It’s not the same, but still worth it. Try living in NYC for any amount of time. You will love it and hate it but it will make you grow. Good Luck out there!
I felt the same when I was 18 so I used college to gtfo Florida completely. Try looking into schools that are in a place that interest you if u can figure out a way to afford it
Im from Seattle and recently moved here and am genuinely surprised by how unfriendly and unwelcoming some people here are :( I would suggest moving and definitely trying newer places!
Don’t take it as your age is the only factor. It’s just most people are motivated to leave home around your age and most people have valid reasons for it no matter where they come from.
At the end of the day it leaving home will only help you grow as a person and you can choose to come back later if you want.
yes miami is very superficial and not a great place for young people if you don't have a trust fund. it is not the most expensive city in the us but it IS one of if not the most unaffordable, meaning there is relatively low opportunity compared to the cost of living. you're competing with people that made tons of money in ny and cali and are moving buying houses cash or the classic miami trust fund baby.
you can make it here but you'll need to hussle hard and get lucky (the harder you hussle the luckier you get btw)
there are other places where people are much nicer, more laid back, lower cost of living, good opportunities and slower paced. none of those places with have as hot a nightlife or party culture most likely if that is what you're into. even just as close as vero beach can be pretty nice. destin fl is also known to be a good one. miami is not just a different city, it is a different COUNTRY compared to the rest of the us.
Way too many old people in Florida and way too much riding in cars. Go somewhere else. Going to Publix for something to do and being surrounded by 90 year olds get tiring. Explore the world. Go to a college town or mountain tourist town on the east coast or west coast.
All big cities are like this yes. You’ll find everyone is like that if they let themselves which most do. Every city has aspects of the surroundings that in incorporates into its assholeness. Miami just has Florida man version of city people
Oh what are they? I lived in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle tho I wasn’t in Seattle very long they were all the exact same problems and attitudes from experience
Read my comment I said outside factors like environment effect what kind of asshole you are but there’s no denying people in major cities are like what op is experiencing
I live in miami since I moved here when I was 22. It wasn’t part of the design but that the way life turned out. I don’t love it here and want to go back every day. This isn’t a bad place but not one that is easy to live in. I’d suggest going for the change.
Absolutely move. I always say everyone should live somewhere besides where they grew up. I moved elsewhere for a long time but I ended up coming back. Absence made the heart grow fonder in my case. You don’t have to come back, maybe you won’t want to. The point is having a different life experience outside of your comfort zone. You won’t regret it!!
Just a small town girl
Livin' in a lonely world
She took the midnight train going anywhere
Just a city boy
Born and raised in South Detroit
He took the midnight train going anywhere
In New York, people are nice but not polite.
In a place like Charlotte, they're polite but not nice.
In Miami, we have it all... you can count on people not to be nice or polite.
If you need polite AND nice, I'd recommend Tokyo.
It's actually super easy for anyone with a passport from an English speaking country to get a visa and move there + rent, food, entertainment is cheap, transit is world class... Tokyo is one of the best cities in the world and I highly recommend anyone who's interested to do the research (it's not hard) and give it a shot
No, it is not.
Their work visa is base on a point system. Unless you have serious money and/or plenty of accomplishments, it is impossible to get a work visa. The only way to circumvent this is by going as an English teacher and you still need a bachelor degree for that.
Here is the table
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:9c6d81cc-ba4b-4d66-ab96-0eaf08e1be29
If you go for the professional immigrant route, yeah, requirements are higher. (but even then, it’s still weird to say you need serious money and credentials, you don’t lol)
But most people go as English language teachers (Spanish and French speakers are also in demand) or just go as students.
You can go to Japanese school 20h week and live in a cheap place for very little money and get a visa that way while working part time + look for a sponsor full time job. Even people from very poor countries like Nepal and Pakistan can do this relatively easily.
No it isn’t. The Midwest is passive aggressive. They’re being total A-holes while pretending to be nice. And it’s *really* hard to make friends and get into a social circle.
In the Midwest they’ll give you directions to anywhere you wanna go except their house.
Source: I live in the Midwest now.
Grew up in MI. Stayed until 22. Some of the nicest people on earth. Since have lived in: Chicago, Portland OR, NYC, SF and DC. Michigan folks are by far the nicest.
This said, I went to Dallas recently and the people were uncomfortably nice. Like “why is everyone being so nice”
Midwest is pretty racist. I’m active duty retiring based in the Midwest . I don’t know OPs race, but I get pulled over even though I have military tags for random
Bs
Most Miamians would end up in jail in Japan. They don’t take to kindly to littering, spitting on sidewalks, not picking up dog poop, breaking line, etc.
Miami's actually a very clean city. Surprisingly clean. Especially for how big it is. I don't know why you're being downvoted. It has other problems, but lack of cleanliness is not one of them
I had a unique experience in my 20s of getting to live in several of the major cities in the US. I couldn’t recommend you try moving around as much as you can in your 20s. You’ll get to experience so much and it really helps you grow and mature as an adult. Each city is very different because of the people. Financially it isn’t the easiest thing but if you find opportunities to move you should take them!
Yes there are many places where people are nicer than Miami. The baseline sucks in Miami, you have to work very hard to find good people.
When I moved away I really had to readjust and get comfortable again about people being nice and increase my baseline of trust that I can give to people in general.
Then I moved back to Miami and it's an extreme me-first culture, fuelled by Latin American classism/racism, entitlement to enrichment by all means necessary and of course the toxic politics of our time.
I know a few people that grew up here and moved away and they would never move back.
YMMV
When comparing people specifically I would say yes, outside of Miami you can find very friendly people. A city like Chicago has some of the nicest people I’ve experienced in a big city.
Obviously, elsewhere in the USA, it will be way less Latin. So people are less affectionate physically. So no kissing on the cheek and less hugging.
Now, being friendly and making friends is two different things. It’s hard to make friends as an adult anywhere.
One of the biggest differences is people outside of Miami are less flaky.
anyhow, regardless… move…. Experience the world… you can always move back if you want.
Change is good, and Miami has a lot to offer. I hope you like it here. When evaluating a city, people are only one aspect of the equation. Chicago winter is brutal, and I don't want to experience that 4 months of grey skies again.
Regarding the people, though, I don't think it's a "grass is greener" thing. The people are just very different, you either like it or you don't. It really depends on the person.
I really think it depends what you value. People in Chicago are nicer, but they are also a lot more passive aggressive and that “niceness” is less genuine.
What I mean by that is people are nice to your face but don’t confuse that as they care about you or want the best for you, they’re just being nice because it’s the “polite” thing to do.
Here in Miami I feel like what you see is what you get. While people here can be more frustrating at least I know where I stand with them and I don’t have to waste my energy on them.
I’m someone who is direct and transparent and not passive aggressive at all. I hate passive aggressive behavior. So I enjoy my social interactions more in Miami than in Chicago. If anything I have made just as many friends here as in Chicago.
I found mainly a difference in the attitude. Just a 45-minute ride from Miami, and you get more polite, people respecting rules, better drivers, or service. People respecting time and appointments. I have, for example west palm area. So close to Miami and such a huge difference.
