In 2002 India native Neetu Singhal and her husband moved to Arlington to take advantage of a great business opportunity, purchasing the Howard Johnson hotel off I-30 across from Six Flags.
The couple could have lived in another city in North Texas but chose to reside in Arlington. "It's a big city but still has values of a smaller community," says Neetu, who is also the partnerships and programs assistant for the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau.
And Arlington has allowed her to live out her American Dream, which is providing a better future for her 11-year-old son. Things that are helping her dream come true include a great education and plethora of youth activities.
"Back home in India, our education was more like you read the book and you get it," she explains. "Here they get more hands-on. It's a lot different from how we studied."
Plus, her son - who says he wants to be a Texas Ranger when he grows up - never would have gotten the chance to play Little League Baseball and attend summer camps. "Those kinds of opportunities were not available for us growing up."
"He has the best baseball stadium, best football stadium, best theme park," says Neetu with gratitude and admiration. "It's all in his backyard."
Besides providing an ideal environment for raising her son, Neetu appreciates Arlington's diversity. "I love that it's a melting pot of different cultures." She and her husband are self-proclaimed "food junkies" and enjoy sampling every cuisine in Arlington.
American Dream City
Headlines, News