Lived in the Tucson "Bubble" for 3 Years, Then Mov
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6/10/2006
Tucson is a rapidly growing city in a beautiful desert environment. I'm glad I had the experience of living there. It is HOT from March through October. People move from one air-conditioned environment to another as quickly as possible during those months. Dashboards of cars are usually covered with carpeting to prevent sun damage. The coolest part of day is early morning. There is no dusk to speak of, since you're closer to the equator, and being from the Northeast I missed that time of day. The sun goes down, and it gets dark fast. Although we did have snow one day (it lasted for about two hours), it's mainly sunny with afternoon thunderstorms in July and August. Sunsets are usually gorgeous. Schools in Tucson range from horrific to outstanding... if you have money, move to a good school district like Catalina Foothills. My son had to repeat a year of school when we moved back east because Tucson standards weren't up to those of NY. There is some culture available, thanks largely to the Univ. of AZ being there (and I would NOT recommend attending the U of A, but that's another post entirely). The newspapers have some outstanding columnists. The cuisine is fabulous. Sports culture is somewhat lacking, unless you're a U of A alum. I moved away following my husband's death (and yes, the medical system is superb). I felt isolated from "real life" while living in Tucson. You're in your own time zone, the television schedules are out of sync with the East Coast, few people seem interested in national politics or events, even holidays seem surreal unless your entire extended family has moved with you. In retrospect, living in Tucson stands out compared to the rest of my life. It was not an extended vacation, but neither was it a nightmare. It was a unique experience, and gave me some unforgettable memories, but ultimately it was time to move on and get back to mainstream life.
Connie | Fort Plain, NY