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My girlfriend is doing Teach for America in Roma, TX and I'm moving down to the RGV to join her for this coming year while she finishes up. I'm coming from the Pioneer valley in Massachusetts, so I know it's going to be a drastic change in lifestyle but I have visited several times so I have some idea what to expect (the heat, the Spanish, the delicious Mexican food). I do not know Spanish, though my girlfriend is fluent and I'm willing to learn. I've been looking at places to live and it seems like McAllen might be the best fit since it's not too remote and it's fairly close to Roma (in Texas terms). Here are a few of my concerns:
I'm a software engineer and I work remotely, so ideally I would like to live somewhere with lots of coffee shops, libraries, or other places where I can take my laptop and just sit down and work for a few hours at a time. It seems like McAllen is the only place even remotely close to Roma that could offer this kind of atmosphere.
Martial arts are a very important part of my life. In particular, I would like to find a good kung fu school to train at while I'm down in the valley. The McAllen Wushu school seems like my best bet. If anyone happens to have any experience with this school or any other recommendations, I would love to hear about it. Outside of McAllen, it seems like martial arts schools are few and far between.
Other than that...no kids to worry about, so I'm not too concerned about the school system. It would be nice to have some night-life/bars/clubs where twenty-somethings can hang out in the evening. I would love to have a grocery store similar to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's where I could buy organic produce and such.
So basically I'm wondering if McAllen is my best bet given that I want to be fairly close to Roma or if I should be looking elsewhere. Furthermore, whereabouts in McAllen should I be looking to rent a place? Thank you all for your time! I appreciate it.
I lived in Mission for almost 2 years and soon learned to HATE the Valley so you are going to have a big adjustment to make. There is a reason they pay people very well to move or live there because it sucks! The valley is not the USA, its more like northern mexico. I considered myself "in exile" while I lived there.
The drivers there are the worst I have ever seen and I have driven in Dallas and Houston. I often wondered if they even had a driver license and no one has insurance (I was hit twice while there) either so be sure you are covered for uninsured motorist.
There is also "The Valley Way" which translates into no one is ever on time or even shows up to appointments or is ever reliable when it comes to doing what they say and saying what they are going to do. Example: My landlord, a cuban, went through 4 AC repairmen until he finally got one to actually keep a appointment and show up to fix my AC.
I still have friends there and the drug related violence is getting worse and worse everyday there and spilling over into the US side.
If I were you, I would stay where you are and fly in and out to visit or see if your GF can get out of going there.
I hated it so much I moved to Houston to get out of there, that's how desperate I was to get the hell out.
McAllen has 2 main libraries, plenty of Starbucks, some other local coffee shops, and really nice parks. if you want night life, 17th street is your best bet. Get ready for a huge culture shock, and 105+ degree summer heat. Our culture isn't American, but it Isn't Mexican, it consists of an equal amount of both. Drug violence is not a problem if you are not a part of it.
The valley is not the USA, its more like northern mexico. I considered myself "in exile" while I lived there.
This is true. Population in the RGV is mostly Spanish Speaking people, either Mexican-Americans, or Permanent Mexican Residents. It is great if you like the hispanic/Mexican culture and their people. This also will help you learn spanish in a heart beat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevpick
The drivers there are the worst I have ever seen and I have driven in Dallas and Houston. I often wondered if they even had a driver license and no one has insurance (I was hit twice while there) either so be sure you are covered for uninsured motorist.
This is very true. I have no argument against it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevpick
There is also "The Valley Way" which translates into no one is ever on time or even shows up to appointments or is ever reliable when it comes to doing what they say and saying what they are going to do.
I mostly agree with this. Again, this is a cultural thing. If you are like this you will not mind it, if you are not, then be ready to meet alot of people that are late or VEEERY flexible in their appointment arrival.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevpick
I still have friends there and the drug related violence is getting worse and worse everyday there and spilling over into the US side.
This is true to some extent for the whole US-Mexico Border. Not enough of a reason not to live in the RGV since it is not that bad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevpick
If I were you, I would stay where you are and fly in and out to visit or see if your GF can get out of going there.
If you are an open minded person that likes to adapt to new cultures you will like it. If you ask other people from the Valley, most will tell you that they find it hard to leave the place. There is a certain charm to the area. Compared to Houston, San Antonio, or Austin, it seems that everything is in slow motion in comparison.
About deciding where to live. If you and your wife make more than $120K a year, you should consider Sharyland Plantation, or The Simarron. Both are a great place to live and start a family.
Chevpick, My wife and I are thinking of moving to the RGV. My major concern is quality of life, basically crime. I would greatly appreciate it if you could pin point areas in McAllen, Edinburg or nearby towns that have such a problem. It would be helpful in determining where to buy a home. I have noticed that the local papers (Monitor or Morning Star) never give the exact addresses of where a crime occurs or where the defendant lives. Why is that? I am also looking at the St Pete area of Florida and they put the persons photo, home address, place of birth and crime right on the website. Is there any website in the RGV that gives out similar information?
Again, I feel like I should never come to this forum again. Life is what you choose to make of it. The OP had a valid question, and was not asking for negative opinions and griping about the demographics of the area. That said, I would advise the OP to avoid Sharyland & [b]C[b]imarron, just because I know people who have had less than a positive experience there. It is so funny that the people that are always touting "Sharyland" rarely state they live there. Evidently, they drank the local "kool-aid", LOL. There are areas in both north & south McAllen that are upscale and nice. There actually are local farmers' markets that have organic produce, and the local grocery stores also carry quite a bit. It's not a bad area, just different from most of the U.S. I also lived for years in El Paso, another border city. The vibe and people are as different from those in the Valley as the people in Boston are different from the people in Tucson. You really can't make generalizations about living on the border. Agh--no mas!
