I'm a desi and grew up in dallas but now live in Charlotte. I moved because of my family. If I had the choice I would go back in a heart beat. There are tons of IT companies that are looking to hire/recruit ppl with IT experience. I would advise you to live in Plano, Garland or Richardson area, its high to middle class. Many sophisticated desis' live in that area. My family used to live in Irving but its poor to middle class and I didnt like the desi's there they had a cheap mentality. Overall, Allen tx is the nicest part of dallas. Jamie Foxx and Jessica Simpson are from there (I hope that doesnt turn you off). I would suggest you take a trip there first before you move because summers can be brutality hot.
Dallas companies are great, but there is alot of competition in the market. Make sure you are well prepared for the interview because there are many people applying for the same jobs. I work in IT too, but dallas was pretty tough. Dallas companies like diversity so being a desi works in your favor. There are tons of companies that need iT help: Texas Instruments, Experian Credit Bureau Headquarters, Frito Lay (southern divison), Microsoft, Wachovia, Lockheed Martin, Chase, Cap Gemini, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Baylor, Hotels.com corporate, Infosys, Mary Kay Corporation, Neiman Marcus Corporation, Open Connect Systems, Honey Well, Exxon Mobil Headquarters, Citibank and so on. Those are just all I can think of right now.
For elementary and secondary schools, any district is fine (as long as its not Dallas district). Schools are well funded and they provide laptops for their kids for the year. Colleyville, Flowermound, Richardson, Plano are the few have really good learning programs from the start. I have cousins that are doing extraordinary in those districts. Some arlington schools are middle class but they are not that bad. Irving is poor to middle class and I grew up in Irving District and I dont recommend it.
make sure your kids graduate from a DALLAS public high school because if they attend Dallas County Community Colleges, then government will give them a scholorship called the RIsing Star scholarship with gives them $4000 for 3 years and then they get more funds at University of Texas Arlington (UTA) for their junior and senior year. I use to recruit for this scholarship in junior college, and my little brother is on this schorship currently.
For Colleges, there are SMU, UTD, UTA, Baylor Medical, TWU (Texas Women's University), and UNT. I plan to move back and attend TWU because they have an Executive MBA program and GMAT is not required, also they are an accredited university.
Best places to visit is the JFK museum, The Science Place, Omni Theater (3D movies), and Forth Worth World Zoo.
Desi things to do in Dallas are: hindi movies at Funasia, carom team, cricket team, get involved with the radio show, mela events, big masjid in Richardson, hindu temple in Irving, Bhai' Church in FlowerMound Area (I really dont know what's your faith). Oh, best hyderbadi restaurant is Haveli in Irving.
Best places to hang out is addison downtown, improv comedy, mockingbird station, allen outlet shopping, Grapevine Mills Mall, Candle room (its a club), hotel zaza for parties.
If you decide to live in Dallas county, and if you have elders that live with you, then they can qualify for Parkland Hospital Insurance which is wonderful. Its a government plan to take care of their elders and its additional to Medicare.
I LOVE DALLAS and I would love to move back one day. I work in the IT industry too in Charlotte (project managment) but there is not a big desi community here. I have been to Toronto, NYU, Chicago, Raleigh, Charlotte, but I still think Dallas has the best clean environment to raise a desi family.
Answered By: Its me again - 3/8/2007 |