio River - great tubing activity.  There's also a tour of the largest bat colony - interesting to see once.

What's being called friendliness I would more describe as politeness.  Complete strangers will greet you warmly, wave at you when they pass, ask genuine questions, and help you when they can - even if they don't really like you and would never invite you to their barbeque. This is especially true in small towns - not so much in large cities.  You'll get a feel for it.

bobechs

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #19 on: July 02, 2016, 10:57:08 AM »
1. Don't bring a gun.  There will be plenty available when you get to Texas, if you decide you actually have a use for one (or ten) when you get there.

2. No matter how hot it gets during the summer you can remind yourself "it is even hotter today in Oklahoma City"

3. All the stereotypes expressed in the posts above, positive and negative, are true to a large degree.

4. Texas is not the only state to have been an independent nation before accession into the US.  Hawaii has that dubious distinction, having been a unified kingdom and, briefly, a republic for over one hundred years prior -- ten times the single decade of Texas' nationhood.  On Oahu, traffic is generally denser but un-tenser than say, Dallas.  Summers are milder in Hawaii.  Food is good in both places, but different.  No poutine in either.

GoConfidently

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #20 on: July 02, 2016, 11:39:40 AM »
Everyone I know that has spoke to me about Texas, told me to get a gun.  (24 y/o, Petite, and have never held a gun before) I don't know if that is legitimate advice, or Canadian stereotypes for Texans.

I was born in Texas and have lived here my entire life, in both small towns and huge cities. I'm female, 31, single, and petite. I have never held a gun, and I have never needed or felt like I needed one. I am also very liberal and believe in gun control. We do exist. Unless you have a deep interest in AND dedication to practicing and regularly caring for a firearm, DO NOT even think about getting a gun.

That said, if you are looking to date men while you are in Texas, be aware that a lot of guys will have firearms in their home, and possibly in their vehicle. I would say that 50-60% of the guys I've dated have owned guns, and there was one (who worked in law enforcement) who always carried. I have never had a problem setting boundaries about guns (not allowed in my house), and it hasn't been an issue. It might be a good idea to think about how you feel about being around them in advance.

As for all the other stuff, yeah it's hot as hell. You'll acclimate and never have to shovel snow as long as you live here. People are people - wonderful, awful, and everything in between. Texans love Texas, and they want you to fall in love with Texas too. You can use that to your advantage - ask for suggestions, tag along, let someone buy you a Shiner and tell you some stories. There's no "right" way to be a Texan. Whether you spend your weekends wearing cowboy boots and dancing at Gruene Hall or smoking weed while watching a hipster indie band live in Austin, you can find your tribe in the hill country.

pbkmaine

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #21 on: July 02, 2016, 12:30:28 PM »
http://theprudenthomemaker.com

The link above is to a blog by a woman in Las Vegas who grows much of her family's food. Her secrets? Drip irrigation, and choosing plants bred specifically for her climate, which should be quite similar to Uvalde. I live in Florida, which is of course much wetter, but I have learned a ton from her.

Cyaphas

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #22 on: July 02, 2016, 02:19:33 PM »
Speed traps: go the speed limit when you're in a podunk town. Cops won't hesitate to write you a 3mph over ticket. They know you won't/can't fight it. Out on the highways keep it under 7mph over. The speed limits are 65-70mph on most highways, I don't expect you'll want to be going faster than that anyways.

Back Roads: If it's raining, odds are there's flash flooding. A lot of back roads the creeks just go over the road. DO NOT try to drive through the creek going over the ROAD! A lot of corners, curves and hills aren't marked. Don't be surprised to see very large pot holes. Slow down going over cattle grates. If you're going over a cattle grate, there's a reason, WATCH FOR CATTLE.

Bars: Bar brawls (especially rural bars) are pretty frequent. These bars are usually readily identifiable by there being more than 10 guys between 21-25, usually wearing cowboy boots.

Town functions/festivals: I find them a lot more enjoyable in small rural towns than the big city and I'd recommend you try out attending a few.

Guns: almost everyone has them. Not that they're carrying them but be assured when you're trespassing or approaching a home that doesn't know you're coming, that the occupants are armed. No, they're not going to shoot you, just don't turn and run when you see Ol' Granny with Ol' Double Ought. I suggest you not acquiring a firearm unless you are in a bad neighborhood (highly unlikely) or plan on using it for recreation. I imagine there are some 1000yd ranges ina  rural area like that and long distance shooting is a lot of fun. Sportsmans clubs are inexpensive and often offer other things besides shooting ranges for your annual membership. If you're a foreign national I don't know if you can legally handle or fire a gun in the US.

While a lot of people on here think of 17000 people as small town, you're going to run into a lot of people who have never left the state and feel like Uvalde is a thriving metropolis because it has a Walmart.

The heat is going to be a shock initially, especially if you get here in July or August. Your body isn't going to be acclimated. After a couple of months it'll get a lot better. As the saying goes, "you get used to the beatings."

If you're not used to rural living I think thats going to be more of the shock you're in for. It's not that its TX, it's just dealing with a different kind/way of life in the country.
 
