Not a Good Experience
-
9/30/2018
First let me confess that I lived in Yuma for about a year several decades ago. I was raised in NY and have lived & worked in several states & cities, most recently in CA. Tucson was my very favorite place to live; I was there in the late 60’s while I attended graduate school. The heat did not bother me, and I fell in love with the desert.
I then made the mistake of taking a position in Yuma. Just more desert and heat, right? No, no, no. Living in Yuma was like being fried alive. Aside from the terrible climate and lack of amenities, during the entire year, I met only 2 people I liked and trusted. Two of the men I worked with (including one who hired me) were inappropriate—in fact, I was assaulted by one who kept coming to my apartment & trying to force his way in. There was no one I could confide in—the town was very clickish. Drug dealing & drug use were rampant. In my innocence, I tried to bring attention to it, and I was immediately shunned and harassed. Yes, I worked at a school.
When a minor girl was shot to death by a teenager in a drug-related incident, despite my attempted warning, I knew I had to leave asap. There is not one good memory I have of Yuma. It is the only place I lived that I cannot say something favorable about! Has it changed during the last few decades? Personally, I wouldn’t risk it.
Mary | Aliso Viejo, CA