Originally Posted by scilly

I HAVE lived in Texas ........... and would not like to repeat the experience.

Life in the south was and is so very different from everything I knew and believed in

Don't discuss politics

Be very careful about expressing your opinions on a whole range of things from Trump to Obama to single sex marriage, women's rights, gun control, religion, etc etc

Expect to see men wearing guns in holsters at their waists, and often with the holster open so they can grab the gun faster, and rifles in racks across the inside of the back window of the cab of trucks.

Originally Posted by Shard

So a bit like Alberta, then.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321

Rural anywhere in Canada isnt much different to rural anywhere US.

I am not a fan of Texas but in their defense there are some nice pockets like Austin that are fairly forward minded.

Originally Posted by iaink

Thank you all for the warm reception, many familiar faces here still!
Not wishing to highjack the OPs thread but Im heading to Greenville SC area, initially on a Nafta TN visa, with the company committed in a non specific way to getting a PR visa. Serious downside to TN visa is spouse can come but cant work, so PR is the long term aim for us. Besides, as I remember it temp residency in Canada sucked, no employment options, no credit rating etc etc.

Its ironic that I first came to BE all them years (and posts, 30k? really??!) ago in order to get some idea how long Canadian citizenship takes to process as my job had previously gone tits up and I wanted to be Canadian in order to make it easier to leave Canada for the US if my job situation went pear shaped again, and now here I am years later doing just that.
Mind you, this morning in Quinte its minus 8 with -16C windchill with the youngest boarding the schoolbus bundled up in a snowsuit, so 18 and sunny in NW SC doesnt seem a hardship Plus its nice that they want to pay me significantly more than I was getting in Belleville.

I suspect I will be picking the collective US brains over the dual taxation thing and "duel intent" as unsurprisingly offspring #1 has no desire to leave her canadian life and education in favour of starting again in the US. Until we figure out how she can achieve her goals in the US system (Flying with the Air Cadets, Education at RMC and then flying for the canadian forces) its possible that she will finish high school here, which is potentially 3 more years of stradling the border. I guess thats fine on a temp resident TN visa, but not going to work on a green card.
Offspring #2 looked at the weather forecast and basically was like "When can we leave Dad"
So life has gotten complicated but Im excited by the move to a great new company , new location and new possibilites! Plus there are loads of cheap convertibles on the Greenville craigslist and Im long overdue a midlife crisis.

Originally Posted by Partially discharged

Golf, a deep interest in C & W music, believing that South of the Border is a true look at Mexican urbanity, Nascar, agreeing with Donald Trump, dropping the letter 'u' in many words, getting interested in college football (the 4 downs variety), and joining a mega-church glass cathedral type congregation. .....

Originally Posted by iaink

Thank you all for the warm reception, many familiar faces here still!
Not wishing to highjack the OPs thread but Im heading to Greenville SC area ....

Originally Posted by Shard

Yup. It's Austin that I like. Have to go there some day. Having said that, the recent shooting wasn't that far from Austin I think?

Originally Posted by scilly

Actually that was where we lived.

Pro:- lots of trees, nice houses, universities, cheap food, very active music scene (now!)

Con:- guns, red necks, little knowledge of anywhere else


Last year was the 50th anniversary of the shooting from the top of the university tower where 15 people were killed and 31 injured.

Originally Posted by Oink

Why not? If you don’t believe in it anyway what does it matter if you attend for your own reasons? It’s a nice morning out, listen to a few stories, have a singsong, make some friends and then go out for lunch.

Originally Posted by iaink

I would not move to the GTA with a family of 4 for 80k unless I was heavily motivated by canadian (or north american) lifestyle factors. Its going to be hard to buy and maintain a place plus pay for family activities, child care etc on that level of income in whats loosely the "Greater Toronto Area". Sure there are people that get by on less, and good on them, but do you want to move continents in order to clip coupons to keep your grocery bill in check?

I was on a similar level of income out in the (cheaper) eastern ontario wastelands, and by the time bills were paid and kids activities paid for lets say we were not exactly packing the savings accounts to pay for trips back to see Grandad, or more practically to pay for college tuition for the kids.

Long story short I'm about to take up a job in the US that pays significantly more in the hope that its worth the level of family upheaval that its going to create.

Originally Posted by scilly

Actually that was where we lived.

Pro:- lots of trees, nice houses, universities, cheap food, very active music scene (now!)

Con:- guns, red necks, little knowledge of anywhere else


Last year was the 50th anniversary of the shooting from the top of the university tower where 15 people were killed and 31 injured.

Originally Posted by Shard

Nowhere's perfect

Originally Posted by jerryhung

Red necks - is it because of education or because of Fox News or just cultural influences? Genuinely curious.

Originally Posted by jerryhung

Red necks - is it because of education or because of Fox News or just cultural influences? Genuinely curious.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321

...Austin also has a very diverse population including a vibrant LGBT community...not your typical Texas city and is pretty much a democrat oasis in an otherwise conservative red state.