[Hetzau]

Disclaimer: this post will be very long, and if you don't want to read everything, just read the Conclusion part.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently a graduate student and have been pondering for a long time what it would be like to leave this God-forsaken city and go live somewhere nicer. I'm originally from a small Eastern European country, from a town of about 150k people. It was a nice little town that didn't have a "big city feel" but was big enough not to know someone living 20 minutes away. Heck, it was so small you could drive form one end of the town to the next in about 15-20 mins. When you went out to walk at night, you'd often see about 50 people you know, doing the exact same thing as you are. I liked that, heck I still do, but as you've probably guessed it, I don't get that here in Chicago.

I will present you my likes/dislikes in a rather unorthodox fashion by simply insulting Chicago, because I've been harboring hatred for it for over 14 years I've been here. By reading through this, just keep in mind that I'm yearning for that old small town-but not a suburb feeling of a place, where you might see people you know often, but the place has enough people not to know EVERYONE. My goal here is for you to point me in the right direction as to where in Florida I might like to live.

Weather: God, where do I start...I originally come from a place where we have 4 normal seasons: summer, fall, spring, and winter. Winters are winters, summers are summers. There's no "mild or cold winters", winters is the time when snow falls, kids go out to play, and perhaps drivers hate it. Here in Chicago, as you might have heard there's winter and construction season. I've always called Chicago's weather bipolar because you never know what you're gonna get the next day. Snow in April? Heck why not! 60 degree weather in November? Sure! Rain, then snow, then below zero temperatures the next day? Plenty of that in Chicago! By now, I think you're getting the point. I'd much rather sweat and fry in blistering heat then not know what awaits me the next day. Do I need to mention the wind? You won't know what "RealFeel" means until Chicago's January wind has hit you directly in the face. You think drowning in the sea is bad? Try breathing in a 50 mph wind that blows in every possible direction known to man (it probably blows in another dimension as well).

Conclusion: I hate Chicago weather. I hate cold. I hate not having a proper season (doesn't matter which one, just a season that knows what it is.

Size and looks: I absolutely hate the size of Chicago. It is a sprawling metropolis that has over 11 million people (with Chicagoland included). When you go to downtown, I feel like I'm on the set of iRobot with everyone walking to their own destination without stopping to say hello, look around or just acknowledge that the world exists around them. It is a gray, black and blocky city with 0 natural beauty. I come from a town surrounded by hills and mountains, with trees and grass growing in-between buildings. Here, I'm in a concrete jungle nightmare. I think I'm one of the only people that thinks our public transportation sucks, not because it's not available, because it is...it's everywhere, it's because it's expensive for what they offer (buses and trains are late, all manner of people use the transportation that shouldn't, and it takes forever to get to places compared to a car especially if going to "chicagoland" places). I won't even talk about the "beaches" here. They are a sad reminder of real things that are found on coastal U.S.

Conclusion: I need a smaller town, with some sort of natural beauty inside or/and around it. I'm an old soul, so nothing like walking on a peer at night looking at the stars. Hell, even swampland is better than what we have here. Having a nice beach is even better! I'm a huge swimmer.

Availability of jobs: I'm in the counseling field. Chicago is a social worker's heaven. I've heard from a professor who went to college in Florida that Florida is a counselor-centric state, which is GREAT. Nothing to add about that here. Just need a place where I will have plenty of clients, so I'm guessing a suburb looking place is probably a bad idea since people have to travel a long time to get to you.

Things to do: A few of you will get a laugh out of this, and few of you will most likely call me a fool, but I don't think there's much to do in Chicago. I'm not into the bar, club, art, parade or any type of specialized "scene". What Chicago has, and I take my hats off to it for this, is restaurants. I'm thankful for the fact I can just pick a country and we go taste its food. While I probably can't pick a place that has the amount of diversity Chicago has, I would like for the new place to have a few different options, but I also see the draw in eating at the same place over and over again if it's good. There are couple of hobbies I am interested in that just aren't available in Chicago. I tried getting an air rifle so I can go to a range and just shoot for fun. Well, guess what? Let me put it to you this way, my Firearm Identification card is a very nice, plastic toilet paper I can use to wipe my butt with.

Conclusion: I'd like a town small enough not to have to travel an hour by car just to get to places, but big enough to have variety of food places.


I have visited Florida for a week last year in December, and have liked the East cost better than West, but I haven't been to Jacksonville, the place I was looking forward to see the most. West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale have probably attracted me the most, based on first impressions.

And that's about all there is that's important to me. If you have any questions, feel free to fire away, and thanks for all the help!

