Involuntary relocation to Miami, advice? (Hialeah, Pembroke Pines: rental, homes, transfer)

[JerseyGirl8551]

My company (large bank) is transferring me to downtown Miami from Northern NJ. I do not have a choice in this move so I guess I am going to either make the best of it or quit my job.

I like FL weather and stuff, but my biggest concern is language.
Me and my partner (we are Lesbians) are Caucasian and only speak English. We have an 11 year old that also only speaks English. I realize that Miami is primarily Spanish speaking. This poses a problem for us, I have no desire to learn the language, nor does my partner or child. At the same time we are under the impression that without Spanish we will be left out of a lot and our daughter will have a bad time making friends. No offense or anything, but I never planned on being an expatriate and have never had a desire to learn a foreign language, so this Miami transfer is a real bummer. I dread having a language barrier in all of our daily tasks outside of work, from buying groceries to talking to my neighbors...my question is, is there any area of Miami-Dade County that is primarily Anglophone, or at least English speaking enough that our lack of Spanish will not cause significant hardship or frustration? We just want a nice suburban area, rent under $2500 for 3 bedrooms.

I commute over an hour on a commuter rail everyday so I am also conseridering living in Palm Beach and me taking the tri-rail into work if there is a station downtown and it is dependable for everyday commuting.


P.S. This is not a racial thing, I am of 100% Puerto Rican descent but I am 4th generation and don't know any Spanish.

Additionally, telling me that Miami isn't the best place for me isn't really a help. I already know that, I do not have a choice because I like my job. It will only be for 18-24 months.

[oronzous]

I would not worry about the kid. I live in a very spanish oriented area and children usually interact in english with their peers.

Currently there is not a direct rail connection between WPB and downtown MIA. You would have to transfer between trirail and metrorail, adding 20 minutes to the trip.

[Sugah Ray]

Broward county. You will still hear some Spanish but not as much as Miami Dade.

Go back and post the same question in that board. They will probably recommend Western Pembroke Pines to avoid a very long commute. Weston is probrably the most that normal people would commute. Palm beach county should not be considered. That is a very long commute and most Broward county is English speaking.

You haven't mentioned if you plan to put the child in public school, in that case you need stay in the Western suburbs. I would consider driving to work, public transportation takes too long from the Western suburbs.

Don't reside in Miami. You sound like you will be very miserable here.

[Enigma777]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl8551

My company (large bank) is transferring me to downtown Miami from Northern NJ. I do not have a choice in this move so I guess I am going to either make the best of it or quit my job.

I like FL weather and stuff, but my biggest concern is language.
Me and my partner (we are Lesbians) are Caucasian and only speak English. We have an 11 year old that also only speaks English. I realize that Miami is primarily Spanish speaking. This poses a problem for us, I have no desire to learn the language, nor does my partner or child. At the same time we are under the impression that without Spanish we will be left out of a lot and our daughter will have a bad time making friends. No offense or anything, but I never planned on being an expatriate and have never had a desire to learn a foreign language, so this Miami transfer is a real bummer. I dread having a language barrier in all of our daily tasks outside of work, from buying groceries to talking to my neighbors...my question is, is there any area of Miami-Dade County that is primarily Anglophone, or at least English speaking enough that our lack of Spanish will not cause significant hardship or frustration? We just want a nice suburban area, rent under $2500 for 3 bedrooms.

I commute over an hour on a commuter rail everyday so I am also conseridering living in Palm Beach and me taking the tri-rail into work if there is a station downtown and it is dependable for everyday commuting.


P.S. This is not a racial thing, I am of 100% Puerto Rican descent but I am 4th generation and don't know any Spanish.

Additionally, telling me that Miami isn't the best place for me isn't really a help. I already know that, I do not have a choice because I like my job. It will only be for 18-24 months.

I would not worry about it all. My husband has lived in Miami for years (British and does not speak Spanish). I've lived here on and off for 20 years and do not speak Spanish. Never had any issues. I have worked at a local tv station with a number of Cuban-Americans (and New Yorkers). All spoke English. It is a bit of an urban myth that you have to speak or understand Spanish here.

There are many areas to live here that are totally English speaking. The beach areas, Aventura, Ft. Lauderdale, Weston, etc. You don't have to go to Palm Beach. Don't believe everything you hear about Miami--a lot it is simply untrue. There is also a large gay community in the SE FLa area--I think you are worrying needlessly and will be fine.

[richzimme]

A lot of people that work in Miami-Dade County commute from English-dominant areas of Broward County. Your idea of commuting from Palm Beach County seems feasible, but you may not need to travel from that far.

