moving to Ajo, Az (Buckeye: school, living, beach)
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Ah yes, different strokes for different folks. Sounds like the European wants to go back to Europe as the poster appears not to like the Sonoran desert. Anyhow, my post outlined what Ajo has to offer in my opinion. The reader can use my comments as they see fit. I'm sure there are others that see Ajo in a different light but that's for them to comment about. Hopefully they've actually spent time there to make a judgment call on the topic. For those in the "fast lane", Ajo will be of little interest. Today Ajo can be seen as a place for one to escape the noise, traffic and busy pace of big cities. All towns and cities in the desert share one common point. They all are in the desert! Ajo is 120 miles southwest of Phoenix.
If you like to walk, hike, run, climb hills, 4x wheel, explore, etc., Ajo is a great place to be.The Cabeza Prieta national park entrance is a gateway to extreme desert driving. Organ Pipe National Monument is 30 miles south of Ajo and is a great example of the fauna and flora found in the Sonoran desert. If you like to hike or bike, that's a place to discover. 90 miles south of Ajo is Rocky Point MX (Puerto Penasco) which lies next to the Sea of Cortez with all the activities that are found in any beachfront town. If you like to party, that's the place to be!
If you are looking for late night bars, Macys, Wal*Marts and other such things available in Phoenix, Ajo is NOT a place you'll enjoy. Simple as that. Oh, Why, AZ? It's about 10 miles south of Ajo and you'll find a casino there.
I chose to live in Ajo when I retired four years ago at 55. I had driven all over the country and liked Ajo the best, at least of all places affordable for a retired pastor. It is never cold, a big plus for someone who spent thirty years in Maine living in drafty parsonages. The physical beauty is indescribable. When it rains, the Sonoran Desert turns into the Sonoran Jungle. Desert flowers may be short and seasonal, but they are spectacular. The mountain views are different at every turn. I'm an amateur astronomer, and it has more great viewing than any place in the country--clear skies and no horizon light. There are hundreds of miles of jeep and mountain bike trails leading to old ranch ruins and a few ghost towns. Most of the land to the South and East is national monument or wildlife preserve. Several thousand square miles to the North is an Air Force range, much of which you can access by jeep road or mountain bike. If you don't like wildlife, watch the jet fighters train over the closed part.The wildlife is more varied than in almost any habitat in the United States. The almost otherworldly nature of the flora and fauna often makes you feel like you are on another planet . If you like shopping, malls, McDonalds, and all Anglo neighbourhoods, you're definitely in the wrong place. The town has every kind of housing from classic Southwest mansion to old miner's houses-- sometimes on the same block. We have an art center with artists in residence in a beautiful old school building. Our central plaza just across from it looks like a classic Spanish town center. The people are great-- active theatre group, several ecology and wildlife centered groups, nice small library with links to the bigger systems-- any book you like in days or a few weeks. There's a nice bakery-coffee shop with Scrabble and Chess meets every Monday (except in summer). Ninety miles away is Puerto Penasco, with great fishing and sailing, sea lions, and beaches to die for. I keep my 25' sailboat there. So what's not to like? If you're a racist, stay home. We're about half Mexican and Tohono O'Odham, and the Reservation takes up a Connecticut sized lot between us and Tucson. You want a big city? Either Tucson or Phoenix is a two hour job, or a bus trip that costs $15 round trip. Don't like to drive in town? The bus will take you anywhere for 75 cents and pick you up at your house. Every month except summer I escape to Phoenix for what Ajo doesn't have-- good restaurants, the Opera, and shopping for neat stuff you really don't need. And that's plenty Phoenix for me. If anyone has any questions, drop me a line. The sign at the Shell Station says "end of the world 8 miles, Ajo 11 miles" True, too true. And it doesn't get any better than that.
Three of my good friends in Ajo are from Europe, and they love it here. They are all in their sixties and enjoy being able to lead a very active life exploring a unique environment the year round. We have concerts a few times a year (not enough), a nice social scene (though not very interesting to the twentysomething crowd) and some of the most beautiful vistas in the world. I like Europe, too, but living there? Well, maybe Switzerland, where my brother lives, but even that is a reach.
