Is it really that bad? (Miami, Hialeah: middle-class, crime, home)

[DailyJournalist]

Originally Posted by mathwhiz

I mean it's not like LA, SF, DC, NY, etc.

Many people from those cities consider Miami cheap.

What makes people feel that it's so expensive is the local job market sucks. The economy is dominated by low-wage service sector type jobs. And much of the lucrative jobs in real estate and finance, banking, are disappearing because of the housing downturn.

Miami right now is a great place to live if you are a bankruptcy attorney or have a lot of northern money to blow for a little while.

It's not a good place to make a life for yourself, let alone raise a family. The schools suck.

If you think Miami wages are low you should come up to orlando and you would be shocked!

[Where2next]

I agree that you'll either love or hate Miami. I moved to Coconut Grove from NY in my college years and LOVED it. But there were also things that drove me CRAZY. I can tell you that if I were to ever move back that Coconut Grove is the ONLY place I'd consider living...you can walk to anything and everything is there. It just minutes to downtown, SoBe, Dadeland Mall, South Miami...anywhere that personally I wanted to go. You do need to realize that driving in Miami is everything you've heard...IT SUCKS. People don't know how to drive or the rules of driving. So live close to where you work. Sometimes driving 10 miles can take an hour.

Miami is truly beautiful but some people take it for granted and ruin it for people. The problems I ran into were the same as many people...the spanish. I loved the culture and really embraced it until a certain point. I worked in retail which was a major downfall. I would get screamed at by people in Spanish for not speaking Spanish. Many people who live there have never left and think that America is like Miami everywhere and most people speak spanish. This is not true for all people I do want to make that clear. My friends who were Miami born spoke both but refuse to speak Spanish outside of their home in respect for other people.

I tried to learn the language because I couldn't go to Subway and order a sub. I couldn't order deli meat at the counter at Publix because I didn't speak Spanish. There are certain areas in Miami where it is a major problem. On South Beach I never had a problem since it is a high tourist area.

All in all Miami is beautiful but you need to go with an open mind. It's like another world and it's amazing. You need to be open to new culture's and if you can do that then don't bother you won't last. I hope you can though because it's a gorgeous place!

[portorro]

I had friends in Miami that used to say in spanish: Next weekend I am going to the United States...meaning beyond Florida (or to an english speaking state).

I thought it was so funny cause they were very serious. They dont think they live in the United States. (?!)

[Cane Fan]

Originally Posted by portorro

I had friends in Miami that used to say in spanish: Next weekend I am going to the United States...meaning beyond Florida (or to an english speaking state).

I thought it was so funny cause they were very serious. They dont think they live in the United States. (?!)

I have friends in Miami that still say next week I am going to the U.S. and they mean just driving North of Pembroke Pines !!!

[applejuice]

I would not move there. I just returned from a visit after being gone for over 3yrs. I found Miami to have gotten worse...traffic, busy, noisy and just chaotic.

The problem with Miami is the "vibe" there is something in the air that is awful. The people are nasty and rude...ugh!

Maybe I am just too sensitive or I have been spoiled living in a peaceful area....

Anyhow, everyone is different...if I were you, I would just visit..get a vacation home

[Natali26]

MIAMI BEACH:

I love it!

A few honest tips for you:

1. Bring LOTS of money
2. Don't be overweight - Miami is VERY, VERY, VERY image based.
3. Live on the Beach
4. Learn Spanish
5. Learn about Latin culture and etiquette
6. Drive your car Aggressively - defensive driving is dangerous to your health!
7. Consider living on Key Biscayne, not South Beach, if you have kids
8. Have Fun!

[illini84]

Originally Posted by Where2next

I agree that you'll either love or hate Miami. I moved to Coconut Grove from NY in my college years and LOVED it. But there were also things that drove me CRAZY. I can tell you that if I were to ever move back that Coconut Grove is the ONLY place I'd consider living...you can walk to anything and everything is there. It just minutes to downtown, SoBe, Dadeland Mall, South Miami...anywhere that personally I wanted to go. You do need to realize that driving in Miami is everything you've heard...IT SUCKS. People don't know how to drive or the rules of driving. So live close to where you work. Sometimes driving 10 miles can take an hour.

Miami is truly beautiful but some people take it for granted and ruin it for people. The problems I ran into were the same as many people...the spanish. I loved the culture and really embraced it until a certain point. I worked in retail which was a major downfall. I would get screamed at by people in Spanish for not speaking Spanish. Many people who live there have never left and think that America is like Miami everywhere and most people speak spanish. This is not true for all people I do want to make that clear. My friends who were Miami born spoke both but refuse to speak Spanish outside of their home in respect for other people.

I tried to learn the language because I couldn't go to Subway and order a sub. I couldn't order deli meat at the counter at Publix because I didn't speak Spanish. There are certain areas in Miami where it is a major problem. On South Beach I never had a problem since it is a high tourist area.

All in all Miami is beautiful but you need to go with an open mind. It's like another world and it's amazing. You need to be open to new culture's and if you can do that then don't bother you won't last. I hope you can though because it's a gorgeous place!

Good post--this pretty much sums up the reasons why I finally got out of Miami and went back to America. I couldn't take that place anymore! It's such a disaster. The only thing I would add is that Miami isn't really that diverse. It's Latin, Latin, and Latin...with a white person and a Haitian thrown in every once in awhile. The music you hear is always Latin, the food is Latin, things are written in Spanish, and people are speaking Spanish everywhere you turn. This bothers a whole lot of non-Latin people because the city feels waaaaay too foreign/third-world. Basically, it's a nice place to visit, but living there opens up a whole can of problems and frustrations.

[doggiebus]

Originally Posted by portorro

I had friends in Miami that used to say in spanish: Next weekend I am going to the United States...meaning beyond Florida (or to an english speaking state).

I thought it was so funny cause they were very serious. They dont think they live in the United States. (?!)

Originally Posted by Cane Fan

I have friends in Miami that still say next week I am going to the U.S. and they mean just driving North of Pembroke Pines !!!

Oh that is me, when we visit family in Boca, we say we are going to America.

[PBCboy]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

Oh that is me, when we visit family in Boca, we say we are going to America.

Go two cities up to central Palm Beach County and you'll be areas that are far more "third-world" than Kendall, Pembroke Pines, etc. (which to me are just American cities that people consider "third-world" because they have large Hispanic populations).

[Miami Vice]

I've been to plenty of non-hispanic homes where the people live just as bad, if not worse than people from the "third world". Lets not generalize, because everyone's crap stinks the same.