Tampa has nice beaches and pleasant winters... Having said that, think of the following when you descend upon Tampa International Airport: Picture a large, hairy beast with 50 tattoos, each representing every state in the Union, squatting over the entire city and relieving itself. That, in short, is what you have in Tampa. It seems as though our many fellow citizens who did not care for (or could not survive in) the North have settled here with glee. There is a dearth of culture and education in the populace that rivals the cityscape depicted in Slumdog Millionaire. When shopping or dining, you are bombarded with endless chain restaurants and strip malls. Every block looks like a reincarnation of another one. There is no visual stimulation with the exception of 3 blocks of south Tampa. This is truly America at its worst. You do not have the heartland values of the Midwest, the progressive leanings of the West, or the diversity of people and ideas of the Northeast. That's all gone here. I finished (public) high school in Tampa (moving from New York City) and can fully attest to the pathetic state of academia in the schools. They teachers are underpaid and overworked, but trying (at least some do). The students do not fare better. They are crammed into overcrowded school classrooms like pigs in a pigpen. The only difference is that in farms, the pigs end up a dinner plate, while students of the schools are well trained to serve those plates for their adulthood. Finding someone with a BA/BS is rare. I do not want to sound elitist, but I think it's fair game if you're considering moving here. I could go on, but I'll keep it short: If you want to move to Tampa, then that's fine...just know that you may regret it. Besides, it can be a great place if you have simpler tastes...shucks people might even say your an easy-going, regular kinda guy/girl.
Rich | New York, NY | Report Abuse