Please help if you know about Fort Myers!! (Cleveland, Lee: relocation, salary)

[AR82]

Hi all! I am a 24 year old college grad who is in desperate need of some advice!! My fiance was offered a job in Fort Myers making a decent salary (40K) doing a job that will most likely help his career in the long run. I applied for my temporary certificate, knowing about the teacher shortage in Florida (I have my bachelor's and I'm planning to take the FTCE K-6 test so I can begin teaching this fall.) I found the salary for beginning teachers was 37K, and this would be great if it were true!!

We were pretty set on moving, until his current company offered him a huge raise to stay (50K and 5K in bonuses) As a young couple who is saving for their wedding, this would really help!! But my career will ultimately suffer, as Cleveland, OH does not have much to offer me job wise... And his career will be questionable once he leaves this company.
We visited Fort Myers briefly for his interview, and found a nice place to live (1000K for rent, but in a seemingly great area) It was BEAUTIFUL down there, and we were so happy!!
I do think we'll be happiest down in Florida, but I am very afraid of some of the things I have been hearing about the area. (The crime, hard to meet people our age and make friends, high cost of living, etc.) My biggest fear is that I am thinking getting a position as a teacher is easier than it actually will be when we're down there.
I am sorry this is so long- this is my first ever post! I am just terrified of walking into this as a naive girl who's never really left Ohio!!

Any insight from people who are familiar with the area would be of GREAT help!! Also, if you could recommend elementary schools to apply to, I would really appreciate it!! (I am looking in Lee county) Thank you so much!!!

[LeavingFlorida05]

The population of Fort Myers (and southwest Florida, in general) is dominated by retirees and immigrants.

I'm not going to say you shouldn't move here, because that's a decision you need to make on your own. You're going to get numerous responses, both positive and negative. Make sure you pay close attention to the perspective of the poster. Retirees tend to love it down here. People in their 20s, not as much.

Fort Myers is a great place to visit, not-so-great to live, especially if you're trying to raise a family.

[2peaches2oranges]

Lee County seems to need teachers all the time. For a first year teacher who is qualified (Bachelors Degree and SAE passing score, etc) the pay is $37K.

[gypsychic]

Have you done a search at the top for the Ft. Myers posts? Because honestly, you will see a LOT more negative. Almost no one who has lived there has anything good to say about the that town.

I agree you need to visit and decide for yourselves. Please remember that there is usually more to an area than what you see on the surface. Good luck!

[FedUpInFtMyers]

I sent a PM to AR82 concerning Fort Myers. I certainly do wish them well and much wisdom with regard to their relocation.

Hopefully, they won't let what they see make them blind (like we did).

[Hate the Bugs]

AR82, we moved to Ft.Myers 2yrs. ago from NorthEast Ohio and we don't love it here. The bugs are unbelievable, humidity miserable and the traffic is unbearable. If you live 12 miles from work, plan on it taking 45 min. to get there, barring an accident or rain, then you can count on over an hour.
I can't comment on the schools as our son is grown but there is a lot of crime here and most of it is perpetrated by teens. There are also a lot of sex offenders, the news is littered with it nightly.
Would I move back to Ohio? Never. But I hated Ohio. I will however move back north. There is a real culture shock moving to the south. Think carefully.
There are the upsides don't get me wrong, but we will move back north eventually.