I want to move to Miami Florida

[greenbriar]

daughter has one year left in HS and then I want to move to Miami or somewhere around there


I am a teacher 10 years with Masters

Hubby is in IT/Network Security

[greenbriar]

1. places to live?

teaching certificates?

[Maraya1969]

2. I have no answer but I'll wait till someone does. I live in SW Florida

and have been talking about moving to the east coast for a long time.

I can't tell you the first thing about where to live etc. I went there several months ago for a weekend and got lost in a very bad area that scared the shit out of me. I think if I went now I'd invest in a GPS. I wish there were websites that explain cities like that....like where is good to live, where is bad to live, where is too expensive to live.

Best of luck to you and sorry I could not be a better help. I think part of the problem is Miami is huge and it is not just Miami. There is Fort Lauderdale, Coral Gables, North Miami, Southbeach........

PM me if you want to commiserate about it.

[SteppingRazor]

3. Miami's still extremely expensive

At least, if you want to live in a nice area. I'd recommend moving to Broward County instead of Miami-Dade.

[stuartrida]

8. I second that.

[fishnfla]

4. 3 words: dont do it!

MY F-I-L was a teacher in S. Florida. He hated it. The language barriers are myriad. Do you speak creole?

South Florida is getting alot of "half-ways" or "bounce backs", people leaving for points other. The traffic is horrendous. The crime constant and dangerous. Corruption is rampant. Its like a different third world down there.

A friend of mine moved from there 4 years ago, he cant believe the differences in Central Florida. My BIL hates it but has to stay there for his job. Gripes nonstop.

How about Clearwater?

[ShaneGR]

5. Might also want to consider the Naples/Ft Myers region

Same climate, less traffic, less crime.

[bjorkfan]

6. You might like Miami Lakes, Miramar or Pembroke Pines

[RagingInMiami]

7. I live in Miami

And Miami is definitely not for everybody. It's expensive, crowded, rude, dangerous and corrupt. If you don't know Spanish, you will find yourself frustrated at times with people who don't speak English. Hell, I am fluent in Spanish and I still find myself frustrated.

Yet, there are few other cities in the U.S. where I would want to live. I'm not really a small town guy nor am I cookie-cutter suburb type of guy.

I like to have the option of eating a meal and drinking a beer at 4 a.m.

I like to have the option of eating Cuban, Colombian, Jamaican as well as Italian, Chinese or French food for lunch or dinner.

I like the fact that I don't freeze my ass off every winter.

I like the feel of the sea breeze and the smell of the salty air.

I like the fact that I have an international airport that would take me to any city in the world if I have a sudden urge to get the fuck out of this country.

When you come down to Miami, you need to treat it like an adventure. If you're not adventurous, you're going to hate it. If you are, you will appreciate the experience.


So why do you want to move to Miami?

[Loge23]

9. ..an increasingly dangerous adventure

I live in Miami as well. The last week may well represent a turning point for Miami for the worst.
I have written on these pages earlier about the phenomenal gap between haves and have nots in Miami. The city is seemingly full to the brim with an abundance of people on the fringe.
Now with the economic dam breaking, Miami is becoming awash in danger and chaos.
Heavily armed thieves have taken to murdering their hapless victims for as little as $60 - as the unfortunate victim in Miami Gardens found out on Tuesday morning at a drive-thru ATM. Today, a carjacker stole a car with a passenger still in it. Ran it into a truck causing a massive fireball killing the thief and his victim and completely closing the main road to the Keys for the morning.
Wednesday, three armed thieves held up a Walgreens (also in Miami Gardens) at 9:30 pm - fully lighted, open, and busy. They shot at the lone cop responding (missed) and got away.
Armored trucks are being ambushed in broad daylight in busy shopping centers. Redskins player Sean Taylor was the fatal victim of a home invasion in upscale Palmetto Bay.
Several law enforcement personnel were murdered in the Maimi - Ft. Lauderdale area in the past few months as well.
I am normally an alarmist, but the tension in Miami is very high right now. Things could get out of hand real quick.
Several working people I know have told me that they no longer go out at all after nightfall anymore.

[RoxiRoxxi]

10. Moving to Miami

I want to move to Miami too....Is it really that expensive? I work in Accounting and I make a good living in NY....but I'd rather live in Miami....or close to Miami...Thank you

[Sancho]

11. Welcome...

Florida is a great place to live, but the government is third world and voting is an adventure! My wife and I have taught in three states. Florida has a union (good!) and an anti-education legislature (bad). Florida needs good teachers, though, so I hope you find a good position.


