Cheer me up about moving to Phoenix??? (Tolleson, Parks: real estate, for rent)

[Zonie5]

in 1993 i moved here from Omaha . no subzero temps , no ice storms and very mild winters . just had 8" of snow overnight . that will melt within two days . i live 150 miles North from Phoenix and at 5100 ' elevation .

[krazykatlady]

Just moved here in December. Love, love, love Scottsdale!!! Clean and beautiful. We even just purchased a condo here. We're from the Northeast and will NEVER go back.

Come on out, plenty of things to do. Working out, walking, biking, hiking, shopping, dining, etc......You'll never be bored.

AND.....you can't shovel sunshine!!!

Sue

[VOC1]

Ever wanted to learn a foreign language by immersion? Ever wanted to live in a foreign country, but without most of the inconveniences? Welcome to Phoenix!!


I kid, I kid....


You shouldn't worry about moving to PHX, especially for only 5 years. Lots of good food, lots of good hiking and scenery once you get out of the city, lots of activities/nightlife/things to do, and the weather really is fantastic. You'll think you're going to die your first summer but once you hit spring training weather....or realize you can live year round comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt if you want to....you'll love it! As others have mentioned, there are downsides, but every area has its downsides, and there are some great upsides in AZ!

One more thing: don't do what a lot of people do, who move to the Valley and get stuck in the city and forget the rest of the State exists! There is lots of beautiful scenery in Arizona, from the southern desert to the mountains up north to the forests, to the grassy hills of the east to Monument Valley in the NE. I think anyplace is what you make of it, but in AZ this is particularly true...there is an amazing variety of environments all packed in one state so get out and do some sightseeing!

Good luck in your move, and keep positive, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

[locolobo13]

There are plenty of places to explore in and around town. Since you mentioned outdoorsy type activities try some of these:

Official Site of the City of Phoenix - Trails and Desert Preserves

Parks & Recreation - Maricopa County

Lakes Near Phoenix Arizona | Apache, Canyon, Lake Pleasant, Roosevelt, Saguaro Lake

If you got time check out places further away. The desert is awesome.

[Bondurant]

If all you have read are "this place is a hellhole" posts, you have not looked too good. Those posts are few and positive posts are more common. I think you're reading what you want because you don't want to come here. Anyone that refers to Phoenix as a hellhole has not seen the worst of other cities.

[ReadyFreddy]

Where in the midwest are you coming from and what cities were high on your wish list? And why is Phoenix so low on your list? I'm not being nosy, I just think you could get more reassurance if we knew more. From what we've heard, it sounds like you'd be excited to come here-- your interests, his job, coming from a cold climate, you being an academic (lots of that here).

[jessrscott]

ReadyFreddy- We are originally from southern Missouri and have lived in mid-Missouri the past 4 years. Areas that were high on our list were staying where we are (we love our small university town we are currently living in), southern Alabama, Riverside CA, or South Carolina.

The primary reason Phoenix was lower on our list (It was 6 out of 12) was because it is so far from family and friends, and moving to the other side of the country at a time in our lives when we are talking about having kids wasn't what we had really envisioned. Also, I love greenery and forests. I have some extended family in El Paso (which I know isn't too terribly far of a drive from Phoenix), and while the desert can be pretty, I've always preferred the lush, thick plant life that is abundant here in spring and summer, and all of the colors of autumn. But it is sounding like I wouldn't have to drive too far to find that type of environment for a weekend away or something?

Reasons that Phoenix was halfway on our list instead of being at the bottom is because I HATE the cold. Beyond words hate it. If I never have to wear a coat or mittens again I will be a happy woman. I always loved going to see extended family in El Paso for Christmas because it was such a nice break from the bitter cold. I'm also Latina, so living somewhere that isn't 98% Caucasian, actually has cultural diversity, and has authentic Mexican food was a plus for me. I've also heard Phoenix is great for outdoorsy types, which as I said, we are.

