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Tootcipop: I checked the crime rate, its smaller than HOUSTON and other major cities in Texas, but then I think that is normal hehe.
crbcrbrgv: Yeah I heard it is quite laidback there. Hopefully, I don't get that bored. I mean I am usually just inside my room reading some books so maybe I can live...I hope I can adapt well to the mexican culture then.
Alamocitygirl: Your advise is well noted do not worry. I cannot comment about the mexican illegals hehe, I do not know the history there.
ConanS: thank you. I'm already done with it, they just want some certifications for now and we will see.
Hello, I'm a nurse from and right now I am being recruited to a hospital in Texas. The hospital's name is VALLEY BAPTIST MEDICAL HOSPITAL. According to the agency, it is located in MCALLEN TEXAS, but everytime I google it, the hospital is located either in HARLINGEN OR BROWNSVILLE . I check the hospital's website and I think there are 2 VALLEY HOSPITALS, one in HARLINGEN and one in BROWNSVILLE.
I think the 3 cities are called the RIO GRANDE VALLEY. I just want to know any information about the 3 cities because I'll be alone there and I'm a little scared to live in a city I do not know anything about I was lucky enough to see this forum and hope you guys can help me. Please tell me about the the weather, crime rate, entertainment, cost of living, people there, housing and more.
I have lived here for 10 years (Harlingen). McAllen is 30 minutes to the west, and Brownsville is 30 minutes to the south east. "Violent" crime rate is below the national average: However, petty crime is high. Housing is very reasonable, and overall cost of living is relatively low. Climate is sub-tropical (Winters are very, very nice, but summers are Hot!). If you are from the P.I., than you will probably find the climate to your liking. Of the three cities, Harlingen is probably the best "family" town. McAllen has the best infrastructure, and Brownsville is a little rough around the edges, but it does have some very nice neiborhoods. Brownsville would be the least desirable (of the three cities) to live in. Probably one of the best things in South Texas is beautiful South Padre Island and the ocean (an hour from Harlingen). Valley Baptist is a very nice modern hospital. Everything is super convenient and close together in Harlingen. Traffic is not a problem, and the hospital, very nice regional airport, library, supermarkets, theaters etc. etc. .... and all withing minutes of each other and the cities prime neiborhoods. I will be glad to answer any addtional questions you have on specifics ......Good Luck.
if you do not have other position available, and you are desperate to move from where you are, and can't wait to go for more interviews. this is a valid option for a transition place. but if you are looking to settle down in a "diverse" place, this is not for sure. try to look northern areas, not to close to the border.(this is not a representative "american" neither "mexican" culture, i apologize if i am offending anyone ).
i am a hispanic, with a family and kids, who likes diversity, and wants more opportunities for my children (i did not come legally to this country to offer my kids , less of what i could offer them at my home country) who came to this area for a visa change, with lots of hope thinking to stay longer, but now i'm ready to move further north. previously we lived in "real cities".
Finally i could mention some pro and cons:
good things: cost of living/housing, mild winter, proximity to beach access, relatively short distance to non-border mexican cities, average retail industry, 3 local airports, average healthcare system.
bad things: non diverse population, border culture (illegality, informality, rudness, narcotraffic), sub standard public education system (even when compared with US system for school/college), excesive medicaid population and associated socio economical issues. Unfortunately, it represents the culture and the cycle of poverty. could it change? certainly, it could,
in summary: if you already have a family with no kids, or really young ones, not at school age, and most importantly with no other alternative that to move asap from where you are now: consider this as a transition area, but beware this is not a reference for "an american city" neither a "mexican"one. If you are single, i can not tell you by first hand, but by seeing non native single friends, it's hard for them too. Whenever they can, they're flying out on weekends/holidays. If you are close to retirement, this could be different perspective.
i am not idealizing the "city/suburb" life style", because each one has its own particular problems/benefits.
Thank you for the reply. Right now, I am hired by Mcallen Medical Center. Valley Baptist Medical Center has a job order but I think they don't have enough visas for that hospital so the agency changed it to Mcallen Medical Center.
There is a 1 month free housing provided by Mcallen Medical Center and hopefully when the free housing is done I can get a nice place near the hospital perhaps in Harlingen or Mcallen. Right now, I am still waiting for my visa, they received the application last July 16 and my case status is received and pending. Hopefully within this year I get to go there already.
Thank you again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by camarongrande
I have lived here for 10 years (Harlingen). McAllen is 30 minutes to the west, and Brownsville is 30 minutes to the south east. "Violent" crime rate is below the national average: However, petty crime is high. Housing is very reasonable, and overall cost of living is relatively low. Climate is sub-tropical (Winters are very, very nice, but summers are Hot!). If you are from the P.I., than you will probably find the climate to your liking. Of the three cities, Harlingen is probably the best "family" town. McAllen has the best infrastructure, and Brownsville is a little rough around the edges, but it does have some very nice neiborhoods. Brownsville would be the least desirable (of the three cities) to live in. Probably one of the best things in South Texas is beautiful South Padre Island and the ocean (an hour from Harlingen). Valley Baptist is a very nice modern hospital. Everything is super convenient and close together in Harlingen. Traffic is not a problem, and the hospital, very nice regional airport, library, supermarkets, theaters etc. etc. .... and all withing minutes of each other and the cities prime neiborhoods. I will be glad to answer any addtional questions you have on specifics ......Good Luck.
