The female is from Michigan and has been trying to convince me to move there so we can be near her family (mine sucks for the most part). I'm not a fan of being cold, which makes me VERY reluctant to want to live there, but I am trying to be fair about the situation and not dismiss the idea entirely. Her family would help us with our child (mine does not), which would make our lives a lot easier. I'm looking into it because of that -and because she would be happier. If she is happier, I am happier, so I have to consider it.  

I have visited before, and I do like the state and the area she is from (near Port Huron). I think I could be happy enough living there in most ways, but a week-long vacation isn't enough to make a decision to make a *probably* permanent move across the country.

I am a high school teacher, and I'm curious how it is teaching in Michigan. One thing I know already is that I wouldn't have to try to teach English to a class where half of the students only speak Spanish, which is pretty common here.

You could teach English  over here in West MI. Lots of Texas plates here .

In Port Huron not so much

Being married to a teacher who spent the last 6 years looking for a full time position (and got one this year), no.  Go somewhere else.

I agree.

If you weren't a teacher I'd recommend this state in a heartbeat.  I love Michigan. That said, teachers and education have taken a hard hit here.  My mom is a teacher and has said the government has made her job much harder in recent years and she hasn't had a pay raise in almost ten years now.  My buddy's fiancee just got a teaching job in metro Detroit with a starting salary of $25k.  The state itself is pretty good though.

Forget about it.   My wife is a teacher, she has taken a few pay cuts, the insurance has gotten pretty crappy, she has only stayed ahead of the layoffs by pursuing more education.   We have already decided that if she loses her job we are moving to TX.

Our stories are very similar. My wife and I moved from Central Texas to Northern Michigan in June. I'm a dyed in the wool Texan and thought I would never leave, but my wife is from Michigan and wanted to be closer to her family. She resigned from her teaching job in a large ISD in the Austin area, and people warned us about moving here due to the teaching situation. Well things worked out exactly how we hoped, and she accepted an offer to teach lower elementary after 3 weeks of us being here.

I searched the different ISD and consortium websites for job postings for almost a year before we moved, and found that there was an abundance of secondary openings compared to elementary spots.

I can tell you that the MESSA health insurance through the school in MI is a LOT better and considerably cheaper than the BCBS of TX plan through the ISD back home. As far as pay, she had three years prior teaching experience in TX so the new school honored that on the pay scale. The difference between salary in TX and MI really isn't that much.

I can't offer much on the cold weather since this will be my first winter outside of Texas.

I don't know anything about Port Huron, but I can tell you that moving from Austin to Northern MI has been a real eye opener. I took for granted all of the luxuries of living in a large city with restaurant and retail selections, along with diversity. I think that after a few years of living here we will both we ready to head South again.

With all of that being said, it is absolutely gorgeous here and being able to shoot or ride my dirt bike anytime I want is a huge plus.

Hope you bought your snow tires. I hear this winter will be a good one

Teachers in our district with a masters degree and 20+ years are over six figures in many cases.  This is the case in the north end of Oakland and probably Macomb county.  Not sure if it is state law or not but you can only teach your major in every district I am aware of.

Also getting ready to move to MI from Dallas, for the same reason as OP. Spent last 2 years commuting back and forth, spending about a week per month up there (more in the summer, less in the winter :) ). Really like the area (will be settling down in South Lyon), and don't really mind the winter all that much. Sounds like we may need a Texas Hometown sub-forum inside the Michigan HT forum. :)

Now trying to figure out what I can bring there with me (have a few NFA items - cans and SBRs), what to sell before I go, or what to buy to bring with me... From a little bit of reading I've done, guns laws are going to be a little difficult to adjust to compared to TX, but oh well... she's worth it. Also, do I need to register any of my guns (or do anything else) when I get there?

Well our gun laws are pretty relaxed. As far as I know we have no restrictions on what you can have. Nfa item are welcome but I'm not sure if you would have to reregister or not. And handgunso you might have to.

Also move to grand Rapids, we got a class 3 dealer and a shirt ton of gun shops and plenty of work. Also it's beer city usa.

NFA is good to go.



Handguns must be registered. Long guns no.



 

If your going to be anywhere north of Port Huron (Sandusky, Caro, or Bad Axe) I would advise you to stay home.

I just finished my move from north Sanilac County and I will never, EVER, go back.

The Worst 17 years I ever spent anywhere.