Black female moving to Avondale from Cali concerned about weather (Phoenix: sales, 2013)

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by patrick85395

I spent over 20 years in San Diego. . .was in the Marine Corps there and graduated from USD. So, I'm familiar with San Diego's (and Temecula's) weather. Both are mild compared to Phoenix. When we visit San Diego in the summer I find myself feeling cold. . .During the summers Phoenix is an oven and the temperatures never fall below 100 at night. With that said, I suspect most folks acclimate during their first summer.

I'm not sure why you mentioned that your race, but for me (and I'm black) and all others I know of any race, it's not an issue.

Cost of living here is low, low, low compared to San Diego. I live in a premium neighborhood in a large, nice home on a large lot. A similar home in San Diego would be three times what I paid here. Gas today is about $1.95/gallon. If necessary, you can rent an apartment for $400/month in an area equivalent to Old Chula Vista (i.e., W. of the 805) or National City. You could never do that in San Diego.

We like the heat, have a pool, and gainful employment. So, Phoenix works for us. It's a deal breaker for some. . .and if weather is your main focus, you may want to look in another direction.

OK, it is bad, but Phoenix is not that hot at night yet. In fact, we have NEVER had a night where temps stayed over 100. Typically, temps drop 20 degrees from the high even in the urban heat island areas during monsoon. Outlying burbs get about 5 degrees more of cooling. Upper 80s to low 90s is the norm. Of course, that is just before sunrise. It is almost always over 100 near midnight.

In any case, based on OPs remarks about Vegas, Phoenix is no place for her to be. It is both hotter and more humid in Phoenix. Winters are nicer here though.

You are right too about people adjusting to it. If they did not, we would not have grown by millions and millions over the last couple decades. A lot of it is attitude. Maybe all of it is. When I was younger, the heat did not get in my way. I did the things I wanted - went fishing, hiking, shopping and whatever regardless. But as the years went by, it began to get to me to the point that now, from April to November, I don't even want to go out of the house.

[PoppySead]

Remember when finances come into it that hot places like Phoenix, Vegas, Texas require a lot of ac, which adds up in $$. I live in both Phoenix and Laguna and the cost of living is about the same after factoring in electricity and income. Phoenix pays less for most jobs.
So, give or take a couple of hundred, it won't be cheaper. Housing is cheaper if you're looking to buy but I find most rent comparable after factoring electricity and wages, especially given you're coming from Menifee which is about the same as our rentals in most areas. Plus, you are only an hour from beaches and here you'd be 5 or 6 hours from those beaches.

As far as looks, Menifee and Phoenix look pretty similar, you won't suffer culture shock that's for sure. We have a lot of burbs, and strip malls here. Maybe look somewhere downtown or by ASU for something different, although rent will be higher. I'm surprised you'd pick Phoenix seeing it's a look alike to the place you're already at but about 15 degrees hotter in the summer but you probably have your reasons.

Good luck either way, Phoenix is beautiful and has a night life you'd probably enjoy. But, yes, your makeup will melt off in the summer, within the first hour.

[MotleyCrew]

If anyone had asked me if I like the heat before we left n.Ca years ago, I would think back on a trip to Bullhead City and at 122 degrees, I would have said heck no and AZ is not for me. After making the leap here, the heat can get to you but most of us run from AC to AC and do our shopping and chores in the early hours. I would rather have the heat than the cold we have had the last week lol. You get used to it...or not. Best of luck in your search...but remember this....AZ is like having a blow dryer in your face when you step outside, TX is like opening the dishwasher and getting a face full of hot steam lol.

[KurtAZ]

Regardless of the heat...getting into a Nursing school is going to be very competitive. If you go into the MCC program you would be paying out of state tuition rates and, at last check, it was a 2.5 year wait list. I believe ASU's program was severely cut back...Carrington was mentioned before or you could try GCU (they have a program with Dignity Health out here). NAU may be an option but again, that is going through the MCC program with an ASN to BSN bridge.

Good luck.

[yukon]

You might want to reconsider the move to TX and do it first. Looks like there might be some nursing schools there without outrageous waiting lists.

Johnson & Johnson Schools | Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing

[slowdude222]

[quote=DetroitN8V;37871000]If you left Vegas due to heat, I don't recommend moving here. I believe Phoenix is even hotter. The summers are very hot and mostly dry. With that said some 6 million+ people live here so it is certainly liveable.[/quote]

Ever wonder why people leave Phoenix from May to September? HOT in the day and HOT all night; it never cools down. The pools are to hot to enjoy during JUNE/JULY/August. Also this is a right to work state; meaning if you do perform at your job you will be fired.