USA is hiring a lot of foreign nurses right now, in fact usually the offer to a foreign nurse is to be an immigrant already. But I am single and just 26 years old. And what is important for me is to get the US hospital experience for now so I opted to get this working visa. I've been offered jobs from New Jersey, California and even New york. BUt this is the only hospital that can get me for less than a year. The other hospitals offering me "greencard" will take 16 months to 3 years and frankly speaking, quite unpredictable with the retrogression.
Well as a single woman, under 30 years old I do hope I'll blend well with the crowd. Somebody told me there is a Filipino community there so that is cool. I've taken into consideration the negative and positive aspect of the area, but still I am really looking forward to this change. I will be there with 7 other nurses so in a way, I will not be alone.
Anyway, I am not thinking about settling down there because you need to experience the area first before you make that decision. But I am looking at this trip as an adventure for me. It would be fun to make friends with the 90% hispanic community and the rest. I just hope I'll be treated like any other decent human being.. its a simple and reasonble wish hehe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckybb
if you do not have other position available, and you are desperate to move from where you are, and can't wait to go for more interviews. this is a valid option for a transition place. but if you are looking to settle down in a "diverse" place, this is not for sure. try to look northern areas, not to close to the border.(this is not a representative "american" neither "mexican" culture, i apologize if i am offending anyone ).
i am a hispanic, with a family and kids, who likes diversity, and wants more opportunities for my children (i did not come legally to this country to offer my kids , less of what i could offer them at my home country) who came to this area for a visa change, with lots of hope thinking to stay longer, but now i'm ready to move further north. previously we lived in "real cities".
Finally i could mention some pro and cons:
good things: cost of living/housing, mild winter, proximity to beach access, relatively short distance to non-border mexican cities, average retail industry, 3 local airports, average healthcare system.
bad things: non diverse population, border culture (illegality, informality, rudness, narcotraffic), sub standard public education system (even when compared with US system for school/college), excesive medicaid population and associated socio economical issues. Unfortunately, it represents the culture and the cycle of poverty. could it change? certainly, it could,
in summary: if you already have a family with no kids, or really young ones, not at school age, and most importantly with no other alternative that to move asap from where you are now: consider this as a transition area, but beware this is not a reference for "an american city" neither a "mexican"one. If you are single, i can not tell you by first hand, but by seeing non native single friends, it's hard for them too. Whenever they can, they're flying out on weekends/holidays. If you are close to retirement, this could be different perspective.
i am not idealizing the "city/suburb" life style", because each one has its own particular problems/benefits.
one of the nurses from McAllen Medical Center came to my facility the other day. he said that it is 90 percent Filipino nurses there. you will feel right at home.
if you do not have other position available, and you are desperate to move from where you are, and can't wait to go for more interviews. this is a valid option for a transition place. but if you are looking to settle down in a "diverse" place, this is not for sure. try to look northern areas, not to close to the border.(this is not a representative "american" neither "mexican" culture, i apologize if i am offending anyone ).
i am a hispanic, with a family and kids, who likes diversity, and wants more opportunities for my children (i did not come legally to this country to offer my kids , less of what i could offer them at my home country) who came to this area for a visa change, with lots of hope thinking to stay longer, but now i'm ready to move further north. previously we lived in "real cities".
Finally i could mention some pro and cons:
good things: cost of living/housing, mild winter, proximity to beach access, relatively short distance to non-border mexican cities, average retail industry, 3 local airports, average healthcare system.
bad things: non diverse population, border culture (illegality, informality, rudness, narcotraffic), sub standard public education system (even when compared with US system for school/college), excesive medicaid population and associated socio economical issues. Unfortunately, it represents the culture and the cycle of poverty. could it change? certainly, it could,
in summary: if you already have a family with no kids, or really young ones, not at school age, and most importantly with no other alternative that to move asap from where you are now: consider this as a transition area, but beware this is not a reference for "an american city" neither a "mexican"one. If you are single, i can not tell you by first hand, but by seeing non native single friends, it's hard for them too. Whenever they can, they're flying out on weekends/holidays. If you are close to retirement, this could be different perspective.
i am not idealizing the "city/suburb" life style", because each one has its own particular problems/benefits.
Makating_Ilong,
Congrats on your new job in USA. I recently move to San Antonio, TX after living in Hawaii since 1982. I can't offer any assistance as far as work since I am an IT guy; however, my neighbor, retired from New York, frequently visits McAllen and Mission, and yes there lots of Filipinos there according to her. Vina Morales will be having a concert there this month. My neighbor's cousin live/worked in McAllen for many years now. McAllen is not too far from San Antonio. Feel free to PM me if my wife and I can be of any assistance.
Wow, are you Filipino? I have allergic rhinitis hence the nickname. Can anyone tell me about the normal nurse-patient ratio there at Mcallen Medical Center especially the medical/telemetry ward? Thank you.
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I cannot comment about the mexican illegals hehe, I do not know the history there.
Rio Grande Valley is a good place to live.
. I check the hospital's website and I think there are 2 VALLEY HOSPITALS, one in HARLINGEN and one in BROWNSVILLE. 
I was lucky enough to see this forum and hope you guys can help me. Please tell me about the the weather, crime rate, entertainment, cost of living, people there, housing and more.
