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Im trying to figure out if anyone has moved from the 3 major cities of Florida (Orlando, Tampa, Miami, anything north of that is NOT Florida LOL) and liked ABQ?
Im wondering because now I'm like between a thread of floss on what I should do and I need to figure it out by the end of the weekend at the LATEST. Because, I was going to be in Denver...backed out, and am now in Texas. Friend wants me to move to Florida (I sort of too) but something is telling me I'll be better off in NM.
It just depends on what you want in a city. Both NM and FL have a lot of culture. Florida seems to have endless possibilities of things to do (arguably NM does too, but it's not the same IMO - FL is more of a major tourist destination for a reason...beaches, etc). Is weather a big deal to you? Florida is extremely humid and hot in the summer. Albuquerque is relatively comfortable year round. We have distinct seasons, but the weather is rarely extreme and even high temps are more tolerable because of the low humidity. Is traffic a big deal to you? Traffic in Albuquerque is a lot easier than in Florida. It's really a question of your priorities in a city. Good luck in your decision!
Im trying to figure out if anyone has moved from the 3 major cities of Florida (Orlando, Tampa, Miami, anything north of that is NOT Florida LOL) and liked ABQ?
I have family and friends in Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville etc... I like Panama City and Ft Walton Beach. They are all North.
I grew up in Miami and have lived in the ABQ area for 10+ years with places in between.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CruisingUSA
Any suggestions?
I know very little about you, but I will guess. Take the best paying job in Florida, try it for a while....
I moved here from Tampa about 3 years ago. Lived in Tampa about 6 years, moved to Tampa from Ft Lauderdale/Miami area. ABSOLUTELY HATED Ft. Lauderdale/Miami. I really liked Tampa, and I really like ABQ. However, I grew up in Phoenix & So Cal so I like the desert. I love the weather, people and lack of traffic in ABQ. I miss some of the festivals from Fl and the shopping. I also used to live in the panhandle, in Ft Walton Beach/Destin area.
I spent my late teens and early 20s in the West Palm Beach area. I really liked Florida but found myself in Albuquerque in 2004. I personally prefer Abuquerque.
I love the landscape and the weather much better, but I really like the people. I've been in Detroit now for 4 years and still keep in touch with a lot of my friends from ABQ. I made some of the best friends I've ever had there. I've lived in quite a few places but it's the only place that I find myself wanting to return to.
I still sport a New Mexico flag sticker on my #1 guitar. Representing New Mexico all over the country.
Overall, ABQ was a lot more laid back. being a musician I was welcomed into the community by artists in the area and had an absolute blast while I was there.
I'd kill for a trip to the Frontier right now. I haven't had real green chile in years.
I lived in SE Florida (between West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale area) for 6 years and Albuquerque for 13 years prior to that. Florida and New Mexico are so different it's hard to compare. But here some points to consider:
1. Weather - good in both places IMO. You have seasons in NM but Albuquerque winters are mild. I found the summers there brutal, maybe because of the elevation and lack of trees to provide shade. You WILL have to use a sun shade in your car during the summer or you won't be able to touch your steering wheel. That was not true in Florida.
2. Geography - NM is desert, dry, very low humidity, very little rain, lots of brown. Florida is humid, rains frequently (though usually only for short periods), and is lush and green year round.
3. Culture - New Mexico has alot of Hispanic and Indian culture. I liked it. I liked the art, the jewelry, the pottery, the warm friendliness of Hispanic people and especially the FOOD! se Florida is a melting pot. You have the Islanders there - from Jamaica, the Bahamas, etc and alot of people from the Latin American countries. You hear people speaking different languages all the time there. The thing is, anyone can fit in in Florida because it IS a melting pot. It's difficult to fit in in Albuqueque if you are not Hispanic - people are friendly, much friendlier in fact than south Florida, but it's really hard to feel truly accepted there if you are not Hispanic. If you are, that's great.
4. Cost of living and the economy - Albuquerque is very affordable. Altho Florida has no state tax it is still pretty expensive in most areas. And right now, there are NO jobs in Florida. Don't know about Albuquerque.
5. Ethics of the people. Florida, especially se Florida, is a mecca for con artists, and all forms of scammers. This is probably due to the fact that it is transient and there are alot of old people there and alot of them have money. You won't find that in Albuquerque. While you have alot of people who not natives, you also have alot who are.
Bottom line, very different places and both very decent places to live. Good luck to you!
my background: i am currently living in sarasota and have been since the summer. i moved here from northern new mexico, but spent most of my life in albuquerque.
i think that it is absolutely dependent upon where you are in your life now and what your priorities are.
pre-family, pre-kids, during-hipster years -- i liked albuquerque a lot. the crime didn't bother me. in part because i dind't really think about it, in part because i hadn't really lived in a low-crime area to know exactly how inerred to crime i had become. the bar scene, singles scene, young couples scene in albququerque is a lot of fun. the independent, lone-wolf outdoor scene abounds.
i don't know what that scene is like here because i'm married with kids now; as i also was in my later years in new mexico. there is so much going on here. the state and county fund all kinds of really cool places (wilderness parks, historical parks, festivals, AWESOME libraries, etc. etc. etc.) there are also all kinds of arts for ALL ages here. in short -- there is so much going on here!
the people -- i find the people in FL. to be a lot more laid back than in new mexico. truly laid back. a lot of folks in abq. and santa fe wear the all natural hemp clothing and dred their kids' hair blah blah blah, but i find people pretty hyped up on "how cool they are" in the land of enchantment (white people with some money anyway). here people are genuinely laid back and very friendly -- interestingly too, many people here are bajillionaires.
a note on weather -- i have never experienced heat like here. this is Jungle Heat and shade doesn't do a thing for you. i've lived 3 summers each in long island and in pennsylvania; arguably hot and humid places. they were like climate controlled resorts compared to the summer here. yikes! but, there's no wind here. man the wind is brutal in new mexico. and, in recent years, it's gotten to be a greater amount of the year that you have hurricane force winds w/o the hurricane -- say march, april and a good part of may, sometimes starting in february. additionally, it used ot stop by the afternoon -- no more. it goes 24 hours through the night!
albuquerque and santa fe are also both very transient places. people seem to float in and out pretty rapidly. that can be kind of fun if you're in a transient mindset. i don't think the same is true here.
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