Glad I lived there when I did...
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2/13/2010
I lived in El Paso in 2004. I loved the weather, I enjoyed having a pool, I adored the incredibly delicious inexpensive restaurants, and I found some really good friends there. I am not a fan of the really dry desert, but if you like to xeriscape, you will love it. Oleander, decorative gravels, and cacti are common choices. It has an older population in many parts of the city because the dry air, low cost of living and great weather is good for people who are retired. There are also lots of military people. Homes are really cheap. The lifestyle is lush, but propped up by illegal immigration and employment that can therefore pay below minimum wage. Jobs do not pay well, but you can live on a lot less money too. Being bilingual English/Spanish is almost a necessity. Because it is a border town, it does not feel like the U.S., but it doesn't exactly feel like Mexico either. Illegal employment is rampant - many people have maids because Mexican ladies can be hired and paid a pittance "under the table". We lived in El Paso right before it got drug crazy. People told me not to go to Juarez after dark, so I didn't and I was fine. If you don't go out to Juarez at night or mix with drug people, you'll be fine too. We did have our car hotwired, and a tail light stolen from our moving truck - seriously - watch your cars, but otherwise, it feels safe and almost resort-like most of the time. The downtown area was a little dingy/run-down when I was there, and the new development was mostly out east. The landscape is dusty with sparse vegetation and rolling hills/ mountains. Rainstorms can be quite an event since the dusty hills cannot absorb the water – streets can turn into ditches in mere minutes. It’s also interesting to see the dust devils that happen sometimes. El Paso is the only place I have lived that had that phenomenon and I thought it was fun to watch.
Bp | Malden, MA