Creepy crawlies: Rattlesnakes, not really something you should worry about, mostly they leave before you even knew they were there. Black widows, DON'T smack or swipe them. Usually people are bit because of the pressure from there own hand, not because of the spider. The chances of you encountering either of these creatures is pretty low unless you go looking for them. The rules are simple when dealing with them, you leave them alone and they'll leave you alone. That's it. I don't think they have chiggers that far south and I doubt there are any gators, just too damn dry. Both of those are pretty harmless, unless you're a pomeranian. Lizards are everywhere and are very much your friend, they eat all the things you don't want in your house. There aren't any poisonous lizards and I don't think I've ever heard of anyone even being bit by one. Scorpions and tarantulas, again, both harmless. I wouldn't go trying to pick up any scorpions though. Cockroaches get pretty big down here and are harmless. Impressive but harmless.

Vineyards: I'd bet there are a couple of very nice ones around given the climate and I'd recommend you go find a few, they're usually a lot of fun.

Corpus Christi/ Port Aransis/ Mustang Island/ South Padre: These are 7 1/2hr drive from us here in DFW, worth every minute. Very much like the Florida beaches you mentioned early. Just amke sure there aren't any Hurricanes in the Gulf before making the drive.

Mexico: I'm not familiar with the Tex/Mex border. I did enjoy visiting when I lived in CA. If you do go, don't go alone. Don't take a lot of valuables for border trips. Making a road trip to some of the central areas and penisulas is well worth it, I'm told. It's not something I've ever done.

letired

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #23 on: July 02, 2016, 02:49:56 PM »
The AC will save you from most temperature-related concerns, but it will probably be an adjustment. Give it a turn of the seasons, and you will find you've acclimated! On that note, if you spend most of your time in the AC with it turned down cold, you will have a much harder time getting the acclimation thing to kick in.

Tips for dealing with the sun and/or heat:

- Drink more water. No, probably even more than that. I strongly recommend a water bottle to carry around if you spend any amount of time outside. I use 1L nalgene so I know how much water I've had. Do not fuck around with dehydration in Texas summer. If you've been sweating a lot, remember your salts. Get some gatorade, eat some pickles, drink the pickle juice, drink some salt water, etc.

- Sunscreen: If you are spending any amount of time outside, this will help a lot. The summer sun is intense and you will burn much more quickly than you expect. Pick a waterproof/sweatproof/resistant one. I really like Coppertone for Babies Tear Free. It stays on well and protects well and doesn't sting when it gets in my eyes. If I use it on my face, I have to use oil or oil-based makeup remover to get it off at the end of the day, so I feel pretty confident of it's sticking abilities. If you are wearing sandals, don't forget the tops of your feet! Feet sunburn sucks.

- If you end up outside a lot, get a hat. Maybe get a hat anyway. It can be a cowboy hat if you want, but it doesn't have to be. I strongly prefer something with a brim wide enough to keep the sun off my ears and the back of my neck. Check out outdoors/hiking stores if you want something less western/cowboy looking. Hats do an amazing job of keeping your head cool. Look for the kind with some venting around the crown for maximum cooling. I like the straw or straw-like ones.

- Again, this one only applies if you do outdoor stuff a lot during the summer but: cover up. This one feels a bit counterintuitive, and you will hate it at first, but as long as you are drinking your water, keeping the UV off your skin by covering it with long sleeves and pants will make a huge difference in your chances of overheating, getting heat stroke, sun poisoning,  and/or skin cancer. And you get used to the sweat :P


Welcome to Texas! It's a good time!

Psychstache

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #24 on: July 02, 2016, 03:34:48 PM »
I can't speak to living in a small town, but I am a 30 year old native who has lived in Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, so here are the Texan things I can speak to:

1. Get some cowboy boots. They are surprisingly comfortable.
2. You do not need to buy a gun before you get here. If you decide you want to get one after you come, they are available everywhere (seriously there are ads for guns shows every other weekend).
3. While people are right that you will adjust to the heat, it will never be comfortable. "Acclimating to the heat" just means you stop wishing for the sweet release of death when you're outside in July.
4. Here is a short list of some things many Texans have strong opinions on that you shouldn't badmouth until you know the person better:
  Whataburger
  High school Football (and football in general)
  Dr. Pepper
  Shiner beer
  Blue Bell ice cream
5. I would definitely bring the car and male sure the A/C is working before you get here. You'll want to explore different parts of the state as well and the car will be required for that.
6. "Y'all" is short for you all, referring to any group of more than 3 people.

Welcome!



 

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Spork

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #25 on: July 02, 2016, 04:00:52 PM »
I'm old enough to be an old fart.  I've been in Texas all my life -- though fairly well traveled for a Texas hillbilly.

Religion: It's the third rail you don't want to touch.  If you're a religious person, you'll fit right in.   If, like me, you're not... I'm going to advise you to lay low on that fact... at least for a while.  We joke that you cannot travel 1/2 a mile without passing a church.

You will meet people that are not religious, but they're few and far between.  Most of the religious folk will be tolerant of you AFTER they get to know you.  If you come off intolerant of religion, you're likely to be left out in the cold.

I don't own boots (other than a pair of steel toe Redwings.)  I don't have a hat.  I don't have a bigass belt buckle.  Those people exist, but mostly on TV.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2016, 05:47:43 PM by Spork »

Noodle

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #26 on: July 02, 2016, 04:37:03 PM »
I tell people that Texas is the one place I have lived (and I've lived all over--West Coast, east Coast, Intermountain West, New England, big cities, small towns) that was most different than I thought it was going to be.