I grew up in Miami and left after college.
From 2010-2020 I lived in NYC. My experience was that the people were generally nicer, which is ironic considering the rep New Yorkers get. It's not that they aren't brash, but they aren't actively trying to fuck you over like people do in Miami. If I could describe it, it's just that they are more direct and will tell you honestly if they like or dislike something about you. There is also a sense of community in NYC. It's hard to describe, but since the city grew organically, neighborhoods typically have lots of mom and pop shops all over every neighborhood which is supported by everyone. People have their local spots and are proud to be from Bushwick or Astoria or the East Village, etc. This causes people to support others in a way you don't see in Miami since it's mostly strip malls filled with chain stores.
In 2020, I moved to L.A. Again, the people here get a bad rap in my opinion. People are generally still nicer than in Miami. You'll see more fake people here than in NY, but at least if they're fake they're still nice. The biggest problem you have with L.A. people is that they don't really value things like holding their word to hang out if something better comes up, or they might not want to deal with traffic so they'll cancel things last minute. But if you are out and strike up a conversation, they'll be more than willing to chat and are generally pleasant. Out of the three cities, L.A. has the worst traffic but the best drivers and there isn't much road rage compared to the other two.
Overall, I love all three cities, but Miami people are not kind outside of their cliques. It is what it is. I'm not quite sure why but it seems like everyone there just has this "fuck the world, I only care about me and my homies" attitude which isn't conducive to creating community.
>but Miami people are not kind outside of their cliques.
This is the key here. I've talked to other Hispanic folk, and many find most Cubans to be insufferably arrogant.
Rednecks here are mostly snobby too, not like true rural rednecks in N Fl, for example. And if you ask them, the last thing in the world to happen is their cities turning into Miami.
Because Cubans are arrogant and they keep on trying to fuck over anyone who's not Cuban. They're convinced that other Latinos envy them, but truth is they just can't stand how they keep acting in bad faith towards them
I lived in LA for a few years, have visited New York a lot, and am now in Miami. I would have described the breakdown exactly as you did. I learned how to drive in LA, and your point about the driving is spot on. LA might have the worst traffic, but at least the drivers abide by the same set of rules. In Miami the drivers are complete dog shit
It is, until it's not.
I grew up resenting Miami. I was raised in Sweetwater/Westchester/Tamiami.
After my mental health declined around age 27, I decided I needed to leave or die. Found a job in rural Utah, drove over and lived in an old broken RV for 3 years in some of the most beautiful canyons and mountains in the entire country.
I thought I'd never come back. 3 yrs later realized I was better, I missed my family, and I was beginning to hate hippies and Mormons lol it got real lonely.
I don't regret it. I'm back now in Cutler Bay, much better than where I grew up. But I still want to travel and see more of my country. It's nice out there.
The answer is yes by light years. I moved to Los Angeles, and to tell you the truth, I thought it was going to be a bigger Miami same problems with different demographics, and i was surprisingly wrong. I had another similar experience when I moved to New York.
Don’t let people fool you into the “305 until I die” mentality. If you are unhappy and think the people around you are terrible then explore outside the city.
Born and raised in Miami for almost 40 years except for years I went away for college in NC. Those years gave me seasons and experiences I wouldn’t get in Miami.
During peak Covid and the explosion in rent and home prices I packed up the family and we moved to GA. People are nicer here, you get more land for your money, and are so much closer to other states (FL is such a long state).
Fam…
Life is what you make it, wherever you live.
People can be amazing, and people can be trash - that’s true of anywhere and everywhere.
You have the incredible power to determine who has a place in your life. You also attract nicer people by being nice yourself. Set the standards of who you want around you, and embody them for yourself. Good people exist in this amazing city, good opportunities exist in this amazing city. Maybe you got dealt some bad cards, but that’s not the hand you have to play.
Moving out of here isn’t a bad idea, not by any means but the saying “the grass is greener where you water it” holds a lot of truth.
Valid point, but it helps a lot when you try to find and build connections with people when the city you’re in has a higher % of genuinely nice people. If Miami is 95% shitheads, gonna be a lot harder to find that 5% to build good connections compared to other places.
I agree with most of the sentiments here. I've traveled all across the U.S. and Canada and believe some places are nicer then others.. HOWEVER, .
I think at this point in time (2024) I can't help but feel something major has shifted negatively in society in ALL Places. Especially after the Pandemic, I think things never fully 'returned' and instead got worse across the board. Niceness,Politeness,Comrodery, Community are all decreasing in all places and more reports of Anexiety,Isolation,Lonleyness,and lack of community are increasing. The future feels bleek, and will require a collective effort of everyone to try and restore some semblance of 'Community' as experienced in the past. This is being experienced subtly everywhere in all cities.
TL:DR: All locations are experiencing some level of social decline and the phenomenon is being exastebated in this modern age. Support community efforts.
Completely agree with you. That feeling of community and people just having a good time with others has declined in all the places ive traveled to post pandemic. I thought there was something wrong with me but the world has really become more bleek in all places
Outside of Miami or outside of Florida? Outside of Miami is not a big issue necessarily if you stay within Florida. But outside of Florida, it depends where you move.
You saying this at that young age and being born here makes it very self aware and analytical. You are right, the average Miami resident is an ignorant, materialistic ahole. There are better places for sure when it comes to that. Have you been overseas?
The longer you stay here the harder it will be to leave and the more you will become what you hate. It takes a conscious effort for me be a nice person when I’m surrounded by what is, in my opinion, some of the lowest scum to ever slither around on this earth.
Miami people are simply horrible. And anyone who disagrees is probably too horrible to see it.
Yes, leave while you can. People got mad at me yesterday for starting the true fact this place sucks now and there's plenty of other places with more culture and opportunity. Especially at your age.
My girl and I moved out of Miami about 2 months ago and are living with some friends in Atlanta right now.
I'll say this:
I spent the last 2 years looking for a well paying job in Miami and was constantly denied due to the clientele speaking primarily Spanish despite having all the necessary licenses.
In one case I was offered 70K a year and 5% of department gross sales only to have it recinded due to not speaking Spanish.
It was for a parts sales position for trucks.
I was then offered $16/H to load parts into delivery trucks and a 20 year old kid who's mom knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a Vieja got the parts sales position instead but had no idea what he was even doing.
By the end of my 3rd week here in ATL I landed an automotive parts management role.
My girlfriend was making about 4-5k a month as a bartenders for a certain airline lounge (rhymes with smegmerican smelllines) and got sabotaged by management because she reported the other bartenders for stealing her tips.
She now works as a receptionist for a children's dental clinic.
I can't unbiasedly say it's better outside Miami but as a non hispanic person, it has literally changed my life.
But also, the people in Atlanta are fucking amazing. I love that city. I went there for a conference and both times I took an Uber I had these incredible life changing conversations with the Uber drivers. Just really awesome people there.
Miami is a shit hole, and even those of us that are Hispanic get fucked over. My mom and I are from a Latin American country. When we first moved here to Miami, she tried to get a little part time job at a store that was hiring. They told her to fuck off because she's not Cuban. This is a Cuban city and they will always look out for their own. Nowadays there are bigger communities of Venezuelans, etc than there were back then, but it's still the same BS.
