[thatboybigbFL]

Originally Posted by Dakster

OP didn't say whether he/she wanted a warm or cold climate of even if they wanted to stay in Florida...

South Florida (Dade, Broward, Palm Beach), Orlando (Orange/Seminole Counties), Tampa, Jacksonville - to me are all the same. A large metropolitan area. I don't blame the OP for wanting to GTFO.

Without knowing what the OP intends to do instead of a customer service job its tough to recommend an area. I've never known an entry level customer service job to pay well. Even the managerial jobs are still what I would call mediocre in pay. (yes, there are always exceptions).

I prefer warmer climates, but South FL can be too warm. I think Atlanta is going to be a good fit and that's going to be my goal. Part of me wants to go back to Chicago where I grew up, but naaaaaaaaaaaa, I think Atlanta will do me just fine.

I know I'll have a low position wherever I go, I just want to get out of South FL's society. This place, its economy, and the people's attitudes are kind of messed up in my opinion.

Your opinion that all the cities in FL are the same I disagree with though. South FL has a whole dif vibe than say Tampa, which I noticed when I was there, and Orlando has its own vibe, etc.

I don't understand why people hate each other so much in South FL

[popcorn247]

[quote=thatboybigbFL;28779322]I prefer warmer climates, but South FL can be too warm. I think Atlanta is going to be a good fit and that's going to be my goal. Part of me wants to go back to Chicago where I grew up, but naaaaaaaaaaaa, I think Atlanta will do me just fine.

I know I'll have a low position wherever I go, I just want to get out of South FL's society. This place, its economy, and the people's attitudes are kind of messed up in my opinion.

Your opinion that all the cities in FL are the same I disagree with though. South FL has a whole dif vibe than say Tampa, which I noticed when I was there, and Orlando has its own vibe, etc.



Much good luck to you wherever you may go!

[cfbs2691]

Houston

[Dakster]

Originally Posted by thatboybigbFL

I prefer warmer climates, but South FL can be too warm. I think Atlanta is going to be a good fit and that's going to be my goal. Part of me wants to go back to Chicago where I grew up, but naaaaaaaaaaaa, I think Atlanta will do me just fine.

I know I'll have a low position wherever I go, I just want to get out of South FL's society. This place, its economy, and the people's attitudes are kind of messed up in my opinion.

Your opinion that all the cities in FL are the same I disagree with though. South FL has a whole dif vibe than say Tampa, which I noticed when I was there, and Orlando has its own vibe, etc.

I don't understand why people hate each other so much in South FL

I didn't mean to say they are all the same as far as vibe, but they are all LARGE metro areas with large area issues in general. I can't tell you, as I lost count, on how many friends moved from here to Orlando/Tampa/Jacksonville thinking it would better, only to move back a few years later. Some got STUCK and are still there, wishing they could come back. FWIW, I do like some of the smaller cities in Florida myself... For the same reasons I would move out of Dade, I wouldn't move to Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville. Yes, South Florida is probably worse in the 'hate issues', most likely because we have a whole of people that live here, but not a lot of people that are from here. I am a third generation South Floridian, anywhere else I would be in the majority, here I am in the minority. You are dealing with people from countries that have historically for hundreds of years not gotten along and they are all living here. If you want I can go into details, but this is the general idea. And not for nothing, but I think that the greater Orlando area (Lake Mary to be precise) is going thru some major hate issues in regards to a recent incident.

My thought and the reason I gave my advice was that if you didn't like the Ft. Lauderdale area you wouldn't like another large metropolitan area either.

I don't know about jobs, but I like the space coast area (Brevard county), but you gotta be careful on where you choose to live there as well. West coast also has some nice communities as well, although I am only very familiar with Sanibel Island (which is VERY expensive), Cape Coral, Naples, Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa, St. Pete, St. Pete Beach, Lakeland, and a few areas in between. Not too much on the Northern West Coast of Florida. West coast has a different vibe than east coast, but picking a smaller city in a rural county on either side is going to have a different feel to it than Orange/Seminole County (Orlando), Hillsborough (Tampa) or Duval County (Jacksonville). I hear the panhandle or what we call Lower Alabama has some nice areas, but alas, that is one area of the state I haven't been to. I got every other area covered many, many times over.

I don't really know how to place areas on the Florida Peninsula that are not close to the water other than Orlando. I'd avoid the Lake Okeechobee and surrounding communities, unless you want to be a farmer or a migrant worker. I go fishing/hunting there. Never had a problem, but not so sure I would want to live there either. Some of my coworkers have retired to the Villages or the Ocala area.

Key West has a different feel to it as well. Customer service jobs may pay more there, as place have a hard time getting help, but it is generally a expensive place to live and the wages are not high enough to live comfortably there on.

[StilltheSame]

Indianapolis, Orange County, Austin, Philly, Minneapolis - I think you are going to have to look at Northern cities to get some of what you want.

[scottykick]

Kansas City is an under the radar gem of a city, Google is hooking it up for the fastest intenet anywhere and it's a great startup city, it's mass transit it pretty good for being bus centric.

San Diego would be ideal for climate, hands down.

Brooklyn, NY: a tad cheaper then living in the city, just deal with the NE Winters. There is something for everyone here, so many different areas that have different vibes. I live in Gravesend, work downtown and when I'm home I can walk 10 minutes to L&B Spumoni Gardens for the best pizza in NYC, and after work I can walk to the Barclays Center for a Nets game, concert,boxing,wrestling or whatnot...plus trains run 24/7 and cover almost all of the area. Hop on the F, Q or N and head out to Coney Island during the summer, hit up the beach, nathans and a Brooklyn Cyclones game (NY Mets Single A Team) take the D to the Bronx, and take in a Yankees game or the 7 out to Queens and watch the Mets (plenty of good seats available)

[n2da2nd]

OP, ATL is gonna be a good choice for you. Summer is going to be a $^%#, and winter is gloomy, yet it's winter. The city has 4 seasons unlike Miami, and most importantly, people speak English.
Anyone here lives in OKC? It looks like a good place to live, tho.

[rootzdread]

Originally Posted by miamirob

^ he said he wanted to live in a 'big city" not a "big suburb" so why would you recommend jacksonville of all places? If he thinks ft. Lauderdale is a "overgrown suburb" jax is ten times worse and there is no urbanity to speak of.

got that right!!! :d

[rootzdread]

Originally Posted by Hawaii4evr

Don't listen to the poster that said Phoenix. It's a large suburb. I would choose somewhere like Orlando, which has warm weather, is pretty cheap from what I gather, lots to do, and is a big city. Winters aren't as warm as Ft. Lauderdale, but still nice. The one downside of Orlando is that it's far from the beach, but it's still good. The poster above suggested San Diego, which is a good choice as well for nice weather and beauty. But you might also find it superficial and "suburban" in many ways. It's also quite costly and has a bad job market. It all really depends on what you want.

Orlando is not a big city. If the OP does not consider Ft. Lauderdale a big city (nor do I), no way would O town qualify. Orlando is way more boring than Miami and Ft. Lauderdale too.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by thatboybigbFL

might not be a bad change of pace for me, i grew up in Chicago, I probably would enjoy the Midwest vibe, the cold would take some getting used to, I know the people would be ten times more down to earth than down here in the Miami area. I bet itd be ten times easier to get a job too. I might get super bored though, I don't know if I could do it

Sheesh...I haven't even heard of Lafayette Indiana. But if that sounds good to you....and you like the Midwest, than you'd have a few hundred larger Midwestern cities to take your pick with.