[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by psouth

I am really getting tired of posters who DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN FLORIDA selling the state as a Utopia for the unemployed and down-and-out saying anyone can come to Florida and suddenly get rich and be happy overnight. It ain't gonna happen. They should at least live here first and try their luck before doling out misinformation.

I'm sorry --where is this happening? Because I certainly haven't seen any of it in this thread or the others I'm reading.

[Doctor Octagon]

Originally Posted by annerk

Not at all. If you've got secure jobs lined up and enough savings to get through a few months or move again if it doens't work out, you'll be fine. There is definitely a middle class in Florida.

Just make sure that you know housing prices and factor in utilities and such before accepting the job. Also beware with property taxes. They are screwy here in Floirda, and depending on teh value of the home and how long the prior residents lived there, what theya re paying and what you'll be paying could be 40)% different. Do NOT trust the Realtor, call the tax assessor for the truth.

And make sure when you move to an area, you do A LOT of research! Crime, demographics, home prices...

[tercel95]

Originally Posted by KathyA11

How do they compare in size to cicadas?

Cicadas are bigger and louder but you don't see them that often, and I don't ever remember seeing one in my house in the 21 years I lived in MD...

In the 3 weeks I have lived in FL, I have encountered 2 palmetto bugs in my apartment... My girlfriend is completely traumatized and makes me scope the entire apartment before she will leave the bedroom...

In the city in MD the only bugs I ever remember seeing in the house were roaches and spiders... And the roaches didn't fly at your face...

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by tercel95

Cicadas are bigger and louder but you don't see them that often,

We see tons of them in our yard (northern NJ) in the summer -- our Jack Russells dig them up and play with them....

and I don't ever remember seeing one in my house in the 21 years I lived in MD...

No, I've never seen one in the house here, either. Those creepy-crawlies that look like walking feathers (centipedes? Millipedes) -- we see tons of them, though. We used to have a Beagle who would actually go on point when he saw one.

In the 3 weeks I have lived in FL, I have encountered 2 palmetto bugs in my apartment... My girlfriend is completely traumatized and makes me scope the entire apartment before she will leave the bedroom...

She sounds like a woman after my own heart.

In the city in MD the only bugs I ever remember seeing in the house were roaches and spiders... And the roaches didn't fly at your face...

I've had cicadas buzz my head when I was sitting out in the yard reading. Not fun. I yell at the dogs and tell them they're supposed to protect me from them.

My husband is more worried about snakes. I have no problem with them unless they're poisonous.

[MegDrew]

Originally Posted by annerk

FYI--Generally speaking the Charter Schools don't offer the benefits that the district schools do. Also the teachers who have been laid off in Florida get first crack at all teaching positions except at private schools, so you're going to be facing some pretty fierce competition for the few teaching jobs that will be open.

I read/heard that no one has been laid off and that it's unlikely they will. Most of the charter schools I've researched do offer benefits, but I'm not sure how good they are -- that is something I will definitely have to look into before job acceptance. I got two call-backs for interviews, but it turned out the locations were way too far from where I want to be. It did give me some hope though.

[MegDrew]

"No, I've never seen one in the house here, either. Those creepy-crawlies that look like walking feathers (centipedes? Millipedes) -- we see tons of them, though. We used to have a Beagle who would actually go on point when he saw one."

You mean these? http://meanderthal.typepad.com/photo...d/creeper2.jpg
House centipedes. Most creepy crawlies don't phase me, but these things are something else!

[KathyA11]

Originally Posted by MegDrew

You mean these? http://meanderthal.typepad.com/photo...d/creeper2.jpg
House centipedes. Most creepy crawlies don't phase me, but these things are something else!

That's them -- I've seen them as long as 4 inches long. Ick.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by MegDrew

I read/heard that no one has been laid off and that it's unlikely they will. Most of the charter schools I've researched do offer benefits, but I'm not sure how good they are -- that is something I will definitely have to look into before job acceptance. I got two call-backs for interviews, but it turned out the locations were way too far from where I want to be. It did give me some hope though.

You've heard wrong unfortunately. From the horses mouth:
Florida Teachers.Net - The Florida Teacher Website! Teacher chatboards & teacher chat rooms, lesson plans and teaching tools, teacher job listings and career resources, reference desk and curriculum tools, everything for the on-line teacher! If you read through you'll see that many have already been laid off and/or non-reappointed, and other districts have already told the union there will be cuts.

[Pizza Bob]

Because Florida has become a horrible state to live, due to those idiots from up north who still move here thinking its a nice place to live, therefore polluting the population of this state with annoying *******s

[MegDrew]

Originally Posted by Pizza Bob

Because Florida has become a horrible state to live, due to those idiots from up north who still move here thinking its a nice place to live, therefore polluting the population of this state with annoying *******s

Whenever someone says something like this, I feel they're contradicting themselves. Why does it matter if mean and nasty Northerners move to Florida if it is not a decent place to live anyway? Those saying they do not want people relocating there from the North and polluting the culture, atmosphere, whatever, are indicating that there is something worth protecting (i.e. something good).
Anyway, we're not all bad people!