Since I've been telling people about our impending move to Houston, I have been met with a variety of responses. Some are positive ("No more snow!" or "What an adventure!") and some are negative ("Houston is weird" and "Sure, the cost of living is cheap, but it's Texas.") But, the one thing I have heard from both sides is the same: people are really friendly. Last week, I got a sneak peek of the friendly Southern charm of Texans. I called the information center of one of the master-planned communities we are interested in looking at when we head to Houston next week, and the woman who answered was, quite possibly, the nicest person I've talked to in that situation. Not to say Chicagoans are un-friendly, they're not. It's just that the level of friendliness and helpfulness I experienced on the phone last week was a whole new level. The woman I spoke to talked to me about moving from the Midwest to Texas (which she did in 1991), told me I'd have no problem meeting people, and said the only thing she misses about Illinois are basements. Well, I think I'll miss more than our basement, but it sure was nice to hear that she likes Houston. After thinking about it, I realized why this woman was so helpful on the phone: she was more than happy to take the time to talk to me at length. I think this is where calling an info center in Chicago would be different. The person on the other end would be helpful, but he or she would want to move on to the next call or task at hand.
So, with that very limited interaction, at least I have a good first impression about Texans. I hope this trend continues. Once I get down there, I'll need some friends.
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I get angry when people aren't friendly. When I go for walks, I hate it when people who pass don't say hello or even make eye contact as I walk past them. It's just rude. On the other hand, I went through a Starbucks drivethru yesterday, and the young employee working at the window started talking to me about what I was doing this weekend. I was annoyed, thinking, I don't want to talk to you. Just get my coffee and leave me alone. And then I thought, why am I angry? She's just being nice. If she was rude, I'd be upset. I guess you just get used to people not going out of their way to be friendly. When they are, you're taken off guard and are out of your comfort zone. Guess you can't win!
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