Reason most people want to leave Phoenix (Queen Creek, Maricopa: house, best schools)

[notmuch69]

Originally Posted by canudigit

Being from the Great Lakes Region, I found that the very things that I found enchanting about Phoenix upon visiting...the cacti, palm trees, mountains, etc. were the exact things that I ended up hating in short order. Everyone likes something different, but for me, I discovered that I need a LOT of green in my environment and a change of seasons. I guess it's all in what you get accustomed to, and after 44 years in the Midwest climate, I couldn't adjust to Phoenix. I would have driven across town to stand under the shade of a huge, old maple tree of the kind of which there are literally millions here. The Phoenix area has its own unique kind of beauty, and there were some things (the nice, smooth roads!) that I really loved about it, but the weather and the scenery were not right for me.

Also, my husband and I both found, much to our dismay, that the job market in SE Michigan was actually much, much better for us than that in Phoenix after he was downsized out of his job there and I couldn't find one to save my life. We both have good-paying, steady jobs in Michigan, and it only took a couple of months to find them. IDK, maybe employers in Phoenix wanted to focus on hiring natives, which is completely understandable to me, but as an RN who couldn't even find a job in a nursing home out there, I was really surprised by how an area with such a constant influx of new residents could have such a poor job market.

Those things aside, I don't hate Phoenix. I don't hate anywhere. One man's junk is another man's treasure. Many people wouldn't want to live where I do, and I'm happy as a clam here. I wish everyone could live where they are happiest, I feel very blessed to be doing just that.

I can't wait to head back to Wisconsin after the military here in Phoenix. Phoenix was great for the party life when I was single but that's about all I liked about it. It's just annoying now with a family.

[notmuch69]

Originally Posted by 61scout80

nope, it's not just you. After 5 summers I still haven't "adjusted". I handled cold winters better than I handle hot summers here.

When I lived in the cold I would still do some stuff outside in the winter, I can't even stand the walk to the mailbox here in the summer. The guy I carpool with thinks I'm crazy, my AC is almost always on. once it hits the low 90's he prefers the windows down.

I'm inside a conditioned space from April until October. then I still end up indoors because it's dark by the time i get free time...

Exactly! Still too hot even at 4:00 am.

[Ritchie_az]

Phoenix was great for the party life when I was single but that's about all I liked about it. It's just annoying now with a family.

The funny thing is, I have a young family, and there are so many things to do here with young kids. As long as you are willing to drive to different parts of the valley, there should be no boring weekends with the kids--even in the summer.

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by Ritchie_az

The funny thing is, I have a young family, and there are so many things to do here with young kids. As long as you are willing to drive to different parts of the valley, there should be no boring weekends with the kids--even in the summer.

Awesome, you should post that on the "Reasons most people want to live in Phoenix" thread! Some people find plenty to do, this is their kind of environment. Some don't, for many good reasons. This is to hear the reasons they don't, there is another one to hear reasons why they do.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Ritchie_az

The funny thing is, I have a young family, and there are so many things to do here with young kids. As long as you are willing to drive to different parts of the valley, there should be no boring weekends with the kids--even in the summer.

It always amazes me when people post that there is nothing to do and no culture or no food here. Are these people in a cocoon or something? There is more shiv to do here than can ever be done. Yes, ya gotta get off the couch and into the car and drive. But that is true in any large city unless you live downtown where there is a concentration of activities. We have symphony, ballet, performing arts centers in most of the burbs, traveling museum exhibits and art, fine dining, ethnic food tasting festivals, top rated resorts, world class golf, sports, sports and more sports, every act that is (or was) anybody stops here, theatre tours stop here. There's huge inflatable palaces for the little and big ones, candy factory tours, kids museums, stocked fishing ponds, a little kidde ride park at Encanto, movie screens by the hundreds, game centers, halloween, Christmas and other festivals that focus on family fun, Wild Life world zoo where kids can feed birds and giraffes and go on rides through displays and much more.

