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NicoleDT , make the move .... you would not live in the City of Miami , you can look in Miami Beach , Coral Gables , Miami Shores or North in Broward or Palm Beach County .... Pembroke Pines , Davie , Weston , Plantation , Boca or Coral Springs and these will afford you a better quality of life and more opportunity than in Puerto Rico ... you can always take a Spirit Airlines flight out of Ft.Lauderdale to see Mami & Papi in Puerto Rico for $ 290.00 U.S round trip and it is only two hours away !!!! Good luck
Well....mmmm...let's see how can I sort of edit to my previous. First off, I do not have hatred for the city of Miami, just as the OP stated PR's problems, it doesn't mean she hates PR...just like I don't hate Miami, so please, let's not go there, as that is not true.
Overall the crime may be worse in Puerto Rico than all of South Florida, but the OP asked about MIAMI, so I, as a Miami resident, responded. I thought your post was ironic Musclehead, because you said everybody you know in PR has been a victim or knows a victim of a crime. Well, I have the same experience here in Miami....so it really does depend on our exact locations. I am sure not all areas of Puerto Rico are crime infested hell holes, just like all of South Florida isn't either.
I do stand by what I said about the jobs though. The pay in South Florida (not just Miami) sucks. The cost of living is through the roof all over South Florida. I don't think that would improve by going to WPB or FLL. Just my opinion though.
I know many people leave PR for the mainland...just like many people leave Miami for Atlanta, North Carolina, Texas, etc. People always look to upgrade. I just don't think Miami is an upgrade from Puerto Rico, for someon in the tourism industry and on a budget in the year 2007.
If I was in the OP's shoes, I would look into places like the Southeast boom cities due to affordability...or change careers, come work on the mainland and save up money, and then go back to PR and live better and hopefully have more experience and conenctions in the future. It's a rat race and it's sucks, but that's life. We have to deal with the cards we are dealt, so we may as well be realistic!
Why do people Fort Lauderdale FLL? It makes me feel like I live at the airport. But seriously chileto, I agree that OP should check out the "Boomtowns", but that doesn't make Miami a downgrade, sorry. A very close friend of mine moved out of Coral Springs to go back to PR. Free house and taking care of family was the only reason, other than that, she loves the culture and hates the quality of life. And you think the cost of living is high and the wages are low in Miami? HA! I do think you need to become more educated about life in Puerto Rico, or visit like Musclehead before speaking on this manner, Chileto. I do plan to visit myself sooner or later.
Why do people Fort Lauderdale FLL? It makes me feel like I live at the airport. But seriously chileto, I agree that OP should check out the "Boomtowns", but that doesn't make Miami a downgrade, sorry. A very close friend of mine moved out of Coral Springs to go back to PR. Free house and taking care of family was the only reason, other than that, she loves the culture and hates the quality of life. And you think the cost of living is high and the wages are low in Miami? HA! I do think you need to become more educated about life in Puerto Rico, or visit like Musclehead before speaking on this manner, Chileto. I do plan to visit myself sooner or later.
If you visit and are taken to the right places by a local you will find good food some nice people and pretty areas like el Yunque ( rainforest ) Old San Juan , Dorado , Cabo Rojo and Ponce .... you can do that in three days . Now living there that is a different story
I have a real close friend that works for Sharp Electronics as Service Manager for the Caribbean and he just took a transfer from San Juan to South Florida and is living in Coral Springs near the border with Parkland ... could not be happier as he lives in a gated community and his kids can play and ride their bikes in safety , he can jog at night with out feeling he will get mugged ... in short he says he will only return to Puerto Rico to vist family once a year !!!
I have been to Puerto Rico, I am not an expert, but living in Miami, it just felt like Miami, except nicer. Granted, I didn't live there, so that is the tourist view...but remember, anywhere is an upgrade if we start finding the best any place has to offer. Of course Coral Gables or Parkland are upgrades, just like moving to Old Town Sn. Juan would be an upgrade for me coming from Miami...and we are not talking about abstracts here, this is a person ON A BUDGET, who works in TOURISM, in Miami during 2007 (inflated prices and depressed salaries). For this person, I do not see Miami as being an upgrade. Maybe for some some executives and people with high budgets, but for people just scraping by, like a guy considering coming from San Antonio...it prob. isn't an improvement, just a change of scenery.