Most of the Miami population can speak English, but in some areas, the populations look down on the use of English and choose instead to use Spanish as their primary language. This is exclusionary to those that either prefer to use English/not use Spanish/or flat out don't understand Spanish. That said, your Miami workplace will be bearable for 18-24 months. If you keep your socializing to certain areas of Broward and Palm Beach County, you won't very often feel like an expat in your own country due to the language/culture divide here.

If you love your work, then I think you should come down here and experience it. I think your 11 year old coming from a melting pot like New York will do fine in a good area of Broward County. Even if you decide to rent in Miami-Dade, your child's classmates will all be fluent in English. There parents may not be, and you may not be able to socialize with the parents of your child's classmates because they will likely sociallize solamente en espanol.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl8551

I like FL weather and stuff, but my biggest concern is language.
Me and my partner (we are Lesbians) are Caucasian and only speak English. We have an 11 year old that also only speaks English. I realize that Miami is primarily Spanish speaking. This poses a problem for us....

It really shouldn't pose a problem for you. Outside of Little Havana, Hialeah, and a few other suburban areas, not speaking Spanish is not really an issue. I've never gone into a bank, grocery store, drug store, department store, or other retail outlet and not been able to communicate with one or more employees. Thirty-five percent of the population is not Hispanic, and the vast majority of those non-Hispanic people do not speak Spanish, so it is not as if you will be the only non-Spanish speaking people here. Moreover, a good portion of the Hispanic, Spanish-speaking population, especially those in the work force, are bilingual so you will not have a problem communicating with them. But if you are really concerned about this, especially as it relates to communicating with your neighbors, then moving to Broward County or points north might be a better option.

[joeymags]

Have you considered residential areas of south beach?

Also, may I ask what line of finance you are in and possibly even what bank? I work for DB in NYC and have been actively looking to relocate to miami for several years now, but have been unable to do so.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl8551

We just want a nice suburban area, rent under $2500 for 3 bedrooms.

Originally Posted by joeymags

Have you considered residential areas of south beach?

I'm not sure how practical that suggestion is given her price-point, although according to Realtor.com, there is one (and only one) current listing that meets her criteria:http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...02-19692?row=2

She'd have a few more options farther north.

[Coconut1]

First off you need to relax. Bringing the doom and gloom "Ohhh, why Miami, WHY!!" is just going to make it worse for you. If your attitude is negative to start, it's going to make the whole experience rotten.

I wouldn't worry about Spanish at all. The thought that everyone in Miami only speaks Spanish is just wrong. Will you hear Spanish? Yes. Probably just as much as you do in NNJ. Do people speak English as well? Of course.

I wouldn't be so closed off to learning Spanish, though, especially for your daughter's sake. If this is only going to be a 18-24 month move, think of it more as an adventure and do those out of the box things (like learning another language) that you wouldn't do at home. Learning another language will only benefit you, not hurt.

What will really make your time in Miami great (or awful) is where you choose to live. There's no reason to live all the way up in PBC, or even Broward for that matter. Parts of Miami are extremely different from each other, and you need to pick the one that best fits your lifestyle.

What do you like to do in your free time? What amenities are you looking for? The more details you give, the more people here can guide you in the right direction.

You should:

0) Start with a positive attitude. This will be FUN!
1) Give us more details on what you're looking for
2) Get suggestions from here, as well as other places on the Internet about possible areas.
3) Thoroughly research the locations you think sound best (I'm talking do a Street View up and down every road in the city)
4) Come for a visit and explore the areas you think fit you best (and not via car- get out and pound the pavement. Come at all hours of the day)
5) Select a location
6) Enjoy life! Over 2 million people live in MDC- there must be something worthwhile here.

[UrbanCrossroads]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl8551

I dread having a language barrier in all of our daily tasks outside of work, from buying groceries to talking to my neighbors...my question is, is there any area of Miami-Dade County that is primarily Anglophone, or at least English speaking enough that our lack of Spanish will not cause significant hardship or frustration? We just want a nice suburban area, rent under $2500 for 3 bedrooms.

Well basically, the rule of thumb for a white person in Miami is: live east of US1 if you want to be in the "anglophone" areas. Those areas are more expensive to live, but that's where most of Miami's non-Hispanic whites reside. You said you're looking for a rental. I'm thinking that South Miami might be an ideal neighborhood for you (especially since it's gay-friendly), if you can find a rental within your budget there. And it's not too long of a commute to downtown. That being said, I feel that living in Broward would be a better option for you. Around 42% of Broward's population is non-Hispanic white, compared to just 15% of Miami-Dade's population. You'll be more in your element in Broward.