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I am a thirty year old male looking to make dramatic changes in my life. I have worked in the investment banking and finance field for the last 8 years, and have lived in Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and New Jersey. Over the past year and a half my life has changed dramatically and I am looking for a "life makover" in the next six months.
I am looking to change my career, my perspectives, and my location. I have heard very good things about New Mexico. In my travels and professional endeavors people have told me that the climate, people, and general attitude of the state is very positive and supportive.
I would like to procure some feedback from New Mexico residents about areas in the state that offer a quality way of life. What I have heard thus far is that Albuquerque has the same issues as any midsize city but offers quality cultural dynamics. I have heard that Santa Fe is slow paced, quiet, and very "earthy". Other than that, I have only heard that Roswell has crime issues, but that they have taken strides over the past two years to improve, and that Roswell has a large number of museums and art centers.
I would sincerely appreciate any feedback that can be provided. Thank You.
Hello, well I lived in Albuquerque for 3 years and made the big mistake of moving to Dallas! Yes, Albuquerque has issues like any other place but it's a wonderful place to live. The people are very nice and I will tell you that it has a magic and a spiritual connection that I have never experienced in my life! Santa Fe is just AMAZING! Beautiful, laid back, spiritual, simple yet sophisticated. Waking up in the morning and seeing those mountains, is just amazing. The weather is the best!!! It's just that perfect weather. If you are nature oriented, spiritual, like a laid back life style and you are not expecting a party animal life style, then New Mexico is for you. Laz
I would like to procure some feedback from New Mexico residents about areas in the state that offer a quality way of life. What I have heard thus far is that Albuquerque has the same issues as any midsize city but offers quality cultural dynamics. I have heard that Santa Fe is slow paced, quiet, and very "earthy". Other than that, I have only heard that Roswell has crime issues, but that they have taken strides over the past two years to improve, and that Roswell has a large number of museums and art centers.
I would sincerely appreciate any feedback that can be provided. Thank You.
Many transplants to New Mexico love it, but a good many hate it. Not many are luke-warm on it as far as I know. New Mexico isn't the sort of place where second-hand opinions mean much. You have to experience it personally to know how you'll respond to it.
Albuquerque offers the least amount of culture shock and is probably the easiest place in NM for transplants to settle (p.s. by NM standards, Albuquerque is "a big city." A "mid-sized city" would be someplace like Roswell or Las Cruces.
For you, there would be a double whammy of culture shock. Just coming out West would be wholly different from where you lived before, but NM isn't like most other areas of the West. I lived much of my life in Arizona and going to New Mexico always felt like going to another country. New Mexico is a big state and can't be broad-brushed with a single set of generalizations. You'll really have to come out and see for yourself how it settles on you. I think the key to loving NM is that you really have to be the kind of person whose primary connection with place comes from the land itself. You really have to love the desert and all that comes with it: the blazing sun, the lip-cracking lack of humidity, the spiders, the coyotes, the rattlesnakes...all of it. If your primary connection with place comes from the world of asphalt and concrete -- concert halls, museums, sidewalk bistros, etc. -- you might not find that the payoffs in NM are worth the drawbacks.
I am looking to change my career, my perspectives, and my location. I have heard very good things about New Mexico. In my travels and professional endeavors people have told me that the climate, people, and general attitude of the state is very positive and supportive.
I would sincerely appreciate any feedback that can be provided. Thank You.
The first time we moved to New Mexico from New England I thought it was like we had come to a different world. After a bit, I changed my thinking. It was like we had come to a different UNIVERSE. The landscape was so unlike any place that I've ever lived and the people were completely different from any I'd ever met (beliefs, language, attitudes).
The pace is very different. And there is that vibe that we try to explain as "magical" or "spiritual" or downright "spooky" in places.
I got so homesick for New England and for the sound and smell of water that we went back for several years for me to get all that out of my system. Then we moved back here for good.
All I can say is that you should come for an unhurried, leisurely vacation to see what you think. It hits us all differently.
If you want to learn ALOT about the folks in "small town" New Mexico then I would encourage you to read this entire thread Fire in Timberon
This pretty much sums up the quality of people that we have in our little out of the way small towns!
Thank you sincerely for all the feedback thus far. I must say, I have spent a fair amount of time in California and Nevada, as well as some brief time in Texas, although I intend for all evaluation purposes to visit New Mexico in the very near future.
While the prospect of coyotes and rattlesnakes living within footsteps would take some getting used to, I am certainly not the type to embrace partying or the need for more modern agents of socialization such as clubs and bars. Generally, my time is spent reading, studying history, and embracing knowledge.
Yes, I grew up in Boston and have lived in larger east coast cities my entire life, but as previously stated, change in my life at this point is a great need. I didn't care for California, and as many times as I have visited Las Vegas, Nevada it is not my type of place. I am looking for quiet, simple, diverse, and adequately well educated surroundings.
Once again, any feedback from anyone possessing knowledge, experience, or an opinion is appreciated. Thank You.
So far there has been some interesting comments said. I came to NM from the east coast for school and I have never fully assimilated to the "culture shock" of the state. However, it is this differentness that I really enjoy. It is great to live in a place that is truly not an Anywhere, USA. Heck, just look at the adobe architecture that predominates.
People are very genuine here. In addition, I find in interesting and pleasant to see hispanics more assimilated into everyday life more so than in other regions of the country. Much of this is due to the fact of course that many have long roots in New Mexico and are not recent immigrants.
Much of the spiritual aspects that people talk about are indeed quite accurate. This is a combination of the beautiful landscape, native american, and unique history that New Mexico has acquired.
In my opinion, if Albuqerqe has a brother it might be Reno, Nev. I feel this way because it is sometimes overlooked but has a very laid back western type of vibe to it.
Santa Fe I always found to be amazing, and as much as others may doubt it, Santa Fe really does put New Mexico on the map.
Overall, I think many newcommers to NM find that it either works or it dosen't. However, the one's who have stuck around know why.
If you want to learn ALOT about the folks in "small town" New Mexico then I would encourage you to read this entire thread Fire in Timberon
This pretty much sums up the quality of people that we have in our little out of the way small towns!
This thread says so much about the people here, I'm just totally amazed.
Once again, any feedback from anyone possessing knowledge, experience, or an opinion is appreciated. Thank You.
Ok, here's the deal. You don't get to pick New Mexico. New Mexico picks you. Come on out and visit. Leave your "checklist" of desired amenities back in Boston because I'll tell you right now this place isn't going to meet them. But then, that's the magic.
Once again to everyone.....thank you for the continued feedback and opinions. It is all sincerely appreciated.
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