From Global Cities to H-Town
Derrick Wittman explains what makes Houston different
I sat down with Derrick Wittman to discuss Houston, where he came from, what shaped his perspective, and how a city he never planned to live in slowly became home. What came of it wasn’t a travel story or a relocation tale, but a reflection on community, work, and what it means to experience a place beyond first impressions truly. Derrick doesn’t talk about Houston like a tourist or a trend-chaser. He talks about it as if he arrived skeptical, and stayed because the city proved him wrong.
Originally from Colorado Springs, Derrick grew up with a distant view of Texas. Like many people from outside the region, Houston was never a destination he imagined for himself. He had lived elsewhere, traveled extensively, and seen how cities around the world functioned. Houston, in his mind, was just another large American sprawl, hot, flat, and unfamiliar.
Life took him in a different direction.
While traveling overseas, Derrick met his former wife in New Zealand. She was from Houston, and after time in Fort Lauderdale, the decision was made to move to Texas amid the uncertainty of the COVID era. It wasn’t a move driven by excitement. It was practical. Temporary. It was temporary, at least initially.
His first moment in Houston was unmistakable.
“The heat,” he recalls. “You feel it immediately. It’s not subtle.”
But as the days turned into months, what stayed with him wasn’t the weather, it was the people.
A City Built on Community
What surprised Derrick most about Houston was how easily people connected. Coming from Colorado, where interactions often felt more reserved, Houston felt open in a way he hadn’t experienced before. Neighbors talked. Conversations happened naturally. People engaged across backgrounds without ceremony.
“That sense of community stood out,” he says. “It’s different here.”
Houston didn’t feel curated or performative. It felt lived in.
Seeing Houston Through a Global Lens
Derrick has traveled to 88 countries, experiencing cities across continents and cultures. That perspective shaped how he saw Houston, not as chaotic, but as uniquely balanced.
“This is the most diverse city I’ve ever been to,” he says.
What makes Houston different, in his view, is how that diversity functions. Unlike cities where cultures exist in isolated pockets or feel like branding tools, Houston blends everything together. People work. They live side by side. They share space.
“In other cities, diversity feels like a feature,” he explains. “In Houston, it’s just normal life.”
From Westheimer to Sugar Land, from Midtown to the Heights, each neighborhood carries a distinct cultural identity. Each neighborhood carries not subtle differences, but full shifts in language, food, rhythm, and energy.
“You can’t judge Houston by one neighborhood,” Derrick says. “It’s too big for that.”
A Working City at Its Core
For Derrick, Houston’s defining characteristic is its work ethic.
“You have to want to work to love Houston,” he says. “This is a working-class city.”
He describes Houston as one of the last major American cities where work still defines daily life, not image, not lifestyle branding, but effort. People are here to build something. That shared drive, he believes, creates an unspoken bond across cultures and backgrounds.
“Everyone’s just trying to get ahead,” he says.
The Food That Changed His Mind
If there was one thing Derrick didn’t expect, it was Houston’s food scene.
“The food surprised me the most,” he admits. “It’s the best food city in America.”
From Vietnamese restaurants to hole-in-the-wall spots that don’t show up in travel guides, Houston rewards curiosity. It’s a city you can’t Google your way through; you have to ask people, listen, and explore.
That discovery process, Derrick says, is what made him fall in love with the city.
Finding Space in a Massive Metropolis
Despite its size, Houston still offers room to breathe.
Living in areas like Atascocita and the east side of the city, Derrick found a balance that reminded him of Colorado, open space, parks, and quiet moments just minutes from the city’s energy.
“You can drive five minutes and see the country,” he says. “Fifteen minutes and you’re back in the city.”
That sprawl, often criticized, is part of what gives Houston its flexibility and freedom.
Places That Reveal the City
When asked where newcomers should go to understand Houston, Derrick doesn’t point to tourist attractions alone.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, is home to world-class exhibits that most people don’t expect.
A local Vietnamese restaurant, reflecting one of the largest Vietnamese communities outside of Vietnam.
And East End Park in Kingwood, where the city fades away into water, trees, and quiet.
Each place tells a different version of Houston, artistic, cultural, and natural.
What Houston Needs From Its People
Derrick is clear about who thrives in Houston.
“You can’t come here closed-minded,” he says. “You have to be open to new cultures and new experiences.”
Houston doesn’t accommodate isolation. It demands interaction. Those unwilling to engage with people unlike themselves rarely stay long.
But for those who do, Houston offers something rare.
A Message for Houstonians, and Those Looking In
For those already here, Derrick’s message is simple: keep being who you are.
“H-Town ride-or-die,” he says. “We’re all in this together.”
For visitors, his advice is to ignore the internet.
“Don’t look at travel websites,” he says. “Ask people where to go.”
And for those considering a move, he offers a warning: don’t choose Houston based on cost alone. Neighborhood matters. Experience matters. Being close to the city matters.
“Many people move here and never fall in love with it,” he says. “They never really experience it.”
Talking with Derrick reinforced something Houston Got People exists to capture: Houston isn’t loud about what it is. It doesn’t explain itself. It waits to be experienced. Through work, culture, food, and community, the city reveals itself slowly, especially to those willing to stay curious. Derrick’s story isn’t about choosing Houston. It’s about Houston choosing him, one conversation at a time.