Is Arizona as Uppity as LA? (Phoenix, Scottsdale: credit, to move, car)

[observer53]

I'm not sure where your "noses in the air" idea came from. There are SOME people like that in every metro area in the country. But to make it sound like the majority here are like that (why would they be??) is wrong.

[enuffn]

Go visit Chandler,AZ. It has a lot to offer.

[krock1dk]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

Hi, Chicago resident here. I am looking for somewhere warm to move. Here it is June 11th and it is 55 degrees and cloudy like it has been all week long. That's just not for me.

I like the dry heat, heck heat period. I would like to be near Vegas and LA as Arizona suggests. However, my only real road block that I can forsee is that Arizona residents might be to busy with their nose in the air to see what is going on in front of their face. Is this the case?

I live in Chicago which is great and all but the weather blows. The city is corrupt to the bone. The city is filled with thugs (seriously) and getting someone to sport a smile is tantamount to pulling one's teeth.

I have a couple of degrees and would look to be working in the educational field. How is the Tempe area? Is it clickish? I'm sure it is. But what I really want to know is how pretentious is Arizona? Also, I don't want to surround myself with d-bags with sleave tattoos, odd piercings, hats with the brim as straight as possible, weird speech patterns, and crazy t-shirts with tribal designs on them. Is Arizona filled with these types? Thanks in advance!

I'm a chicago person myself and still have family back there. First of all, Phoenix's corruption is just as corrupt as Chicago in a way: politicians are inept and spend every dime of taxpayer monies without regard for us, a corrupt mayor, laws are not enforced, and Phoenix is a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants, causing its high crime rate. Pheonix also has many thugs. Trust me on that! However, crime has declined a bit.


Yes, many people in Arizona--at least from my perspective--have their noses very high in the air to see reality. Yes, Arizona is a bit pretentious. No doubt. Some people on this blod heavily look down on Midwesterners like us. I have no idea why.

As far as education goes, the state of Arizona ranks dead LAST in public education. But the quality of schools varies by location. I dont know much about the Tempe Unified School District. I live in Phoenix and live in the Paradise Valley School District.

And AZ, like everywhere else, also has plenty of people with the tattoos and funky stuff you mentioned, but many people dont. People R people no matter where U go.

One more last word. The city of Phoenix is the nations 5th largest city and ranks 13th in metropolitan population. Nonetheless, do not expect Phoenix to compare to Chicago in any way, shape, or form. So dont set you expectations too high. But it can be nice depending how you deal with the changes, make freinds and get adjusted to the VERY different environment. But thats all just my two cents. Word of warning.......100+degrees for 5 months at a time is not comfortable. The summers are dreadful.

[krock1dk]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

The Universities are great, the parks are great, the sport franchises are great, the history is great, the architecture is great, etc. The people...let's just say...In Chicago, the weather is cold and the people are colder!

Wow. obviously you've never been to Chicago: world-class architecture, world-class cuisine, world-class shopping, a beautiful lakefront, sports, culture, diversity and excellent universities. Chicago is a major world-class city. What else can I say?

[observer53]

Originally Posted by krock1dk

As far as education goes, the state of Arizona ranks dead LAST in public education. But the quality of schools varies by location. I dont know much about the Tempe Unified School District. I live in Phoenix and live in the Paradise Valley School District.
.

I didn't think you had kids, but you never miss a chance to run down a place you don't leave.

As is being discussed on another thread, funding for education (where AZ is at the bottom) and the RESULTS thereof don't necessarily correlate. Student scores on things like SAT/ACT are above the national average and above those in states that spend more. My mother taught school here for many many years, and was always of the opinion that just throwing money at a district doesn't make teaching more effective. A good teacher is a good teacher.

To the OP- there is no "Tempe Unified School District". There are two elementary districts, depending on where in the city you live-- Tempe Elementary and Kyrene Elementary. Both very good districts. Tempe Union High School District also has very good schools.

Tempe is NOT "cliquish" at all. (I REALLY wonder where these ideas come from -- I suppose there are cliques everywhere, but I would not describe any whole city that way). It is probably the most diverse city in the Valley, generally highly educated population, politically more moderate to liberal than other communities here. Very nice neighborhoods, the best public transit access in the Valley, great parks and recreation department and library with lots of classes/activities.

Come visit.... I think you'd like it!