I like Miami and think it has a lot to offer, but I think we have to be realistic what someone in HR in a hotel makes or hospitality in general. I used to work at the Biltmore Hotel out of high school, and trust me, no one was earning the big bucks except the GM and department heads (a handful of the 400 emplyees). Even my manager in Guests Services was living in Hialeah Gardens (late 90s), when nicer areas were actually affordable...and most of my coworkers lived in Naranja and near Eureka Drive, PAST Kendall.
If the poster can land one of those dream jobs that pays much higher than the local average, it would be an upgrade. Unfortunately, that is not likely without some serious connections...and that is not a slight on Miami at all. Just reality and my experience.
Fortunately, I am out of Hospitality now...but I know that it is still a low paying industry for all but a select few. I don't know that it pays great anywhere for that matter, but Miami's cost of living is so high that the OP would most likely have to live in a less desireable neighborhood than she is in now (I bleieve she said she lives at home?)...unless she lives in one of the slum areas in PR. I know that earning 15 dollars an hour as a HR assistant manager at say the Biltmore would mean she could afford an apartment in Allapatah or Liberty City...so I assume that the move would not be an upgrade, unless she is living an area worse than those mentioned, since 15 bucks an hour won't get anyone an apartment in any decent area in Miami. Wow we have really examined this thread...haha.
Speaking of PR crime though, when I visited I went to a friend's house where they had bars INSIDE the house separating the bedrooms from the living areas, since burglars would get in through the bars to the rest of the house. This served as added protection and kept them safer...and I know THAT is not something seen in Miami either. I guess the people that I interact with and live around don't have such a negative perception as some of the posters here...and most do not come from the well to do areas. To each his own, and hey, we have all heard about tourists being held up, murdered and robbed in their rooms (hotels on NW 36 St, Sofitel Blue Lagoon, etc), so let's not pretend that PR is the vortex to hell compared to frolicking under the palm trees in Miami.
I have been to Puerto Rico, I am not an expert, but living in Miami, it just felt like Miami, except nicer. Granted, I didn't live there, so that is the tourist view...but remember, anywhere is an upgrade if we start finding the best any place has to offer. Of course Coral Gables or Parkland are upgrades, just like moving to Old Town Sn. Juan would be an upgrade for me coming from Miami...and we are not talking about abstracts here, this is a person ON A BUDGET, who works in TOURISM, in Miami during 2007 (inflated prices and depressed salaries). For this person, I do not see Miami as being an upgrade. Maybe for some some executives and people with high budgets, but for people just scraping by, like a guy considering coming from San Antonio...it prob. isn't an improvement, just a change of scenery.
I like Miami and think it has a lot to offer, but I think we have to be realistic what someone in HR in a hotel makes or hospitality in general. I used to work at the Biltmore Hotel out of high school, and trust me, no one was earning the big bucks except the GM and department heads (a handful of the 400 emplyees). Even my manager in Guests Services was living in Hialeah Gardens (late 90s), when nicer areas were actually affordable...and most of my coworkers lived in Naranja and near Eureka Drive, PAST Kendall.
If the poster can land one of those dream jobs that pays much higher than the local average, it would be an upgrade. Unfortunately, that is not likely without some serious connections...and that is not a slight on Miami at all. Just reality and my experience.
Fortunately, I am out of Hospitality now...but I know that it is still a low paying industry for all but a select few. I don't know that it pays great anywhere for that matter, but Miami's cost of living is so high that the OP would most likely have to live in a less desireable neighborhood than she is in now (I bleieve she said she lives at home?)...unless she lives in one of the slum areas in PR. I know that earning 15 dollars an hour as a HR assistant manager at say the Biltmore would mean she could afford an apartment in Allapatah or Liberty City...so I assume that the move would not be an upgrade, unless she is living an area worse than those mentioned, since 15 bucks an hour won't get anyone an apartment in any decent area in Miami. Wow we have really examined this thread...haha.
