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Anyone out there that can help give me perspective on Alamo? I am likely to have a good health-care career starting at Gerald Champion Medical Center in June. I am wondering about the area, as I have never been, although I have read a lot of threads on the area.
My family is placing insane amounts of pressure on me to not leave where I am (close to them). Though having never been there either, they are calling the place a literal "hell-hole", poverty-stricken hot, humid (<-I laughed at that accusation), no Catholic churches, yet overrun with Mexicans, etc. because of crap they've either made up or read online. Anything and EVERYTHING to get me to turn down the job. I am disgusted at this point, and I need facts to make my decision. I will be visiting at the end of April.
FYI, I am a single 20-something white female, LOVE outdoor recreation (esp. hiking, horsebackriding and generally exploring nature). I love my allied healthcare career, and I'm sick of being stuck in the "bowels of Hell" (humid, overpriced, retirement-graveyard of the South). I am looking to settle in a pastoral, QUIET, mainly rural, safe, low-action (I don't do nightlife or bars...just outdoorsy stuff..but I like to eat out and shop at Wally-World!!) area where I can eventually afford to buy real estate Imagine that! My job likely will be around 50K. I will need a nice, dog-friendly apartment somewhere in the area (preferably close to GCRMC, but I'm open to other proximal towns like Cloudcroft...I haven't noted a single apt. complex in CC or neighboring mountain towns, though). Help with suggestions, please?? I AM somewhat of a 'homebody', library-loving and computer addict, too. Does Alamo sound like a poor fit for me?
Be honest. Please help me out. I'm in this all alone, and I need to make some serious decisions. And soon.
P.S. what is the general reputation of Gerald Champion?
HI,
Please read a lot of the threads about Alamo. I think you will fit in just right.
Yes there is a Catholic chruch In fact there are two. And a school. And yes there are a lot of Mexicans, but a lot of whites also..Its close to the border. But I have had no problem at all with them. I feel they want you to stick around them.
Please ask away and come out to visit.
Jane
No, not at all. But you will know more when you visit. I can't help you as far as GCRMC goes, but I'm glad it's here!! I've heard good things about it.
Here is the breakdown for Alamogordo, from City-Data itself:
Alamogordo, IMHO, is a beautiful place. It's hotter than I like, but it's so pretty with the surrounding Sacramento mountains.....High Rolls, Cloudcroft and other mountain communities are to the east, about 20 miles or so. It's desert here in Alamogordo (which is my personal preference), but you'll be able to go 4500 feet higher to almost 9000 ft at Cloudcroft....20 or so degrees cooler!!
One of the Reasons i never thought of Movign to Las Cruces or Alamogordo was mainly because of the Heat and if you buy near the Mountains or Forest on a Dry Spell like were having this year it would not be a Good Idea. If you like Snow and the Mountains the East Mountain area is perfect for hiking and all kinds of Activities in the Summer and Fall.Good Schools and small towns and country life and close to Albuquerque and Santa Fe. If you like Warm weather over 100 degree temps. Roswell is a nice place and low prices on real estate and i suspect that all of New Mexico has great deals on real Estate. I tell everyone to rent or Rent to Buy and live around the Area before you make up your mind because all of N.M. is wonderful and lots of Good people. Mexicans are From Mexico and Hispanics and Spanish have been here in the Americas for over 500 years. If anyone wants to know the True history and find out about the Spanish and Mexican Culture read the Book .. North From Mexico by Carey McWilliams and it will help to Understand the Spanish and Mexican Culture. el pintada kid
I think Alamo would be a good fit ....it's certain not a "hell-hole" ...IMO a nice place ...very easy going ....population around 40,000 ....fantastic climate ....sunny and warm (most days) ....and if you're outdoorsy ...well there's lots of hiking .. Sacramento Mtns ....Cloudcroft....Sunspot ...Oliver Lee State Park and up in Ruidoso ....Bonito Lake ...in summer if it gets too hot ...in less than 20 miles you can be in cool pine forest .....and if you're making 50K you'll have a house in no time
Joy, my DH and I are looking to relocate to Alamo from the midwest (Iowa). IMHO, you can't find a better spot! We wish we were down there yesterday, but our move will take some time.
Before I talk to you about discussing the formalities of weather and demographics, let me ask you what I think constitutes a very important question: where are you from? Depending on where you are from, your perception of Alamogordo is going to vary. For example, coming from the East Coast (New Jersey specifically) my wife and I were accustomed to a suburban lifestyle. That is to say, neighborhoods with zoning laws, covenants, etc. Nothing prepared us for the shock of New Mexico in general, and Alamogordo in particular. Poverty is present everywhere (at least from a perspective of a northeasterner) there are several mobile home parks, once you leave town going north or south on 54, there are scattered trailers everywhere. Now before I make this out to be a terrible place, these were only my inital impressions. I've actually grown into living in New Mexico (albiet in Las Cruces) and have grown completely accustomed to the differences betweeen here and New Jersey. It didn't take me that long either. However, I am not the kind of person who feels the urge to shop at specialty stores, or buy high end consumer goods. A lot of people I used to work with at Holloman used to talk about their upcoming 'pilgrimage' to Las Cruces to shop, because there are so many more places to do that here. However, Las Cruces is hellbent into turning into a major city. Alamogordo doesn't seem to enthusiastic to follow this tact. To me, this is a good thing. Another thing about Alamogordo to me, is you will feel like you are on a population island. Discounting Tularosa to the north, the closest place that has a population center is in Ruidoso, which is about 45 miles north, and of course, Las Cruces, which is 65 miles away. It's very isolated. Before we were able to sell the house in New Jersey, I rented a little cottage in La Luz, and I have to say I often think of returning there. I liked the remoteness. But, that's the kind of person I always was in New Jersey. I wanted isolation. That's why I ask "Where are you from?" And, if the answer is what politicos like to refer to as "blue state" America, I might be inclined to tell you to brace yourself, because you will be shocked.
For me, I grew up in Vermont, and have lived in New Hampshire, Montana, Oregon, and now in Iowa. I've also lived temporarily (for work) in Maine and Connecticut.... so I've had all sorts of different environments.
Nothing you've told me about Alamo is a negative, IMHO.
If I could bag a $50k job in Alamogordo I would move in a split instant. I have had enough of the snow, cold, rain and damp in New Hampshire to last a lifetime. I can order maple syrup by e-mail.
Find a place to rent until you explore the area then buy a house. I would suggest learning Spanish so you can learn about a very interesting culture operating in parallel with us Anglos.
Sounds like you need some freedom to be you. Tell your family that they can visit if they call first and get yourself gone to Alamo.
Greg - where in NH? I grew up in the Upper Valley.
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(<-I laughed at that accusation), no Catholic churches, yet overrun with Mexicans, etc. because of crap they've either made up or read online. Anything and EVERYTHING to get me to turn down the job. I am disgusted at this point, and I need facts to make my decision. I will be visiting at the end of April. 
) area where I can eventually afford to buy real estate
Imagine that! My job likely will be around 50K. I will need a nice, dog-friendly apartment somewhere in the area (preferably close to GCRMC, but I'm open to other proximal towns like Cloudcroft...I haven't noted a single apt. complex in CC or neighboring mountain towns, though
). Help with suggestions, please?? I AM somewhat of a 'homebody', library-loving and computer addict, too. Does Alamo sound like a poor fit for me?
Alamogordo and other places
