I'm thinking of taking a job and moving from NJ to Houston, TX. What can I expect?

Question

I would like to know if Houston has the Bible belt mentality. I don’t expect it to be socially progressive, but would like to know if it can be a dwelling place of an agnostic Jewish Russian immigrant. Also, is there a literary scene? Anything to do besides restaurants or bars? Is the weather less humid if living right by the water? Are people genuinely nice or pretentious/fake/insincere? Any incite would be helpful. Thanks!

Answer 1

Yes, Houston does have the Bible belt mentality. No, it is not socially progressive, but they like to think they are. Not much of a literary scene and not much to de besides shopping, restaurants and bars unless you like sitting in traffic and heat. Weather is not any less humid if living right by the water IF YOU CAN AFFORD TO LIVE BY THE WATER. People are extremely pretentious/fake and insincere.

I have lived here since 1994 (a forced corporate move) and have hated it since day 1. You need lots of money to live here and lots of coping skills - ie. perscribed or illegal pharmocopia, drinking. It's expensive and there is not much to do once you have seen it, zoo, theater district, museum district, gay district (a real novelty to these people), etc. Every side of town has the same stores, but for fun people go "window shopping" at the Galleria where very few can truly afford to shop. A big thing is "starbucks" if you can get a table from the many high schoolers who just "hang."

It's hot, lots and lots of traffic and boring. People think they are intellectual and they aren't. They may go to church but not very many are Christian. The K-12 school system sucks no matter what independent school district you are in. Money is king here, bring plenty of it and your Spanish dictionary too.

I would not recommend it one bit.

Answer 2

First tip... don't tell everyone you're from New Jersey. I mean, if they ask that's fine, but don't do the, "Hey yo, I'm Vinnie from Jersey" while grabbing your crotch thing that "Guido's" do. Second tip... don't tell locals that New Jersey is better. Third tip... ask locals about Houston and Texas. They'd be glad to give you all kinds of information and lore about this state. Texans are a very proud people, even the adopted ones. Fourth tip... unless you wear one all the time, don't go out and buy a Stetson. Unless you hang out at Midnight Rodeo on the weekends, they aren't necessary. I was in NJ over Easter weekend. I was amazed at the amount of graffiti everywhere. Is there some unwritten, "If it doesn't move, paint it" rule? Crime is, for the most part, lower here. However, we still have about 100,000 Katrina "victims" and they just won't leave... and most of them don't want to find jobs either. There are a few areas you don't want to move to, but otherwise you'll be fine. Gangs aren't as bad as people say. Yes, it is hot here. We know it. We'll even tell you, "Man, it's a warm one." Houston is very humid, too. Our winters last about three weeks, so you probably won't need about 75% of your winter wardrobe. Have a car. Keep it in good shape. You'll need it. This is a big city and it was designed for cars. Some (like AJ_lets_go_shopping) whine about this. Just a fact of life that won't change. Oh, speaking of cars, do NOT use full-service gas pumps. Most are self-serve. Full serve costs about 50 cents more a gallon to do what stations up north do. Why? Because they can get away with it. Good housing is cheap, compared to NJ. $200K will buy you a shack in Garwood on a postage stamp sized property. Here it will buy you a five bedroom home on a quarter acre. Texas is a right-to-work state, and unions are not very popular unless you are a firefighter or a cop. Don't try to organize one here. If you have any more questions, just ask.

Answer 3

Houston is reasonably cosmopolitan. There are lots of different ethnic groups living and working here, including those of Russian descent. Lots of Jewish community groups, too. Religion isn't really an issue in any social settings I experienced.

There's somewhat of a literary scene, though it seems to focus on poetry and spoken word. There are lots of museums and art galleries to enjoy, shopping galore, sporting events, concerts, ballet, opera, symphony, et cetera.... all the things you'd expect a major metropolitan area to have.

Having spent my college years in Philadelphia I will stretch geographically and say that the level of "nice" in Houston is about the same or slightly greater than in NJ. There are fake-nice people everywhere, sadly.

Humidity is inevitable, no matter where you live in or around Houston. Even on the Gulf of Mexico where the breezes are a bit stronger, the moisture level doesn't diminish. It's a bit hotter than Philadelphia, but no more humid. The hot/humid season is longer than in the Northeast, though. Because the climate is so hostile in the summer, almost every store, house, and car is air conditioned. Too hot and humid outside? Just head indoors.