People, PLEASE! Check out AZ Central and New Times then get off your duff and go do something. I get it about the heat, but if you are unhappy because "there is nothing to do", it's YOU that are the problem not the city.

[redjan1225]

Originally Posted by Howard Roark

But I like the winter/spring rains of Northern California that I grew up with.

^^^ I do too. I remember all that rain meant roofs would soon turn green with moss and grass would sprout from rain gutters and I always thought it just make things all the greener.

[Ritchie_az]

It always amazes me when people post that there is nothing to do and no culture or no food here. Are these people in a cocoon or something? There is more shiv to do here than can ever be done. Yes, ya gotta get off the couch and into the car and drive. But that is true in any large city unless you live downtown where there is a concentration of activities. We have symphony, ballet, performing arts centers in most of the burbs, traveling museum exhibits and art, fine dining, ethnic food tasting festivals, top rated resorts, world class golf, sports, sports and more sports, every act that is (or was) anybody stops here, theatre tours stop here. There's huge inflatable palaces for the little and big ones, candy factory tours, kids museums, stocked fishing ponds, a little kidde ride park at Encanto, movie screens by the hundreds, game centers, halloween, Christmas and other festivals that focus on family fun, Wild Life world zoo where kids can feed birds and giraffes and go on rides through displays and much more.

People, PLEASE! Check out AZ Central and New Times then get off your duff and go do something. I get it about the heat, but if you are unhappy because "there is nothing to do", it's YOU that are the problem not the city.

Well said, Ponderosa!

BTW, I didn't get a chance to apologize for what I wrote in a different thread that got locked. Not on purpose, but I twisted the meaning of something you wrote by taking it out of context. I actually agree with what you said, with the caveat that the people who have those impressions are mislead. Eventually one has to think about cost of living and taxes (among other things), and realize that certain things come with a price tag--sometimes a very high one.
Anyway, I'm sorry for twisitng your words.

[notmuch69]

Originally Posted by Ritchie_az

The funny thing is, I have a young family, and there are so many things to do here with young kids. As long as you are willing to drive to different parts of the valley, there should be no boring weekends with the kids--even in the summer.

This is where I was raised as a child, Small town/country life in Wisconsin , and am looking forward to returning and raising my children there. Totaly different lifestyle and in a good way. So many active things to do right outside your own home in the country without the crime, traffic, crowds, sirens, etc. And much better schools.

[Ritchie_az]

This is where I was raised as a child, Small town/country life in Wisconsin , and am looking forward to returning and raising my children there. Totaly different lifestyle and in a good way. So many active things to do right outside your own home in the country without the crime, traffic, crowds, sirens, etc. And much better schools.

That's fine (and a choice). But, just to be fair, one can find that same type of lifestyle in Arizona and even the Phoenix area if one were to look. And there are some great schools in the Phoenix area (Best Schools in Phoenix - Find a Good School in Maricopa County).
Good luck, though, in Bangor. I hope it works out for you.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by notmuch69

This is where I was raised as a child, Small town/country life in Wisconsin , and am looking forward to returning and raising my children there. Totaly different lifestyle and in a good way. So many active things to do right outside your own home in the country without the crime, traffic, crowds, sirens, etc. And much better schools.

I have commented on your posts before that I think your memory is better than the reality. I, too, grew up in small town Wisconsin. As a teen there was nothing to do but go drink beer (underage) and make out. Half the girls in my high school were pregnant before graduation or shortly after. And speaking of schools, try being a little different in a rural Wisconsin school - say emu or goth or just a loner. Kids in big high schools can always find someone who thinks similarly or dresses like they want to. In those small schools they single you out, bully you, ostracize you and make your life miserable if you are not one of the in crowd, a jock, or a cheerleader. Ever wonder why it's always places "where things like this never happen" where terrible things like school shootings happen?

If you ever get back I hope you find happiness, but my experience in trying to go home is that it's not all it's cracked up to be and memories always seem sweeter than it was at the time you were living through it.