Miami Blows, and I'll tell you why (Orlando, Havana: high school, living in)

[planetsurf]

Originally Posted by sav858

And just understand the whole spanish thing I am worried about is b/c of how I look, I look pretty mexican overall having dark skin. So while spanish may not be an issue for you, I would think being a darker skinned latino would make it more of an issue for me. I also don't want it to get in the way of me getting a job.

Yup, can't answer that ... as has been gone over on these boards a lot, there ARE plenty of taller, lighter skinned/hair "hispanics" but I look pretty gringo and most people in Miami expect me NOT to speak Spanish.

My point though is if you live in an "English" area, why would it be a "problem"?? People sometime start speaking Spanish even to me, I just answer back in English and they switch to English.
NO WHERE I go on a regular basis do people NOT speak English.
My wife is fluent, her 2 younger brothers definately NOT fluent. They are Jewbans, and maybe not typical "Hispanics," but they are 3/4 Sephardic and look pretty Latin. They never seem to have a "problem" either.

Even your job, I don't know what you do, but if the job requirements don't include Spanish, then you don't need it!
Personally, in web design, I've had a few really good fit jobs that weren't available to me b/c I wasn't fluent. BUT, I've also never had a problem working and have even been head-hunted by companies that were dealing 100% with LatAm.
I'm sure you've checked out the job boards, if they expect or need Spanish (or Portugues) they'll say so.

I understand some people get the "you should speak Spanish" I guess because they look sterotypically Latin. But if you don't mind that or people starting off in Spanish occasionally and the VERY occasional person who doesn't speak English, what possible PROBLEM could it present?

I'm sure you'll make the right choice. Enjoy life either way. And yes, in Miami you don't have to hear about the stupid Children's Pool anymore lol.

[sav858]

Originally Posted by planetsurf

My point though is if you live in an "English" area, why would it be a "problem"?? People sometime start speaking Spanish even to me, I just answer back in English and they switch to English.
NO WHERE I go on a regular basis do people NOT speak English.
My wife is fluent, her 2 younger brothers definately NOT fluent. They are Jewbans, and maybe not typcal "Hispanics," but they are 3/4 Sephardic and look pretty Latin. They never seem to have a "problem" either.

I understand some people get the "you should speak Spanish" probably because they look sterotypically Latin. But if you don't mind people starting off in Spanish occasionally and the VERY occasional person who doesn't speak English, what possible PROBLEM could it present?

If people start speaking spanish to me but then switch to english when they realize I don't know spanish, that is totally fine with me and I could care less. As long as I can communicate it's fine, and it seems from what people have said I will be able to. BUT the thing I am worried about it what Pear Martini mentioned about people looking down upon for me for not knowing it b/c how I look, accusing me of being a snob or "wanna be white boy" or whatever b/c I am American. I am not familiar with latino/hispanic culture at all b/c I didn't grow up around it or have never lived around it really, so i don't want other hispanics looking down upon me for that, sometimes I have gotten that feeling from other Mexicans in CA, but that was mainly in high school b/c all the mexicans hung out with each other. But whatever, I'm not going to let that stop me from moving there and enjoying Miami. If hispanics have a problem with me being "white washed" as some have put it, then I'll just try to find a bunch of white people to hang around with, since that is pretty much my life now anyways.

I work in transportation planning (public transit stuff) and would try to go for a similar job in that field or something in land use planning, so either a private firm or a public agency planning job. So I don't think I would need to know spanish for that field there b/c it's sure as hell not a requirement or preference here.

[planetsurf]

From my experience, Hispanics (mostly poorer Mexican) in SD vs Hispanics in Miami are VERY different cultures. Really nothing alike.

