Onward to Texas!

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.

The hubby and I have decided to move to Texas in June. Reasons being that as beautiful as California is, do I really want to pay $600k for a 3 bedroom home when I can get a mansion in Texas for the same price? Plus the Bay Area traffic and increasing prices from the Tech Crowd is changing the whole dynamic of the area and I just want out! Hubby is also a Republican and Texas is like Mecca for him :rolleyes:

I love my job and the only reason I'm skipping town is for our future and all that jazz, blah, blah, blah. We are looking to move to Amarillo because I have a friend who works at a great hospital there and I think I could get a position there with no acute care. I want to take a refresher class and I'm already talked to a recruiter so I think my prospects are good. However, I love school nursing and I would like to know if anyone could give me some insight on school nursing either in the Panhandle or in Texas in general. I know either way it will be a major pay cut for me, but the drop in the cost of living will be worth it (currently we are renting a 2 bedroom/2 bath townhouse for $2150/month!).

Someone give me advice, hope, or talk me out of going back to the small town, desert life :chicken:

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Bring it on girl and Howdy!! The first thing you won't miss is state income tax. We ain't got none of that here. If you don't own one already you'll need to get a pickup; especially in Amarillo. Any help I can be just let me know - of course Amarillo is still 650 miles away from me but that's not too far.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
Bring it on girl and Howdy!! The first thing you won't miss is state income tax. We ain't got none of that here. If you don't own one already you'll need to get a pickup; especially in Amarillo. Any help I can be just let me know - of course Amarillo is still 650 miles away from me but that's not too far.

Pick up? I'll talk to the hubby about that one. There's height requirements for that right? I was looking in to getting a Subaru or something for all-wheel drive for the Winter. But my Corolla is only 2 years old so we'll see. The hubby does need to get rid of his little GTI. Maybe I can convince him to trade it in for a Ford or Chevy pick up.

I am so elated for the no state income tax! Cali is killing me! I can't wait to see my 1st pay check with my martial deductions. Ridiculous.

Do ya'll need a School Nurse Credential in the State? Do I also need Cowgirl boots? And a long sleeve red shirt that's monogrammed?

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

No school nurse credentialing required. Cowgirl boots only for formal occasions. Monogrammed long sleeve red shirt is optional; but you probably ought to wear some kind of top. You can get a combination hunting and fishing license. Lot of lakes up there and big deer.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.

The hubby has already mentioned that I need to learn to skin and cook a deer. Yeah...I'm not that Southern.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I'm a native Californian who has been in Texas since 2005. However, I couldn't imagine living in Amarillo: due to the Panhandle's proximity to Colorado and Kansas, Amarillo gets hit with blizzard-like wintry weather. Also, the culture seems dreadful.

I'm a large city girl...I'd need to be in Houston, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
I'm a native Californian who has been in Texas since 2005. However, I couldn't imagine living in Amarillo: due to the Panhandle's proximity to Colorado and Kansas, Amarillo gets hit with blizzard-like wintry weather. Also, the culture seems dreadful.

I'm a large city girl...I'd need to be in Houston, Dallas, Austin or San Antonio.

I would love to move to Austin! This hospital is just willing to accept new grads/inexperienced nurses, but still a great hospital so it's worth it. I moved to the middle of no where in So Cal and survived 120 degrees ( yes that was the temp, 122F). I really liked it and only moved back to the Bay because my mom got sick. I might end up liking Amarillo. Austin and Dallas are on my radar once I get more experience.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I would love to move to Austin! This hospital is just willing to accept new grads/inexperienced nurses, but still a great hospital so it's worth it. I moved to the middle of no where in So Cal and survived 120 degrees ( yes that was the temp, 122F). I really liked it and only moved back to the Bay because my mom got sick. I might end up liking Amarillo. Austin and Dallas are on my radar once I get more experience.

Forget Austin. You have to bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store or you have to buy them while you're there, plastic bags not lawful. And they are trying to ban BBQ smoke from leaving the BBQ places property.

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Blue State, the Bluest of the Blue, to Red State, the Reddest of the Red.

Hmmm...

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Blue State, the Bluest of the Blue, to Red State, the Reddest of the Red.

Hmmm...

Yep, you hit the nail on the head. I experienced quite the culture shock when I first relocated here 10+ years ago.
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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
Yep, you hit the nail on the head. I experienced quite the culture shock when I first relocated here 10+ years ago.

So how are you feeling about it now?

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health Nurse.
Blue State, the Bluest of the Blue, to Red State, the Reddest of the Red.

Hmmm...

Well I'm from Louisiana. How much worse can it be? Okay..New Orleans which is the only Blue part of Louisiana, but still.

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