DO NOT MOVE TO MIAMI
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8/3/2006
Miami... where do I even begin? I'll list a conclusion, and then a personal experience. I guess it is important to note that I am a white woman from the northeast.
• It's racist. Cubans don't like whites. Whites don't like Haitians. No one likes tourists. The "N-word" is used frequently. I find it very ironic that hip-hop artists always rap about Miami, considering that I've heard so many anti-black statements. In addition, I've heard employers talk about not hiring blacks! Personally, I've had Cuban people not serve me because I was white.
• Its classist. People look down on you if they think you don't have any money. People constantly thought it was white trash because I drove a midpriced car. Ironically, I come from money. If you were wearing the wrong shoes (i.e., cheap shoes) in department stores or in boutiques, you will not get good service, if any service at all.
• It's corrupt. Believe me when I tell you that you cannot trust anyone. The mail gets rifled through. We lost one of our rent checks when someone stole it in the mail. The phone company (not BGE, another alternative company) does not have customer service available. I would have to call every day in wait for three hours just to get someone on the phone. Even your job will rip you off. There are millions scams in Miami.
• It's crime-ridden. My car has been broken into numerous times, once to steal only pennies. And a factory radio.
• People are cruel. I saw a man having a heart attack on the side of the road. No one stopped to help him except for myself and a tourist from New York City! When we went up to the hotel where he was staying and asked if they would call an ambulance for him, they said that they would not. The rudely gestured over to a pay phone for us to use.
• Substance use is rampant. One would expect this of any large city, but Miami takes the cake. Housewives are on “fat burners." Club-goers are on every drug under the sun, and many many people are in recovery. Also of note, eating disorders are very common.
• It's very hard to find a job. I had a four year degree from a very good university in the Northeast, and this meant nothing in terms of the job. Jobs are gotten through who you know, not what you can do. Every job I've ever gotten in Miami I've gone through a connection (I knew a few people there before I moved), not through ads, or posting my résumé. Also, it is difficult if you don't speak Spanish. I'm sure this contribu
Emily | Miami Beach, FL