Why do People Hate Living in Florida?

[Lilacs4Me]

As a born and raised and still very loyal Michiganian, hell no! lol

Haha, MTE^^^^ I was going to type the very same thing!! Minus the "still very loyal" part since I bailed for a job in Illinois.

But we still go "home" several times a year and would move back in a heartbeat if we could!!!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Seems like a lot of people hate living in Florida. Many people move there and then move back, proclaiming how awful it is.

So what is so bad about living in florida?

I just quoted your original post, and when you mention people move there, then move back, I think that tells a lot.
One of the biggest factors might be that Florida isn't 'home'. I am sitting here remembering sitting at Thanksgiving, with my Husband's family, who had moved here to escape MI... rant and rave about every little tiny thing at all that they found negative about my state. (that was real considerate of them!!!)

None of them ever moved back!!! Some moved further South to FL.
I think I can count on one hand the times that my Husband has been back to MI. And, none of them were because he, himself, wanted to take the initiative and go back.

We are considering moving to Florida. I have always just loved the beach!
But, one of the things that I have to consider is that, yes, I would be leaving 'HOME".
As much as we love spending time in Florida, it is a different world. How can I know whether I will love it or hate it!!!

 

[NotUrsula]

It's me, the insane one! Look, I guess this is a "to each their own" thing. I can't drive 1 -1.5 hours in any direction and find large pockets of first generation immigrants. I'm certainly not saying they don't exist in the entire state. Of course they do! But where I've lived in the past, this is what the communities were made up of. FL isn't like that because so many people aren't from here originally.

My area has a yearly Indian festival, Greek festival, Oktoberfest, and an Irish festival. The Greek festival is very authentic. It is held at a Greek church and is a great time. However, again we don't have Greek neighborhoods. There isn't a pocket of Greek restaurants and stores and neighborhoods with mostly Greek families. The Indian festival is a revolving festival. It moves around the state of FL. Some of the very same people that are performing here will pack up and go three hours away to the next area. It's like the old time parking lot carnivals. We do not have a heavy Indian population. We do have one restaurant and one store, but the festival itself is so-so because it really doesn't pull in many Indians to give it the right vibe. The Irish and German festivals are simply an excuse to drink beer. Nothing wrong with that, but it really has absolutely nothing to do with the culture itself. They'll bring in a couple groups of local dancers to perform some traditional dance, but it really is about the party and beer.

I don't live near Miami. I would certainly expect events like Goombay and Carnival to be huge in Miami.

Orlando is a large metropolitan area. There is a fabulous Indian store and three Indian restaurants within walking distance to one another. But once again, the area isn't full of Indian culture. There is a Home Depot, though! There is another area that is intermixed with very traditional Asian grocers. It is definitely an authentic vibe. I am not aware of any type of regular festivals that they hold.

For me, FL will never offer what I am looking for in those terms. That's okay. I can't imagine there is one single place that will offer anyone absolutely everything they ever wanted. It is a big negative for me, but it isn't a deal breaker.

Orlando is kind of an artificial city -- it didn't grow organically over time. Like all boom-towns it grew fast and thanks to WHEN it grew, it didn't develop traditional ethnic enclaves. (Although there actually is a growing Irish immigrant community, centered on Winter Park). Other parts of Florida did grow that way, however. I promise you that the Greek community in Tarpon Springs is as authentic as you would find anywhere, and there is a large Desi community in Jacksonville that also hosts a number of events. Several beach communities near Sarasota might as well be Frankfurt West; you'll hear German spoken there all the time.

 

[SwirlyGirly]

I live in Miami and I love it here. I find it incredibly culturally diverse. Previous to living in Miami, I lived abroad for 14 years. Culture? The Book Fair is the largest literary event in the US. Art Basal is a world renowned art show that turns Miami into a city-wide art exhibit for 6 weeks every year. Our food culture is amazing. Our nightlife cannot be beat.
My neighborhood is in the city, but it functions as a village. If I didn't work outside of my little town, I'd never use my car. My fiancé works 3 blocks from my house and walks to work every day. We meet up afterwards, also on foot, to go to a local bar or restaurant. On the weekends, we walk to the bay to paddleboard, kayak, or go out on a boat with friends. My kids ride their bikes or walk to the coffee shop, or to park to meet up with friends. Our streets are lined with sidewalk cafes, boutiques, and galleries.
I came for a vacation just over 2 year ago and never left. After 14 years of globetrotting, I finally found a place to settle down in.

 

[jt'smom]

Although I've already commented on my love for my adopted state, I will admit to one downside... I have thousands of little lizards that live on my house, in my yard, sometimes even inside the house. This morning, I sat down on my sofa with a cup of coffee and realized I had a baby one on my shoulder. Not cool! I have a rule, they keep in their space and eat mosquitos and bugs, and I don't suck them up with the vacuum. I feel like a line has been crossed here, and we may have to go to war over inside turf, lol!

 

[Wishing on a star]

Geckos!!! ?