The hot and expensive American Venice
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1/10/2008
First, I apologyze for my grammar since I am not using word processing...too lazy...When reading people's reviews, I think it is important to know a bit about the person writing the review, to get a better grasp on his/her point of view on the matter. I am a Cuban born and raised. Moved to Venezuela in my teens and lived there for 5 years. Then moved to Florida and have lived here for 10 years, between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. A bit shallow sometimes, and deep some others...who in florida isn't shallow or vain at times? Contrary to what many caucasians think about the latin community, many of us are well educated and socialy behaved. Some of us have a complexion darker than the night, an some of us are lighter than the whitest of caucasians, with everything and blue/green/hazel eyes. "the ghost latins" in your community, you don't even know we are your neighbor. Unfortunately, the group that stands out is the one that many of you write about. I have traveled, and I know that all sort of people can be found in all races and places of this world, america is not an exception, nor it is any particular ethnicity. So in talking about beautiful Fort Lauderdale: The best and worst thing here is the weather. The temperature is only tolerable in the "winter" that last for a few weeks, maybe 4 in the whole year, split into days here and there from December to late March, and occasionaly april. After that, it is a messy misture of heat and humidity. If you love the beach, then you might enjoy the crazy hot days here...but even the water in the ocean feels hot! The summer also brings the hurricane season...not a biggie there since I have lived through many of them, and it is more media hysteria than reality. Yes it can be dangerous, but get almost a whole week to prepare! To me tornadoes are far worse, and earthquakes too. There is no telling when those are coming.
The cost of life here is high, but not imposible. Now with the real state crisis in South Florida, you can buy homes that used to be 500 grand for about 350, and for the average person, a house that used to be 350, is now about 200 grands. But this is also foreclosure galore, you can find houses for 100 grand in good areas as long as you have the money to pay the 30% that I believe is required to buy those. Cinch your belt tight after that though,'cause the insurance premiums (absurd rates) and the taxes are about the worst in the nation.
The city is a melting pot of cultures, It is rich and diverse, with the many amenities and flavor this kind of communites bring. Food, music, places to see, people to share with. There is plenty of Art to go arount, right now we have the Bodies exhibition in the Museum of contemporary art (real corpses disected in a very elaborate way to present the human body in a way many f us have never seen...good for the health care professionals like myself, and anyone who appreciates the cultural value of such presentations) We were also honored with the Tutankamen presentation from the Museum of Cairo, shown at only two cities in the nation, with everything and the gold sarcophagus included.
The biggest compliment to the entire South Florida area: OPEN MINDED Very welcoming people. Yes they are also rude in the streets, the traffic is terrible with people showing no respect for the signs posted in the street, cutting you off, and making you drive like a spider, with eight eyes in your head, particularly in Miami and Hialeah. Education is not good at all up until High School, we had many troubles with our nices, had to turn them into adults way ahead of time to protect them from others who would teach them things in a destructive way...one of them loved the music from the "artist" 50 cents that is pretty strong, sexually charged...kind of obsene. It was a tough time. Kids in school learn less about the courses and more about adult life than in any other place I know. Colleges are very good though.
Also, Miami is a third world country, and I am latin! I love my people, but the corruption, the lack of manners, the dirt all over the place is nausiating. A balance in cuture is healthy for everyone, the problem is when foreigner culture takes over the native culture and exterminates it. When I lived in Miami I felt like I was living in latin america, and I did not come to the states for that, first and foremost, because in latin america the corruption in the governments, the police force, pretty much in everything like food prices, education...you name it...it is so common and natural, that it becomes a cancer with mets. No cure for that. We come here for a better life and to integrate, not to take over and turn it into mud. Nevertheless, there are many great people in Miami, and I hope that not everybody gets offended with this. Like I said before, not everybody is the same, and there are people out there like myself, trying to make a difference.
You will either love, or hate south Florida. The best thing is to visit...and for a long time, not only a few day...in a few days you will see half naked people all over the place, and that is something appealing to almost everyone, myself included, but it is a marriage destroyer, in all walks of life, straight or gay. So stay beyond the warm and glittery first days of beauty and fun...and then decide. I had enough and need a change, but still love Fort Lauderdale, and I think that it is a beautiful city.
Leo | Fort Lauderdale, FL