And although there is lots of academia with a variety of state, private, liberal arts, and Christian colleges, unfortunately openings in my area of expertise (Lifespan Development/Developmental Psych) aren't really available except in the community college system. I'm currently with a huge university that has 30k+ students, so the idea of teaching at a community college for a fraction of my current income is taking some getting used to. But, Phoenix is just too far away for a long-distance marriage until I find a job there to be feasible.

Bondurant- Those aren't the ONLY posts I've been reading. In fact, I've been reading a lot of the posts where people ask for advice about moving to Phoenix, and there are always a couple of people who pop in with why they hate the area and are advising against the move.

[Cida]

It's certainly not a hell-hole. If you are outdoorsy, as you mentioned, and don't care much about anything cultural or intellectual, and if you're not bothered by uninformed, uninvolved people, you'll be fine.

[ReadyFreddy]

Those reasons make sense. Are you sure the comm. college system is a fraction of your pay? Adjuncts make $45/hour. And you're sure ASU doesn't have any need for teachers for courses you could teach, even PSY 101 or something? ASU is the biggest U in the US, I think. What about schools with distance/online classes? Those are big lately, and you can teach them from anywhere. Just some ideas. I think you'll like it here. Hating the bitter cold is a huge reason I like it here.

Starting your family far from friends/family is tough. But if you get the residency done now you can move back to your prime destination before your kids are school age, right? Moves then are much easier.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by jessrscott

ReadyFreddy- We are originally from southern Missouri and have lived in mid-Missouri the past 4 years. Areas that were high on our list were staying where we are (we love our small university town we are currently living in), southern Alabama, Riverside CA, or South Carolina.

The primary reason Phoenix was lower on our list (It was 6 out of 12) was because it is so far from family and friends, and moving to the other side of the country at a time in our lives when we are talking about having kids wasn't what we had really envisioned. Also, I love greenery and forests. I have some extended family in El Paso (which I know isn't too terribly far of a drive from Phoenix), and while the desert can be pretty, I've always preferred the lush, thick plant life that is abundant here in spring and summer, and all of the colors of autumn. But it is sounding like I wouldn't have to drive too far to find that type of environment for a weekend away or something?

Reasons that Phoenix was halfway on our list instead of being at the bottom is because I HATE the cold. Beyond words hate it. If I never have to wear a coat or mittens again I will be a happy woman. I always loved going to see extended family in El Paso for Christmas because it was such a nice break from the bitter cold. I'm also Latina, so living somewhere that isn't 98% Caucasian, actually has cultural diversity, and has authentic Mexican food was a plus for me. I've also heard Phoenix is great for outdoorsy types, which as I said, we are.

And although there is lots of academia with a variety of state, private, liberal arts, and Christian colleges, unfortunately openings in my area of expertise (Lifespan Development/Developmental Psych) aren't really available except in the community college system. I'm currently with a huge university that has 30k+ students, so the idea of teaching at a community college for a fraction of my current income is taking some getting used to. But, Phoenix is just too far away for a long-distance marriage until I find a job there to be feasible.

Bondurant- Those aren't the ONLY posts I've been reading. In fact, I've been reading a lot of the posts where people ask for advice about moving to Phoenix, and there are always a couple of people who pop in with why they hate the area and are advising against the move.

There's more varied outdoor opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, horseback riding, touring etc within 3 hours of Phoenix than there is within 2 days of mid Missouri. We have literally millions of acres of public land in AZ from desert floor to above the tree line mountains. Arizona is a 365 day outdoor paradise. As for city life, Phoenix is the among, if not the most, modern, cleanest cities in America with sports, shopping, and entertainment options that few places can offer. You have no idea!

My wife and I ended up in AZ back in the 70s without family, I can be tough at times, but you get to travel home when the weather is nice and people actually miss you. Then you make new friends, your kids are born and raised here and feel a part of the place with their schools and friends and you make a new start. It becomes your home.

EDIT: Just for fun. There are 62 million acres of public land in Arizona. The entire state of Missouri is only 44 million acres.