Speaking of PR crime though, when I visited I went to a friend's house where they had bars INSIDE the house separating the bedrooms from the living areas, since burglars would get in through the bars to the rest of the house. This served as added protection and kept them safer...and I know THAT is not something seen in Miami either. I guess the people that I interact with and live around don't have such a negative perception as some of the posters here...and most do not come from the well to do areas. To each his own, and hey, we have all heard about tourists being held up, murdered and robbed in their rooms (hotels on NW 36 St, Sofitel Blue Lagoon, etc), so let's not pretend that PR is the vortex to hell compared to frolicking under the palm trees in Miami.
Chelito 23 I am not gonna let you slide on this one ... this person has a college degree and is a professional .... her chances of finding a decent paying job are much higher in South Florida .... if she were someone flipping burgers in Puerto Rico or a receptionist I would agree with you but she is not and thus she will have more opportunities in South Florida than in Puerto Rico . I repeat I have spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico as I have been doing business there for nearly six years and it is much , much worse than Miami in every aspect .... poverty , crime , unemployment , cost of living is similar , yet wages are lower , regaetton , bad drivers , etc , etc just the things people on this forum hate about Miami but multiplied by ten . You are just plain wrong by misinforming this person .... yeah we all agree many , many things about Miami suck , I agree with most of your postings , but living in Puerto Rico is much , much worse . Please take it from someone who knows both areas well .
OK, you don't have to agree with me Muscle, that is fine. Even college degreed people here earn substantially less than what they do in other places...but we don't have to debate our opinions.
OP, come and visit and make the call, you have two different view point here.
Definitely!
Different backgrounds with different points of view. I did find what others said about PR very credible (I hope it wasn't a problem posting musclehead's comment) and most of the postings related to living in Miami are positive. It is a fact for me that in Miami, jobs pay literally twice as much than in PR as I have searched in Monster, Career Builder and The Miami Herald and compared it to real salaries from people very close to me, including my sister. It's true that for what some may be an upgrade, for others is a downgrade. I do consider crime a major problem here. Although I live in a gated community I don't feel safe anywhere. I was thinking what Musclehead said about not knowing a single person in PR that hasn't been a victim of crime and I do know A LOT of people who have been. I've never done this brainstorming before. Most of my family, neighbors and friends have been robbed,their cars, money, jewelry stolen, I got robbed at gun point! Coincidentally, I was talking to a neighbor yesterday and she was telling me the story about her son being murdered and her next door neighbor being shot in his own bussiness! I was horrified! In 2006 PR's murder victims escalated to 739! I do disagree Old San Juan being and upgrade for the simple fact that there is a high crime rate in this area, La Perla is next to it and is infested with drug dealers.It is also dirty, smelly and homeless people and drug addicts are everywhere. It is seen as a nice place probably for its historical arquitecture, but other than that, definitely not an upgrade. I do appreciate everyones respond though! I've only visited Miami as a tourist and I know for a fact that it is not the same as living in it, but I have a relative and acquaintances that live in different areas, just havent got a chance to speak to them, since they are distanced and I also like to compare different responses.I also read only 13% of Miami residents have a Bachelor's Degree and thought it would work as an advantage for me as well as being bilingual. I thought Miami would be a nice place since Im single, no kids, and very active.I've read Miami has many activitiy options and there's "always something to do".
Definitely!