What I learned (other than the fact that everyone so far is right about the weather--you are going to be flipping your seasons to stay in or be careful in summer, and have your outside time in winter, which should be perfect if you still have family and friends up in Canada, so you can visit when you get tired of whatever it is...) is that Texas has a lot of everything...liberals, conservatives, gun nuts, people who would never lay a finger on a firearm, people who love Texas history, people who roll their eyes at the Alamo.  In a country that is getting more and more geographically polarized politically and culturally, this is the one place I've lived where everybody is all squished in together, and I think it's good for us. Texas state politics are Republican right now but Texas politics have always been bare-knuckled and very colorful going all the way back to Sam Houston and the Texas Republic; the craziness level of our politicians has only a  limited relationship to the current ideology in fashion. Uvalde, as a smaller town in that part of the state, will tend to lean more Hispanic and white, but when you get into the big cities it's incredibly diverse, to the point that I now feel a little odd when I travel somewhere that is mostly white.

Also, the food is amazing. Having grown up in a part of the country where traditional food was bland and blander, I love the fact that small-town cooking involves (depending where you are in the state) really great tamales, barbecue (which is beef, not pork), soul food, kolaches, or a Cajun crawfish boil--and that's before they start hybridizing.

Uturn

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #27 on: July 02, 2016, 05:32:45 PM »
I'm 46.  Except for 8 years in the Navy, I've lived in TX my whole life.  Here's my take.

* TX is going to be way different than what you are used to.  If you are the type of person who finds change interesting and enjoys the nuances of a different way, then you will do fine.  If you are one of those who likes to tell people how they are wrong because they don't do it like you did back home, you will find tons of animosity. 

* The only place that I have ever had a gun pulled on me was in Virginia, don't sweat the guns.  Yes, you will see them. 

* It is damn hot.  We tend to go dormant in the summer, much like northerners go dormant in the winter.  It's not wrong, just different.

* Plan on having a vehicle.  No, it doesn't need to be a truck. Yes, it does need air conditioning.  "oh, it's not far" can mean 3/4 of a day driving

* Every place on the planet has a certain percentage of it's population that are assholes. 

* It's a big ass state.  Anyone who has visited only one area of TX and claims to know what the state is about is a fucking idiot. 

Dicey

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #28 on: July 02, 2016, 11:02:33 PM »
"Y'all" is short for you all, referring to any group of more than 3 people.
And "All Y'all" is an even bigger group of people...

Okay, I am sure what I'm about to say carries the potential for offending someone. Just keep your pants on, I'm trying to help.

OP, you say you're not particularly religious, but that you're open to finding a church to help make social connecttions. That is an excellent start. Religion is a BIG deal in the fine state of Texas, right up there with football. (Um, did I mention that my friends who moved to Uvalde were a minister and his wife? No, I did not.)

To find a church, ask your friend what the most popular church in town is. Then find out which version of the bible they prefer. Buy yourself a copy. It's most likely a very bad idea to visit a Texas church without a bible in your hand. (Yeah, forget about the gun, but not the bible.)

Start familiarizing yourself with it now, so it doesn't look too new when you get to Texas. (Though you could pass off its newness as a parting gift from your family or friends.) Pro Tip: many bibles don't have tables of contents. I think it's understood that you've had the order of the books of the bible drilled into your head since you still wore a bib. If the bible you buy doesn't have an index, go online and find one for your version. Print it off small enough to tuck in the front of your bible. Mark some of the key books with post-it tabs if you need to until it becomes more familiar. Occcasionally, you can find versions with tabs for every book, but they're not so easy to find. Learn how the numbering system works. It's the same for every bible. (If you don't know, google it or ask someone at home to show you. Once in church, if you have to fumble with your bible to find your place, it will not escape notice. I use a large-print version, because a) I'm old and b) I just find it easier to navigate. It's okay to tuck lessons, inspirational cards and whatnot into your bible. Some folks even write in them or highlight passages, but I just can't do it. These are working bibles, not family heirlooms, but I still can't make myself write in any book. Oh, and make sure you have a pen. Many churches pass out lesson leaflets intended to be written on and tucked into your bible.

Next, arrive early. Make sure your car is clean and that you are conservatively dressed. Go easy on the hair and make-up as well. As a single person, you don't want to come off as someone who's going to steal someone's husband. Smile, and stick out your hand when you introduce yourself. Be friendlier with the women than the men until you suss out who's paired with whom. Gush and coo politely over every baby. Don't be too chatty at first. If someone asks too many questions, shorten your answers and start asking them polite questions right back.

Sing like you know all the songs. Don't worry, all the really good singers are up in the choir. Most songs repeat like crazy, so they're not hard to follow. Many big churches project the lyrics overhead, so everyone can follow along. Be aware that some churches sing for a good half hour before the actual service gets started.

Bring cash money for the collection plate. Don't write a check, TMI for them until you're sure you like their church. Plan on sticking around afterwards for coffee. Many churches operate coffee bars and bookstores, so grab your coffee and cruise through the bookstore as well. Make sure you greet the minister and thank him for his lovely message.

