# Houston-what you wish you'd known when you moved there



## Alizoo (Jun 6, 2013)

I'm going to be relocating to Houston with my husband who has been offered a job and expat package. I've been doing a bit of research but nothing beats knowledge and experience on the ground.

So thinking about living and working in Houston, what do you wish you'd been told or had known before you moved or just after you arrived...but had to find out the hard way?


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## cheeser (Jan 22, 2012)

Not specific to Houston, but: If you do your driving test in a rental car, make sure you tell the rental car place and get them to write a letter to bring to the DMV.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

It would be great to have your own pool. Or live very close to the community pool. As summers aren't like you are used to in the UK. ;-)


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## visual effects editor (Dec 25, 2011)

Hope you like REAL Americans! I love the UK but Texas is very different. Americans are free and Texans are very free and have a very pro America attitude. Texas is not like New York or California. Lots of guns (for real) in Texas and pickup trucks and cowboy hats and boots. Really good food. People in Texas shoot first and ask questions later. It is a right wing state and Socialists are used for target practice. Do you watch BBC or SKY? Because you are in SKY land times 100 now. Texans are super friendly. Austin is the best city if you can afford it. Small tornadoes are possible in Houston and surrounding areas, hurricanes in the south, flat land, wind always blowing, hot and humid like you can't believe. I am sure you don't believe me now, but you will.


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## Alizoo (Jun 6, 2013)

visual effects editor said:


> Hope you like REAL Americans! I love the UK but Texas is very different. Americans are free and Texans are very free and have a very pro America attitude. Texas is not like New York or California. Lots of guns (for real) in Texas and pickup trucks and cowboy hats and boots. Really good food. People in Texas shoot first and ask questions later. It is a right wing state and Socialists are used for target practice. Do you watch BBC or SKY? Because you are in SKY land times 100 now. Texans are super friendly. Austin is the best city if you can afford it. Small tornadoes are possible in Houston and surrounding areas, hurricanes in the south, flat land, wind always blowing, hot and humid like you can't believe. I am sure you don't believe me now, but you will.


Thanks VEE, I do love the States and have visited 4 times now, but never Texas - yet! I can't wait for the rodeo in February and to live somewhere where men wear ten gallon hats, tip their hats to you and call you "ma'am". I've heard about the mega humidity and will just have to cope! I am a BBC watcher despite it's relentless left wing bias so will maybe fit right in! We will visit Austin for sure but will live in Houston where my husband's job is going to be. I've already told him I want us to get a semi or a hummer! :clap2:


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## Alizoo (Jun 6, 2013)

EVHB said:


> It would be great to have your own pool. Or live very close to the community pool. As summers aren't like you are used to in the UK. ;-)


Yes I've heard about the humidity...I plan on actually living in the pool during the summer and will work on growing gills and webbed feet!


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## nishma (Jan 8, 2013)

Hi we are moving to Houston soon! We went over Easter to check it out and loved it!!

I sadly did not see any cowboy boots or hats on guys.... I think may have to visit Dallas for that 

What we doing this end:
-HSBC dollar account
-Foreign driving licence from post office, valid for a year before you need to take a test
-Take your car insurance to prove years of NCB may or may help but worth taking
-Teabags!!! Their tea was not very nice!

Nish


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## bellakem (May 20, 2012)

Get a good navigation system. You will get lost a lot as everything looks the same. The most annoying part is the same street has like 3 names, so one minute, you are on alameda, boom..it changes to 521, then boom...another name..so of course you think you are lost, and it's another 3 miles before you can turn around...
- live close to work, or be near a tollway/ highway if you are in the suburb 
The only time you really see the 10 gallon hats etc is during the rodeo. There are lots of trucks though..


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

nishma said:


> Hi we are moving to Houston soon! We went over Easter to check it out and loved it!!
> 
> I sadly did not see any cowboy boots or hats on guys.... I think may have to visit Dallas for that
> 
> ...


TxDPS - Moving to Texas


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## nishma (Jan 8, 2013)

Hi I cant open it


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## twostep (Apr 3, 2008)

nishma said:


> Hi I cant open it


I have no problem with it. Google "Texas Department of Public Safety"; moving to Texas, driver license


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## Glen10 (Jul 24, 2012)

Alizoo said:


> Thanks VEE, I do love the States and have visited 4 times now, but never Texas - yet! I can't wait for the rodeo in February and to live somewhere where men wear ten gallon hats, tip their hats to you and call you "ma'am". I've heard about the mega humidity and will just have to cope! I am a BBC watcher despite it's relentless left wing bias so will maybe fit right in! We will visit Austin for sure but will live in Houston where my husband's job is going to be. I've already told him I want us to get a semi or a hummer! :clap2:


If you're looking to experience(or observe) the cowboy lifestyle, you need to be in west Texas. Actually, you see more of that in Montana or Wyoming. Personally, I like Austin or San Antonio more than Houston, but I'm sure there are some nice places--it's all about location....


