The truth about the Az from easterners midwesterners and southners (Phoenix: how much, construction)

[bluebelt1234]

I live in Yuma and really don't think people are friendly. When I first moved here, I had a real creepy neighbor who was stalking me. Then, one night he was trying to break into my apartment and the police said that there was nothing they could do because my stalker told them that he was just taking the trash out and my house was on the way. It was 12:30 a.m. Luckily, I worked with a teacher who kept a gun at her house and they came over that night. Thankfully, he hasn't bothered since I moved out of that apartment and I have never seen him again. I have my resume posted and can't wait to move back to the Midwest.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by Bridgett

I am from MI and retired to Phoenix and after a year moved back to MI. Now I will admit that the main reason for leaving was a family illness BUT I don't know how long we would have stayed anyways.
We are in our mid 50's, retired and bought a home in a family neighborhood (Ahwatukee). We didn't want an Active Adult Community because we felt they were too confining. The neighborhood we moved to was nice but we quickly found that everyone hibernates in the summer. Of course that's what we do in the midwest but even when people did come out at night (in PHX) they just smiled and maybe waved. We also found that the people our age were retired military and were very conservative. We almost had to whisper that we were liberal thinking individuals.
Then there was the issue of immigration, immigration, immigration. That's all you hear about. The hatred for Hispanic's was unbelievable.
Next was the cost of living. Yes the property taxes are low but the price of a nice sized home is quite high. Four years ago you could get a great deal but prices have gone up.
Education is horrible. I am a retired teacher and looked into their system and told my grown daughter who lives in PHX to put her kids in private school. The teachers are grossly underpaid and the curriculums are inadequate.
There is no feeling of community and we felt very alone. We got so tired of the endless heat of the summer and even when you went out to restaurants (during the summer) they were very quiet and empty. The winters were not as warm as we thought they would be and even though you have endless blue skies, sun, and mountains to look at you do miss seasonal changes.
Yes there are jobs there but the pay does not equal the cost of living.

Are you kidding me? Ahwatukee conservatives what a jokeYou don't have to whisper to be a liberal in Ahwatukee....... Ok back to the regular scheduled programing, I just had to say that.

Hatred for Hispanics........It's called frustration for being taken over by illegals..

Restaurants empty during the Summer.seriously you have got to be kidding This is such a strange post.

If I still lived in Phoenix I'd have to say I'm glad you left.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by azkylady

I am from Kentucky. and no I have not made any real friends here as of yet, inspite of my natural instinct to speak to people, I make comments to people all the time, in stores, where ever, sure is uncomfortable when they just look at you like you have two heads, or they make a tiny effort to reply. yes,, they come home, garage door goes down and thats about it., its dusty, you will never finish cleaning your house, and i have already posted replies about the driving conditions, So now for what i have learned from Arizona, mind your own business, learn to enjoy your own company, live with the dust, like mexican food, and for sure put down your garage when you come home, oh and don't forget to shut all the blinds!

I never learned to like Mexican food

[ORexpat]

Originally Posted by londonbarcelona

That was a very honest answer. I like living in Scottsdale, but we are moving in July and I am looking forward to going back east. I've been here 10 years. We are lucky though, because we will have a winter home in Florida. The winters up north can be cold and grey. Why didn't we keep a place here? We really miss the greenery and the water. Arizona as a state is beautiful though, too bad so much of it is Indian Reservations or government owned. The mountains are always a nice sight in Phoenix.

If it weren't Indian reservation or government owned, it would all be filled with look alike housing developments.

[sheena]

Originally Posted by pancho777

Florida is a dump compared to Arizona, except that the Kudzu hides the poverty. Phoenix, Tucson, and the border cities have their dumpy side too, but Beverly Hills has little on Scottsdale for swank and high class entertainment, Flagstaff is a good as it gets for a sunny ski town, Prescott is as charming as any small mid-western town, and Tucson is the uniquely cultural "big easy" in the desert where time does not matter. The mountains in Arizona are a great refuge, San Diego is a few hours away,as are the beaches in Mexico, also Santa Fe, Grand Canyon, Vegas, etc. Hard to compare with Florida unless you love blue ocean, humidity, snotty big city retirees, and cramped, expensive apartments. The best news is that if you don't have to work, you have lots of location options where commuters can't afford to live due to distance from jobs.

