Is Houston Different?

As the website name implies, I am a native Houstonian.  Born here and have lived the majority of my life here.  

So I’m always interested in how others who have moved here feel about Houston from an outside perspective.   Anecdotally,  I have met a lot more people who have moved here than have left – a multiple.

In a recent conversation with someone who had moved here as an adult after living all over the world and was not originally from here, we were discussing the question – “Is Houston different”?

I walked away from the conversation with both of us saying “yes” to the question.

The example we discussed was something we had both experienced.   After Hurricane Harvey, we both, separately, had volunteered at the GRB (George R Brown convention center).  The GRB was providing meals and shelter for those impacted by the hurricane.

I actually was not able to make a substantial contribution to the event because the line TO VOLUNTEER was over 100 people.  Imagine waiting in a line, a long line, to volunteer.

I ask the person I was having the conversation with, “Well doesn’t this happen everywhere, a long line to volunteer?”  Living in Houston all my life, I wasn’t surprised there was a line to volunteer. 

His answer, “No, it doesn’t happen everywhere.”

So is Houston different?