deadshoppingmalls

Mods - feel free to move to this to The Trailer Park...I'm already in the US...but asking about moving internally.

An intriguing opportunity has presented itself over the last couple of days, and i'm a little confused as to what to make of it.

A company I've admired and worked with for years have approached me about a position in Dallas. I've a greencard...so no issues with that. However - it's the other aspects that perplex me. We're a European couple (me whiter than white, her ethnically Ethiopian but culturally Spanish/catalan) in our 30's with a little'un on the way. We live in the Bay Area, are extremely liberal (if we could have voted..it would have been for Bernie).

The job could be described as a dream job, they're flying us both out next week for me to interview and for us both to see the city, but i'd appreciate any perspectives that collective wisdom can offer on Texas - particularly Dallas.

How is it? I know Texas is a country by itself, but how much of a cultural shift would it be from the bay area?

Jack8602

I can't speak for the bay area, but i moved to Texas in January last year.

Near on everyone i know here voted Trump, that might be due to the people i associated with i guess - but that said, it doesn't mean very much to me how people vote, it's all gone quiet since the election result.

Texan's are extremely friendly, they'll go out of their way to say hello or help you out, just to even strike up a conversation if you're sat at a bar.

I live in South Grand Prarie, 20 miles south west of Dallas, i rarely venture into Dallas unless it's for a night out or to get to a shop that isn't local. I tend to favor Fort Worth as it's less busy.

The driving in Downtown Dallas is what i'd compare to a nightmare, but if you live on the outskirts - there are some awesome neighbourhoods - A lot of people i know are in the Frisco or Plano areas just north of downtown Dallas, also Mansfield which is more towards Fort Worth way, but it's a nice neighbourhood with really good schools.

Having to drive everywhere is pretty much normality, but i got used to it!

You'll probably find the cost of living in Texas is much, much less than the Bay area.

MsElui

i have been in Texas for 3 years - Ohio for 6 years before that.

Yes lots of trump supporters here- with lots of gun totin, hunting mad, bible bashin rednecks- but they dont bother you. I also meet plenty of more liberal people too - they maybe just dont shout about it quite so much.

I did NOT want to move to Dallas at all and tried to fight the work move of my husband but succumbed in the end. However, once here its been great and im very happy here too. My kiddos are very happy in the school and are doing great. We have a nice house at i imagine a fraction of the cost for something this size in CA.

We are in McKinney - N E of Dallas But we work in Irving and Lewisville and have stayed in Addison. There are a lot of brits in the DFW area and several Facebook groups dedicated to brits here who will also be able to give more info.

We in North Dallas are getting a tonne of CA transplants at the moment because of several large companies opening or expanding here so you would NOT be alone by a long shot.

deadshoppingmalls

Well...I'm irish with a Brit parent...will I be welcomed ?

That's actually good to know. TBH - i have no issue with gun totin bible bashing people, as long as they have no issue with an anti-violence atheist

My issue isn't with me - i'll be working etc and am a white guy aged 18-39 so I know I'll be fine, but my wife's worry (and mine!) is her - she's worried about fitting in - she's a very black woman (not african american) that speaks english with a Spanish accent. I know Dallas isn't a backwater, I've been there - however...i'll be in dallas 4 days out of 7 and she's more worried about a)her fitting in and b) being happy there - especially seeing as we have baby on the way.

I'm looking forward to visiting with an eye to moving, to get the lay of the land as the reality is - I don't need this job, but would like to take it. If it's not a good fit for us then I'll happily turn it down

carcajou

Dallas is big enough and cosmopolitan enough that most people can find their niche, and I think your wife will fit in. Most people I know who have moved to Dallas, have liked it there. It is though a very big lifestyle change from San Francisco.

By the way, Hillary Clinton defeated Donald Trump in Dallas County 61% to 35% (yes you read that correctly). She did lose the surrounding counties handily though.

MMcD

Never been to Dallas....but looks like there's a sizable Ethiopian community....
(Am sure she wouldn't want to ghettoise herself...but it might offer helpful support and ease the transition)


also: http://www.ethiopiancommunitydfw.com/about-us

johnwoo

Trump did well in San Francisco, he got nearly 10% of the vote. San Francisco was stunned, who where these people?

deadshoppingmalls

She left Ethiopia when she was 2 (adopted by Catalans) but it's good to know that she won't stand out.

deadshoppingmalls

my next door neighbor for one! I get on pretty well with him...but he despises immigrants - it's really funny, as whenever he goes on immigrants he always says "not you though, I mean the bad kind".

johnwoo

Yes I've often been told I was the "right kind" of immigrant, and not thought of as an immigrant.

MMcD

Not to be Pollyanna but ...es probable que sí se destaque*.....but not in a way that will make her feel unwelcome.

*she probably will stand out

Hanco

DFW area is good. Nice areas in Roanoke, Trophy Club, Keller and Fort Worth city itself.

Where I work, the higher management positions are all white skinned taken and the majority of hourly paid employees are black. Having said that, it is fantastic and I would think in the next year or so we will see changes which will be good.

It's scorching hot here July / August. We just had a freezing cold weekend but back to the 70s now.

I'm not a Trump fan but most around me are. Having said that, politics is not a daily subject. Traffic to work is light, roads wide, sunrise and set beautiful. The flatness of the land helps that I guess.

Churches are busy on Sunday but you definitely don't have to feel like you gotta go.

We have Babes Chicken near us. That's a good reason to live here!