Nothing negative to say, just reality (well mine). I have lived in McAllen for most of my life.. It has most of the things the OP was asking for. I am in IT and gainfull employed here.. As for the organic foods thing, there is always Sun Harvest which is the same as Whole Foods Market (I think renamed). The Trenton HEB would also probably stock quite a few items. As for martial arts there are some options but since I am not that into that you would have to ask around (They are there, I just dont know enough to give an opinion). There are quite a few bars/clubs that have recently opened, but again since I not a 20-something you would have to explore.. All in all not to bad.. Check out the entertainment section of the themonitor . com. They usually keep up with it pretty good. As to where to live, north McAllen into the Edinburg area is a pretty good option.. Anywhere north of Pecan Ave to Hwy 107 (South to North) and Ware Rd to McColl Rd (West to East) would be a good safe pick. Generally low crime. As far as that goes just get your self a security system for that extra peace of mind. As for broadband, there is DSL in many areas and Time Warner cable. I have their standard service which is up to 7mbps. I dont know about the Sharyland thing hellpaso mentioned. There are some upsacle areas but it is closer to the border.. I just dont know about the crime or if it is actually higher than in other areas.
Oh no, not more of the "sky is falling" type warnings of the valley. Some people are so jaded that their view of the region is skewed, despite being correct about specific examples or complaints.
To the OP's specific case, I would make one warning. It seems like you have clearly defined tastes and interests which are not the predominant ones of the Valley. Therefore, you wil find outlets for whateverever you need, whether it be organic food or kung fu, but you won't have many options or alternatives.
It seems like since your girlfriend is from the area and comming to teach under a specific program, and since you have visited before, you know what to expect. I really think that you seem like you have realistic expecatations and realize this will be different from Mass. so I think you will be fine.
I would say to live in either Mission or McAllen. Those are the only realistic options that you will have. Crime is not that bad here, most of what ocurrs seems to be domestic, meaning it isn't random...or drug related, which, once again is not random. So, if you don't fall into those categories the most you will have to worry about is car theft and break ins. Everything else is pretty mundane. It is a small community with a suburban feel...sort of like a small town on steroids. There isn't a city vibe at all and things are slow paced. People are very open and helpful assuming you comein with a friendly and positive attitude and aren't here to "correct" all of the valley's mistakes or to "enlighten" everyone about how things "should" be done.
I think a lot of newbies spend too much time preaching instead of learning. Many come with a mentality that the area is inferior to where they come from and that mindset is poison and it taints their experience here. It is understandable but very avoidable fortunately.
I wish you good luck, I am sure you will find a nice, affordable place that fits your needs for the time you are here.
I live approx 2 hours north of the "Valley", and have been down there a few times. Although I cannot give exact details as I do not "live" there, I can tell you that:
-Its not near as bad as most people make it out to be. Those folks that talk trash about it, generally lead their lives in such a fashion. You make where you live what it is, plain and simple. One thing to remember is that if you are not happy about whats going on, work on trying to make a change, rather than ***** about it all the time. There is alot down there to like (i.e. Year round warm weather, great culture, the slower paced lifestyle, nearby beaches, etc.).
-Politics: In the past, corrupt politics were the rule of the day, although its not near what it used to be. McAllen is a rapidly expanding city, and will soon become the HUB of the Valley with all the wonderful enhancements they are planning. There is another recent thread on here about this, and there is alot of inviting aspects to McAllen. So, the politics seem to be more geared now towards the needs of the people, although there is still work to be done.
-One negative thing I can say, is that there is a rather large disparity between the wealthier folk and the poorer folks of the Valley. This becomes more evident when simply driving around. You will see a very nice home, next to a rundown shack. This is also common here around Corpus Christi, although not quite as evident as further south.
-Things to note:
You are in for a massive weather change, plain and simple. The OP is from Mass. and you are moving to an area that commonly experiences some of the hottest temps in the nation (especially in the Spring and Fall... the Desert SW has this area beat in the summer for Actual Temp). High humidities can make this feel alot worse. Here around Corpus Christi, it doesn't feel as bad as McAllen, due to a more Sea Breeze influence, thus mitigating the heat somewhat.
Get used to the Hispanic, Tex-Mex culture. Very different than what you have in the New England area. Although most people in this area can speak some English, there is also the Tex-Mex language (heavy Spanish slang) that you will need to learn. True Spanish is almost non-existant.
Life is much slower in South Texas than what you will experience in virtually ALL other parts of the USA. Meaning, people take there time to get to places, to fix problems, etc. In some ways, this is kind of nice, as stress levels are less here, but then again, if you want something done right away, don't hold your breath.
Hi John/marlfox. I live in San Antonio, but my wife has a lot of family in the Valley, and we visit there periodically. I actually kind of like the Valley, even though I can understand many of the points that people are making. I have never lived there, only been a regular visitor, but it has grown a lot over the years; all the little towns have sort of spread out and merged over the years into one metropolitan area. There are a lot of major chain restaurants and you'll have no trouble finding a Starbucks. There are also lots of little home-grown restaurants too.
Personally I like the hot weather, but it may be a shock to a Yankee.
I'm with you on the martial arts, that is a big interest for me. I have not personally checked out McAllen Wushu, but their web site looks interesting (although I'm still not exactly sure what style(s) they teach).
The drug crime is a concern, though I haven't been directly affected by it. However my wife's family says it's getting worse.
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