Three of my good friends in Ajo are from Europe, and they love it here. They are all in their sixties and enjoy being able to lead a very active life exploring a unique environment the year round. We have concerts a few times a year (not enough), a nice social scene (though not very interesting to the twentysomething crowd) and some of the most beautiful vistas in the world. I like Europe, too, but living there? Well, maybe Switzerland, where my brother lives, but even that is a reach.
I wouldn't dispute why retired people may like it, but it sounded like the original poster intended to work there as well. Just out of curiosity - are there any employment opportunities in the area other than working for the border patrol...? OK, maybe a few casinos and stores. One advantage sits well with me, though - the proximity to Rocky Point!
I wouldn't dispute why retired people may like it, but it sounded like the original poster intended to work there as well. Just out of curiosity - are there any employment opportunities in the area other than working for the border patrol...? OK, maybe a few casinos and stores. One advantage sits well with me, though - the proximity to Rocky Point!
Jobs here are chiefly in government. There's almost always an opening for teachers. I know, because they offer me one twice a year. The Catholic Church had to import a priest from Nigeria. Recent job postings include housing administrator at the arts center, CWA's, and so on. My wife is a dental assitant, soon to become a dental hygienist. If you're smart, you find a job BEFORE you come here, Most other jobs are not high pay, and include bus driver, clerks of various sorts, and so on. An increasing number of people work at home in various fields, including the increasing contingent of professional artists and craftsmen. We need licensed contractors, but they would make less here than in the booming Phoenix housing expansion. We also could use a few skilled auto mechanics, and ditto on the pay. There's work, but it pays less. It also costs less to live, so it sort of (but not quite) balances out. If I were a teacher here, however, I could afford to buy my own house. Even with the slightly increased pay in Phoenix, I couldn't. You are absolutely right about one thing. You don't come here to find a good job. You come here to find a great life.
Three of my good friends in Ajo are from Europe, and they love it here. They are all in their sixties and enjoy being able to lead a very active life exploring a unique environment the year round. We have concerts a few times a year (not enough), a nice social scene (though not very interesting to the twentysomething crowd) and some of the most beautiful vistas in the world. I like Europe, too, but living there? Well, maybe Switzerland, where my brother lives, but even that is a reach.
My husband and I are wanting to move to Ajo and would like to know if there are any retired people who would require either live-in or live out assistance...with cooking, landscape (rock moving?), cleaning, administering meds, etc; general caretaking or caregiving? Or, does anyone own a house and need someone (a nice energetic, clean couple, hovering around 50 age) range) to house sit their property while they are gone? We are also artists and will associate with the arts community but cannot support ourselves on our art alone. Any ideas?
Thanks for any tips!
I'd start with the Ajo Chamber of Commerce and ask those folks what the potential is. We spend the winter there but really can't say what the potential would be. There are a couple of rock/landscape businesses there whose primary focus on the initial landscaping and not "long term maintenance". Live in/out support services? I assume since there are quite a few retired folks there, such services may attract customers if, as I suspect, it's not already offered. Short of the Chamber of Commerce or posts by other folks here, a trip to Ajo to look around and inquire may be in order. As you probably already know, Ajo is a great little town.
Zeke, thanks for the suggestions. We am contacting the Chamber and any businesses that we think might have jobs pertaining to our work experience. Otherwise, we will have to take it slowly and see what turns up. If anyone out there knows of a temporary caregiving or caretaking position in Ajo, or anything pertaining to web design or the arts, please contact us at: tothedesert@hotmail.com.
Thanks so much!
Relative to the arts, Curely School (sp) in Ajo which was once their high school has recently been remodeled. The remodel includes apartment/loft living quarters for folks in the Arts and Crafts business. The business each individual has "resides" in their living area. This what I understand. I'm sure the chamber of commerce can give you the details.
There are a couple of internet businesses in town with one offering a wireless service. TableTop, the local phone company offers their dial up connection. Web page design is also available in Ajo. I'm not sure who the party is that offers it. General information about Ajo can be found on Wikipedia.
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