Different backgrounds with different points of view. I did find what others said about PR very credible (I hope it wasn't a problem posting musclehead's comment) and most of the postings related to living in Miami are positive. It is a fact for me that in Miami, jobs pay literally twice as much than in PR as I have searched in Monster, Career Builder and The Miami Herald and compared it to real salaries from people very close to me, including my sister. It's true that for what some may be an upgrade, for others is a downgrade. I do consider crime a major problem here. Although I live in a gated community I don't feel safe anywhere. I was thinking what Musclehead said about not knowing a single person in PR that hasn't been a victim of crime and I do know A LOT of people who have been. I've never done this brainstorming before. Most of my family, neighbors and friends have been robbed,their cars, money, jewelry stolen, I got robbed at gun point! Coincidentally, I was talking to a neighbor yesterday and she was telling me the story about her son being murdered and her next door neighbor being shot in his own bussiness! I was horrified! In 2006 PR's murder victims escalated to 739! I do disagree Old San Juan being and upgrade for the simple fact that there is a high crime rate in this area, La Perla is next to it and is infested with drug dealers.It is also dirty, smelly and homeless people and drug addicts are everywhere. It is seen as a nice place probably for its historical arquitecture, but other than that, definitely not an upgrade. I do appreciate everyones respond though! I've only visited Miami as a tourist and I know for a fact that it is not the same as living in it, but I have a relative and acquaintances that live in different areas, just havent got a chance to speak to them, since they are distanced and I also like to compare different responses.I also read only 13% of Miami residents have a Bachelor's Degree and thought it would work as an advantage for me as well as being bilingual. I thought Miami would be a nice place since Im single, no kids, and very active.I've read Miami has many activitiy options and there's "always something to do".
It is too bad about the crime in Puerto Rico , but it makes Miami look like kindergarten . Remember that the City of Miami is actually a small place and that you would not be limited to only living and working in that area ... I would suggest that you also look in Broward County as well which in many cases will offer you a better quality of life than in Miami ... now that said Dade County still has nice areas to live in ... my girlfriends brother lives and works in Coral Gables and he really enjoys it , as well he shares an apartment and the rent is actually affordable !!
Do your homework and in Coral Gables , Coconut Grove , East Kendall , Miami Beach and other nice areas decent rents can be sourced .
Well....mmmm...let's see how can I sort of edit to my previous. First off, I do not have hatred for the city of Miami, just as the OP stated PR's problems, it doesn't mean she hates PR...just like I don't hate Miami, so please, let's not go there, as that is not true.
Overall the crime may be worse in Puerto Rico than all of South Florida, but the OP asked about MIAMI, so I, as a Miami resident, responded. I thought your post was ironic Musclehead, because you said everybody you know in PR has been a victim or knows a victim of a crime. Well, I have the same experience here in Miami....so it really does depend on our exact locations. I am sure not all areas of Puerto Rico are crime infested hell holes, just like all of South Florida isn't either.
I do stand by what I said about the jobs though. The pay in South Florida (not just Miami) sucks. The cost of living is through the roof all over South Florida. I don't think that would improve by going to WPB or FLL. Just my opinion though.
I know many people leave PR for the mainland...just like many people leave Miami for Atlanta, North Carolina, Texas, etc. People always look to upgrade. I just don't think Miami is an upgrade from Puerto Rico, for someon in the tourism industry and on a budget in the year 2007.
If I was in the OP's shoes, I would look into places like the Southeast boom cities due to affordability...or change careers, come work on the mainland and save up money, and then go back to PR and live better and hopefully have more experience and conenctions in the future. It's a rat race and it's sucks, but that's life. We have to deal with the cards we are dealt, so we may as well be realistic!
I would agree with you Chelito....If you are living in OPA-LOCKA...then you might know lots of people who have seen or been victims of crime...sam e thing with all ghetto areas in any city....if you are living in Bal Harbor maybe you don't know anyone as a victim of crime....I really don't understand how this thread went this far after your post. Basically someone was allowed to critique what "your" experience has been and your views on Miami...Moderator cut: moderatingI dont know....by the way i grew up in Miami and saw plenty of fights as a teen...all the people i knew were doing drugs or had tried them....and lots of people i knew loved to steal or find trouble to get into just to have some fun....It all depends on what area of Miami...and what area of Puerto Rico you are from...remember that hispanics would be picked on in black ghettos and vice versa...so saying that a Puerto Rican would be just fine and dandy living in Opa-Locka or Liberty City, or Carol City is not true.....please dont say something like , "there are black puerto ricans too"...i already know that....but most Puerto ricans are not like african americans as you look at them ...most are brown people and sometimes blacks and browns do not get along in ghetto settings
Last edited by Keeper; 12-19-2007 at 04:25 PM..
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