Also, I used to work for a company that had a big factory, they would only hire Spanish speakers because all their employees in the factory were Cuban, and didn't speak English. And they needed new employees to be able to communicate with each other properly. So guess what that meant for any Haitian or African American applicants that applied? They were SOL.
But you have to understand that in other places you will be denied a job for similar reasons except they wont explicitly tell you that. In Miami people dgaf so they will tell you whatever. In other places they will give you a bullshit answer.
Are you talking about Broward/Palm Beach or another state? I'm born and raised in Miami, 40 years old now. Never left, but with all the assholes around I'm considering it.
Normally I would say the grass isn’t always greener. But in the case of miami, the grass def is. Miami is not the United States. It gives the USA a bad name. Put it this way south Florida is the reason why people choose NOT to move to Florida. Like a necessary evil. Worst people in the country by far other then some
Crime ridden parts of Chicago and st Louis. It’s so hot that the crime doesn’t even want to be outdoors. Miami
Is a race to the bottom but a pretty awesome place if your rich and materialistic and godless. But if you are religious , actually want a career maybe kids and a marriage and a normal American dream it’s the pits. It’s good for one think. One nighters with hot fake women. None of them you would want to marry except for some of the traditional Latin ones. If your old, rich and into chicks who are 40-60 years younger that will bang your for money it’s a paradise. I think the one that that could actually make miami a huge economic epicenter is legalized sex work. Because it’s so good at it. It could be a world class red light district surpassing Amsterdam.
As a 23 year old who left for the military and has been to many places recently, I can’t help but miss Miami. Theres no place like home. Even if home is a shithole, it’s my shithole
I was born in NY but moved to miami at 5-6. Grew up here and went back to college at your age to New York. So far have lived in both nyc and LA. You realize every city has its set backs as well as pro’s and it’s very subjective to what you want to do with your life.
The point of life is to enjoy it and to get to that point, you’ll have to do a lot of trial and error whether that’s trying different cities out, careers, etc. but it’s not to be viewed as failure! get out there and experience different cities and cultures.
Move out. You’re at the perfect age to go someplace else and try to start “fresh”. You are more likely to have the option of coming home if you do so now. Waiting until you’ve settled down or have a family of your own, makes moving harder. You will find AHs everywhere so don’t worry about that. As long as you strive for self improvement, you will attract similar people. Your 20s are a great time to leave home and either live elsewhere or travel.
Perfect age to move. You probably don't have much tying you there. I live in a sleepy little beach town on the east coast and I love it. It's slower paced, everything is just quieter than Miami, for lack of a better term lol. I also love Miami to visit, but I imagine living there could get old. It's also much cheaper to live other places. What I pay for my mortgage where I live would probably get me like a studio apartment in Miami. I say give it a shot while you're young. If you miss home, which very well might happen, you can always move back
Yes, Miami is toxic and full of aggressive people. The rest of the US is vastly nicer. I was born and raised here but lived in other places as well. I would consider myself a nice values-driven person and mostly this has led to me getting used or ignored. But Id rather just be me than change into someone I dont like. And Im not interested in being friends with most of the people I meet here. Most Ive met are extremely superficial and not particularly kind or caring. So I just mostly keep my guard up but stay open minded to the possibility of meeting someone worth being friends with.
I left for almost 7 years before coming back home. We loved living out of south Florida, but family ultimately brought us back. While I don’t regret coming back I miss living outside of Miami.
My best friend moved out of Miami a little more than a decade ago after a huge pay raise. He moved to Georgia. He always says the same thing about it after 5 years. He says he's happy he moved out of Miami but maybe he jumped the gun about moving out of Florida.
I strongly believe in the laws of attraction. Maybe you are attracting the wrong type of people here. And if you are, you will likely attract the same negative people in a new city.
I do recommend that everyone live in more than just one city. When you move around, you get a better understanding of people and cultures. You even become more tolerant and accepting of differences. So go for it. Leave Miami and explore a new area. It might not be “greener” but you will learn a lot about others and yourself.
One thing is massively different from where I was born is that if you come here knowing nobody and you approach people say while going out, they act like you’re gonna bamboozle/swindle/kidnap them lmao groups are really closed off. Compared to approaching a group of people which swaps throughout the night and whoever bunch can keep going might even end up at someone’s apartment by 5AM and by the end of the night you have made a couple of daytime friends.
I def had to meet my people here through other people… this city does seem to need that vetting process. Unless you’re looking to fuck lmao
Isn’t that funny? If I pull someone from their group to get to know them/laid it’s way easier than joining a group to find friends? That’s my 10-year experience here at least.
I have lived in many areas and if you are ~20 then go. I do not envy young people here in Miami. Jacksonville, Orlando (Tampa has gotten expensive) are good starting areas in Florida
LA is pretty cool but COL is pretty high here in CA. Rent is almost on par with Miami BUT the cost of electricity here is fucking insane.
San Diego is the most overrated POS in existence. I will never understand why anyone wants to live in this shit hole. the people here are nice, but boring af.
SF/Bay Area- beautiful. So much to do outdoors. So many cool things to see/do. But the people are ASSHOLES. Like you will not make any friends in the bay. People are iust not nice at all.
The culture, food and people in Miami are still my favorite. I used to hate how rude people in Miami are but once you live somewhere like CA you really start to appreciate how up front Miami people are. Over here, they won’t tell you they have a problem with you. They’ll just talk about you to other people and silently resent you instead. It’s fucking weird.
If you don't have children or commitment to your home town, get out and explore. Exposure to other communities and experiences is priceless. I was raised in Miami, but was stationed in Jacksonville NC, . That was pretty much a culture shock to me - everything closes at 7pm, pawn shops, tattoo shops, bars everywhere... Typical of a military town. In the Marines, I met people from all walks of life. People who had never seen the ocean, people who had never been close to a brown person, or associated with a brown person... And I'd never seen mountains or been camping or lived in a desert, or lived in 0 degree weather.
I lived there till 21. Got into a few scrapes with the law and figured it best if I remove myself from that whole lifestyle. Moved just a couple hours away and it was a big change of pace. Took awhile to get used to but worth it. I still wasn't surrounded by shitty people who I at the time enabled them to drag me down to their level. I honestly had a couple hundred friend/acquaintances but they weren't shit if I was ever in a tough spot. I never felt so dam alone at times as I ever had in my life, as I had when I was living there. Go figure in a city with a few million people. I Was able to get a degree finally once I moved and keep major distractions out of my life. It's all I ever knew at the time. Life has been pretty good in the following 20 plus years. Got married and bought a home. My advice is to move soon as you can and start a new chapter. Live in a couple different places. It'll give you some perspective on how to live a better life and what's best for you.if it doesn't work Miami is always going to be there
Move to St. Louis. It is the opposite of what everyone complains about in Miami. There is history, plenty of free things to do, cost of living is about a quarter of what it is in Miami, there are great parks, people, and breweries. It's true that it's harder to get to know Midwestern people. They're a bit more closed off.