I've never heard of anybody saying a person was "being uppity" for not speaking Spanish, although I don't doubt it happens. Unlike in SoCal, kids of middle class (& richer), first generation Hispanics almost always speak at least a little Spanish. (But not always -- my 2 brothers-in law!) I have a few friends who were working/middle class Mexican and grew up in LA -- only 1 spoke Spanish fluently and her Dad was Cuban! Spanish is everywhere in Miami and hard to not speak some Spanish if your exposed to it at home.

For me, if anything, I've gotten praise from people for speaking what little Spanish I do speak. But then again, I'm just a gringo!

My last post about this; I think you understand the score. Good luck.

(If you need any practical info about comparing areas in Miami to SD, PM me.)

[Mr. SlowFlow]

Originally Posted by DailyJournalist

I think a place can be horrible to live in, but great to visit and vacation.

Absolutely correct about that one Daily J! Orlando fits that description too!

[TannerMan]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Miami-Dade County really.

Not really. Not even close to reality.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by TannerMan

Not really. Not even close to reality.

Well, you know how I am, I'm not bashing Miami-Dade, but west or south of 95 you have...

-The actual city of Miami (except Brickell and the historically black neighborhoods).
-Hialeah (many parts but not all are poor).
-Sweetwater
-Westchester
-Homestead/ South Dade at large
-Pockets of virtually every Miami-Dade city except for maybe Miami Shores, Aventura, Miami Lakes, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay. Even Kendall and Miami Beach have very poor pockets where you see the symbolic paved lawns and burglar bars.

Not intended as a bash to the residents of these neighborhoods(note I'm not going off about rude people, crime, nobody speaks English, etc) but definitely a ring of truth to it. It doesn't have to be a negative because really, we all have descendants that came from a neighborhood like that.

[noland123]

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

Well, you know how I am, I'm not bashing Miami-Dade, but west or south of 95 you have...

-The actual city of Miami (except Brickell and the historically black neighborhoods).
-Hialeah (many parts but not all are poor).
-Sweetwater
-Westchester
-Homestead/ South Dade at large
-Pockets of virtually every Miami-Dade city except for maybe Miami Shores, Aventura, Miami Lakes, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay. Even Kendall and Miami Beach have very poor pockets where you see the symbolic paved lawns and burglar bars.

Not intended as a bash to the residents of these neighborhoods(note I'm not going off about rude people, crime, nobody speaks English, etc) but definitely a ring of truth to it. It doesn't have to be a negative because really, we all have descendants that came from a neighborhood like that.

This is definitely not 70% as stated in a previous post. Hialeah has a median income of 31k with the population living below the poverty level is 16%,so that is not most of Hialeah. I can fnd more statistics.

When you think about it a person who lives in Hialeah might have more wealth or disposable income than someeone living in a posh neighborhood who is living above their means,which would be considered poor because of no disposable income.

[TannerMan]

I understand what youre saying, I just dont think its 70%. And just something Ive observed are that bars on windows seem to be more a cultural or normal thing with hispanics and not really a sign of poverty or danger. There are some absolutly beautiful homes with bars on them in a safe neighborhood. On my street there are 2 homes with them and they are normal descent looking homes in a real safe neighborhood.

[compelled to reply]

Tannerman, I understand what your saying, but noland even in a poor neighborhood probably no more than 50% or so of the population will live in poverty because (yes really) this is still the USA. 17% is a good deal above the national average of 13% and is close to the average for Miami-Dade County as a whole. Also, about living within your means, it still never seizes to amaze me how much those burglar barred homes cost. Hialeah isn't cheap. They have nice houses in Cooper City for the same price as some of those 1500 square foot boxes in Hialeah.

Also, the poverty is 21.2% in Hialeah.

http://www.factfinder.census.gov/ser...rd=&_industry=

[noland123]

That was a 2006 census and I agree with Tannerman that because someone has burglar bars doesn't mean their poor, but a cultural thing,because as you stated Compelled they are not cheap.


I just brought this up because quite a few people throw out generalities such as 70% or it was stated Miami was 80% ghettos on another thread ,that is ridiculous.