Published Dec 1, 2008
natkoz82
26 Posts
I live in Chicago and have visited almost every part of Florida, I am actually going to be visiting Ft.Lauderdale at the end on January. I ask anyone here that has ever lived in Florida and they have nothing but terrible things to say. They tell me the schools and education systems are bad and that the majority of the population have low Iq's and are poor. I don't know why this is, everyone seemed pretty normal to me?? I would like to move there one day and start a new life with my husband but I'm worried about salary and job placement for both himself and I. Why are some peoples experiences so bad, its so beautiful and the people are very nice. I just don't get it. Can someone help me understand why this is??
lpnflorida
1,304 Posts
I personally love Florida. I do not have children in the school system so I can not speak on that. However, I have friends who children are in school the main thing I hear them complain about is School of Choice. I think that is what it is called. Children in our area do not necessarily attend the school across the street from their homes. I know this disgruntles parents.
I will say poor in Florida is much more profound than people who I saw as poor up north.
Poor IQ"s ,,lol.. I doubt that one, but prejudice is everywhere. North versus South type of thing.
Most everyone I have met is a transplant from up North. Again I love it down here and would never consider moving back up north.
Perhaps it depends on what part of the state one lives in.
mystical0217
239 Posts
I have lived in florida for about 8 years, originally from new york. I can tell you the cost of living here is about the same but the pay here is way less.. this is an employer state.. the tenant laws here suck.. for social services florida is the 2nd lowest of all the states. There are a number of things, I for one can't wait to move.. this is also a very transiant state... It is beautiful for the most part. When I first moved here I was so excited about the whole pool thing,, that got old real quick. Florida is nice to visit not to live in MPO.
NewGoalRN
602 Posts
I have lived in souther and Central Fl as well as Md and have visited NY, NJ, De, PA and DC numerous times. yes, FL can nickel and dime you but whoever says that the cost of living in FL is the same as NY or up north, that is just not so.
Yes, I find that my property taxes are higher and I pay a water bill monthly vs quarterly. yes, my wages are lower, however, I don't pay State taxes and the cost of my home which i purchased in 2003, I would have paid almost 2.5times the cost if I had purchased in MD.
The bad thing that I see in FL is the lack of the arts or access to high quality theatre shows, broadway, ability to travel to more states and education. However, u can still have a good life here and I'm not poor or have a low IQ. That is bordering on a racist view.
I do agree with you about the arts, there is not enough of that... There is no real mass transit here, You may have to pay state taxes in Ny but, the wages are way higher then in florida. Ex. My sister is a legal secretary, she does not have any degrees makes 60thousand, bonuses, health benes and time off. You can't find that in florida. I am a medical Assistant and I am not working right now but, If I started looking for jobs right now I would be lucky if I could get 12-13 an hour, mind you I have 9 years experience. In NY it would be much more. I know this is minute but, my sister was here over thanksgiving and she wanted to get a pedicure so I took her to a place I have went to before and she was flabergasted at the price 35 for manicure and pedicure, she said, in NY it is 15. Gas prices are about the same so is the cost of food. Again, you get paid more in NY so it evens out overthere. In Florida its a different story. For me Florida just doesnt feel like home. Again, this is just my opinion
SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN
10,263 Posts
Well, I've never lived there, but the alligators and flying cockroaches the size of Volkswagons do it for me. Not to mention 1000% humidity until it cools down at night, with 750%.
LOL, sooo true
labrador4122, RN
1,921 Posts
I have been living in south florida since 1992 and love it!!!
We have beautiful weather all year round, we can get into our cars and go anywhere we want, the beaches are just beautiful----and waking up looking into the ocean feels magical.
I do wish we got paid more, and that our houses cost less----but I love the feeling that I never have to be cold, or have to shovel snow..and to me, that is priceless.
julzhere
51 Posts
I was born in Minnesota and moved to CA when I was 10. Lived there 36 years before coming back to MN. I love it here and even though I've only visited Florida once, I have no desire to work or live there. To me it's a humid California - crowded, expensive, and hot. Maybe not smoggy like CA but humid with many bugs and slimy, fast moving animals (I'm talking about the lizards and alligators and stuff). As far as the low IQ and everyone being poor remark, that comes from someone who is pretty ignorant themselves. You'll find those things in every state, to some extent. I know we have our share of "sqeetoes" in MN - yah, you betcha, but I'll take the change of season and beautiful lakes and greenness anytime. To each her own though - it would be a boring world if we all liked the same thing.
In regards to theaters and the arts. Again it all depends on where in Florida one lives. My area has many opportunites for the arts. I love going to the traveling Broadway productions in my area.
Again, not every state is for everyone. Our pay is less . I took a huge pay cut when I first moved. But given that I pay no state tax, no union dues , and no parking at work. It actually ended up being the same. Also my property taxes are much less than they were in Wisconsin.
The hardest part of living so far south, is that my family is so far up north. That is the thing that is hardest for most of the people who move to this state.
Yes, we have bugs and such, but that is why we have sprays. I have never seen a gator in my back yard, elsewhere yes. We have little geicos ( small lizard like creatures) which terrified me when I first moved. Now I realize they don't hurt me, they simply like to hang out eating whatever small bugs pass their way. Our humidity is not for everyone, the heat is not for everyone.
woknblues
447 Posts
let me preface by saying that i believe you make whatever reality you have. having said that:
i have lived all over the us, and the worst place ever was florida. but let me qualify that, south florida.
i never met a more inhospitable part of the united states. climate? awful. hotter than h-e double hockey sticks, humid,.. charley, frances, ivan, jeanne, katrina, rita, wilma etc., etc., ad nauseum.
working conditions? horrid, and poor compensation. "right to work", means employer rights, not worker rights.
terrible traffic. terrible, dangerous drivers. sky high vehicle insurance. "no fault" means it doesn't matter if the other guy hit you in your lane, while you were parked, you both pay.
safety? not really. every place on earth has their places you avoid, and places you don't want to be caught after dark. south florida has more of them.
the people. i am sorry, but so flo seems to attract a certain type of person. maybe that is the real problem. so flo is a real melting pot, hardly any bonafide "locals". this makes for a lot of misunderstandings, and general cut throat in every day dealings.
i transferred within my company when i moved to ft. lauderdale, and the business is run entirely different. we had as a branch, several ongoing lawsuits between staff, and customers, and on both sides. we were suing them, and they were suing us. it was just the way it was done.
i met a few of nice people, don't get me wrong. had some fun times, don't get me wrong. but not enough to outweigh what i feel is no place i would ever live again, nor recommend to anyone i cared about.
sorry if i went on.
FireStarterRN, BSN, RN
3,824 Posts
I lived in South Carolina and that was bad enough. Roaches were everywhere, ugh! Just can't stand that type of climate.