I can't wait to leave
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11/19/2009
I have lived in Gulfport since 1997,except for one year when I lived in Oklahoma City (awesome city by the way). I moved here 6 months after high school with my parents. I grew up in Newburgh, NY, so yes there was a heavy dose on culture shock that did not wear off for about a year. Gulfport has come a long way, I will say that. It has steadily progressed over these last 12 years and is catching up after Hurricane Katrina as best as anyone can reasonably expect after such devastation. I think in general, there is an underestimation of the hit that the Mississippi Gulf Coast took because New Orleans got so much coverage. Personaly, I have never liked living down here. I would much rather be back up North. I have met quite a few people that have moved here from New York and other Northern states and enjoy the slower pace and the heat and other living conditions. I am glad for them but that has not been my experience. I find that the whole state is about 20 years behind the rest of the country in terms of education, healthcare, and jobs. The state has about 9 colleges and universities not to mention numerous community colleges, but good well- paying jobs are very hard to come by. Many students leave the area once they graduate because there simply is no work for them. There is a Gool Ol' Boy system at work here. The Gulfport/Biloxi area is like a very small town in its mentality. Someone always knows someone else or their relatives, as well as thier business. As far as recreation, there is alot to utilize. There are some golf courses, movie theaters, casinos. The man-made beach stretches 26 miles and is very popular. I do not advise that you swim in the water. It is common to get ear infections and strep throat afterwards. If you have a boat there are lots of marinas to keep it in and there is a very active boater's circle. Gulfport is a fairly safe city. I have confidence in our Police Dept. They work very hard and are extremely competent in what they do. It is very hot and humid most of the year, very tropical conditions. You will be wearing shorts at Christmas time. It can get very cold at night in the winter, as low as 20 degrees. It is what I call a wet cold. It is hard to get and stay warm. Most people would say that the Gulfport/Biloxi area is family oriented. I can see that to a point, but I am no expert since I don't have children. If I did I would be very reluctant to put them in the public schools. That is not to say that there are no good schools at all. There are. But having gone to school in New York I have very high standards and I would definitely do my homework. There are good points and bad about living here. I believe after being here so long, that not being from the area makes it a million times harder to get a job, know the right people, make freinds inthe right circles, etc. But this is just one viewpoint. Others that have moved here love it and stay. I have also known of people that moved here and didn't make it six months before they packed up and went back to where they lived before. I would caution everyone to do thier research. But now that I think of it, this place is good for nothing except retiring to. If you are into boating, hunting, fishing, muddin', big trucks, country music, seafood, getting pregnant first and married later, being preached to everywhere you go including in the workplace by the Baptists, getting fat on all the fast food, getting dressed up for a night out at Walmart, suffocatingly hot summers that last 8-9 months a year; sub-standard healthcare, education, roads, public transportation, and overall quality of life(let me not forget to tell you to hold on to your job no matter what it is b/c if you lose it, it is very very hard to find another one); hostile employer/employee relations, and dumbing yourself down to match the intellectual level of those you are forced to work and deal with everyday, then this part of the south is for you.
Laura | Gulfport, MS