Currently, my wife has five years of Cardiac ICU experience and I have only 8 months PCU/MedSurg experience (we both work nights) We live in Indiana and have decided that if we have to spend another winter here we will just throw ourselves off of a tall building! Basically, our motto is that we "can be broke anywhere" so we may as well be somewhere that is warm and near a beach (and which doesn't cause us to spend $500.00 per month on oil/electric heat during the winter!!). Our families are deceased or live elsewhere (mainly Chicago), our son homeschooled, and we work too much to have many friends. Our top three contenders (as far as moving) are Tampa/Orlando, Houston, or San Diego. Although, I would eventually like to work in an ICU environment (I now work PCU/med surg) I am willing to take essentially any job ranging from nursing home and home care to Media shop attendent/Mcdonald's french fry cook IF it enables me to be close to a decent public beach (within an hour or so)!! We plan to rent (or live in a Travel nursing provided apartment if my wife can find a travel gig) although, I'm willing to consider a tent city at this point if that is what it takes. The goal is to move no later than Aug 15 (we are in the process of applying for our Florida licenses as we were told that most jobs won't look at you until you are licensed in that state). Any input about these locations or possibly some others that I haven't considered?
I wish I was in your shoes. At least you and your wife have something in common and both like the same things. My husband hates the beach. He hates everything I like, and I just about hate him.
I've lived in Houston. It isn't what comes to mind when I think of beauty and beaches. Galveston is an ugly, dirty little place. Florida is prettier, but I'll bet the beaches are too crowded to appreciate it.
Myrtle Beach, SC is nice. The Atlantic ocean is cleaner looking than the Gulf around Galveston.
SoCal is my first choice. Fla my second and that extends in through the Gulf, Texas not included. And up through the Atlantic through to the Carolinas. I also am a beach gal.
Any place you do go make sure you investigate the cost of living vs take home pay situation very carefully. Some of those beach type places are very expensive. It will cancel out your savings on heating and then some. I am guessing you already thought of that. Best of luck, I consider your dilemma to be delightful.
I vote for St. Thomas! The beaches are beautifulllllll and the people are nice. Traffic/driving is a little 'developing country', but that just keeps you awake after working a 12h shift, right? I know next to nothing about their hospital though.
Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.
Any travel opportunities?
Definitely! I wouldn't recommend rural and remote though. Our rural and remote is somewhat different to the US. The outback is a harsh place and very isolated.
Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho/HH/Radiology-Now Retired.
I've enjoyed reading the posts ... it sounds like you have the same friendly rivalry between states that we do here in Oz. :)
Our north (in particular the far north) is very hot and tropical.
On the east coast and in particular the Sunshine coast region (Queensland) is not as tropical as further north.
Victoria receives a lot of rain and can be very cold.
Sydney can be humid and often receives heavy rains and stormy weather. In fact, there's floods in New South Wales at the moment.
South Australia (Adelaide being the capital city) has a Mediterranean climate. Is less expensive than the other states to live and also to buy homes. The pace of life is slower and has beautiful beaches and amazing festivals.
Western Australia is the most isolated city on the planet and cyclones tend to like hitting it's coast.
Darwin, Northern Territory, is also hot and humid.
a. "Downunder" sounds exciting, but how hard is it for a yank to get licensed? Plus, two of my favorite things are swimming WAY OUT into the open ocean and walking for miles on the beach! Won't something EAT or fatally sting me down there?
b. Man, Houston beaches are sounding about as stagnant as the last wet billabong during the dry season! Corpus Christi, South Padre sounds better, but are there any jobs?
c. Hawaii, now THAT is the promised land! However, what chance does a relatively NEW GRAD have of finding a job on your island oasis?
d. Florida, for me it's not JUST about the beaches it's also the AMUSEMENT parks. For me Disney World, Universal Orlando, Bush Gardens and the endless array of PLACES TO EAT (and the relatively affordable SEASON PASSES which can be purchased by in state residents) would be like having VIP access to the Playboy mansion for most guys. Essentially, I have the psyche of an emotionally stunted eleven year old child and these are some of the few things which lift my tired, 40 year old spirit towards anything resembling happiness! Now if I could somehow afford a modest boat in Florida (say a 40 foot model with a decent cabin and an inboard/outboard motor) THAT would truly rival even Hawaii!!
Jo Dirt
3,270 Posts
I wish I was in your shoes. At least you and your wife have something in common and both like the same things. My husband hates the beach. He hates everything I like, and I just about hate him.
I've lived in Houston. It isn't what comes to mind when I think of beauty and beaches. Galveston is an ugly, dirty little place. Florida is prettier, but I'll bet the beaches are too crowded to appreciate it.
Myrtle Beach, SC is nice. The Atlantic ocean is cleaner looking than the Gulf around Galveston.