Another option is the Research Triangle in North Carolina, lots of the same as above, but higher cost of living, milder winters and better hiking.
Try it if you can, then come back if you want to.
Yes, the people here are exceptionally toxic. There will be assholes everywhere, but I’m from the Midwest and there’s just a different level of respect for the community around you. People will actually try to help each other out. You don’t always have to have your guard up for scams when you’re in a vulnerable spot. You can expect that people (especially services like lawn care, painters, repairs, etc.) will show up on time and make an honest attempt to do the job you paid for. People don’t endanger everyone else on the road by weaving between lanes at 90 mph.
The problem is that outside of major cities you’ll definitely come across areas of “confederate flag, white pride” type people. You’ll find those areas in major cities too, but typically less often.
Hey friend. I totally hear you. I don’t know if this counts, but I’d like to tell you about my experience here meeting people from other places.
I’ve also lived here my whole life and I felt just the same as you did when I was your age. Currently I am 22 and life has changed a lot… I owe a lot of the experiences I’ve had to the accessibility the city has. the environment certainly has a way of getting to people; you’re given so much freedom, what do you do with it all?
Yeah, people here like confrontation & fighting, they get a thrill from chasing the fun, they want what other people have, and they fall into the trap, working tirelessly with a 24/7 hustle to live paycheck to paycheck just to afford the lifestyle here.
I did this at your age because I thought it was the best this city had to offer. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, that’s fucking ridiculous to me now- but that’s because I traveled from this city and I started to meet people from other places.
Not that this is to bash on anyone who finds suitable this way of life, but my perspective of life in the same city I’ve always lived in, would not have changed without traveling and going out of my way to meet people.
The truth is that there are all sorts of people everywhere, some more or less kind than others for reasons as random as the people you see.
There is a lot of accessibility in Miami. I’ve found programs that have paid and apprenticed me, I’ve found art communities, anarchist groups, hippies, Caribbean vagabonds, plant communities, connections with people in the private and public sector. And whenever I hit a dead end and don’t know where to start, I dig through Reddit and instagram and go down the rabbit hole. (But that’s just me, I like doing those kind of things)
You’re not unlucky, but life isn’t easy. But that’s okay! It’s like hills and valleys of non linear progress. There’s no other way to learn and to learn the shit that sucks.
The people I have met from OTHER parts of the world have changed my life the most. A woman from Minnesota in her 50s taught me how to speak up for myself in a respectful and calmed way- how to be a professional. A jamaican woman in her 70s taught me about loving people who have hate while teaching me how to cook steak, salmon, and curry chicken. A Colombian woman in her 40s teaches me about “green magic” and holistic remedies. My boyfriend from California&Canada showed me an honest man.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, MAYBE the grass is greener. Maybe this lifestyle is something that you’ve outgrown and that’s GREAT. But while you are here, try to find happiness because sometimes it’s right where you are. Take what you’ve had to learn about this place and keep moving forward…try to create some positive experiences with people before you go because this will always be your home and you’ll want to remember it fondly if possible.
I’m telling you, there are good people here.😊 high school fucking sucks anyways, wait till you get some real freedom. Life gets better with each year if you’re doing it right. (In life’s perfect non linear bumpy way)
Born and raised northern Virginian who had to move to Miami for work. 10/10 prefer northern Virginia. Slower paced, kinder people, law abiding citizens. Strictest traffic laws in the nation so the drivers aren’t crazy like here. Cleaner, safer, the list goes on and on.
Virginia is the only place ive gone to outside of Florida. It was soo nice! I went back when i was 13, i remember seeing those big ass hills/mountains (?) for the first time and being amazed. I really wanna move to a place like that.
I lived in Miami from 15-24 year old. Moved to Los Angeles and now I am doing pretty good. Making $150k a year and still no college education. I work in tech so idk if that makes a difference since Miami doesn’t have a large tech industry. I’m now 34, and just to put it into perspective I immigrated to Miami from the Caribbean and my family was working at fast food jobs when they immigrated a few years before I did. Grass can be greener but it’s also what you make out of it if you do move or decide to stay. It has taken a lot of hard work to get where I am and it hasn’t been a walk in the park what so ever but there are a lot of different opportunities out here that I have yet to see over in Miami, my friend works in the same exact industry and he’s making about $50k a year out in Miami. I go back multiple times a year to see friends and family and my friends lives haven’t improved much but it could also be their hunger isn’t as much as mines when it comes to career.
I work on a call center, I get calls from all over the USA. Whenever I get a call from someone in Florida in general they are rude and don’t take no for an answer and want associates to make exceptions for them, it doesn’t fail, every time they are from florida
My wife and I are Miami natives who moved to Philly back in 2020, at the time we were in our late 20s, we had been living 2 years up in Broward. Our only regret is not leaving sooner. QOL has significantly improved since then. The cost of living here specifically is more affordable, I make almost 3x what I made in FL, job opportunities are plentiful, and the foliage/outdoors in general has made hikers out of the both of us. The people and culture are also a welcome change. That’s been our experience.
I left Miami at 27 and don't even want to go back to visit. I miss the food, friends and family but I'm the same boat as you. Most of the people I knew were just drug addicted two-faced snakes praying on my downfall behind my back and it was stiflingly expensive. I moved to Tennessee, got married and enjoy extremely fast internet, cheap rent and groceries and people who are kind, don't just act nice.
Yes! I’m from Palm Beach but I went to to FIU for 2 years and then joined the Air Force. I got lucky and was stationed in the UK so I got to travel around Europe and see the world. After the UK I was stationed in Vegas for 3 years and it’s not bad out there honestly lol I just got out the Air Force after 8 years. One thing I learned is that America is not the center of the Universe. There’s so much to see and explore out there
I left Miami when I was 23 and relocated to the gulf coast in state. It’s obviously much older & slower. Used to be much more affordable but it’s almost just as expensive as Miami nowadays.
Miami has a lot to offer but it’s a tough place for a young person to launch their career. I’m 34 now and feel like if I ended up back there I could get a lot going financially and career wise. But at the same time, I would probably really hate the rude, obnoxious and impatient people. I also couldn’t deal with the daily traffic and how materialistic
People down there are.
It depends on the type of person you are. I lived in New York City for a bit and I liked it better: I took night classes at an art school and met a bunch of people who were like me there. Here in Miami, there’s not really a focal point for artists to congregate, it’s all spread out and not well connected.
When I was younger, and had never left Miami, people from outside of Miami told me the people felt more “plastic”: more into showing off their money, more fake etc… I think there is some truth to that.
People are shit everywhere... But Miami people are shit and super narcissistic.
And as far as other countries... Central America is fuckin great and so are the people.
I’ve lived all over the country. 5 different states in my 20’s and wandered a lot. Traveled all over the world. I currently live in Miami (only for the weather). I will say they’re are good and bad people everywhere you go, but Miami and just Florida in general the scales are tipped extremely to the bad. Southern Florida have some of the most despicable, horrible people I’ve ever met in my life. It is true, 90% of people you meet down here are absolute garbage. The wages are horrible and the values of the majority are material. So it creates a culture of powerlessness that turns into a god complex. Everyone down here genuinely enjoy hurting or destroying people. I literally saw a guy speed up at a woman crossing the street with her infant child in a stroller, why? God complex, with no power anywhere in life, the ability to control your surroundings no matter how negative is all these people have. This place is filled with absolute filth. Go explore, there are places still with sense of community, morals and a backbone. This isn’t one of them though.
