Avoid at all costs
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2/16/2012
This town and state stink, literally. This place just exudes filth and mediocrity. Before you say "Why don't you just leave?', I am trying, i came here to take a job with good pay with the federal gov, assuming it would be like alot of desert communities in AZ. I couldn't be more wrong. I tried so hard to be positive, always searching for the good, but it just slowly crept in that there is something wrong with this place. I'm not from a very rich or prominent town but compared to here it seems like a paradise. The city is just lacking, what some have called authenticity is simply dilapidated, poorly maintained, and spartan. There's barely any streetlights and i constantly have to check weather its the road or something wrong with my car. Everything closes early and on sunday, fine for the people that work those hours but some of us actually have to work graves and on weekends, my heart goes out to all the service workers and emergency services that have to do shifts in a dead city. The culture is nearly non existant. the festivals that are put on will have you asking if there's more of it around the block, that is if you show up early enough to attend, again, no love for the working man. I'm not being racist by complaining it's very culterally homogenous here. Mainly hispanic and white, with too many of both sides living to the stereotype of the ignorant, rude, lawless hillbilly/cholo, of course there are many who aren't but then they never ruin your day. I'm hispanic and i hate it here, being a non native speaker i don't fit in anywhere, I miss seeing and interacting with faces and cultures that simply aren't here. Statistically the number of asian, african american, european, and south american people are are insignifigant. Again, just white and hispanic. And cultural celebration or diversity pretty much means white ranch/cowboy culture, or mexican/mexican american culture from the very local area. I don't know how you defend this?! its just lame. And the food is awful, especially mexican food, I've been to the local institutions, Roberto's etc and it's just awful. Years of loyalty keep these businesses afloat, not quality, tasty, and fresh prepared food with local ingredients. Or maybe becasue people just don't know any better, I have no idea. The weather is good only if you enjoy constant unfiltered sunlight, barely any rain or clouds, and the air is constantly full of fine desert dust and pollen making it hell for allergy sufferers. The building codes are subpar, so yes the housing is cheaper than cali or arizona or cali, but it's for a very good reason. In my new apartment there are drafts and poor insulation everywhere, meaning alot of extra money goes to AC or heating just to keep it comfortable, not to mention the roaches that come out of the plumbing fixtures. And again, these are one of the nicest and newest apartments in the town. Traffic is dreadfully slow, just like nearly anything else, yes i guess it's lower stress too, if you don't have to go anywhere or do anything, but just doing a few chores around town are as frustrating as driving in downtown los angeles. Not to mention the horrific drivers. I would have been in probably a dozen wrecks or fenderbenders if i wasn't constantly on edge when i drive. People driving the wrong way on streets, seniors nearly comatose behind the wheel, sudden lane changes without signalling or looking, and of course the drunk drivers. Also drunk driving is a huge problem here, despite enforcement attempts. Although given the lack of entertainment, i can see why it along with under age pregnancy and hard drugs are such a big problem here. Its at least an hour drive but up to three to go see anything else in the surrounding area, and what's there is barely worth the time and money. The people seem to be very rude and agressive, especially against women, when you go out be prepared for the locals to call out to you or challenge you, and violate your personal space on the regular. I won't let my wife walk alone anywhere after all the times people have pushed or bumped into her at a store or public place. Which brings me to the stores, the selection is just sad, with frequent instances of an entire staple not being in stock, like milk or garlic, and many other ingredients simply not being available. And the customer service is atrocious, with wait staff and employees just seeming to not care at all about their job or acting like a human being. Things are slooooowwww. No one isi n a rush ever, not to check you out, or see you, wich some people like, but again, some of us work long inconvienient hours, and don't expect a stop at a single store to eat up all the free time they had. Food both from grocery stores and restaurants is more expensive that any other place I've been (Ohio, Nevada, Arizona and california. And it's of worse quality. And being surrounded by even more destitute and strange settlemants, you will encounter some truly bizarre and upsetting people who i know for a fact through my work, live by themselves in an un-airconditioned, rotting trailer, miles from the nearest neighbor. No social skills, hygiene, or ability to communicate is the norm. So if you are from a real city anywhere back east, or any populated region on the west coast or even AZ or UT or CO, this is like living on a different planet. And if you truly value privacy, sunshine, a slow pace of life, and staying at homw, this may be your paradise. But if you like to go out, see and do things, (besides getting drunk in the handful of bars) then avoid this weird hell hole. You will not be welcome and you will not fit in unless you have a familia here or your daddy owns a ranch. Locals will defens it to the death but consider they have lived here their whole lives. I'll get out soon god willing and never come back.
ABE | Las Cruces, NM