As to the actual religion part, you're on your own. You may just use the church to establish social connections or you might have a full-blown conversion. These tips are only intended to help you ease gently into a new situation. I expect there are others with more and better knowledge. Hopefully, they will chime in without excoriating me.

And please do let us know how it goes :-)

Okay, if that hasn't pissed anyone off yet, here's a joke that might. Don't tell this at church, okay?

Q: Why don't Southern Baptists have sex standing up?
A: Because people might think they're dancing.

Rezdent

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #29 on: July 03, 2016, 07:27:33 AM »
"Y'all" is short for you all, referring to any group of more than 3 people.
And "All Y'all" is an even bigger group of people...

Okay, I am sure what I'm about to say carries the potential for offending someone. Just keep your pants on, I'm trying to help.

OP, you say you're not particularly religious, but that you're open to finding a church to help make social connecttions. That is an excellent start. Religion is a BIG deal in the fine state of Texas, right up there with football. (Um, did I mention that my friends who moved to Uvalde were a minister and his wife? No, I did not.)

To find a church, ask your friend what the most popular church in town is. Then find out which version of the bible they prefer. Buy yourself a copy. It's most likely a very bad idea to visit a Texas church without a bible in your hand. (Yeah, forget about the gun, but not the bible.)

Start familiarizing yourself with it now, so it doesn't look too new when you get to Texas. (Though you could pass off its newness as a parting gift from your family or friends.) Pro Tip: many bibles don't have tables of contents. I think it's understood that you've had the order of the books of the bible drilled into your head since you still wore a bib. If the bible you buy doesn't have an index, go online and find one for your version. Print it off small enough to tuck in the front of your bible. Mark some of the key books with post-it tabs if you need to until it becomes more familiar. Occcasionally, you can find versions with tabs for every book, but they're not so easy to find. Learn how the numbering system works. It's the same for every bible. (If you don't know, google it or ask someone at home to show you. Once in church, if you have to fumble with your bible to find your place, it will not escape notice. I use a large-print version, because a) I'm old and b) I just find it easier to navigate. It's okay to tuck lessons, inspirational cards and whatnot into your bible. Some folks even write in them or highlight passages, but I just can't do it. These are working bibles, not family heirlooms, but I still can't make myself write in any book. Oh, and make sure you have a pen. Many churches pass out lesson leaflets intended to be written on and tucked into your bible.

Next, arrive early. Make sure your car is clean and that you are conservatively dressed. Go easy on the hair and make-up as well. As a single person, you don't want to come off as someone who's going to steal someone's husband. Smile, and stick out your hand when you introduce yourself. Be friendlier with the women than the men until you suss out who's paired with whom. Gush and coo politely over every baby. Don't be too chatty at first. If someone asks too many questions, shorten your answers and start asking them polite questions right back.

Sing like you know all the songs. Don't worry, all the really good singers are up in the choir. Most songs repeat like crazy, so they're not hard to follow. Many big churches project the lyrics overhead, so everyone can follow along. Be aware that some churches sing for a good half hour before the actual service gets started.

Bring cash money for the collection plate. Don't write a check, TMI for them until you're sure you like their church. Plan on sticking around afterwards for coffee. Many churches operate coffee bars and bookstores, so grab your coffee and cruise through the bookstore as well. Make sure you greet the minister and thank him for his lovely message.

As to the actual religion part, you're on your own. You may just use the church to establish social connections or you might have a full-blown conversion. These tips are only intended to help you ease gently into a new situation. I expect there are others with more and better knowledge. Hopefully, they will chime in without excoriating me.

And please do let us know how it goes :-)

Okay, if that hasn't pissed anyone off yet, here's a joke that might. Don't tell this at church, okay?

Q: Why don't Southern Baptists have sex standing up?
A: Because people might think they're dancing.

I'm not offended, but I am really confused.  Why would you advocate that OP fake religion?

Everyone, including the fine people of Uvalde, dislikes posers.  It is unnecessary - you can attend church without any previous history.  You don't need a bible to show up.

OP - you will get to see churches in action at your job.  Pastors, priests, ministers and church members visit patients and you will see differences between the denominations.

It's perfectly okay to skip religion (politely and respectfully).  The only churches I've been to for the last 30 years were for weddings and funerals. 

pbkmaine

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Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #30 on: July 03, 2016, 07:34:09 AM »
I can't speak for Diane C, but I have always looked at a church as a community of believers. Some people are there more for the community, and some for the belief. For me, it was the community.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2016, 09:46:21 AM by pbkmaine »

GoConfidently

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #31 on: July 03, 2016, 08:25:35 AM »
Christ on a cracker. What a load of crap. Religion isn't necessary any more than boots are required. I feel like this thread needs a great big #NotAllTexans

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #32 on: July 03, 2016, 08:29:38 AM »
Yeah, I was slightly put off by the idea of trying to fake religion that much. I think it'd be interesting to go just to introduce myself and meet people, but I don't think I'll be purchasing a bible and going every week...

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #33 on: July 03, 2016, 08:49:12 AM »

Any tips for living frugally in the area, what vegetables do okay in the heat?


It looks like you're in zone 9.  We're zone 8.  You may have to adjust.

