Visit, vacation, don’t live here.
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10/20/2019
I was born in Miami and moved away when I was 27. I have spent time in the north east and now call the west coast home. I only ever occasionally go back to Miami because I still has family there. Otherwise I’d never go back. The first thing you’d notice when you arrive is the ungodly brutal heat that invaded every aspect of your life. Even at night when you think you’d get a break the soupy humidity creeps up your back and neck. A/C is your friend. Customer service whether I’d be retail or restaurant is usually just okay to painfully poor. Spanish for many is a first language and sometimes only language. As a Cuban/Argentinian I don’t mind. But I do mind when associates or waiters simply don’t speak any English. I don’t blame the employee, as the child of immigrants I know people may have just arrived and need work. I do blame the businesses for putting them at registers setting them up, often, for failure. If you’re not a Spanish speaker this may not be the city for you. Traffic can be terrible but that’s basically any major city at the wrong time of day. However, since the city developed from the beach first the highway system is often a messy experience. If you live in the suburbs, four to five lane highways often exit into two lane roads which leads to more frustration. Drivers are hyper aggressive. I’ve lived in other places and when I do return to Miami, there is a noticeable difference in attitudes on the roads. If you like the beach the water is often full of waves and very warm. Living on the west coast now, I do miss those temperatures. However, I don’t miss the struggle to get in and out of the beach. Again, because the city started there, parts of the beach consist of one lane roads and traffic again can be a disaster. There is a diversity of ethnic food which is great if you’re a foodie. Authentic Cuban food can be found most everywhere. The night life is really great even if it was never really my thing. Overall, vacation there, don’t live it lacks a lot of what makes other cities great.
Mike | Santa Clarita, CA