:pals:

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. The teacher unions in FL are pretty weak

Since they do not have the legal right to strike, they don't have a lot of leverage.

Here in Miami-Dade County the school district and teachers' union singed a three-year contract a year or so ago with modest salary increases. It actually had a provision in it that stipulated that the pay increased would be void if the district could not come up with the money. You can probably guess what happened.

[BayjanDem]

13. The state is making budget cuts

In education. The cost of housing is still ridiculous, even with the drop in values. But based on your post you could probably handle it.

[lib2DaBone]

14. Moving Checklist

. Gun
. extra ammo
. bullet proof vest
. Bars on Windows (Miami Awnings)
. Car alarm and "Club" anti-theft Bar
. Spanish Language tapes. Better yet, have an interpreter
. Strategic Maps - Know what neighborhood you are in
. Extra Gas on board (don't stop at gas station after dark)
. Extra tolerance for high heat and oppressing humidity
. lots of Prozac
. lots of patience - You'll need it

[Coexist]

15. I lived in Broward for several years, my husband recently finished working in Miami

he hated it - the people are rude - especially if you don't speak Spanish.

I didn't hate it, but the vibe in the non-wealthy areas is a bit .... intimidating.

If you are looking for a big city to live in, that is your place. If you are just looking to live to Florida, let me know the city/town you like up north, and I could find your equivalent down here.

[peace frog]

16. Give it a dry run before you move, if possible

Many people from other states think Florida will be just like their home state, but with sunshine. Nothing could be further from the truth so check it out before you make the move. Miami in particular is not recommended unless you have a support system (family and friends) in place to help you adjust to the culture shock. As others have warned, it is dangerous, expensive and not for anyone who doesn't speak Spanish and Creole fluently.

[SteppingRazor]

17. That may be overdoing it just a little, no?

You can get by fine in Miami without speaking Spanish or Creole fluently. Yes, it's incredibly expensive -- but no more so than some other major cities. In fact, it's not even in the ten most expensive cities in the U.S.:

http://www.soyouwanna.com/site/toptens/expensivecities/expensivecities.html

And, yeah, it's pretty dangerous in spots, but it's no. 14 on the list of most-dangerous cities:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cities_by_crime_rate


So, whether you're talking about expense or crime, there are far worse places (though, I'll grant you, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement). And this idea that you need to speak both Spanish and Creole, FLUENTLY no less, to survive there is simply untrue. I get by with my smattering of Spanish just fine, and I'm certain I could do without knowing any.

[peace frog]

18. Good for you

but as you say, a ringing endorsement it's not. "Getting by OK" is not a great reason to move to Miami or anywhere, thus the suggestion to check it out before plunging in.

[Edubb]

19. It's very nice

but you will have to learn spanish

[dassix]

20. I went to FIU for a few semesters....

To sum up most comments.

1. The language in miami is spanish in a lot of areas.
2. The differences between rich and poor is very transparent.
3. Crime is VERY bad in some areas, and in other areas almost nonexistent.
4. There are areas in Miami (north miami mostly, ie Dade county) that you will never want to find
yourself.
5. Very festive and social. If you can relax and enjoy yourself you will have a wonderful time in
Miami.
6. I did not read if you were moving from another state or just relocating within florida, but
Florida is on constant hurricane watch during season.
7. Beaches are beautiful (so are women!)

Miami is nice depending on your personality. Other great areas in florida: Sarasota, Naples, Orlando, St. Petersburg.

[dassix]

21. Almost forgot...

If you are moving from out of state, florida requires teachers to have an ESOL certificate before they can teach. (English to Speakers of other Languages) I forgot how many hours it is, but my prof allowed us to hand in papers and research on latin, haitian, and dominican cultures to count for hours toward the ESOL certificate. So don't be alarmed by the amount of hours they requires - they will provide some shortcuts for you to get it alarmingly fast.

I know some counties in florida allow you to teach without it (mainly white-english speaking areas) but I am 100% sure in miami they will require the certificate and possibly other courses geared toward spanish fluency.

[El Fuego]

22. Miami is a foreign country. This is both a positive and a negative.

Just live in Palm Beach or Broward county, and you can go to Miami for the occasional visit.