Single young professional acupuncture woman relocating to Arizona Within the year.. (Phoenix: transplants, home)

[Agwoodruff76]

Hello everyone,

I will be soon graduating from acupuncture school in 9 months and will be relocating from South Florida to Arizona soon after. I have some pointed questions that I would love some honest feedback about. I Thank you in advance for your time, it is very well appreciated!

1) Is Arizona a safe place place for a young single professional woman to live in? What are the nicer, more afforable and safer places to live in within the Arizona metropolis?

2) Is there a vibrant and energetic nightlife, particularly in Phoenix and Scottsdale?

3) I realize there is a lot of hiking, camping and biking, however, are there cultural things to see and do, such as interesting art galleries and quaint museums to experience?

4) I have read in previous posts that there is a strong Hispanic influence in Arizona, and my concern would that women might be treated as second class citizens. Is the social clime oppressive for women there?

5) BUGS!!! I am scared about the scorpions and rattlesnakes? Do I have to always wear covered shoes in my home for fear I might step on one accidentally? How many people die a year from a snake bites and/ or scorpion stings?

[winterpromise31]

1 - Arizona (I assume you're talking about the Phoenix area) is safe and you can find areas of town you'll feel comfortable in. What do you consider affordable?

2 - can't answer, don't know

3 - People argue about the culture available in Phoenix. I personally don't feel there are a lot of options. The Phoenix Art Museum is nice and they have a free admission day if you don't want a membership. I plan on taking a trip to the Japanese Gardens before we move.

4 - Women are not treated as second class citizens here.

5 - I've lived in Phoenix for 11 years and have never seen a rattlesnake in town. I've seen several out in the desert but none in populated areas. I've only seen one scorpion indoors during that time and it was because a construction site nearby stirred up the scorpions. Once construction died down, the residents of that home told me the scorpion sightings died down as well. I've never seen a scorpion in my own home.

Hope that helps a bit!

[Kimballette]

I think you need to go back and read past posts in this forum, which will answer most of your questions. I also think if you're considering moving across the country, you should visit several times before making such a decision.

The o/p gave you some good answers. Without specific details, we really can't answer your question about affordability, and without knowing your interests, it would be hard to respond about a vibrant nightlife.

There are a lot of cultural things to do in this area. However, obviously, it's not New York City. If you're bored, it's because you aren't paying attention. Again, please check older threads in this forum using the advanced search feature.

As for the question about rattlesnakes in your home and an oppressive social climate for women...holy moley. You really must do more research before you go any further with your plans - Phoenix is not Afghanistan!

[Nanny Goat]

There's a lot of acupuncture practices out here. Probably Tucson would be another place to look into. Smaller, more holistically oriented I think. The bugs here aren't anything like Florida.

[PoppySead]

Don't worry, it's not that bad out here. It's really dependent on your home, not area. If you check out the home first you won't have to worry about it. Infestations happen anywhere, just check it out first.
Glad to see you coming, I could use your services.
I love it here, just letting you know.

[PoppySead]

Originally Posted by Kimballette

- Phoenix is not Afghanistan!

I love that line! I'm using it in the future, hope you don't mind.

[Agwoodruff76]

Kimballette,

First, let me state, I frankly did not apperciate the tone of your response email, you were under no obligation to respond especially in a way that was begrudging and condescending. Furthermore, you stated the obvious in that I would have to visit several times to get an idea for the area. I get that, thanks for underscoring that evident fact. Also, to address the question about the oppressive social clime For women, I currently live in South Florida, which predominantly has an Hispanic culture and egocentric vibe to it and not all women are not treated equally here, in my experience, there is a palpable disparity in opportunities of work advancement and social status. I simply wanted others who have lived in Arizona for a period of time to impart their personal experiences , observations and opinions to share in a RESPECTFUL way. After all Isnt that what this city data site is all about anyway?

