http://www.city-data.com/forum/texas/10566-mcallen.html

It is certainly interesting how different people have different ideas about the same place. I lived in San Antonio for some time before moving back to the valley. San Antonio would be my second choice for a place to live if I were forced to move from the valley. I have lived in Harlingen, McAllen and Edinburg. I have few complaints about the valley.

If you come from Plano, Castle Hills, or some of the expensive places in Austin or Houston, the valley always comes up wanting. Sixth street in Austin and the Riverwalk in San Antonio are pretty exciting if you are young folks. If you compare the valley to the south side of San Antonio or the east side of Austin, things look a little different. Our schools compare favorably to most places in the state, and we have a number of excellent eating places. (Anyone eat at the new Woodlands or Hyashi(sp?) yet) - you should!

Most of my friends and neighbors speak Spanish - I don't - and they are as friendly, kind and courteous as you would find anyplace. The unfriendly, demanding folks are usually temporary people that think that the world should change for them. Like the snow birds, for example!

I am a little worried about the traffic, the illegal alien business and drugs. Laredo has become engulfed in the violence from across the border and if we are not careful we will too. The valley needs to get on the ball working on the streets and highways.

I guess we should be happy that more folks don't want to move down here. After all, it is way too hot and dry, the schools are horrible, there is no place to shop and the people are unfriendly! - not!



[This message has been edited by oldvalleyrat (edited 4/24/2008 5:46p).]

WOW - that RN HATED it down in El Valle. When I was a kid, I could not WAIT to get the helloutta the Valley. Especially after a few semesters in college and going to Houston, Austin & Dallas with roommates and friends. But the older I get, "manana" doesn't seem so bad after all. My mother still lives in Pharr and I go down a few times a year. It always takes me a day or so to "decompress" and get back into the flow (and get into hyper-defensive driving mode). I'm not saying I am going to move back there anytime soon, but if the opportunity arose, who knows. 20 years here in the DFW area and I am pretty tired of the rat race.

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and get into hyper-defensive driving mode)

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I think if you can survive it the valley is one of the best places to learn how to drive.

I mean we have an extremely young population mixed with the yearly Winter Texan influx and then the lost Mexican nationals. It's quite the brew for driving.

My family moved here in 1978 and within 6 months had totalled two cars.

After reading that link I am really surprised. My wife and I both grew up in Memorial area of Houston, went to A&M, moved back to Houston, then San Antonio, then Austin, and now live in McAllen. We love McAllen and love the Valley. We're both Anglo and speak zero Spanish. A friend of mine who is from the Valley told me before we moved down here (2 years ago) that the Valley is great; especially for families, but you will get tired of 'defending the Valley' to every idiot from Dallas, Houston, Austin, etc. who thinks it sucks and there is nothing to do, on and on.

I do tell people that being single here without knowing anyone would be tough, and being married with kids here is great.