Very strange............

[amatrine]

Well I am moving in May. I have been here on and off since the age of nine.

There is a lot not to like here, but a lot I do like here. Things that always brought me back, but this time, the heat is making my chronic health issues worse, so must move for good.

I will miss the sunrises. I will miss tubing down the salt river, fresh oranges from the tree, believe it or not I will miss duststorms, and how when it rains, its clear 10 minuits later. I will miss Sedona. i think it is the most beutiful place on earth.

Arizona has changed though in the years. The traffic has gotten unbearable,
there used to be a lot of farm area that has pretty much disapeared. Crime has gotten much worse. I have had a car stollen and my house broken into and another car vandalized in the last two years. Someone even shot my cat. The house priced are unafrodable , and we have two incomes, and have to rent. Or we can buy out in queencreek, that is 60 miles from out job, and not enough roads for the traffic in and out.

I have to say I HAVE seen scopions, been stung twice, we get snakes in our yard the last two years, but they arent the poisonous ones and my cats eat them. The dust is bad and my allergies are horrible. I bought an ozone machine, and that helps a lot. Anyine living here should have one. Much better that a hepa filter. You will find yourself dusting less too.

I can not wait to get to my small town. When I was younger I hated small towns, not enough to do. But Im older and cant wait for the peace and quiet.

I do agree its harder to meet people here than in any other state. Im very outgoing. I do find though the older population to be very friendly, and most are from somewhere else.

I think Arizona is ok if you are younger, and there is a lot to do. The river, lots of parties, camping,.... I did a lot. But when you get older, its vey hard on your health, and stressful to live here. Not a horrible place to live, but not the best either. 15 years ago, I did love it though.

Ama

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by ORexpat

If it weren't Indian reservation or government owned, it would all be filled with look alike housing developments.

LOL, how very true.

[and the]

Originally Posted by ORexpat
If it weren't Indian reservation or government owned, it would all be filled with look alike housing developments.

LOL, how very true.

Amen. Thank God (and Geronimo, I guess), for the reservations. What started as some of the least desirable land that the govt. could set aside for the Indians has by now evolved into some of the MOST valuable land in the state because us European-Americans haven't been able to legally SCREW IT UP (yet)!

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by and the

Amen. Thank God (and Geronimo, I guess), for the reservations. What started as some of the least desirable land that the govt. could set aside for the Indians has by now evolved into some of the MOST valuable land in the state because us European-Americans haven't been able to legally SCREW IT UP (yet)!

What will ultimately 'destroy' the reservations will, ironically enough, occur when the majority of Native Americans are assimilated via ethnic and some cultural acceptance, education, etc.

Typically; what tends to keep a 'minority' together as a cohesive unit is oppression from the dominant culture. Once that stricture disappears, the minority tends to disappear in 2-3 generations------although the gene pool will obviously live on within many of us.

Jewish people here in the USA are having a heck of a time 'keeping' their children in the fold------startling lack of pogroms soon leads to a Silent Holocaust------they are being 'loved to death'

The price of acceptance by the majority culture is assimilation.

[odinloki1]

Living in Arizona from my point of view

1. Overpriced
2. Underpaid and poor benefits
3. People tend to be unneighborly
4. Unpleasantly hot weather for the majority of the year
5. Poor Schools because of poor state funding (Lord knows we need those low taxes, who cares about the kids)
6. No trees or shade over the majority of the state (Mesquite trees in Southern Arizona are really overglorified bushes, not real trees, nor do they provide adequate shade.
7. Overly intense sunshine (be sure to check for melinoma)
8. Nothing to do on a low budget because you can barely afford housing if at all
9. The dryness, why don't you just find a way to suck the moisture out of me
10.Cookie cutter housing developers are a dime a dozen