The keys to a decent existence in Houston are:

1) Live in an area as close as possible to the amenities/facilities you will use most often, including grocery stores. Spending your free time driving to your leisure activities and errands takes a lot of the fun out of a weekend!

2) Find a commuting pattern that works for you. If you're working for a large company, find out if there are any ridesharing programs at your office (some have city-metro sponsored vanpools or carpools). Consider working alternate hours rather than the usual 8-5, which is when the traffic will be worse.

3) Get involved. Join groups to do the activities you like. Be active in meeting people. Houston is not the kind of place you just "meet" friends at a bar or club, sadly.

Answer 4

Ok, we are originally from DE, so I have a little perspective. In general, Houston is predominantly Christian. That means there are a lot of churches and you are likely to have the occasional conversation that includes God in some context. Mostly it will be random comments like "We are so blessed, the other day this happened..." or "One of my friends at church was telling me..." I would think you would be fine as an agnostic as long as you are not militant about it. What I mean about that is, I would not see an issue unless the mention of a differing opinion offends you to the extent that you would feel it is nessesary to verbally attack the other person. And really, even if that is your thing, it is a BIG city, you can probably find a niche of people who agree with you.

As for a literary scene, sorry, I am a suburbian mom, and have no useful information. Things to do depend on your interests. We have museums, a zoo, theaters, every sports team imaginable, a large convention and trade show arena that garners all kinds of different shows (boat, bridal, home and garden, cat, dog, kids, fishing, hunting, camping, rv, auto... these are just the ones I have been to, I am sure there are a lot more). We have a beach nearby, places to go and pick blueberries and strawberries, our Renaissance Festival is one of the largest in the country. We have 2 water parks, and tons of shopping. And although you wanted information about things other than bars and restaurants, I need to tell you, we have a LOT of restaurants. When we go up north it amazes me at the lack of variety and selection.

Ok, as for the weather, it is humid everywhere, and to me there is not much difference between here and NJ. But really to me the humidity is not the issue. It is the HEAT combined with the humidity. It is HOT here. Summer is tough. Winter is very nice compared to up north, and spring and fall are basically summer and winter battling it out. In Spring and Fall you can see the temperature rise or drop 30 degrees in an hour. You may leave the house and be comfortable and then be miserable by the time you leave for work, although I would think the cold swings would not bother you so much. I would not recommend living on the water unless you are comfortable with the idea that a hurricane could head our way and you might have to evacuate and could come home to nothing. It does not happen often, but it has been several years since our last big storm, and the consensus is we are due. Coming from up north you might want to get a feel for a huricane season before you make such a big investment.

Something nice? My kids have been swimming for a month. Our pool is not heated and it is already 80 degrees.

As for the people... For the most part they are WAY friendlier than up north IMHO. But really we have had people moving here a lot of years so you see a lot of northerner here. Also not to be at all judgemental, but we got a lot of Katrina refugees and that has changed a little of our city's dynamic. There is a higher crime rate then there used to be and in our area (north of Houston) we have seen a BIG jump in low income housing and crime. I am not sure how this would compare for you, but for us it has been a culture shock.

One other thing I would mention is that travel time is bigger in Texas. We drive further for everything and Houston is spread out. The Houston area takes more than an hour to cross, we have a lot of different hightways and traffic is an issue depending on how far you live from work. My husband commutes 34 miles each way for work and it takes him almost and hour to get there at 4 in the morning. There is good public transportation downtown, but once you are outside that you really need a car and some patience. I drive 30 minutes to the mall and the movies, an hour to the zoo and museums, 2 1/2 hours to the beach, 45 minutes to the lake, and 15-20 minutes to church. So consider that.

Overall it is a great city and a nice place to live, but it is all subjective. Come visit, look around, visit some of the different parts of town. You may come and find it to be the place you were looking for.

Answer 5

I asked a similar question in ref. to a different place and someone left this:

How were the people in the place you left? (answer)
That's how they are here.

I.e., to an extent it's what WE anticipate finding, what we look for and our attitude.

I've lived in Houston and I think you'll NOT have a problem. There is an very active downtown scene w/museums, shows, arts--all there for the taking.