Thank you for your insight about the setting up my acupuncture shop for Tuscon...I am definitely scheduling in a visit in the near future to get a feel for the surrounding areas...

[Kimballette]

I'm sorry you misunderstood my post and my intent. I didn't respond out of a feeling of obligation - I had information and advice to share, just as other members. It may surprise you to learn that we get a lot of people who plan to move here without making even one visit to the area, so my suggestion may have been obvious to you, but I can assure you, not everyone approaches relocation in that way.

And I'll repeat that without further details, people can't offer useful information to you as to affordabilty or nightlife, as we all have differing incomes and interests.

[AZtrails]

Originally Posted by Agwoodruff76

Kimballette,

First, let me state, I frankly did not apperciate the tone of your response email, you were under no obligation to respond especially in a way that was begrudging and condescending. Furthermore, you stated the obvious in that I would have to visit several times to get an idea for the area. I get that, thanks for underscoring that evident fact. Also, to address the question about the oppressive social clime For women, I currently live in South Florida, which predominantly has an Hispanic culture and egocentric vibe to it and not all women are not treated equally here, in my experience, there is a palpable disparity in opportunities of work advancement and social status. I simply wanted others who have lived in Arizona for a period of time to impart their personal experiences , observations and opinions to share in a RESPECTFUL way. After all Isnt that what this city data site is all about anyway?

Thank you for your insight about the setting up my acupuncture shop for Tuscon...I am definitely scheduling in a visit in the near future to get a feel for the surrounding areas...

Agwoodruff76, you're obviously young, energetic, organized, and forward thinking, but jumped on Kimballette a bit too quickly. She's one of the site's moderators and does a pretty good job of it. It doesn't apply to you, but a lot of people do move to AZ without visiting first. While it's a great place to live, it often takes 2 years for new arrivals to get used to the desert and the different culture, but then they love it and don't leave. Hopefully, you'll feel the same way. You won't find nicer people, more welcoming of transplants.

I think your questions have been answered except for the one about nightlife. There are almost 4 million people in the Valley, so there are plenty of bars/clubs. Phoenix and Scottsdale, yes, but also Tempe near the university (depending upon whether you're looking for a different crowd).

[SpeedyAZ]

Originally Posted by Agwoodruff76

Kimballette,

First, let me state, I frankly did not apperciate the tone of your response email, you were under no obligation to respond especially in a way that was begrudging and condescending. Furthermore, you stated the obvious in that I would have to visit several times to get an idea for the area. I get that, thanks for underscoring that evident fact. Also, to address the question about the oppressive social clime For women, I currently live in South Florida, which predominantly has an Hispanic culture and egocentric vibe to it and not all women are not treated equally here, in my experience, there is a palpable disparity in opportunities of work advancement and social status. I simply wanted others who have lived in Arizona for a period of time to impart their personal experiences , observations and opinions to share in a RESPECTFUL way. After all Isnt that what this city data site is all about anyway?

Thank you for your insight about the setting up my acupuncture shop for Tuscon...I am definitely scheduling in a visit in the near future to get a feel for the surrounding areas...

I think Kimballette gave an excellent response and I believe you owe her an apology, nothing she said was condescending in the least.

If you're looking at Phoenix, yes it's a fairly safe place for a young woman to live. There are bad parts of town and good parts; I imagine since you're fairly young that you have a fairly limited budget but Tempe is a great place for young professionals!

Scottsdale and Tempe are the primary hubs for nightlife. Tempe is more the college-aged crowd while Scottsdale is more the late 20's and 30's crowd.

Quite a few art galleries, do a simple google search and you'll find more than I can list.

Not sure about the oppressive social climate for hispanic women, this isn't a different country...it's simply a different state. All the women I know don't seem too oppressed!

Bugs?! Well... yes we have bugs, scorpions, snakes, etc. We also have palm trees, grass, and lakes. I'm more scared of someone having road rage in traffic and shooting me than I am about stepping on a bug with bare feet.