to English-speaking whites who have moved TO Miami (section 8, homes)

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by smo123

No worries about the Miami-bashing. I'm very used to the East coast mentality (having lived in Boston and DC), and many of the problems eveyone's complaining about in Miami, well magnify them by a factor of ten or so and you have Moscow!

Frankly, I think I'd go into psychological breakdown if I moved to a place where everyone was perfect and hospitable. I like the ugly and the beautiful in life, and based on everything else I want in a place to live, Miami seems like one of the best fits.

I'm interested in all comments, both positive and negative, as long as they're substantive. Thanks again everyone! Expect other posts with more concrete questions in the days and weeks ahead.

Good for you Smo! Ask away whenever you're ready.

I moved here from NYC and honestly, I've never seen so much hostility towards everything like I see on the Florida Forum. I've checked the NY forum occasionally to see what New Yorkers say these days and I find it's actually pretty civilized there.
Oh well.

[lionking]

[QUOTE

I moved here from NYC and honestly, I've never seen so much hostility towards everything like I see on the Florida Forum. I've checked the NY forum occasionally to see what New Yorkers say these days and I find it's actually pretty civilized there.
Oh well. [/quote]

I feel fedup with south Florida in someways,some things I think are still good.The fact that Miami is now 80-85% latin has pushed me over the edge though,I grew up here and there was a mix of cultures,now its spanish dominate.

I say this culture wise,because as I have stated I play rock guitar,there is not much of that culture here anymore.On indivdual levels I have a few latin friends and a couple past girlfriends but in the end culture wise I feel alienated.

Guy I work with ,we were disussing this the other day.He is Dominican and he agreed with me.He said he would feel out of place in Idaho or somewhere.

My job is sales,lately I've been covering retail sales as well and everyday several times a day on the phone they imediately speak spanish and are surprised when you don't.This limits your employment oportunities as well.

Of course this can be overcome by learning spanish,I know a little but in the end its not about disliking people but more about feeling out of place.Im sure say for instance,someone who is Russian would seek out someone who is also for friendship.....besides having friends in general.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by lionking

[QUOTE

I moved here from NYC and honestly, I've never seen so much hostility towards everything like I see on the Florida Forum. I've checked the NY forum occasionally to see what New Yorkers say these days and I find it's actually pretty civilized there.
Oh well.

I feel fedup with south Florida in someways,some things I think are still good.The fact that Miami is now 80-85% latin has pushed me over the edge though,I grew up here and there was a mix of cultures,now its spanish dominate.

I say this culture wise,because as I have stated I play rock guitar,there is not much of that culture here anymore.On indivdual levels I have a few latin friends and a couple past girlfriends but in the end culture wise I feel alienated.

Guy I work with ,we were disussing this the other day.He is Dominican and he agreed with me.He said he would feel out of place in Idaho or somewhere.

My job is sales,lately I've been covering retail sales as well and everyday several times a day on the phone they imediately speak spanish and are surprised when you don't.This limits your employment oportunities as well.

Of course this can be overcome by learning spanish,I know a little but in the end its not about disliking people but more about feeling out of place.Im sure say for instance,someone who is Russian would seek out someone who is also for friendship.....besides having friends in general.

When we first came from Cuba we went to NY. My family ended up in what was a nice Jewish neighborhood and so did more Cuban "refugee" families. The Jews started moving out. Then Puerto Ricans started moving in and the Cubans moving out. Last I heard of that area, Dominicans drove the Puerto Ricans out. In Miami, Puerto Ricans have moved on to more Central Florida and Miami is getting more of central and south america and some Cubans are either gone or looking to go "elsewhere" but there are still enough Cubans here with hard roots and businesses and US children and grandchildren that I have a feeling that it will not be the Cubans disappearing. I think also the proximity to Cuba itself and that Miami is so much like Cuba (they tell me) keeps them (us) here. I personally do not remember anything about Cuba and have never been there since my mother shipped me out as a little girl to a friends house until she could leave the island.
Like you say, people do not like feeling out of place or left out. I went through some of that when I moved here 10 years ago but I've been Cubanized since then. I do speak Spanish perfectly now and love Salsa music and Cuban food so it was not a very difficult transition for me.
My son grew up in NY, college in Pittsburgh, worked in Detroit, California and Germany. Now he's in Miami. He dislikes the traffic, otherwise "it's fine". Plus he's learned to understand all the varieties of Spanish speakers.

[blissblessed1]

i teach in an elementary school that is 98% hispanic, mostly from Central America. Altho many of the parent do not speak fluent english, they try, and I do not speak fluent spanish, and I can communicate fine. Like EVERY place you WILL find the positive and negatives. I would look for housing in the areas mentioned. Try the Silver Bluff area, and around there, or the Shenandoah area. Safer than most lower rental areas in the north and near to the grove and gables. I just saw a cute place for rent today in that area, and probably less than 800. mo or so.Traffic? It is harsh most places. I would rather do i95 than the Palmetto expressway tho. And the airport area right now is a zoo.

[PNW2007]

VP I thought you liked Miami? Anyway, I've learned that it's not where you live that makes you a target. Someone has mentioned in another post that in many other states you have good and bad areas that you may be able to avoid. In Florida, this is the "warzone" as they described it. There isn't a way to stay out of harms way, (yes, you can't get out of harms way in ANY state), but it more true in Florida. In my opinion I think the "nicest" areas I've seen are Weston, Plantation, and near University Dr. Collins Ave past Aventura have nice areas too, (Jewish community). But do you notice the nicer areas have equal crime rates than the seedy areas & also take note that you see nicer areas being targeted for robberies and home invasions because to crooks, common sense tells them NICER NEIGHBORHOOD, NICER THINGS. It's very tough to stay away from crime here, just protect yourself.