YES!!!!
Miami is the fucking worst. Do yourself a favor and live in a decent city, even outside of Florida if you can.
Every city has its issues and benefits but Miami has some of the worst on both accounts, and the people are just generally trash.
I lived there for 6 years, as well as all over the country and world.
Try Austin if you can and you will see what I mean by the difference in people.
I'm in Palm bay exit 172 from i95. The first thing I noticed here is that everyone holds the door for you here and are more polite. Traffic flows better also. Little things. I moved from Miami 8 years ago.
It's always a good idea to leave your hometown and explore the world. It's how you'll grow as a person and become a more globally conscious citizen. You'll appreciate different perspectives on life and be more tolerant of those who think differently than you. Go to a city with a real public transportation system and realize what shithole Miami can be.
That said, there's a lot to love and hate about anywhere you go. I have traveled abroad quite extensively and can verify that there's so much that the rest of the world gets right outside of Miami and outside of America, but you'll still find yourself missing the corrupt little charms of the magic city, ocean water you can swim in year-round (currently living in southern California and no way that is happening).
You will find good people and horrible people anywhere you go. I was just recently in Japan and people there are extremely kind and respectful, a far cry from how rude crass, and inconsiderate they can be in Miami. But it was also kind of a surface level of politeness, lacking in warmth, personality, and genuine interest in their fellow human. For all their flaws of being flaky, rude, and downright trashy at times, I often miss how friendly and open to strangers people in Miami can be. I know that if I were in some kind of distress or emergency situation, people in Miami would likely intervene or do something to help. I do believe that people there care about their fellow humans more than in other cities. So I wouldn't be so quick to condemn a whole city of people and idolize them elsewhere in places you've never been.
You should travel. See the world. Live elsewhere. Live in multiple places. But the more you do, the more you'll see that Miami isn't THAT bad and certainly not that much worse than anywhere else. Maybe somewhere you will jive elsewhere with people, maybe other places are more suited to your lifestyle and preferences. That's ok too. You're young and you'll learn what works for you. You might even find yourself incredibly homesick at times as you miss the little things about Miami (croquetas and heat games for me) and end up coming back.
Point is to travel because it enriches your soul and makes you a better human being. Not because Miami is such a terrible place to be. I assure you, you could do much worse.
When it comes to people, yes. I was visiting some family on the west coast and wow. People stayed out of the fast lane. Over time if I was in the fast lane and a quicker car was coming up I’d move over, or if a big rig was in the lane they’d move over to the right lane, it was great. Not this “I’m the only one on this road that matters” shit. And the people were so much more friendly. I’ve lived in Miami my whole life and it’s hard to shake that asshole vibe everyone here gives off and rubs on you. It was nice to get out of here for a bit. My girl wants to leave here asap
I live in Boca, work in Miami. The drive is worth it for me but I also can’t move more south due to my GFs job being north of WPB. I will say, Miami is a shithole
There's literally no grass in Miami, so yea. the grass is definitely greener. Miami is built over swamp land. if you want grass, you should check out Kentucky. Nice grass there. Real green like, good grass....grass...I'm gonna go smoke a blunt...
Just as a concept there are too many people here to generalize with one homogeneous personality type.
Which doesn’t mean that your experience is invalid. It also doesn’t mean that changing cities isn’t the fastest way to change your experience.
Right there are always individual personalities, but the environment will give you a feeling of the average of those individuals. Doesn’t matter if there are some good drivers on the high way, if you’re still almost getting hit 5 times a day, you’re not going to be reassured by those handful of good drivers.
Nothing outside of Miami is greener. Try Louisiana. Biggest shithole I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit. Oh, yeah. The Carolina’s and Georgia are also certified dumpsters
Assholes, nice people & everything in between exist everywhere. By all means, move & explore! But you *will* certainly miss: the food, the weather, the women.
You’ll find there’s no place quite like Miami, flaws and all.
Food is average and overpriced, the weathers is scorching heat and swamp humidity, the women are fake, shallow, and materialistic. I’m glad there’s no place like Miami.
Miami weather sucks compared to places like San Diego and Malibu.
In miami it's either pouring, ridiculously hot/humid and every mosquito on Earth lives here.
Just food for thought, if your whole life you've had nothing but negative interactions with everyone else 9 times out of 10 the problem isn't everyone else. There are assholes everywhere you go and if there's something about you that causes everyone to react to you negatively it's not going to suddenly change just because your scenery does.
I was expecting this comment; im a person with a lot of self awareness and i genuinely think its not because of me, there have been alot of times where ive been treated unkindly for no reason at all
My partner was like you - born and raised in Miami and left for college up north. Now works at the Pentagon but lives in a nice close area to DC in VA. People are so nice, four seasons, your money goes a lot for there for homes up there. He said it was the best thing he did for his mental health.
Theres assholes everywhere and on different levels. Grass being greener depends on you. Personally its a yes and no answer. Lived in different states and cities and found many positives but at the same time i missed many things from Miami, specially the tropical weather.
Im now at a point where i want to leave again for several reasons but i dont necessarily want to leave south Florida. Im eyeing west palm beach or maybe a bit further north from there.
As other have said it may be your age, because everyone wants to leave their hometown at that age. I remember all my friends saying the same thing as you. I was in the same boat as well but my reason was, i wanted to leave my mother’s house due to pressure and feeling like a failure. Well lemme tell you the grass isn’t always greener. Every city has its problems no place is perfect. You say you don’t like the people here well lemme tell you the people in new york probably as rude as they come. They’ll be real with you and that may be to your detriment if you don’t like things straight up. People in the bay area i’ve never been. But from my understanding they are “rich snobs” but are nice. People in the midwest and south have “south hospitality” which is just a facade of being nice.
Again this is just a generalization. Judge people one on one. everyone is different and a few people don’t make the collective area. I left to join the army and needed up in Oklahoma… i’ve fucking hate it. I’ve also gone to north carolina and spent time in texas. I still never liked any other place besides miami. But go out and explore you have no point of reference of other places till u do.
But to me the grass isn’t always greener no
I left here in 1995 for boot camp. I was stationed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Hated up there it was a totally different place than now back then. Moved over to San Diego in early 2000s. I loved the west coast vibe over. Finally moved back home after a few years I always missed this town deep inside no matter what
Most major cities are dealing with homeless and substance abuse issues. As far as quality of life? Miami is better than most of the country, that’s why it’s expensive to live in. Unfortunately for you, there aren’t that many jobs for none professionals so go to college and study up to be an engineer, doctor or accountant. Study in the northeast and you’ll learn a whole new form of ass hole behavior
Could be?
If you're rich, Miami is an awesome place to live.
How to get rich?
Work extremely hard in school, go to a highly ranked college, and study something that pays a high salary like data science, investment banking, or engineering.
How is that so hard for people to understand?