Okra.  MMMmm.  This is a south favorite.  You can grill it.  There are some good (eastern) Indian recipes.  But traditional method is to fry it.  I don't batter it heavily like most people.  I slice it and then salt it (and wait for it to start to weep) then shake it around in a half-n-half mix of flour and cornmeal.  I always add one or two hot peppers to the mix.

Tomatoes.  There are a thousand varieties.  If your soil isn't full of nematodes (like ours is) you can grow some heritage varieties and save the seeds.  Over the seasons they supposedly really adapt to your area that way.

Chili peppers!  Nothing is more Texas than chili peppers.  Jalapenos, Anaheim, serranos and New Mexican chilis are my favorites.  (OMG, you must try Hatch green  chilis.  But technically they have to grow in Hatch, NM to be "Hatch."

Onions, potatoes, radishes,  squashes.

Berries!  I go crazy for blackberries.  We also grow strawberries, boysenberries, blueberries (requires sandy, acidic soil).  Some raspberries are moderately heat tolerant if they get shade.

Peaches, pecans.  (But pecan trees will take a while to be really productive.)  We have some plums, apples, pears and a heat tolerant cherry... but all those are too young to comment on.

Asparagus.  Put out a few and the plants will last you 30 years.  (Assuming some bastard gopher doesn't eat the crowns.) Get some of the hybrids that are all male plants.

We grow some colder climate stuff as "winter vegetables": Kale, broccoli, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, collards, etc.

I am guessing being further south than me, you also have a host of other fun things to try that I'm not even thinking about.


Dicey

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #34 on: July 03, 2016, 11:35:46 AM »
I'm not offended, but I am really confused.  Why would you advocate that OP fake religion?

Everyone, including the fine people of Uvalde, dislikes posers.  It is unnecessary - you can attend church without any previous history.  You don't need a bible to show up.

OP - you will get to see churches in action at your job.  Pastors, priests, ministers and church members visit patients and you will see differences between the denominations.

It's perfectly okay to skip religion (politely and respectfully).

You are most definitely confused. I did not advocate faking religion. Perhaps if I had titled it "Thoughts on how to feel more comfortable in a totally foreign situation" you would be less confused. I am aware that there is a very strong anti-religious streak among this community, as well as an apparently smaller number of committed, practicing believers. I was trying to walk a careful line in hopes of helping the OP, without offending either side.

I can't speak for Diane C, but I have always looked at a church as a community of believers. Some people are there more for the community, and some for the belief. For me, it was the community.
Yes, you can speak for me, pkbmaine, because your comment totally nails it.

The theme here is how to comfortably fit into and thrive in a completely new environment, specifically, very small town Texas Hill Country. It is only one of very few ways of making connections in the community outside of the hospital. She could also buy a gun and join a gun club, but I didn't get the impression that was of interest.

She is 24,  presumably single, and she struck me as quite practical. She is moving to a tiny, fairly isolated, somewhat economically challenged Texas town. Everyone's being polite and positive about it, but she is practically going to the moon.

I wanted her to know that if she freaks out when she sees what she's gotten herself into, that going to church is a viable way to meet new people, particularly in her own age group, so her new foreign land won't feel like that for long.

In small towns, people have known each other their whole lives. They also know everybody's business. They frequently have a full complement of friends and family with no pressing need to open themselves up to "strangers".  Church is a place where she might meet people who are open to forging new connections. Who knows? Maybe the same cound be said for a gun club, but I have no experience to share on that front.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2016, 05:52:10 PM by Diane C »

Rezdent

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #35 on: July 03, 2016, 02:30:44 PM »
I'm not offended, but I am really confused.  Why would you advocate that OP fake religion?

Everyone, including the fine people of Uvalde, dislikes posers.  It is unnecessary - you can attend church without any previous history.  You don't need a bible to show up.

OP - you will get to see churches in action at your job.  Pastors, priests, ministers and church members visit patients and you will see differences between the denominations.

It's perfectly okay to skip religion (politely and respectfully).

You are most definitely confused. I did not advocate faking religion. Perhaps if I had titled it "Thoughts on how to feel more comfortable in a totally foreign situation" you would be less confused. I am aware that there is a very strong anti-religious streak among this community, as well as an apparently smaller number of committed, practicing believers. I was trying to walk a careful line in hopes of helping the OP, without offending either side.

I can't speak for Diane C, but I have always looked at a church as a community of believers. Some people are there more for the community, and some for the belief. For me, it was the community.
Yes, you can speak for me, pkbmaine, because your comment totally nails it.

The theme here is how to comfortably fit into and thrive in a completely new environment, specifically, very small town Texas Hill Country. It is only one of very few ways of making connections in the community outside of the hospital. She could also buy a gun and join a gun club, but I didn't get the impression that was of interest.

She is 24,  presumably single, and she struck me as quite practical. She is moving to a tiny, fairly isolated, somewhat economically challenged Texas town. Everyone's being polite and positive about it, but she is practically going to the moon.

I wanted her to know that if she freaks out when she sees what she's gotten herself into, that going to church is a viable way to meet new people, particularly in her own age group, so her new foreign land won't feel like that for long.