[saffordpastor]

Originally Posted by krock1dk

I'm a chicago person myself and still have family back there. First of all, Phoenix's corruption is just as corrupt as Chicago in a way: politicians are inept and spend every dime of taxpayer monies without regard for us, a corrupt mayor, laws are not enforced, and Phoenix is a sanctuary city for illegal immigrants, causing its high crime rate. Pheonix also has many thugs. Trust me on that! However, crime has declined a bit.


Yes, many people in Arizona--at least from my perspective--have their noses very high in the air to see reality. Yes, Arizona is a bit pretentious. No doubt. Some people on this blod heavily look down on Midwesterners like us. I have no idea why.

As far as education goes, the state of Arizona ranks dead LAST in public education. But the quality of schools varies by location. I dont know much about the Tempe Unified School District. I live in Phoenix and live in the Paradise Valley School District.

And AZ, like everywhere else, also has plenty of people with the tattoos and funky stuff you mentioned, but many people dont. People R people no matter where U go.

One more last word. The city of Phoenix is the nations 5th largest city and ranks 13th in metropolitan population. Nonetheless, do not expect Phoenix to compare to Chicago in any way, shape, or form. So dont set you expectations too high. But it can be nice depending how you deal with the changes, make freinds and get adjusted to the VERY different environment. But thats all just my two cents. Word of warning.......100+degrees for 5 months at a time is not comfortable. The summers are dreadful.

Dont pay any attention to this dude....he hates Az and will not pass up any chance he has to put this state down....I am thinking we need to get a donation drive going to raise the money to send him back to the icebound regions.....does Greyhound run any dogsled services???

[R_Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by At1WithNature

I have a couple of degrees and would look to be working in the educational field. How is the Tempe area? Is it clickish? I'm sure it is. But what I really want to know is how pretentious is Arizona? Also, I don't want to surround myself with d-bags with sleave tattoos, odd piercings, hats with the brim as straight as possible, weird speech patterns, and crazy t-shirts with tribal designs on them. Is Arizona filled with these types? Thanks in advance!

Our education system isn't the best. It helps to speak Spanish. But some of the cities within the Greater Phoenix Area are pretty good. It all depends on the school. There are private schools and charter schools - which seem to have a little better grasp of things.

As for snobbery/pretentiousness - forgive me for stating the obvious, but your comment about d-bags and tats and weird speech patterns sort of rings of that. I had neighbors with tats and all, and they were the nicest, most helpful, sweetest guys I'd met in a long time. I'm a cowgirl, I don't have any of that stuff... but I got to know them before I judged'em.

Arizona does have a lot of transplants. I haven't seen much snobbery, although occasionally one does run into it in some of the wealthier areas. But as other posters have said, it isn't bad.

As I learned in my time in Hawaii, if you stay open, you may meet some very cool people with all sorts of tribal markings. And who knows, you may actually like them. As Chris Rock once said, "Watch out, if you make declarations about the types you don't like, they will marry your daughter, move in next door, or turn out to be your boss!"

Pull back a little from all the worry about snobs, cliques, and different types of people. You'll sleep better and have energy to put into making a good life here.

[acrylic]

Originally Posted by krock1dk

Wow. obviously you've never been to Chicago: world-class architecture, world-class cuisine, world-class shopping, a beautiful lakefront, sports, culture, diversity and excellent universities. Chicago is a major world-class city. What else can I say?

Are you Steve-O? You sure sound like him. Chicago this, Chicago that. Jeeeeebus. This isn't a thread about Chicago. If you want to talk about that city, there's more forums than the Arizona one, FYI.

[ZonyPony]

Arizona "uppity"? Where did THAT come from?


I'd say that 99-plus percent of Arizona AIN'T "uppity". They're what we call wonderfully laid-back, warm and friendly!

Now, you come on out, ya hear?

[azdr0710]

well, as is true with many of the posts here, there's probably more to the story here than we are getting....from several of the posters including the OP....

I like R Cowgirl's attitude and comments....

as with any big city, there are all types here...the area is not known to be "snobby" at all...but, yes, there are specific parts of Scottsdale that appeal to snobs looking to validate themselves ($3.25 cupcakes...c'mon!)....but the area is known to be casual, friendly, laid-back....yeah, the drivers drive faster now than they used to, but they are usually nice people when they step out of the car

sometimes I think people on this board asking the ubiquitous "where should I move in Phoenix?" are actually trying to move away from themselves....