# Texas Life?



## bevo_cruces (Sep 27, 2017)

Hi! Could be moving to Texas (DFW are) within the next 6 months if husband's job goes ahead. His family all live there so that's good.

Just wondering if there are any British expats out there in the DFW area? How are it finding it? Are people in the DFW city area a little more forgiving towards non religious, democratic minded, immigrants than the rest of Texas outside of the cities? 
How's life with tornadoes? Cause for concern or highly unlikely to be affected generally speaking?

Cheers!


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

Been there for five years.

There are a number of British expat groups; check social media. Have you been to the area? It can take you two hours or more during non-rush hour to get from one end to the other. 

A store or two cater to Brits but some of the regular grocery stores carry most of it at lower prices.

Hot and muggy in summer and it can get outright nasty in winter with black ice.

Tornadoes happen. Use common sense an IPhone app, a weather radio and get a tornado shelter/safe room if it makes you feel better.

Why should folks within DFW not fit your stereotype of Texans?

Be prepared for cost of real estate, annual real estate taxes (our neighborhood reached 3.5% of annually assessed value) and overall cost of living.


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## gairloch (Jun 24, 2011)

Summer: hot, damn hot (and that's on a good day). If you are British then it will feel like you are in hell. On the plus side; EVERYTHING has AC.
Winter: Ice, snow, ice storms, wind, rain.
Storms: regular storms; severe storms, flash flooding, electrical storms (are absolutely wonderful to watch BUT STAY INSIDE!!), dust storms, ice storms (previously mentioned); snow storms, rain storms (with the aforementioned flash flooding), wind storms, tornadoes (DFW is in tornado ally; see link for # per year).

People are generally nice; you will drive everywhere (it is the USA after all, and it's Texas). Texans are VERY proud of their state and very patriotic, don't disrespect the USA flag; and support the US Military. (Note, there are exceptions to everything, but you'll be putting a foot wrong if you do.)
They love guns. It's their right to open carry (i.e. carry a loaded firearm in public so do not panic).
If pulled over by a police officer please do the following (remember ALL Police officers are generally armed):
1) Call him 'officer' and be polite (even if you vehemently disagree with him -be polite).
2) Keep you both hands on the wheel (passenger to keep both hands in plain sight and not moving).
3) IF you need to reach for something, just ask the officer and wait until he says 'ok'.
4) Police are generally polite, professional, and just doing their jobs in a dangerous environment. Make them feel that you are not a threat and everything will be fine.


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

I have never managed to get pull over in the US. Well, once two patrol cars with running lights and sirens showed up, two dashing young gentlemen insisted that I step outside (please it is 6 am on Sunday) and that everything would be fine. My precious whiskered furball dialed 911 while baking biscuits on the fax machine.

DFW has walkable areas, public transit and hellish travel. Cost of living between South Dallas and Copell translates to buying groceries at Aldi or MarketPlace.

Open carry finally made it! You do not see much in town; too many exceptions but it is nice not to have to worry about imprinting anymore.

Nobody asked me to go to church not even my Latino neighbors with kids in private catholic school.

Considering the size of DFW - without knowing what area OP's husband will be working in which determines his commute depending on how well he handles traffic - there are just generalities. Whe was the last time you were there? It is built up all the way past Denton on the Ft. Worth side, Justin is now part of town.


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## gairloch (Jun 24, 2011)

I grew up there and had been back for regular visits but now have not gone back for a long time and likely now I will never be back. Though your home town does not ever really leave you.
I swapped the traffic in DFW for San Diego and Virginia Beach. For the record, DFW and San Diego are baaaad. But they do not hold a candle to Germany where you can be stuck in traffic for 6 hours  just trying to get through one city during a 'stau' (German for traffic jam).


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

gairloch said:


> I grew up there and had been back for regular visits but now have not gone back for a long time and likely now I will never be back. Though your home town does not ever really leave you.
> I swapped the traffic in DFW for San Diego and Virginia Beach. For the record, DFW and San Diego are baaaad. But they do not hold a candle to Germany where you can be stuck in traffic for 6 hours  just trying to get through one city during a 'stau' (German for traffic jam).


Trust me Stau has nothing on DFW traffic. Know it too well.We were stuck on 820 the other day and the traffic cop was grateful for a bottle of cold water I handed out of the car window OP has not returned so ...... You would not recognize it.


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