I formally worked security in Aventura closely with Hollywood, Ft. lauderdale and Aventura Police Department. I found more suspicious "people" in Hollywood, BUT, that's a BIG BUT, I found more thefts and crime in Aventura although it's considered a nice area. Just an observation by experience.

[vpcats]

Originally Posted by PNW2007

VP I thought you liked Miami? Anyway, I've learned that it's not where you live that makes you a target. Someone has mentioned in another post that in many other states you have good and bad areas that you may be able to avoid. In Florida, this is the "warzone" as they described it. There isn't a way to stay out of harms way, (yes, you can't get out of harms way in ANY state), but it more true in Florida. In my opinion I think the "nicest" areas I've seen are Weston, Plantation, and near University Dr. Collins Ave past Aventura have nice areas too, (Jewish community). But do you notice the nicer areas have equal crime rates than the seedy areas & also take note that you see nicer areas being targeted for robberies and home invasions because to crooks, common sense tells them NICER NEIGHBORHOOD, NICER THINGS. It's very tough to stay away from crime here, just protect yourself.

I formally worked security in Aventura closely with Hollywood, Ft. lauderdale and Aventura Police Department. I found more suspicious "people" in Hollywood, BUT, that's a BIG BUT, I found more thefts and crime in Aventura although it's considered a nice area. Just an observation by experience.

Forget that whole post PNW. Something happened and my and Lionking's posts got intertwined and there is no accuracy for any other reader (besides ourselves) about what any of us really said.

I wish a moderator could clean it up!!!! Moderator cut: done

I like Miami VERY much and I like living here. There are ups and downs but like with many other things in life, sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. I am old enough to realize that life is not perfect. Although it wasn't always this way, I have gotten to the point where I am fortunate enough that I don't have a miserable existence due to income, language, culture or anything else, I also don't dwell on what I don't have and don't have visions of grandeur.

But thanks for asking and for your concern.

[MaryLou2007]

Originally Posted by smo123

I've read a lot of the negative threads about life in South Florida, particularly in Miami. I'm really interested in hearing the opinions of white English-speakers (and non-Spanish speaking foreigners) who have moved to Miami, both good and bad opinions. My wife and I are considering moving to Miami from Moscow, Russia in several months. My sense is that Miami will be a very exciting place to live, as is Moscow, and will evoke many of the same love/hate feelings that Moscow does.

Has anyone moved to Miami from someplace with worse traffic and congestion? I suppose the negatives are all a matter of perspective? After a visit to Miami for several days last spring (which included a long drive in morning rush-hour traffic on I-95/US1), I honestly fail to see what people are complaining about.

How much of a problem is not knowing Spanish right away? My wife and I would like to learn it, but of course that won't happen immediately.

My husband had a 6 month job assignment in Miami. He would come home to Orlando every other weekend and he would tell me that he only went to and from work, then to the grovcery store (this specific store where all the white, black, and asian people buy their groceries at because the store clerks speak English) and then home. In sum, the language barrier will be enourmous. You should begin taking Spanish classes IMMEDIATELLY, if you are going to go through with this move.

According to the hubby, traffic is chaotic, even worse than Central Florida (Orlando). Miami is very run down, it's the South Beach strip, a handful of rich millionaries, and the rest lives in the dirt. Beaware of criminals, they are violent and desperate.

I never thought I would say this, but between Miami and Orlando, I'd go for Orlando any day. If you really want to be in FL, consider Orlando as an option to Miami. To me both Orlando and Miami are very run down, I'd consider nicer areas like South Carolina, or somewhere else.

[elfyum]

TOTALLY disagree about the spanish thing! If you WANT to learn it, that's one thing, but you CERTAINLY DON'T NEED to!!!
I've lived down here 13 years & sure I can get by, but barely!
And that's if I CHOOSE to!
If someone asks if I speak spanish with an "attitude", I say no & make THEM work! If they ask with a good attitude, I try!
But that is TOTALLY untrue to say you NEED to know spanish here!!!
Also, um, don't know why everyone seems to forget the THIRD language down here - CREOLE!!!
In job situations & in ALOT of areas, THAT is what you hear!
I'd love to learn it, but it's just a pain in my ass to so I don't!
Oh, & to the Russian person, there's plenty of that down here as well!
They are mostly jewish russian, but they speak russian none the less...

As to the person/people who say you don't learn what you aren't forced to, EXACTLY!!!!!!!!
Which is why this country has brought about it's own demise.
They NEVER should have put signs & automated phone stuff in spanish!!! Then these people WOULD HAVE TO LEARN ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!
Duh! Oh well... Humans have done a lot of stupid sh*t...

[CiXeL]

ive heard it very rarely but where do you find creole in miami? i encounter more french speaking haitians than creole speakers.
where are you working that you hear creole? its all spanish where im at.

i like how the signs by the lighthouse at bill braggs on key biscayne have the equivelent of stay off the rocks in spanish in larger print and keep off the rocks in smaller print in english. obviously they know the primary language here =)

[lulu]

You might not have a problem afterall. You know, I have found from experience that lots of the recent Cuban's coming in, that don't speak English, surprisingly are indeed bilingual but in Spanish/Russian. Some have Russian names, too.