[ferret111]

Originally Posted by Elwyn

I don't believe Florida lacks anything that would cause anyone to move back to where they lived before. What is lacking is a scence of reality in those that move there and move away. They expect Florida to make their dreams come true, or to make their lives better, or it doesn't live up tho their expectations. And when that does not happen, they blame Florida and move back to were they came from.

Exactly! Go over and browse the California subforums and you'll read the exact same complaints that litter the Florida ones.

[FloridaKash]

Originally Posted by Elwyn

I don't believe Florida lacks anything that would cause anyone to move back to where they lived before. What is lacking is a scence of reality in those that move there and move away. They expect Florida to make their dreams come true, or to make their lives better, or it doesn't live up tho their expectations. And when that does not happen, they blame Florida and move back to were they came from.

What!!?? Are you telling me that moving Florida doesn't mean that I'll be rich, not have to work and can sit on the beach all day, everyday? Man, my dreams have been crushed.

Its super simple. If you can't be happy where you are, you're not going to be happy here. If you are living paycheck to paycheck where you are now, expect the same here.

Not having money or constantly making bad decisions will follow you, no matter where you live.

[carpe777]

Most places in Florida do not have a sense of community because of the transient nature of the population.

[ferret111]

Originally Posted by carpe777

Most places in Florida do not have a sense of community because of the transient nature of the population.

Yet so many Florida towns and cities do have a sense of community.

[MartinEden99]

Originally Posted by carpe777

Most places in Florida do not have a sense of community because of the transient nature of the population.

This is a fair opinion to hold about Florida that I hear a lot but I really disagree with the premise of it.

I think there are definitely areas that are more transient (mostly new construction from the past 10 years) and so they have a lot of competing communal ideas that people bring with them from other areas. This I think leads to people thinking "the other people are wrong" about what makes a community because thats what a community is where I came from. Instead of just taking the approach of being in a new place, and trying to absorb all of the different backgrounds and ideas and realizing that these are not the homogenized neighborhoods you see in other parts of the country. Everybody on your street is not the same and nor should you expect that.

But the communities that natives (and those who have been in FL for a long time) can be a bit more homogenized (in terms of tradition & communal concepts...not necessarily race or culture). They'll certainly have more transplants mixed in than other states would...but I have always seen this as a good thing about Florida. There is new blood & new life that comes in and sometimes some new & good ideas.

So, that's why I say it isn't so much that its transient...just that the "transients" in the more transient neighborhoods tend to expect what they are accustomed to...and that's not the same around the country (let alone in Florida).

[carpe777]

I agree my post above was a sweeping generalization, but I have felt that sense everytime I have visited Florida. It is probably because I have visited the coasts and Orlando area. My sister lived in Orlando and Melbourne areas for 17 years and I don't think I ever met a native Floridian when I went to visit.

Carpe

[MartinEden99]

Yeah, it might also have to do with age & who you would typically associate with when coming to FL. Native Floridians (i.e. people born in Florida) aren't going to be as common in the older demographics simply because most of them moved there sometime in adulthood. There is also a possible distinction as to how loose or strict you use the term native as well. In some places, I've found the common definition by locals of a native is somebody who is 2 or more generations. I believe the technical definition is less strict than that (i.e. just be born there). While my loose definition is that you just had to grow up most of your life some place.

Even myself, while I would generally consider myself a native Floridian since I grew up in FL since I was a year old...am technically not a native since my family moved to FL in the 70s. So my brothers & sisters (all older than me) are not natives either, even though we all had kids in FL and our kids could be considered natives. But of course, our kids are all younger (early 20s and younger) so to somebody in their 30s or 40s moving down...they wouldn't ever associate with them and therefor wouldn't know any natives.

Also...given that the population has nearly doubled every 20 years, its definitely going to dilute the concentration of natives in any event. Couple that with the fact that FL is a lower cost/lower wage place, so when people move there from out of state jump on a "great deal" for a house at $250k...they aren't buying into a typical native/long-time transplant FL neighborhood as their previous income affords a higher price than what most residents will be looking for (or able to afford).

[Sweetbottoms]

For me just personally I miss the pumpkin patches, leaves changing and more sense of community. Possibly even a little bitty snow. I liked that I could be in 3 different states in one day (New England) and the history. Obviously I knew I wouldn't get the season changes and such when I moved back but I guess I didn't realize how much I would miss it

[hiknapster]

I lived in Orlando and met quite a few natives but it was a rarity in the Fort Myers/Naples area. I hated the transiency of that area. It gives a sense of "me first, get out of my way, we don't do that up north, thank goodness I go home in April." After awhile you want to say, yes, thank goodness you go home. Could you consider not coming back?

And the recent natives tend to act like their parents. If it is first generation then they are still raised by Northerners and tend to favor their ways more than Floridians. For instance, my daughter is a native Floridian, born in Naples. But she's raised by a New Englander and a Chicagoan. She really takes on the characteristics of us. I have a friend that was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee but her mother is from Michigan. She even sounds like she is from Michigan.

Maybe as the years go by there will be more Florida natives but with all the traveling back and forth up north I think the ways of the Florida Cracker are long gone and they'll never fit the Southern mold, either. I guess they'll be uniquely themselves, forever tied to the North.

[Sunny-Days-in-Florida]

Originally Posted by FloridaKash

What!!?? Are you telling me that moving Florida doesn't mean that I'll be rich, not have to work and can sit on the beach all day, everyday? Man, my dreams have been crushed.

Its super simple. If you can't be happy where you are, you're not going to be happy here. If you are living paycheck to paycheck where you are now, expect the same here.

Not having money or constantly making bad decisions will follow you, no matter where you live.

Dead on correct.

The other posting is totally correct as well.

When he said that people will blame Florida when their dreams are crushed is correct.

I came here and if I fail it will be my fault, no one elses, mine.

We made the decision to come here and we as a family make choices, if it does not work out then it is our fault and not Floridas fault, not the peoples fault, ours period.

I know that many unhappy people here in Florida are unhappy for a reason and lay the blame on everything except for what is in the mirror.

Then again, the large number of those who like you Kash who moved here and have been successful deserve credit for making the right decisions, choices and doing your research.

Congrats Kash on your 1st year of success in Florida, I am hoping to be able to post in 11 months a success story like yours.