Here's how to win/live the South Florida life
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3/30/2019
Fort Lauderdale and South Florida are eclectic, which makes for a tough adjustment if you're from a homogenous area. The secret is to find the location of all the things you enjoy, and multiculturalism is HUGE. To adjust well, don't take things too personally. Yes, things are bureaucratic. Yes, time gets wasted. Yes, it's expensive. But, you do not have to assimilate either. Be your authentic self. Why? Nobody assimilates; folks simply adjust to one another. To make it here, you have to be open minded, a bit firm, yet patient. The city of Fort Lauderdale is on the ocean between Miami (whose unofficial motto is, "make it happen!") and West Palm Beach (whose unofficial motto is, "hedge and protect"). Both neighbors influence Fort Lauderdale, which makes the city and Broward County well balanced. There is also a heavy Caribbean influence, especially from English-speaking Jamaicans and well-adjusted Latin people (ie., Haitians). There are also immigrants from Europe (UK, Sweden, Romania, Russia, etc) as well as Africans (lots of South Africans work in the yachting sector). The good news is you won't experience the blatant prejudice for not speaking Spanish the way you will in Miami.
Some pros are: EVERYONE is here (young, old, black, white, gay, straight, rich, poor, Christians, Muslims, Jews, red-blooded Americans, immigrants, social influencers, and crackheads). The last one is maybe not a pro. Warm weather, nice beaches, turquoise ocean. Great restaurants. Lots of festivals (ie., Art Basel, ULTRA music festival). All four major sports franchises (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA) have an significant influence in Broward County with the Dolphins (NFL) in Davie and the Panthers (NHL) in Sunrise. The Miami Open (professional tennis) is just across the Broward County line at Hard Rock Stadium. The infrastructure is improving in Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. The Brightline is great, FLL airport is easier to navigate than MIA, Port Everglades is accessible, I-595 is well maintained, and the 95 in Broward is better maintained than 95 in Miami (pot holes) or Palm Beach (never NOT under construction).
Cons: the transitional population makes forming lasting relationships difficult, the cost of living is high for families with children or live-in parents, the hospital systems are allegedly a secret cartel, and most of the public schools are mediocre.
All the best to you!
Danny | Fort Lauderdale, FL