[Jame22]

Originally Posted by Hetzau

I've always called Chicago's weather bipolar because you never know what you're gonna get the next day. Snow in April? Heck why not! 60 degree weather in November? Sure! Rain, then snow, then below zero temperatures the next day? Plenty of that in Chicago! By now, I think you're getting the point. I'd much rather sweat and fry in blistering heat then not know what awaits me the next day. Do I need to mention the wind? You won't know what "RealFeel" means until Chicago's January wind has hit you directly in the face. You think drowning in the sea is bad? Try breathing in a 50 mph wind that blows in every possible direction known to man (it probably blows in another dimension as well).

Pretty much everyone east of the Great Plains and north of the gulf coast experience this. Keep up with the the local weather forecasts and you'll never be surprised.

Florida weather is nice during the winter, but ultimately I find it pretty boring. Which I guess is what you're looking for..

Don't expect Florida to solve all your problems..Unless you have the money to live near the beach there's not much to do. I spent a summer in Daytona beach one year and I thought it was the worst place I've ever been... Very dull, very boring, very depressing and I was even 20 minutes from the beach! I grew up in Ohio & nothing made me appreciate the Midwest like a little dose of Florida. Be careful, Florida is not utopia. It's quite the opposite in my experience. I'd take Chicago any day.

Honestly, there's so many better options. Have you looked into Texas? Colorado? California? Oregon? If you really believe that your job prospects are better in Florida then maybe it's worth pursing.

[Hetzau]

Originally Posted by Jame22

Honestly, there's so many better options. Have you looked into Texas? Colorado? California? Oregon? If you really believe that your job prospects are better in Florida then maybe it's worth pursing.

Texas is the last state I would move to. I've looked into California but it's way too expensive and the requirements for the counselor's license are off the charts. Not only that but the license is less "compatible" with the rest of the country. I've been to Colorado once and it's beautiful there but I'd like to live somewhere where it's permanent summer - I've had it with the wind and the cold.

[Jame22]

Originally Posted by Hetzau

Texas is the last state I would move to. I've looked into California but it's way too expensive and the requirements for the counselor's license are off the charts. Not only that but the license is less "compatible" with the rest of the country. I've been to Colorado once and it's beautiful there but I'd like to live somewhere where it's permanent summer - I've had it with the wind and the cold.

It sounds like you've done your research. I just think that if you're expecting Florida to be less boring than Chicago you're in for a rude awakening.

[Hetzau]

Originally Posted by Jame22

It sounds like you've done your research. I just think that if you're expecting Florida to be less boring than Chicago you're in for a rude awakening.

I'm not necessarily looking for something less boring or more exciting...just different. As I said, as long as there's a beach or a pier to walk upon at night, I'm all good. I know it sounds simple and stupid, but it's something I find calming and it's not something that's available here 24/7.

[OTownKnight]

Northerners always say they're done with the cold and snow, but then they come bake in the Florida oven in July for a few days and can't manage it. The humidity and heat are unbearable in this state for half the year, especially in the areas where it's swampy (Central FL, heartland).

If you're looking for seasons, Florida is not the place. In fact, Florida is probably the only state that doesn't experience any change in season all year. There's just hot and hotter, and the hotter is about 8 months out of the year.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by OTownKnight

Northerners always say they're done with the cold and snow, but then they come bake in the Florida oven in July for a few days and can't manage it. The humidity and heat are unbearable in this state for half the year, especially in the areas where it's swampy (Central FL, heartland).

If you're looking for seasons, Florida is not the place. In fact, Florida is probably the only state that doesn't experience any change in season all year. There's just hot and hotter, and the hotter is about 8 months out of the year.

This. There are no seasons here. Today, it's going to be 81 degrees here in Orlando. Aside from a few isolated "cold" (read, high in the 60s) days, the temperature goes from 95 in the summer (with heat indexes well above 100 degrees) to 80s in the "winter."

[gypsychic]

There are probably many places in Florida that could fill the bill for you, IF you understand that it is summer or "summer-like" most of the year here. We only have random cooler days (depending which part of the state you are in). You mentioned liking Ft. Lauderdale, that is night and day from Jacksonville. I really think Jax would be more up your alley based on your long post. Plus, it will feel a bit more "seasonal" up there. Definitely give it a close look. Anywhere in south Florida is going to be much hotter and a good bit more congested overall.

Good luck!

[Jame22]

Originally Posted by OTownKnight

There's just hot and hotter, and the hotter is about 8 months out of the year.

Maybe if you're talking about Miami and Fort Myers. The average high for Orlando in January is 72. It's not hot all year round. People make the same argument against Texas and it's just not true. I would classify the two seasons as "Hot & pleasantly warm."

[cfbs2691]

"...I'm yearning for that old small town-but not a suburb feeling of a place"


Coming from Chicago you will not find this in South Florida.


I really don't see Florida in general being a fit for you for many reasons.


Maybe you need to make some more trips down before you move.