Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
My name is Meredith Masel. I run the Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Health
Care at UTMB and I've lived here since 2002.
My name is Todd Masel. I am a Neurologist specializing in Epilepsy here at UTMB and
I've lived here all my life. I was actually born at UTMB.
Growing up in Galveston was a unique experience and it was fantastic. I wouldn't trade it
for anything.
Before Galveston I was born in New Jersey. I moved around a little bit after that and
wound up in Austin where Todd and I met.
I thought Austin was the greatest place on Earth.
So, it was very difficult for me to make the decision to move down here.
I didn't know the city at all.
And, then, I very quickly grew to love it.
Despite the fact that Galveston is a relatively small city in the state of Texas, I don't
think it fits any of the stereotypes of a small Texas town.
It has kind of a coastal mentality. Everybody here is very laid-back. And everybody is very
welcoming to each other.
We live closer to the West End of the island near Moody Gardens.
Its like you're living in the suburbs, except you're five or ten minutes from downtown.
So, you get the quiet, you know kids can play outside, kind of feel, but you're really so
close to everything still.
We have some wonderful daycare facilities. And, not only that, they are affordable.
What you can get as far as teacher ratios and curriculum and quality, you would pay
double off the island.
And we know that its a nurturing environment for them.
I'm a product of the public school system in Galveston, we send our kids to public school
and without any regrets.
Having seen what the public school system is like here, I recommend it without hesitation.
Ball High School produces a very large number of National Merit Finalists and National Merit
Scholars.
They have fantastic teachers, fantastic resources and they have all the tools that a person
needs to succeed as long as they are motivated.
Another thing that's wonderful about raising your kids here is that there are a million
things to do that you do on vacations.
All summer long, we take our children to the beach every Saturday and Sunday. And, I keep
a beach bag in the back of my car in case I want to do that with them after school.
There are unique things here. We have a very interesting historical presence in Texas.
We have a lot of local, homegrown restaurants that I really like to visit.
There are great community activities like our Artwalk that goes on every summer.
You know, there's also a really exciting night-life. You know there's a really bustling scene down
there on Friday and Saturday nights down on The Strand.
When you're driving down the Seawall to work and you see people jogging, you see people
flying kites, surfing, fishing, riding bikes, you feel like you're on vacation.
Yeah, its hard to believe that this is mine -- that I live here, when I drive down that
Seawall.
Our six-year-old, a few months ago, we were eating at a restaurant on the Seawall. And,
he and I were looking out at the water and he actually did say to me, "Dad, we're really
lucky to live in Galveston, aren't we?" I absolutely agree with that.
I think its a great place to raise a family.