In small towns, people have known each other their whole lives. They also know everybody's business. They frequently have a full complement of friends and family with no pressing need to open themselves up to "strangers".  Church is a place where she might meet people who are open to forging new connections. Who knows? Maybe the same found be said for a gun club, but I have no experience to share on that front.
This does make some sense.
However it is not a completely foreign culture.
I don't attend church.  I haven't fired a gun in years.  I've lived most of my life in small Texas towns.  I've seriously thought about moving to Uvalde later in life - partly because there is a hospital.

Joining a  church (or a gun club- do those exist in Uvalde? - never heard of this before, so can't really comment on "gun club", wtf?) is no guarantee to overcome that.    I will say that small Texas towns do already have their networks established.  I've known people who've lived in a town ten years and are considered "new" but others who are deeply involved and accepted after a year.  This is partly due to their ability to embrace local culture.

Pretending to be something you aren't will almost certainly backfire, especially in a small town.  It is also totally unnecessary.  Uvalde is not a moon colony.  Uvalde is an American town; it is very welcoming and fairly tolerant.  The biggest drawback IMO is that OP will find it amazingly boring.  Especially after all this talk of churches and guns.

Sorry, OP.  Uvalde isn't nearly as weird as some comments suggest.

Hot, yes.  You get used to it.
Boring, yes.  I like boring because there's very little drama and saving money is easy.
But I am happy to report that you won't need a bible, or a gun, or boots.

Sunscreen might be a good idea, especially if you've just arrived.  I'll admit now that I don't do sunscreen either, unless I am doing something out of ordinary, like a tube or beach trip. I  just might regret that later as my skin is extremely pale :)

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #36 on: July 03, 2016, 07:36:56 PM »
I'm not offended, but I am really confused.  Why would you advocate that OP fake religion?

Everyone, including the fine people of Uvalde, dislikes posers.  It is unnecessary - you can attend church without any previous history.  You don't need a bible to show up.

OP - you will get to see churches in action at your job.  Pastors, priests, ministers and church members visit patients and you will see differences between the denominations.

It's perfectly okay to skip religion (politely and respectfully).

You are most definitely confused. I did not advocate faking religion. Perhaps if I had titled it "Thoughts on how to feel more comfortable in a totally foreign situation" you would be less confused. I am aware that there is a very strong anti-religious streak among this community, as well as an apparently smaller number of committed, practicing believers. I was trying to walk a careful line in hopes of helping the OP, without offending either side.

I can't speak for Diane C, but I have always looked at a church as a community of believers. Some people are there more for the community, and some for the belief. For me, it was the community.
Yes, you can speak for me, pkbmaine, because your comment totally nails it.

The theme here is how to comfortably fit into and thrive in a completely new environment, specifically, very small town Texas Hill Country. It is only one of very few ways of making connections in the community outside of the hospital. She could also buy a gun and join a gun club, but I didn't get the impression that was of interest.

She is 24,  presumably single, and she struck me as quite practical. She is moving to a tiny, fairly isolated, somewhat economically challenged Texas town. Everyone's being polite and positive about it, but she is practically going to the moon.

I wanted her to know that if she freaks out when she sees what she's gotten herself into, that going to church is a viable way to meet new people, particularly in her own age group, so her new foreign land won't feel like that for long.

In small towns, people have known each other their whole lives. They also know everybody's business. They frequently have a full complement of friends and family with no pressing need to open themselves up to "strangers".  Church is a place where she might meet people who are open to forging new connections. Who knows? Maybe the same found be said for a gun club, but I have no experience to share on that front.


Sorry, OP.  Uvalde isn't nearly as weird as some comments suggest.

Hot, yes.  You get used to it.
Boring, yes.  I like boring because there's very little drama and saving money is easy.
But I am happy to report that you won't need a bible, or a gun, or boots.

Happy to hear it, boring is good. My main goal is to live in Uvalde for 1-2 years, make some money working and gaining experience and save as much as I can.

I'm not religious, I don't particularly care for guns, but I might be able to get on board with cowboy boots lol.

My main concerns were whether or not I definitely need a car, the vote has been a dominant YES. As well as what will grow in the Texas heat! I'm trying to establish a frugal lifestyle while I'm down in Uvalde, I'm not planning on bringing a lot of personal belongings, therefore I'm going to have to purchase some either at Walmart or at a thrift store when I arrive. (my arrival date is around the end of July)

I appreciate everyone's opinions and advice, it's been really helpful to get different views!

Cyaphas

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #37 on: July 03, 2016, 07:48:46 PM »

I'm not planning on bringing a lot of personal belongings, therefore I'm going to have to purchase some either at Walmart or at a thrift store when I arrive. (my arrival date is around the end of July)


Craigslist. Take it from someone who ahs moved A LOT. You'd be surprised how nice of furniture you can find for almost nothing.

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #38 on: July 04, 2016, 08:29:27 AM »

Craigslist. Take it from someone who ahs moved A LOT. You'd be surprised how nice of furniture you can find for almost nothing.

Craigslist it is!

MrDelane

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #39 on: July 04, 2016, 09:04:15 AM »
(my arrival date is around the end of July)

Just know that you will be arriving at what will most likely be the peak of the heat for the year (end of July and August tend to be the high point).

If you can make it through August, you'll be fine - it will start cooling off a bit in September.