Ahh, the humidity. It's pretty dang humid.. The upside is that if you like to garden? it's AWESOME, you can have a lot of fun/success with that. I don't know about the literary scene--though I suspect there is some, lol. The suburb we lived in had the typical neighborhood book clubs/reading clubs.

The inner loop (down by Rice U., Montrose, etcetera) always looked like a lot of fun to us--we didn't live there as we couldn't afford it-you may be in a great financial situation coming from the east coast.....costs will be much lower than what you have there. (I'm sure you've heard that by now.) No state income tax, but many complain about our taxes. You know all about taxes in NJ, I presume.

I think you'll like it, but yes...trade-offs.
Best of luck, whatever you decide.

To quote from a Lyle Lovett song, "that's right, you're not from Texas, but Texas wants you anyway!" :)

Answer 6

Define "Bible Belt Mentality" for me? It sounds like someone listens to too many stereotypes. While we're at it, define "socially progressive" for me? Sounds like someone isn't very tolerant. No one cares what your religion is... or in your case... isn't.

I grew up in NJ (Westfield). Lived there until I was 16. Hated it here for the first nine months and then grew to love it. Of course I had a girlfriend back there and that made it a tad difficult.

The first thing that hits you about Houston is the humidity. You get used to it, primarily because everything from cars to buildings have air conditioning. Next is the traffic. It is just as bad as trying to get into Manhattan through the Holland Tunnel. Houston is a big, spread out city. I know AJ above hates when I mention it, but this city is 640 square miles, nearly the size of Rhode Island. Hell, greater Houston is nearly the size of New Jersey. That being said, have a car. By the way, evening traffic is better than NJ.

People are, for the most part, nice. They're a lot more straightforward and much less likely to put on airs. At the same time, Texans don't put up with BS. They don't want to hear how great it was back north. We have pride.

What to do here has a lot to do with your living situation and your age. There's something for everyone here. Check out this web site:

http://www.houston-guide.com/

Welcome to Houston. If you give us a chance, you might actually like it here.

Answer 7

Well my parents who are agnostic Russian Jews have called it home for the last 25 years if that helps you out.

Their are a few emimenites for the Russian community such as a few restaurants, a grocery store and a newspaper, but dont expect it to be as much as in the North East.

As for progressive Houston is a pretty liberal city for being in the south.

Also its going to be humid no matter where you live, that is just how Houston is.

As for the people they are genuinely nice, as a Houstonian that is now in New York I can tell you that from personal experience.

I suggest before you make a decision though you should come down and visit and see it for yourself.

Answer 8

Houston is the most humid place on earth! I wondered what heinous crime I committed in a previous life to have been sentenced to visit Houston in August. It's actually a pretty city and cosmopolitan enough to have real culture: ballet, symphony, art, opera, etc. You'll do fine there if you take the job. Just remember to smile and howdy-hi with everyone you meet...Southerners always have time to pass the time of day and seldom react positively to the "hurry-up, I've got more important things to do" attitude New Yorkers and New Jerseyites often display.

PS: Yes, Southern Baptists rule and you'll encounter quaint customs like not being able to buy alcoholic beverages on Sundays, but you'll also find enough fellow travelers that dealing with the Bible Belt isn't all that onerous. Just treat people with respect and they will return the favor.

Answer 9

Hot and humid. Houston is a big dirty city, the last place in TX that most Texans (like me) want to live because of the weather and humidity. August is brutal.

As beaches go, Galveston is gross, but Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and Padre (90 minute drive) are nice, sort of, for gulf coast beaches.

On the plus side, lots of jobs, particulary in oil and gas and health care, top notch medical facilities. Housing is much cheaper than in NJ. Average brick 3/2/2 will run you around 160k or so.

Good luck!

Answer 10

the bagle belt aka Meyerland .
stay in the a/c durning late may-september , oct- may very nice and seaonal. humidity keeps you looking young. (ever seen someone from Arizona?), yes russian jewish are in Meyerland.
Memorial Park , Pro sports teams, museums, shopping is easy to get to and plentifiy variety.ballet and theater good.
mostly geared toward rearing a family though,good for building carreers and working, schooling, or starting a business. some art festival in spring.