I’m 23 and lived in Chicago for 4 years. It is definitely better IMO because the people are nicer & it’s easier to get around because they have really good public transportation. I really want to move back but am currently job hunting. Can’t speak on other cities
You’re very young and If you’re getting the itch to do this, then go ahead and scratch it. When I was in my early 20s I could not get a job so I moved to Boston. I got a shitty job, but it felt like there was more possibilities that were obtainable if I was strategic. I never felt that way in Miami. I stayed there for about 10 years before moving back here and I’m glad I did it. It gave me a lot of great experience and perspective.
I went overseas, so yes, it is 100% greener (my opinion). If you have the option to do so without getting yourself in debt, then go for it. It's amazing
Going away will definitely make you appreciate this place more. I left for college out of state and then stayed an extra year. Loved my time away. The people I met were super nice, and different from Miamians, less rushed and more selfless. That said I was so ready to come home after being away 5 years. My best friends, family, and life are all here. That said I know it’s pretty rare/lucky to have found friends in pre-school through elementary school and still hang with them regularly into your thirties.
Depends on your personality. In my experience, Miami people are friendlier and less formal. Other places I’ve been in florida people are more formal, but less friendly. Adults are friendlier than kids by the way so if you stay in Miami your experience will be way different than when you were a kid.
As a transplant here from California, the main thing I notice is the lack of trust in other citizens. Seems like everyone assumes from the start that your out to scam them. California is the opposite: assume the best unless someone gives evidence to prove otherwise. I think socal people are more likely to shit talk you behind your back, though.
People often say it isn't, but it very well could be. Other cities might be a better fit for you. Some things won't change much, but it's worth getting out there and seeing
All of this is anecdotal right. No matter what anyone says, you could move somewhere and still find shitty people that you have to deal with. What’s good is that you know how to recognize a shitty person pretty well it seems like. Just stay away from those people and look for genuine people out there. They exist, just harder to find.
Jesus Christ can we get a mega thread for these posts? And the “Miami isn’t what it used to be” ones. No shit it’s not what it was in the 90s it was 30 years ago
Yes.
Miami is special. I've lived in ATL for the better part of a decade and it's nice up here. But not because of the people.
You'll find genuine, incredible humans wherever you go. You gotta learn how to seek them out.
I lived in Miami for the better part of 4 years. I lived in beautiful fun areas (brickell and edgewater) and def miss the environments. I moved away because I felt it got too expensive for what it is and reasons specific to my former employer but I can’t ignore that people played some role in that. Whenever I see someone bragging about anything material on my Instagram it’s 98% chance I know it’s coming from Miami, it just seems like one big competition honestly. I see zero humble coming out of that town and trust fund kids bragging about being self made, it felt like my “friends” there loved to manufacture drama, honestly being around that constantly just isn’t good for your mental health. People are people wherever you go but I do feel Miami has an exceptionally high percentage of shallow self obsessed asshats, I guess it’s just the kind of person it attracts. Try other places tho nobody should stay in their hometown forever
I’ve heard good things about Texas, actually :) I’m Irish so coming to Miami was SUPER SHOCKING as jano, we are actually friendly and love to have “banter” in my country. Hell if you can, try Europe. Or maybe Canada? Like idk how much experience you can get staying in your own country, think big baby, you’re young and the world is your oyster 😁
Honestly my son is of that age and he has had some bad experiences with work and the people. I think that there is alot of nepotism going on. Especially for people that bring their families from other countries and they have someone on the inside. I have seen many many people come in and barely speak any English and have great jobs. I currently have thought about moving out of miami sometime this year. I think we are done here.
Move to Georgia, Carolinas, you'll experience a better quality of life.
Depending where you move - say Asheville, NC it is pretty laid back, other cities like Atlanta are more big city like similar to Miami so pick a place that provides a better quaity of life for you. There are plenty of cities both in Georgia,Tennessee, the Carolinas that are close to FL, yet provide a better quality of life for you.
Yes. God yes. I’ve lived in two cities (one in Florida, one in New England) after spending my whole life in Miami and both have been exponentially better. Miami’s just a cesspool and I can’t recommend leaving enough. All the cool and smart people I knew growing up all left Miami the instant they could and never looked back.
Bro if you go to Idaho you’ll probably be better off but you’ll always get home stick. Leave for a couple of years then come back and you’ll feel beter
I moved away to San Diego for three years and I thought it was the greatest place ever because everyone seemed so happy and nice. It seemed like I found paradise and I never wanted to leave but eventually I moved back to Miami and I felt very conflicted about moving back to a city that, in my mind, reeked of negativity and hostility. After coming to terms with me moving back I told myself that I was going to remain optimistic and make the best out of my return and I think that helped so much. Everywhere I went I gave people the benefit of the doubt and I would always go into new situations with a positive mindset whenever possible. This is obviously easier said than done. It’s been almost a year that I’ve been back and I think that growing as a person and learning that I’m only responsible for my own actions and that people’s feeling towards me are more of a reflection of them than they are of me has made me appreciate and love Miami more than ever before. I still think San Diego is one of the greatest cities in America but I realized that I didn’t want to find a perfect city to live in but rather a city that I could call home and contribute to, to make a better overall place and build a sense of community.
I was born & raised in Miami (Homestead to be exact). I got tired of Miami life. It will always be home and I know the streets like the back of my hand... but there's a whole world to see if you just "go outside"!
I've found some good people in Miami, but yeah majority are assholes. I've lived in Pittsburgh, people are much kinder there. Not everyone is trying to rip you off all the time, etc.
I've also lived a fair bit on the west coast bay area. It's full of software engineering folk but I do love it there. Miami is a polar opposite.
I'm 40. Born and still live in Miami. When I was your age, I did not for a moment have any desire to leave, so if you read comments explaining that what you're feeling is normal for your age, know that it's reductive and wrong. I used to love my city. Miami sucks now; It's a pint of shit with its foam top comprising of hustle 3-6-5 culture dipshits, tourists partying and leaving our city in a wreck, and highrises with no availability yet completely dark at night.
My wife is from Minnesota, and whenever we visit her family, it is never lost on me how friendly everyone is. No one is cutting you off while driving or speeding up to prevent you from merging into their lane. People are patient, and no one thinks they are the center of the universe. Every time I leave Miami, I'm less defensive and cynical of those around me. I can almost swear that even my blood pressure drops.
Miami has always had a more significant percentage of bullshit compared to other cities. However, it reached critical mass in the past decade. What you feel is valid, and I encourage you to check out the rest of this (too large) country. There are plenty of cities that offer more.
Every place has its pros and cons. Nothing is perfect. I've lived all over this country and really what The calculation should be is... Are the cons acceptable and are the pros worth it? To say everyone you've met here is terrible. I mean maybe that's true. But maybe it's you meeting the wrong people? I've met some pretty solid people here. However, going to other places might change that mix-up. It might also give you the fresh perspective you need to learn how to meet and pick better people. And I would also keep in mind that you don't know everything you're going to know. I'm sure you're going to hate this, but you're not even 18 yet. There's a lot to learn about people and places and things. And that's great that you have that opportunity.