[DetroitN8V]

Originally Posted by slowdude222

Ever wonder why people leave Phoenix from May to September? HOT in the day and HOT all night; it never cools down. The pools are to hot to enjoy during JUNE/JULY/August. Also this is a right to work state; meaning if you do perform at your job you will be fired.

I don't understand your point. What are you trying to say? That everyone leaves PHX in the summer? That is hardly true. That pools are "to (sic) hot to enjoy"? That's not true at all either. What is your point?

[observer53]

Originally Posted by slowdude222

[quote=DetroitN8V;37871000]If you left Vegas due to heat, I don't recommend moving here. I believe Phoenix is even hotter. The summers are very hot and mostly dry. With that said some 6 million+ people live here so it is certainly liveable.

Ever wonder why people leave Phoenix from May to September? HOT in the day and HOT all night; it never cools down. The pools are to hot to enjoy during JUNE/JULY/August. Also this is a right to work state; meaning if you do perform at your job you will be fired.[/quote]

Need to clarify this even though the OP wasn't asking about it. "Right to work" has nothing to do with "employment at will" which is what you are actually describing, although I'm not sure you typed what you meant to say. What employment at will means is that you can be fired for no reason, or a good reason, but not for a "bad reason" (contrary to law, public policy, or the employer's written rules.

[Marcymox]

Hi, to answer your three main questions:

Your race: While there will always be racist people in any city, I've never really encountered anyone in the 30 years I've lived here who cares if someone is Black. That's one of the (only) things I really like about this city, it no one seems to care what color you are. People are just people seems to be the general attitude and most folks seem to be, in my personal experience judged more on their behavior and not skin color.

Nursing:
Having just graduated from nursing school, I hope to give you some help before you move here. Our nursing schools fit into three categories: Community college, University, or Private ( like Carrington)

Community college is dirt cheap, the programs are high quality, and the NCLEX pass rate is very high, BUT the wait list is approx.6-8 semesters. Most people are waiting around 3 years before they get in. There is no preference given for higher GPA's or entrance test scores. Your 4.0 will hold equal weight to the applicant with the minimally required 2.5.This is for an ADN program. Wait lists are shorter for less desirable programs ( wekends, nights.ect) . There are options once you are in the ADN program to take additional classes towards a BSN, but not before you are officially in. Please google maricopa community college nursing and read about what pre-requisites are required. the web site is annoying and the information isn't' always easy to find. There is a placement test as well. I would also suggest you contact a nursing advisor to find out if your California credits will transfer.

Carrington and similar nursing programs do not have a wait list, but cost A LOT of money, around 40K dollars. Some people say this is worth it because it's quick, and when they get a job, it will quickly pay back the loans. But these programs have a stigma in the nursing community as producing lesser quality nurses. kind of like a "diploma mill" . and diploma it is, you only get an ADN , not a BSN for your 40K.

Universities- we have two main ones in the Valley, Grand Canyon and ASU. Both have high quality nursing programs with a different waiting structure. Expensive yes, but you will get your BSN quicker than if you were to sit on the Community college wait list. There are options to take some of the classes online or at a satellite campus as well. Grand canyon is a private religious college, but they do tend to have some generous scholarships sometimes so that would be worth looking into.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most hospitals in this town are trying to achieve Magnet Status. (Google it. The explanation is long and convoluted) but basically it means most places are only hiring BSN nurses now. New grad with only an ADN? Not many job prospects.
This isn't meant to discourage you from becoming a nurse. Just letting you know that this town isn't any better than California for nursing education or jobs.

As far as the weather, some people adapt, and some don't. I think you have to know yourself and your body. Some people get overheated at 80 degrees (me) and can walk around in short sleeves in the snow (me again) . If you are the type that " runs warm" then Phoenix may be a very miserable place to be. On the flip side, if you find yourself having cold hands in California winters, and like to keep your furnace set at 72, then you might see phoenix as a cozy place and not suffer at all.

Yes it's hot, but that's not really the problem. We have A/C , we have pools and highly insulated houses. It's the unrelenting nature of it, month after month is what usually gets people. anyone can suck it up and tough out a heat wave or a few weeks of 100 degree weather, but when you have that for months on end, people become miserable.

I hope I helped. Feel free to ask anything else about nursing programs or whatever, I'll try to reply!

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by slowdude222

Ever wonder why people leave Phoenix from May to September? HOT in the day and HOT all night; it never cools down. The pools are to hot to enjoy during JUNE/JULY/August. Also this is a right to work state; meaning if you do perform at your job you will be fired.

I used my pool everyday during those months. I might not go out mid to late afternoon but I'll go night swimming after the sun goes down around 7 and it is actually my favorite time to be in the pool.