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Or maybe I'm taking it too personally? Idk. The people I've met in Tucson, the majority are from out of state. Arizona is a transplant state in general.
Yeah, I've heard and read that people in Phoenix are also unfriendly too. I've heard many times that Tucson is friendlier than Phoenix. I've read other people's posts that people in AZ in general are unfriendly. For me personally, I really like AZ a lot. It's my favorite state! I already met some good people and made some good friends here. You just have to meet the right people to get along with. I felt people here were more open than in El Paso, but that's me. The culture in El Paso is a little different than in Tucson.
About California, I much prefer Arizona. The infrastructure, the quality, everything is better. People wise, Southern California is pretty friendly for the most part. Northern California is very unfriendly, especially The Bay Area. I went to San Francisco last Winter and the people just seem so cold up there compared to Los Angeles and San Diego. San Francisco kind of gave off New York vibes. San Diego though, probably the friendliest city in California. Los Angeles and surrounding cities connected to LA would come in as a close 2nd.
But overall, I'd much rather live in AZ than CA personally. Less crowded, traffic is a joke compared to California traffic, and better quality of life too. Not to mention, the cost of living is affordable for me in AZ.
Talk a bit more about the vibe in El Paso and how it threw you off?
Was it cliquey? Were people somewhat anti-social and standoffish?
The above was my experience in Las Cruces, which of course is just due north of El Paso.
The Hispanics down in the RGV were exponentially friendly in my experience. But I'm curious to hear your take on El Paso and the people.
El Paso is not really a city you want to be in. The people were very cliquey and somewhat unfriendly. Though everyone kept telling me how the people in EP are friendly, I had a completely different experience. I encountered very rude and ignorant people. I never made any friends and no one wanted to hang out or do anything, unless it was with their preschool friend. If your not Hispanic, your gonna get treated badly. RGV has a much friendlier population than EP. The city itself is so boring and run down. I used to refer to El Paso as North Juarez. Glad I left. I met quite a few people in Tucson compared to in El Paso. Overall, people in EP are friendly to some extent, but won't ever go beyond strangers, unless you grew up there and made friends in Elementary School.
El Paso is not really a city you want to be in. The people were very cliquey and somewhat unfriendly. Though everyone kept telling me how the people in EP are friendly, I had a completely different experience. I encountered very rude and ignorant people. I never made any friends and no one wanted to hang out or do anything, unless it was with their preschool friend. If your not Hispanic, your gonna get treated badly. RGV has a much friendlier population than EP. The city itself is so boring and run down. I used to refer to El Paso as North Juarez. Glad I left. I met quite a few people in Tucson compared to in El Paso. Overall, people in EP are friendly to some extent, but won't ever go beyond strangers, unless you grew up there and made friends in Elementary School.
This is not just true for El Paso but true for all areas where there are few transplants. You can certainly find this in areas in the midwest, south and even northeast (outside the major population centers). People who grew up in one place tend to have all the friends they need - they don't need anymore friends, so breaking into their friendship circle is hard. You're seen as an outsider who has never shared their experiences growing up and could move away just as quickly as you moved to them. On the other hand, places with a lot of recent transplants means a lot of people are searching for new friends and connections. These end up usually being more superficial relationships than when you grew up in one area and cultivated friends from, as you said, elementary school.
This is not just true for El Paso but true for all areas where there are few transplants. You can certainly find this in areas in the midwest, south and even northeast (outside the major population centers). People who grew up in one place tend to have all the friends they need - they don't need anymore friends, so breaking into their friendship circle is hard. You're seen as an outsider who has never shared their experiences growing up and could move away just as quickly as you moved to them. On the other hand, places with a lot of recent transplants means a lot of people are searching for new friends and connections. These end up usually being more superficial relationships than when you grew up in one area and cultivated friends from, as you said, elementary school.