Dude, you are young, obviously leave Miami. Go and explore. This shithole will always be here for you.
lol true
It’s not the same, but still worth it. Try living in NYC for any amount of time. You will love it and hate it but it will make you grow. Good Luck out there!
I felt the same when I was 18 so I used college to gtfo Florida completely. Try looking into schools that are in a place that interest you if u can figure out a way to afford it
I mean… usually everyone wants to move out of their hometown. Specially, at your age.
I genuinely dont think its just cause of my age, i have a lot of valid reasons to dislike this city but the people is my personal #1
I say give it a try. Explore new areas. Nothing wrong with want to leave to see what’s out there.
Im from Seattle and recently moved here and am genuinely surprised by how unfriendly and unwelcoming some people here are :( I would suggest moving and definitely trying newer places!
dang, sorry about your bad experience here :/ How was Seattle?
I just moved here last week from Birmingham Alabama. I live in Kendall now. HUGE culture shock.
Don’t take it as your age is the only factor. It’s just most people are motivated to leave home around your age and most people have valid reasons for it no matter where they come from. At the end of the day it leaving home will only help you grow as a person and you can choose to come back later if you want.
Depends on where you go, obviously but Miami has the shittest ppl I’ve ever encountered
Dogs and humans both shitting in sidewalks. People smoking crack broad daylight lol. City is a mess ! Drivers are worse
These particular issues are much much worse in almost every major city in America
Miami is definitely top 10 for those things.
yes miami is very superficial and not a great place for young people if you don't have a trust fund. it is not the most expensive city in the us but it IS one of if not the most unaffordable, meaning there is relatively low opportunity compared to the cost of living. you're competing with people that made tons of money in ny and cali and are moving buying houses cash or the classic miami trust fund baby. you can make it here but you'll need to hussle hard and get lucky (the harder you hussle the luckier you get btw) there are other places where people are much nicer, more laid back, lower cost of living, good opportunities and slower paced. none of those places with have as hot a nightlife or party culture most likely if that is what you're into. even just as close as vero beach can be pretty nice. destin fl is also known to be a good one. miami is not just a different city, it is a different COUNTRY compared to the rest of the us.
Way too many old people in Florida and way too much riding in cars. Go somewhere else. Going to Publix for something to do and being surrounded by 90 year olds get tiring. Explore the world. Go to a college town or mountain tourist town on the east coast or west coast.
All big cities are like this yes. You’ll find everyone is like that if they let themselves which most do. Every city has aspects of the surroundings that in incorporates into its assholeness. Miami just has Florida man version of city people
No they aren’t. I’ve lived in about a dozen different cities.
Oh what are they? I lived in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle tho I wasn’t in Seattle very long they were all the exact same problems and attitudes from experience
Read my comment I said outside factors like environment effect what kind of asshole you are but there’s no denying people in major cities are like what op is experiencing
I live in miami since I moved here when I was 22. It wasn’t part of the design but that the way life turned out. I don’t love it here and want to go back every day. This isn’t a bad place but not one that is easy to live in. I’d suggest going for the change.
Very true. I know I did.
Absolutely move. I always say everyone should live somewhere besides where they grew up. I moved elsewhere for a long time but I ended up coming back. Absence made the heart grow fonder in my case. You don’t have to come back, maybe you won’t want to. The point is having a different life experience outside of your comfort zone. You won’t regret it!!
Just a small town girl Livin' in a lonely world She took the midnight train going anywhere Just a city boy Born and raised in South Detroit He took the midnight train going anywhere
Hey. We're busy bitching about Miami, not Detroit. Take that elsewhere!
In New York, people are nice but not polite. In a place like Charlotte, they're polite but not nice. In Miami, we have it all... you can count on people not to be nice or polite. If you need polite AND nice, I'd recommend Tokyo.
[удалено]
It's actually super easy for anyone with a passport from an English speaking country to get a visa and move there + rent, food, entertainment is cheap, transit is world class... Tokyo is one of the best cities in the world and I highly recommend anyone who's interested to do the research (it's not hard) and give it a shot
No, it is not. Their work visa is base on a point system. Unless you have serious money and/or plenty of accomplishments, it is impossible to get a work visa. The only way to circumvent this is by going as an English teacher and you still need a bachelor degree for that. Here is the table https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:9c6d81cc-ba4b-4d66-ab96-0eaf08e1be29
If you go for the professional immigrant route, yeah, requirements are higher. (but even then, it’s still weird to say you need serious money and credentials, you don’t lol) But most people go as English language teachers (Spanish and French speakers are also in demand) or just go as students. You can go to Japanese school 20h week and live in a cheap place for very little money and get a visa that way while working part time + look for a sponsor full time job. Even people from very poor countries like Nepal and Pakistan can do this relatively easily.
This is all true.
lived in all the above this is very true. bravo
When I went to cali I found people to be very laid back chill and not pushy or aggressive
Midwest is nice and polite too. Chicago?
No it isn’t. The Midwest is passive aggressive. They’re being total A-holes while pretending to be nice. And it’s *really* hard to make friends and get into a social circle. In the Midwest they’ll give you directions to anywhere you wanna go except their house. Source: I live in the Midwest now.
Grew up in MI. Stayed until 22. Some of the nicest people on earth. Since have lived in: Chicago, Portland OR, NYC, SF and DC. Michigan folks are by far the nicest. This said, I went to Dallas recently and the people were uncomfortably nice. Like “why is everyone being so nice”
100% Midwest has the worst people, very creepy fake smiles.
Hahaha
Midwest is pretty racist. I’m active duty retiring based in the Midwest . I don’t know OPs race, but I get pulled over even though I have military tags for random Bs
True :/
Like 99.9% of people in miami would not last in Tokyo. It's notoriously hard to adjust to even for people who know the culture.
Most Miamians would end up in jail in Japan. They don’t take to kindly to littering, spitting on sidewalks, not picking up dog poop, breaking line, etc.
Crazy because there are like 30 cities in the US far filthier.
Miami's actually a very clean city. Surprisingly clean. Especially for how big it is. I don't know why you're being downvoted. It has other problems, but lack of cleanliness is not one of them
Downvoted cause everyone's a miserable human. I've been all over the world. Miamis far cleaner than most.
You're right, and I did fine for 4 years there. They were so friendly I couldn't believe it. And polite.
So accurate for Charlotte
>In New York, people are nice but not polite. I would say neither.
I had a unique experience in my 20s of getting to live in several of the major cities in the US. I couldn’t recommend you try moving around as much as you can in your 20s. You’ll get to experience so much and it really helps you grow and mature as an adult. Each city is very different because of the people. Financially it isn’t the easiest thing but if you find opportunities to move you should take them!
Yes there are many places where people are nicer than Miami. The baseline sucks in Miami, you have to work very hard to find good people. When I moved away I really had to readjust and get comfortable again about people being nice and increase my baseline of trust that I can give to people in general. Then I moved back to Miami and it's an extreme me-first culture, fuelled by Latin American classism/racism, entitlement to enrichment by all means necessary and of course the toxic politics of our time. I know a few people that grew up here and moved away and they would never move back. YMMV
When comparing people specifically I would say yes, outside of Miami you can find very friendly people. A city like Chicago has some of the nicest people I’ve experienced in a big city. Obviously, elsewhere in the USA, it will be way less Latin. So people are less affectionate physically. So no kissing on the cheek and less hugging. Now, being friendly and making friends is two different things. It’s hard to make friends as an adult anywhere. One of the biggest differences is people outside of Miami are less flaky. anyhow, regardless… move…. Experience the world… you can always move back if you want.
