Texas Transplant

Howdy All,

Moved to Southwest OK five years ago from DFW. It was a major culture shock, for many reasons.

After 5 years, many trips to OKC and the occasional trip home, I'm somewhat dismayed to report a growing attachment to OK. OKC, specifically.

I have determined that I am indeed, a city girl. Which city would I choose? My daughter is lobbying for my return to Fort Worth. I thought about splitting the difference between family and moving to Wichita Falls. I don't really like Wichita Falls.

Having lived in Dallas and Fort Worth, I started comparing the two, to OKC. In the past few years, I've driven around, walked through town and investigated. Even took the kids with me, to get their impressions. I think I've become infatuated with OKC. It's becoming everything I always wanted for Fort Worth. Even the kids said it was nicer, cleaner and felt more safe. They were impressed with Bricktown. I love Bricktown because it reminds me of home.

Any other transplants who opted to live and work in OKC, over DFW? Do you feel like a traitor?

Thanks All.

What a nice post and a great compliment.. thanks for sharing your thoughts and impressions of OKC.

The reasons you mentioned above are some of the reasons that have kept me here in OK instead of moving elsewhere as well.

It's pretty interesting and novel to see first hand the renaissance of a city... almost like a phoenix rising... with the negative connotations of the dustbowl, the oil bust, the bombing tragedy and even damaging fatal tornadoes, it is even more sweet to see the positive side of OK emerge.

Welcome to OK!

__________________
“In the end we are all separate: our stories, no matter how similar, come to a fork and diverge. We are drawn to each other because of our similarities, but it is our differences we must learn to respect.”

Safety. I'm about it. Look how we took care of the "gang" [ok, wannabes] in the bricktown area... do we still have that problem?? I don't think so.

Take it from another Texas transplant, I'd take OKC over DFW any day of the week, "and twice on Sundays." If for absolutely no other reason, then traffic. I live in Edmond, and the traffic doesn't seem to spill into Edmond proper. If I have to get out on the highways during rush hour, sure they're busy, but they don't make me want to pull my hair out, one strand at a time. DFW and Austin both do this to me (as does the signage in Houston - I guess they like people to stay lost there). I love Texas and I really miss it, but I would not leave this place for Dallas or Ft. Worth. Or Austin, live music scene or no. (Houston can just take a flying leap. San Antonio, well...) Let's just say OKC grows on you. My pappy told me I'd grow webbed feet if I left Texas to move here. I've been here a few years and my toes still move freely. I'm staying.

Haha! What an ironic thread. i was just talking about this with some friends of mine at home. I am going to OU for school but I grew up in Plano, just north of Dallas. After being here for 4 years, I just have a hard time accepting any sort of possiblity of moving back there. This place does grow on you after time, the especially the friendly people and easy pace of life. In a way OK represents what Texas used to be before everyone from CA, NY, and the midwest decided to move there. During a summer internship in Houston last summer, I felt like such a fish outta water, I was so glad in August I got to come back home to Oklahoma! I have gotton so much flack from friends and even my parents (ironically, both are from here) on why I would ever want to stay in Oklahoma when I have the opportunity to move back to TEXAS, the greatest state EVER! I must admit I do like Texas but that state is just really changing, in some ways for the worst. I think I pretty much decided on staying in Oklahoma when I heard on the news that in 8-10 years DFW will have over 7 million people. YIKES!

Amen brotha.

That's just Rick Perry.

In 1989 my sister and I were going to move to Dallas together. I met my husband in the mean time and stayed here while she moved. Every time I visit her in Dallas I thank God I didn't move. I always end up being so tired because fighting the traffice just takes an emotional toll on me. I'm sure you get used to it if you live there but it seems like it takes forever to get anywhere.

I really wanted to go home to Fort Worth, but Chesapeake owns the place. They made me rethink my course of study, and home. I wanted to work for Cross Timbers. I used to work for Schlumberger and Exxon. The drilling makes me glad I live in OK. I moved to N. Dallas, then Plano, 10 years ago. North Texas is suing for our water. What water? Don't they read the papers?

Fort Worth is no longer home. Too many people from out-of-state, OKC feels like MY old Fort Worth. No offense to my brethren, but it's pretty bad when one has to move to Oklahoma to feel like "Old Texas".