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## smurf1980 (Jun 11, 2013)

Hi guys

I'm looking for some advice on how to Emigrate to Canada or the US. 
I'm a mature UK student in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, I will finish my Beng Honors Degree in June 2015. But previous to this I worked on the overhead lines up and down the UK for over 8 years this ranged from 11kV pole lines TO 400kV transmission lines. 
I will be 35 when i graduate will that be a problem and how would i go about getting a job 
Kind Regards 
Steve


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## Smitty74799 (Jun 11, 2013)

Ali, I currently live in Houston. I think the best advice I could give you is: not to make the decision for your permanent residence quickly or without a lot of consideration. Houston is spread out and traffic and commuting is probably one of your biggest decisions for me. If by chance your or spouse's work is in the downtown area, you might consider that as many areas are being revitalized and the chance for investment might be there (not really suggesting that, not my cup of tea -- city living but some I work with do it and look to do well on their investment). This is a real American city and you need to drive or live close to everything you need -- just another consideration. Houston is booming and very cosmopolitan if you are adventurous. Lots of things to do right in town or close and if you're just a little out-going you'll love Texas and Texans. Wish you well. Kevin


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## Alizoo (Jun 6, 2013)

Smitty74799 said:


> Ali, I currently live in Houston. I think the best advice I could give you is: not to make the decision for your permanent residence quickly or without a lot of consideration. Houston is spread out and traffic and commuting is probably one of your biggest decisions for me. If by chance your or spouse's work is in the downtown area, you might consider that as many areas are being revitalized and the chance for investment might be there (not really suggesting that, not my cup of tea -- city living but some I work with do it and look to do well on their investment). This is a real American city and you need to drive or live close to everything you need -- just another consideration. Houston is booming and very cosmopolitan if you are adventurous. Lots of things to do right in town or close and if you're just a little out-going you'll love Texas and Texans. Wish you well. Kevin


Thank you Kevin. Yes work will be downtown so we are already thinking of Montrose, Houston Heights or even right in the downtown area, having heard about the extreme traffic. I reckon for the first couple of months or even longer we'll live in a downtown apartment hotel and spend as long as we need finding the right place to live. We live right in central London now so are kind of used to having everything on our doorstep. We don't have kids so can please ourselves!


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## gra80 (Nov 11, 2011)

Alizoo said:


> Thank you Kevin. Yes work will be downtown so we are already thinking of Montrose, Houston Heights or even right in the downtown area, having heard about the extreme traffic. I reckon for the first couple of months or even longer we'll live in a downtown apartment hotel and spend as long as we need finding the right place to live. We live right in central London now so are kind of used to having everything on our doorstep. We don't have kids so can please ourselves!


You may want to consider sugarland...its approx 15-20mins away from downtown houston on the I-59 and is a really nice place. Only downside is that its all very modern (maybe 10-15yrs) and still has a bit of a toy town feel to it - similar to canary wharf.

You will definitely need a car though wherever you end up, houston = urban sprawl


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## Smitty74799 (Jun 11, 2013)

Alizoo said:


> Thank you Kevin. Yes work will be downtown so we are already thinking of Montrose, Houston Heights or even right in the downtown area, having heard about the extreme traffic. I reckon for the first couple of months or even longer we'll live in a downtown apartment hotel and spend as long as we need finding the right place to live. We live right in central London now so are kind of used to having everything on our doorstep. We don't have kids so can please ourselves!


I think you're going about it the best way, especially the temp apt/hotel for at least a couple of months. You'll find lots to do in the area. Again, best of luck to you. Kevin


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## Alizoo (Jun 6, 2013)

gra80 said:


> You may want to consider sugarland...its approx 15-20mins away from downtown houston on the I-59 and is a really nice place. Only downside is that its all very modern (maybe 10-15yrs) and still has a bit of a toy town feel to it - similar to canary wharf.
> 
> You will definitely need a car though wherever you end up, houston = urban sprawl


Thanks Gra80, that looks interesting - all that water. Can you swim around there or would you get mown down by a powerboat!? We'll definitely get a car as we know we'll need one for our epic road trip adventures! :clap2:


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## Talisker59 (Oct 16, 2009)

*New in Houston*

You must get comfortable with moving around Houston. You will almost certainly need 2 cars, and will absolutely need a GPS in each car. Take the plunge and get comfortable driving on freeways, as they are the best (only good) way to get around - 20-odd lanes at the I-10 / Beltway junction is a photo worth sending home, and again, justifies that GPS.

Houston is the friendliest, most welcoming, most curious place that I have lived. If you are lonely here, you're really trying to be.

My wife says you need to recruit somebody with local knowledge and go to the supermarket, to learn what common food items are called here. The shop bread is rubbish BTW. 

Ditto the hardware store terminology - it's a whole New World. 

There's a wee book called "speaking American" or some such. Get it and you'll better understand your new home.

USA is big on "following the rules" so be patient with the system - getting a driver's license, getting a Social Security Number, accumulating a credit rating, putting up deposits for utilities cos you don't have a credit rating, opening bank accounts, will all be things you will smile about later.

And y'all have fun !


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## barbarazzi (Apr 22, 2012)

Hi, sorry to piggy back on this thread but was wondering if anyone can tell me what the deal is with air pollution in Texas? I've read quite a lot of negative stuff about Houston in particular. We are thinking about a move to the outskirts, possibly the Woodlands.


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## Smitty74799 (Jun 11, 2013)

I think the air quality is better than any large city. The weather cycle here either from the north or south clears it out pretty well. However, being a semi-tropical climate especially closer to the gulf you are there can also be lots of allergens in the air at any time of the year. But you wouldn't escape that anywhere around Houston though. For me worries about air quality here wouldn't be a factor in location unless near one of the refinery areas--commuting distance would be the main factor.


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