Info. on Houston, please

vettech · Mar 11, 2003

Originally posted by OKIE-DOKIE
:) :) Anyone know what Houston's like? I live in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and will be looking into Houston's CRNA programs. Are there a lot of IT/CIS computer jobs there? My husband's getting all of these computer certifications and will need a good computer job in Houston before we can move there. I have a couple of years before I'll be completely ready to go, but I want to do the research now. Any info. would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Can you be a bit more specific? I'm a Houstonian and would be glad to help.

The tech industry in Houston crashed about a year ago. Its recovering now but not quickly.

OKIE-DOKIE · Mar 11, 2003

Well, I was wondering what the weather's like there during the year? Also, is there a lot to do (not that I'll have the time)? How about housing arrangements? We own our home now, but expect to rent when we move there since we won't know if I can stay there for clinicals (I may be forced to move somewhere else in order to attend a primary clinical site). How do you like living there? What do you enjoy about Houston?

vettech · Mar 11, 2003

Originally posted by OKIE-DOKIE
Well, I was wondering what the weather's like there during the year? Also, is there a lot to do (not that I'll have the time)? How about housing arrangements? We own our home now, but expect to rent when we move there since we won't know if I can stay there for clinicals (I may be forced to move somewhere else in order to attend a primary clinical site). How do you like living there? What do you enjoy about Houston?

Ahhh, the weather. There's two ways to look at our weather here. On the negative side, I've heard it described as "We have 4 seasons - Almost Summer, Summer, REALLY Summer and Not Summer" A typical August day here has highs in the upper 90s with humidity in the low to mid 90's. As a classmate from Toronto once described it, "Summer in Houston is like living in a dog's mouth."

On the plus side, we basically don't have a winter. We get a few days of lows in the 20's and a month of 30's. We get snow maybe once every 3 years and then its usually in the 1/4" to 1/2" range and even then only about half the city sees it (north/northwest and west sides usually).

It rains A LOT here. We're one of the wettest cities in the US.

A lot to do? Hmmmmm, yeah, I'd say so. Not much that would be "tourist attractions" aside from NASA or the sports stadiums but we have about anything you could want to see or do - clubs, beaches, lakes, museums, a really good zoo, opera, symphony (on strike currently), 3 of the 4 major sports (but also have IHL Hockey), parks (too few IMHO). Hunting and fishing isn't too far a drive, esp the latter.

From the medical prespective, this is a great city to live in. The Texas Medical Center the largest in North America and employs 61,000+ people in the hospitals, another 10,000 in adjacent facilities. According to their site, there are "6,041 licensed beds; 426 bassinets" in the Center.

Texas Medical Center

You asked how I like living here... that's actually a tough question at this point. This city is my home but after grad, I'm outta here, likely to either NM or WA. This city has everything a person could want in a city but a lot of things I could do without. Being the 4th largest city in the US, it has the usual problems of crime, traffic, pollution, etc and I'd like a break from that. I may very well come home as soon as I've finished my first contract but I want a change. Maybe its just wanderlust.

My reccomendation is definately come to Houston, but live in the 'burbs. Our mass transit is a joke but should you be employed in the Med Center, you can ride a Park'n Ride bus from the far edges of the metro area straight to the TMC. For hubby, the IT jobs aren't really concentrated in any one area although Compaq/HP is on the NW side (look for areas called "Jersey Village, Cypress or Copperfield - those will be near Compaq)

If you want specifics on a particular neighborhood, I'll help if you tell me the area you're looking at. Don't plan on living near the Med Center. Any neighborhood close to TMC will be really expensive for the most part.

OKIE-DOKIE · Mar 11, 2003

Thanks, Vettech! Your information was helpful to say the least! Are you going to school in Texas I assume? Which one? CRNA program? If so, how do you like it, and what are your challenges?

Thanks!!