Haters Gonna Hate

I know all about being a hater.

I grew up in a small town in western PA. My friends and I were always hating it for being too darn small, suffocating in the way that you couldn't do anything without everyone knowing your business. I visited New York City for the first time in high school and longed to live right in the middle of Times Square, mostly because it was the total opposite of Charleroi.

Living in Pittsburgh for five years, I was surrounded by haters. The snow was too dirty, the taxes too high, the politicians too incompetent, the public transportation too unreliable, the jobs to few and far in between.  My last year there, I felt the rivers closing in on me- I HAD to get out.

Then I moved to Houston. I worked summer school with a bunch of people that were only in Houston for the summer, and they put all the other haters I knew to shame. They had a list of complaints,  and loved to run through them everyday on our commute. I knew I was going to remain in Houston long after they left, and I was already starting to wish I was leaving with them.

I've lived in Houston for seven years for now, and for about seven years have experienced bouts of strong and mild planning to leave. I've interviewed for jobs in other cities, researched costs of living, looked at real estate, grad programs, etc. Every time I would travel for work, I would fantasize about living in that other city. Life would be so much more awesome if I worked at a vineyard in Napa, a non-profit in LA, a school in Brooklyn, a government job in Pittsburgh, a policy job in DC, etc etc etc.

Then, a few months ago, it dawned on me: I was a hater. I've essentially hated everywhere I've lived. It was time for a change, and not in a city, but in me.

I've already changed my feelings on Charleroi; it's amazingly beautiful, unique, and has the best pizza places in the world. I had some amazing friends and adults in my life that had a huge influence on who I have become, and am grateful for having them in my life.

I think part of me will always be a bit desperately homesick for Pittsburgh. Every time I go back I must eat my delicious Italian food in Bloomfield or take in the scenic views on Mt. Washington, or even have a beer at Gene's. I see some of the amazing things that are happening there, like my friend Brett's OnlyinPgh project, and it makes me really want to jump back home and be a part of it all. But, as I learned awhile ago, Pittsburgh is not a center for education reform, and has very little opportunities for me there now.

That brings me to Houston. Now, I believe to truly love something, you must embrace the hate. Pick whatever you most hate about someone/something, and find the positive, make it work. Now, let's address the three most common complaints about Houston:

1) The weather

It gets stupid hot and humid in the summer. The positives of this:
     a) It's not like snow and ice. Driving in the heat is not dangerous.
     b) You can still go outdoors, especially in swimming pool, to the beach, or out at night.
     c) Your skin is never, ever dry.

Yes, I know it's not perfect California weather, but I'm not ever going to be able to afford to live in CA on an educator's salary, so here I am. Also, no one was complaining about the weather today in Houston. It's February 22nd, sunny and 72. Its like this for a lot of Jan, Feb, and March. And through most of the fall. So shut up.

2) The traffic

It sucks. BUT there are a lot of great initiatives like the expansion of the rail line that will help make the city have more alternate transportation systems. So, instead of just sitting around and complaining about not having reliable transportation, Houston is doing something about it!

3) The sprawl


In certain areas, Houston can look like one giant shopping center that just never ends. And even though there is a ton of sprawl, the closer you live to downtown the less likely you are to see it. There are beautiful historic neighborhoods, homes, skyscrapers, etc. Besides, the sprawl isn't all bad; although it's not the prettiest to look at, it's a sign that the city is growing, and fast. It's better than closed down storefronts.

Haters gonna hate, Houston, but I am no longer a hater. You have achieved the goal many have in relationships; you've changed me for the better.