I am currently living in Las Vegas, but was born and raised in Minnesota. My husband and I moved here 3 1/2 years ago so he could start his own business (better small-business opportunities here vs. Minnesota) and so we could enjoy a better quality of life (you know, more time spent outdoors, no snow to shovel, growing city, etc.).
Having lived in Minnesota my entire life (and in the Twin Cities area for the last 13 years before relocating) but never really embracing the cold winters (I have friends who play broomball or snowmobile to help make them through it!), I was excited for the change of scenery in the southwest and the prospect of no snow! My husband is originally from CA and had lived in Las Vegas since 2001, so I was "on board" after hearing all of the great things about Las Vegas (he had also lived in Minnesota for about 12 years or so, which made him quite familiar with that area also).
After arriving in Las Vegas right around New Years', it was incredible to think that I was now living in a place where there's no snow on the ground and quite temperate in the middle of winter! WOOO HOOOOO! I was so excited about the idea of spending much more time outside and couldn't wait to walk my dogs in the middle of winter without being all bundled up and looking like the Michelin Man in order to do it!
However, as the first few months of life in Las Vegas transpired, I quickly realized what a different place this is vs. the midwest. Honestly, I guess it all depends on exactly what you're looking for but, personally, I can't wait to return to Minneapolis!
The community events are EXTREMELY lacking here! I can give Las Vegas the benefit of the doubt, since it is a fairly "young" town in terms of being an established city, so I understand that these types of things will happen in time. But it really made me realize how spoiled I was in the Twin Cities! I fantasize about the Uptown and Powderhorn Art Fairs, the Minnesota State Fair, Basillica Block Party, Taste of Minnesota, Walker Art Center, Sommerfest (Minneapolis & St. Paul), the St. Paul Bike Tour, the Grand Avenue area, Stillwater, Calhoun Coffee Festival, the downtown skyway system, concerts at the Minnesota Zoo, Hudson's Hot Air Affair, and some great eateries and hangouts (too many to name!) that I miss.
And for you sports fans, sorry -- no major league teams here. Yes, yes, I know -- Oscar is working on it. I'll believe it when I see it, though. And did I mention that because this is a different region of the U.S., you don't get to see any regular Vikings or Twins games here either unless it's chosen by the network to air (and if they are having a horrible season, forget it) or if you buy the million dollar package from Direct TV (the local cable company doesn't offer them).
EVERYTHING here is centered around the tourists. Granted, that is the industry here being "the entertainment capital of the world", but all of the people who live here that make it happen want things to do in their neighborhoods, too! As many of you may have heard, most people who live here want nothing to do with being on the Strip because it's such a PAIN in the butt to get there, parked, into the casino, and then where you need to be, AND it's quite expensive as well (restaurants, shows, etc. -- there's no such thing as a locals' discount anymore).
It's also true about what everyone has said regarding work ethic in the southwest vs. Minnesota. I hear it all the time from people -- one day an employee will just stop showing up, like they just fell off the face of the earth or something. Or they think they should collect a paycheck because they show up but shouldn't have to actually do WORK for it. The same goes for the "genuine-ness" of people here. They are VERY flaky and many times are interested in you for ONE reason and ONE reason only -- "what's in it for me", usually from the financial pespective. Of course, this is a broad generalization, and I HAVE met some great people (people that live here do come from all over, but mostly California), but they are much harder to find, and this along with the transient nature of this town makes it very difficult to make and establish friendships.
This town (and state, for that matter) does not value education, so if you're looking for a job that utilizes your education, good luck. The casinos are obviously the largest employers here and if you want in, they want you to start at the bottom at their crappiest property. And if you have a college education and want to start in a corporate position, good luck getting in if you have NO casino experience. They won't even look at you. Unless you know someone who works there, that is -- then you might have a fighting chance.
In a nutshell, the culture is VERY, VERY different. Sadly, you don't see a lot of people doing things outside -- I think it's because there's no sense of urgency to enjoy the great outdoors while you can like there is in Minnesota. But because of this, it's also no surprise that Las Vegas recently won the "fattest city in America" designation, especially with all those buffets and world-class restaurants.
I thought those places were mainly frequented by the tourists, but I guess most of the locals must be eating there, too!
People here drive like they're racing in the Indy 500. I think it's because we rarely, if ever, have any type of elements -- like rain, snow, or ice -- that they have to slow down for or that prevent them from driving so fast (average precipitation is 4 inches per year). And people LOVE to run red lights here -- you have to make sure you wait a few seconds before you pull out when the light turns green or you may risk getting hit by a red-light runner.
We have cinder block backyards, which doesn't promote getting to know your neighbors, our yards are much smaller, and everything is brown. Granted, we live in the desert so, obviously, that makes sense. But if you're coming from a humid climate with lots of greenery, it's a dramatic change.
Obviously, there are people who love it here or they wouldn't stay. And there are definitely trade-offs -- no state income taxes IS nice, but from that we get crappy schools (which, truly, doesn't affect me directly since I have no children, but I do value education and think it's deplorable that Las Vegas has the lowest high school graduation rate in the entire COUNTRY!). And I'm not even going to get into the lack of good medical care here in the valley.
The most challenging aspect for me has been the lack of quality people (or just not being able to find them!) and really missing my fabulous friends and family in Minnesota. We have plans to move back to the Twin Cities area, hopefully in the next 12 to 18 months, depending upon several factors, and I can't wait to get back! This adventure has given me a renewed appreciation for the rain, snow, and change of seasons, the value of friendships and family, and everything that is so great about living in Minnesota!
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AZ vs MN
(vacuumed it up) I'm starting to think the annoying but harmless bugs are the way to go!
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