Reviews & Comments
Houston, TX
Several Things to Know -
12/31/2017Hello, I have lived in Houston for 9 years now, and I want to share some good and bad.
First, the good:
- Diversity. With many cultures present in the city, one can have a more colourful experience. There are even many places of worship for Muslims, Hindus, etc.
- Various neighbourhoods, with enough distinction between them. Mahatma Gandhi District, Alief, Fifth Ward, Montrose, etc.
- A bit more growing pride. Streets have been a bit cleaner (less litter) now than when I first moved here.
- Opportunities. Houston has been a gas and oil city, but other ventures, such as health and technology, are available.
- Houston area has a 4.1% unemployment rate as I am writing this.
- Compared to other US cities especially Chicago, less severe winter weather.
- Tonnes of museums. Museum of Fine Arts can be interesting, in my opinion.
- Very large medical research
- Infrastructure is not too bad, though could be much better (especially for public transport, etc)
- New buildings
- Not as expensive as NYC, though I will stop short of saying it's a bargain.
- Also considering that the cost of living is medium, salaries are very good. It's a good thing, especially since I hear complaints about other cities having low wages to go along with low/medium cost of living.
- A foodie city. Any type of cuisine you want, it is present right here. And it is also quality food. I believe many national publications have praised Houston's restaurant scene.
- Universities such as University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and Rice University.
- Places like West University Place/Bellaire have really nice housing.
- Wide selection in the Houston Galleria, on par with the greatest malls on the globe. From the lower priced goods and world-renowned luxury brands, it's all there.
- Not just the Galleria, but many luxury boutiques are built up in other places too.
- For the state of Texas, the most international destinations for an airport (IAH).
Now, the bad:
- Outside the city, not so much good. More crass and intolerant people in the outskirts. Even personally saw young white American males making death threats to a Muslim girl.
- Racial tensions are indeed high once you're outside the city of Houston itself, yet people still deny it. People in Conroe, Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood, etc. aren't very nice (especially to people from another ethnic background or even another region of the US), to say the least. :( Or if they are nice, superficially at best, as they aren't as interested in learning or understanding different cultures and their concerns.
- A bit too materialistic. Many like to show off, especially since many people want big homes and gas-guzzling vehicles. Some go even further by advocating getting rid of public health programmes altogether in order to have lower taxes. There is a strong perception that programmes like universal health care and food stamps can lead to laziness and that no working person desires to use such programmes. But even Singapore (which is very capitalist) has universal health care, I'm just saying. A bit juxtaposed with the outstanding medical research in Houston, don't you think?
- Weather outside the winter can be unsettling. High humidity and temperatures even reaching over 40°C.
- Not to mention the typhoons/hurricanes. Which can lead to severe flooding in many areas.
- A high amount of seedy areas. I'm a bit concerned of crime and I don't watch the news or read newspaper frequently.
- Going from area to area can take an hour sometimes, and that is without traffic.
- Drivers aren't very friendly or courteous, or even skillful for that matter. They can drive fast, but they don't exactly make proper manoeuvres.
- Human trafficking is still a major problem, despite local efforts to curb it.
Neutral:
- An extremely high amount of evangelical Christians for a big city; they have a very pervasive influence over the local culture and politics. You even hear Jesus songs/programmes on pop radio and mainstream TV.
- A wide majority of white suburbanites in the area admire President Donald Trump, even praised some of his more controversial policies such as the "Muslim ban," mass deportations, and the wall to be built on the Mexican border. If you can handle it, maybe you can live. If not, you will have a hard time.
- A bit more blue-collar than some are used to. Lifted pickups and camouflage are not exactly the norm for big cities, is it? Granted, many refineries here, but still.
- The gun culture is very present. It may be a culture shock, especially if you come from Europe or Asia. I mean to the point that people do literally dream of owning machine guns and military rifles, even if they are not off to war.
- A lot of tolls. Many of them are well maintained, but if one isn't entertained by the idea of paying every time they drive on a road, as if paying for fuel isn't enough, it may be less convenient.
- For a non-zoned city, I would personally like to see better public transport and more tall residential buildings.
I hope this helps the decision on whether to move to Houston or not, or at least what you'll experience when you become a transplant/expat to this city. Good luck and cheers!