One piece of advice, if you do not have covered parking at work or your housing then you should definitely look into one of those reflective windshield shades to put in your dashboard, and possibly a spare towel to keep over the steering wheel.  It won't keep the temp down in the car too much, but it will keep it from being too hot to touch when you get in after the car has been sitting in the sun for hours.

As far as the church advice, feel free to go to one if you like - but honestly I feel all the discussion about having to take your own bible, etc, was a bit extreme. 

I've spent a fair amount of time in Uvalde over the years and found everyone to be friendly and welcoming... but yes, it is a small town and fairly boring.



esq

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #40 on: July 04, 2016, 07:36:00 PM »
Transplant from NY; been here 30 years.  Random thoughts:

I was shocked to find out not all Texans wore boots/hats and rode horses. 

I did not have A/C in my car, and spent my first summer without.  Do NOT recommend this.  I also do not recommend installing non-factory A/C, which is what I did, and didn't cool worth a lick. Depending on what kind of car you have, you may or may not have effective A/C. 

Okra is the most disgusting thing in the entire universe, but I never told anyone that, because everyone here loves them some okra.

Most Texans are genuinely nice people. 

I joined a church for the social aspect.  I made sure it had a good single's program and stayed active in this.  If you go and are genuinely and politely curious, folks will help you out, whatever questions you have.  Here's a first-timer church story:  My first time, I went with a friend.  There were guest books to sign at the end of each pew.  These were passed down, everyone in the pew wrote their name down and whether or not they wanted to be contacted, then passed them back.  The ladies at the end of the pew didn't just put the book back, they opened it and were reading what my friend and I had wrote.  I thought this was very nosy and got my hackles up a bit.  Until the end, when they came over, smiled and welcomed us by name, warmly shook our hands, and told us how happy they were we'd decided to visit their church, and hoped we'd come back next week. 

Like everywhere, if you're nice to folks, folks will be nice to you. 

If your supervisor is hiring other Canadians, they can help you with questions, too.

Best of luck to you.

Psychstache

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #41 on: July 06, 2016, 09:05:36 AM »

I'm not religious, I don't particularly care for guns, but I might be able to get on board with cowboy boots lol.


Cowboy boots and a sundress will make you ready for about 95% of outings while being comfortable.

acroy

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #42 on: July 06, 2016, 09:39:44 AM »
I was born in Texas and have lived here my entire life, in both small towns and huge cities. I'm female, 31, single, and petite. I have never held a gun, and I have never needed or felt like I needed one. I am also very liberal and believe in gun control. We do exist. Unless you have a deep interest in AND dedication to practicing and regularly caring for a firearm, DO NOT even think about getting a gun.

That said, if you are looking to date men while you are in Texas, be aware that a lot of guys will have firearms in their home, and possibly in their vehicle. I would say that 50-60% of the guys I've dated have owned guns, and there was one (who worked in law enforcement) who always carried. I have never had a problem setting boundaries about guns (not allowed in my house), and it hasn't been an issue.

hahaha! The 2 might have something to do with each other. Sorry, couldn't help it.

Welcome to TX tamiko17!

Uvalde looks like a great little town. Texas has lots of them, I live in one. You could be fine without a car if you want, but would have to rent or something if you wish to see anything outside your town. The SA area and hill country are GREAT. Bad/mean drivers are concentrated in Houston, Dallas, Austin (and I betcha most of them are transplants). For some reason, maybe the Latin influence, San Antonio driving is nice.

Yes it's hot but ac was only invented what, 100yrs ago? You'll survive. Pay attention to hydration, drink lots, don't be scared to sweat, you'll be fine.

All the religion crap above I don't get, and I'm quite religious myself. If you just want something social, then join something social! Gym, rotary club, young adult professional club, whatever. There are social things here outside church.... DW has found fantastic social network at our community rec center.

No state income tax BUT sales tax is pretty stiff and if you ever buy property, property tax is high.

People are generally very friendly and willing to help out. Approach people openly and with a smile and it'll be reciprocated.

GoConfidently

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #43 on: July 06, 2016, 02:44:38 PM »

[/quote]

hahaha! The 2 might have something to do with each other. Sorry, couldn't help it.

[/quote]

I have no idea what you're implying or what those things have to do with each other.

Dicey

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #44 on: July 06, 2016, 03:09:29 PM »
hahaha! The 2 might have something to do with each other. Sorry, couldn't help it.
I have no idea what you're implying or what those things have to do with each other.

I just threw them together because I was trying not to prejudice either suggestion. Can't believe the response it got on either side. I was trying to be helpful, as I've actually spent time in the specific tiny town in question. (Pop. 16,400 give or take.)

http://www.city-data.com/city/Uvalde-Texas.html  On the plus side, housing might be surprisingly affordable there.

According to the site below (Internet - insert eyeroll, take with a grain of salt please) Uvalde rates a 6 out of 100 on the safety scale, with 100 being the safest. I'd say I rest my case, but I must point out I never felt I was in danger there. I was aware that there were many people who seemed econimically challenged, which could increase reported numbers of property crimes, I dunno. Lies, damn lies and statistics, perhaps?

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/tx/uvalde/crime/

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #45 on: July 08, 2016, 10:10:11 AM »
@DianeC I'm not very concerned about safety, my nursing director heavily recommended an apartment complex that has other nurses, cops, and border security personnel living there. So the place that I'm going to be living in is considered very safe.