Another city that is kind of similar to El Paso is Lubbock. I think it's even harder to meet people in Lubbock, unless your a Texas Tech student in undergrad. Outside of that environment, the people seem closed and cliquish, more than in El Paso. I notice smaller cities in general can be hard to meet people, but it seems easier in bigger cities. Lubbock has a lot of locals. Those who are transplants there are only there for Texas Tech and then they leave afterwards. I'm glad I didn't have to move to Lubbock, but it came close.
I would personally equate Arizona to being one of the least friendly states in the country. What's ironic is that I've spent more time all over it, every which way, than most other states I've been to.
Incidentally, that fact also qualifies my perspective quite a bit.
Arizona is majestic, Arizona is exotic, Arizona is surreal. But the people, the residents, definitely it's one true achilles heel. It's just not a place to be if you're an open, friendly people person like myself.
I'd take Cali people over AZ, and though that sounds like I'm bashing Cali, it's actually a back-handed compliment I'm paying them.
AZ is glorious in countless ways. But the people? From Prescott to Flag to Tucson, fuhgettabout it. Bummer.
For me, Arizona is a mix. In Gibert, for some reason I met and worked with the friendliest people I have ever been around. But it might have just been I was lucky enough, to come across a good group.
I was in Tucson for two weeks and I did not find it friendly at all except for the retiree population which is a little nicer.
A majority of the people in Tucson came across as pretentious, entitled and aloof. It did not come across as rude or even materialistic but the people came across as very cold.
I understand retail is a difficult job, but I also found much of the customer service to be below average compared to the other cities also.
Tucson does have great scenery, very nice weather even in the summer it is not nearly as hot as Phoenix and the design of the city is pretty good and easy to get around with lots of nice retail but it is certainly not a friendly city.
For me, Arizona is a mix. In Gibert, for some reason I met and worked with the friendliest people I have ever been around. But it might have just been I was lucky enough, to come across a good group.
I was in Tucson for two weeks and I did not find it friendly at all except for the retiree population which is a little nicer.
A majority of the people in Tucson came across as pretentious, entitled and aloof. It did not come across as rude or even materialistic but the people came across as very cold.
I understand retail is a difficult job, but I also found much of the customer service to be below average compared to the other cities also.
Tucson does have great scenery, very nice weather even in the summer it is not nearly as hot as Phoenix and the design of the city is pretty good and easy to get around with lots of nice retail but it is certainly not a friendly city.
How does Tucson compare with Chicago, Boston, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and other cities? Yeah, only the transplants are friendly over here. The Tucson born and raised are super rude and very mean. I've heard Phoenix has ruder people, but it's hard to tell. I've thought about becoming mean and pretentious myself. Being nice here doesn't get you anywhere.
Never been to London, but am highly skeptical they are friendlier than Tucsonites.
Don't get me wrong. I really love Tucson. I love living here, I love the way of life here, I love the entertainment, nightlife, our awesome Wildcats, and a lot more about Tucson. The only thing that really makes me upset is that some people here just seem like they have no empathy for anyone. Just today, I had to deal with a very rude Wal-Mart Employee. I asked a simple question and she seemed kind of upset that I even asked and had a nasty attitude. I went to another Wal-Mart and the employees were nicer. I feel over here, it's either your gonna meet someone who is really nice and down to earth, or someone who is rude and has no empathy. It's not really neutral.
Now customer service here is better than in El Paso. I remember the service in El Paso. Slow moving and very long lines almost anywhere, only one person working, usually with a bad attitude, and sometimes employees yell at you. Over here, it's just they have a bad attitude sometimes but not all the time. What I like better about the people in Tucson compared to El Paso is that people here will go beyond strangers and seem more open minded. The people in El Paso were unfriendly for the most part.
Yeah, Miami people I've heard are mean. I've never spent much time in Miami, so I never really saw much rudeness there, but I've heard from many others about the rudeness.
I've been embarrassed by the locals here. I'm starting to think Miami and even London are friendlier. What do you all think?
NYers flood Miami so they have little NYC attitude
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