Interesting statistics though! I definitely would not have thought to look those stats up.

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #46 on: July 08, 2016, 01:06:33 PM »
Welcome to TX tamiko17!

Uvalde looks like a great little town. Texas has lots of them, I live in one. You could be fine without a car if you want, but would have to rent or something if you wish to see anything outside your town. The SA area and hill country are GREAT. Bad/mean drivers are concentrated in Houston, Dallas, Austin (and I betcha most of them are transplants). For some reason, maybe the Latin influence, San Antonio driving is nice.

Yes it's hot but ac was only invented what, 100yrs ago? You'll survive. Pay attention to hydration, drink lots, don't be scared to sweat, you'll be fine.

All the religion crap above I don't get, and I'm quite religious myself. If you just want something social, then join something social! Gym, rotary club, young adult professional club, whatever. There are social things here outside church.... DW has found fantastic social network at our community rec center.

No state income tax BUT sales tax is pretty stiff and if you ever buy property, property tax is high.

People are generally very friendly and willing to help out. Approach people openly and with a smile and it'll be reciprocated.

Hey Acroy - Thanks! I'm hoping that I'll enjoy the experience. I'm definitely going to bring my own car - everyone seems to be in consensus about this point, atleast! I've only really heard good things about SA and the hill country. I do a lot of fishing and hiking here, so I'm looking forward to exploring.

Honestly, i'm probably going to join a gym/fitness group. Half of my own family is religious, and I grew up pretty neutral towards religion.

I heard about the no income tax - my Mustachian self is PUMPED about that. I'm already a pretty big saver - so not getting taxed out the butthole is going to be a nice change from Canada (*sigh* I know, free health care is the trade off, but sometimes the income taxes here are CRAZY) I wasn't making a lot at my previous job, ~40k/year but then you get taxed 20% and it SUCKS. I'm probably not going to be buying property - this job is more of a short term 1-2 year thing. I'm going to rent for now.

I've been told that Texans are just as friendly as Canadians - so I'm not particularly nervous about it. I'll definitely take your advice - BE FRIENDLY

Dicey

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #47 on: July 09, 2016, 01:44:24 AM »
@DianeC I'm not very concerned about safety, my nursing director heavily recommended an apartment complex that has other nurses, cops, and border security personnel living there. So the place that I'm going to be living in is considered very safe.

Interesting statistics though! I definitely would not have thought to look those stats up.
I wouldn't be either. I never felt the least hint of danger there, which is why that score was so surprising.  Statistics frequently can't be trusted and loads of studies are fatally flawed. This one's probably no exception.

One point I haven't seen made is that Uvalde, TX will most certainly be different than anything you've ever experienced. And doesn't that sound like fun?

And I am not suggesting that you remotely consider buying property there. (Noooooooo!). I live in the Bay Area, near SF. Our house cost more than 10x our annual earnings*, so 2x made me instantly, insanely envious.

* Don't worry, it's paid for, because we sold other ridiculously overpriced real estate to buy it and we needed it so we could move MIL with ALZ in with us.

tamiko17

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #48 on: July 10, 2016, 08:29:23 AM »
Also to anyone still following this thread, any recommendations for phone plans while in Uvalde? I was looking at Ting, specifically so I could bring my own phone with me, but I'm not sure how the coverage will be.

libertarian4321

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Re: Moving to Uvalde, TX - looking for advice!
« Reply #49 on: July 11, 2016, 05:40:06 AM »

Nowhere did I say that folks in Texas are all rude, awful or "rednecks in big trucks" or otherwise. You're inferring that somehow, but not sure why?

There are a lot of folks, especially those who come from the NE, who come down here and just bitch and moan about everything in Texas, because it's out of their comfort zone- isn't like Boston or NYC.  Maybe I got it wrong, but you sounded like one of those whiny folks who has lived here for a long time, but never even made an effort to "fit in."

I came from NY, an area totally different than Texas, and I love it here.  Because I made the effort to step outside my comfort zone- to try new things.   

Some folks never do that, even though they live here for years.  I got the impression you were one of those folks as you had a litany of complaints about Texas, but said little, or nothing, good about Texas.

The point is, if you come here with an open mind, you'll probably like most things about Texas (not all).  If you come here pissed off because your spouse dragged you here, and it's not like Boston or NYC or LA or E. Buttscrew, Idaho or wherever you came from, and never give it a chance, you'll be miserable.

I'm not saying you've got to like everything Texas.  I'm still a NY Giants fan (which is downright dangerous here in Texas, lol). 

But if you are new to the state, come here with an open mind.  You might find Texas is a pretty great state.

Texas is different, especially if you live in South-Central Texas (and that includes Uvalde), which is a combination of the Rest of Texas, and Mexico.  Yeah, the folks down here are a lot more proud of their state than those in Nebraska or New Jersey.  They fly the Texas flag (maybe along with the Mexican flag and/or the Spurs flag).  So what?

And the culture is a whole lot different in many ways.  You get here and you'll quickly realize you aren't in Kansas anymore. 

A weird combination of Southern and Hispanic.  But that's not a bad thing.  Try the Barbacoa breakfast Tacos and the Chicken Fried Steak.  You might find that both are pretty darned good.