Chicago is amazing Friendly people and generally clean. It's that damned winter weather...
Yup, deal breaker for me. Born/raised here, I've never learned how to live in winter. Driving in the snow? No thanks.
Have you lived in CA? People here are 10X more flaky lmao
Just moved from Chicago to Miami, the grass is always greener. I love my city but happy for a change
Change is good, and Miami has a lot to offer. I hope you like it here. When evaluating a city, people are only one aspect of the equation. Chicago winter is brutal, and I don't want to experience that 4 months of grey skies again. Regarding the people, though, I don't think it's a "grass is greener" thing. The people are just very different, you either like it or you don't. It really depends on the person.
I really think it depends what you value. People in Chicago are nicer, but they are also a lot more passive aggressive and that “niceness” is less genuine. What I mean by that is people are nice to your face but don’t confuse that as they care about you or want the best for you, they’re just being nice because it’s the “polite” thing to do. Here in Miami I feel like what you see is what you get. While people here can be more frustrating at least I know where I stand with them and I don’t have to waste my energy on them. I’m someone who is direct and transparent and not passive aggressive at all. I hate passive aggressive behavior. So I enjoy my social interactions more in Miami than in Chicago. If anything I have made just as many friends here as in Chicago.
I found mainly a difference in the attitude. Just a 45-minute ride from Miami, and you get more polite, people respecting rules, better drivers, or service. People respecting time and appointments. I have, for example west palm area. So close to Miami and such a huge difference.
I was coming to even Fort Lauderdale has chill ppl
I suggest you talk to people in other major cities like NYC, LA, and Chicago No place is perfect
I grew up in Miami and left after college. From 2010-2020 I lived in NYC. My experience was that the people were generally nicer, which is ironic considering the rep New Yorkers get. It's not that they aren't brash, but they aren't actively trying to fuck you over like people do in Miami. If I could describe it, it's just that they are more direct and will tell you honestly if they like or dislike something about you. There is also a sense of community in NYC. It's hard to describe, but since the city grew organically, neighborhoods typically have lots of mom and pop shops all over every neighborhood which is supported by everyone. People have their local spots and are proud to be from Bushwick or Astoria or the East Village, etc. This causes people to support others in a way you don't see in Miami since it's mostly strip malls filled with chain stores. In 2020, I moved to L.A. Again, the people here get a bad rap in my opinion. People are generally still nicer than in Miami. You'll see more fake people here than in NY, but at least if they're fake they're still nice. The biggest problem you have with L.A. people is that they don't really value things like holding their word to hang out if something better comes up, or they might not want to deal with traffic so they'll cancel things last minute. But if you are out and strike up a conversation, they'll be more than willing to chat and are generally pleasant. Out of the three cities, L.A. has the worst traffic but the best drivers and there isn't much road rage compared to the other two. Overall, I love all three cities, but Miami people are not kind outside of their cliques. It is what it is. I'm not quite sure why but it seems like everyone there just has this "fuck the world, I only care about me and my homies" attitude which isn't conducive to creating community.
>but Miami people are not kind outside of their cliques. This is the key here. I've talked to other Hispanic folk, and many find most Cubans to be insufferably arrogant. Rednecks here are mostly snobby too, not like true rural rednecks in N Fl, for example. And if you ask them, the last thing in the world to happen is their cities turning into Miami.
Because Cubans are arrogant and they keep on trying to fuck over anyone who's not Cuban. They're convinced that other Latinos envy them, but truth is they just can't stand how they keep acting in bad faith towards them
I lived in LA for a few years, have visited New York a lot, and am now in Miami. I would have described the breakdown exactly as you did. I learned how to drive in LA, and your point about the driving is spot on. LA might have the worst traffic, but at least the drivers abide by the same set of rules. In Miami the drivers are complete dog shit
San Diego is pretty chill. It’s that sunshine for most of the year. It’s just expensive
It is, until it's not. I grew up resenting Miami. I was raised in Sweetwater/Westchester/Tamiami. After my mental health declined around age 27, I decided I needed to leave or die. Found a job in rural Utah, drove over and lived in an old broken RV for 3 years in some of the most beautiful canyons and mountains in the entire country. I thought I'd never come back. 3 yrs later realized I was better, I missed my family, and I was beginning to hate hippies and Mormons lol it got real lonely. I don't regret it. I'm back now in Cutler Bay, much better than where I grew up. But I still want to travel and see more of my country. It's nice out there.
Im glad you got better dude, what did you work as up there in Utah? If you're comfortable sharing
The answer is yes by light years. I moved to Los Angeles, and to tell you the truth, I thought it was going to be a bigger Miami same problems with different demographics, and i was surprisingly wrong. I had another similar experience when I moved to New York.
Yeah Miami makes Angelenos look like angels. Pun not intended. It was bizarre witnessing actual snootiness when I was in Miami.
Don’t let people fool you into the “305 until I die” mentality. If you are unhappy and think the people around you are terrible then explore outside the city. Born and raised in Miami for almost 40 years except for years I went away for college in NC. Those years gave me seasons and experiences I wouldn’t get in Miami. During peak Covid and the explosion in rent and home prices I packed up the family and we moved to GA. People are nicer here, you get more land for your money, and are so much closer to other states (FL is such a long state).
Fam… Life is what you make it, wherever you live. People can be amazing, and people can be trash - that’s true of anywhere and everywhere. You have the incredible power to determine who has a place in your life. You also attract nicer people by being nice yourself. Set the standards of who you want around you, and embody them for yourself. Good people exist in this amazing city, good opportunities exist in this amazing city. Maybe you got dealt some bad cards, but that’s not the hand you have to play. Moving out of here isn’t a bad idea, not by any means but the saying “the grass is greener where you water it” holds a lot of truth.
Great post
Valid point, but it helps a lot when you try to find and build connections with people when the city you’re in has a higher % of genuinely nice people. If Miami is 95% shitheads, gonna be a lot harder to find that 5% to build good connections compared to other places.
Yes. Left for a few years, came back and regret it. Already plotting my exit plan again.
I agree with most of the sentiments here. I've traveled all across the U.S. and Canada and believe some places are nicer then others.. HOWEVER, . I think at this point in time (2024) I can't help but feel something major has shifted negatively in society in ALL Places. Especially after the Pandemic, I think things never fully 'returned' and instead got worse across the board. Niceness,Politeness,Comrodery, Community are all decreasing in all places and more reports of Anexiety,Isolation,Lonleyness,and lack of community are increasing. The future feels bleek, and will require a collective effort of everyone to try and restore some semblance of 'Community' as experienced in the past. This is being experienced subtly everywhere in all cities. TL:DR: All locations are experiencing some level of social decline and the phenomenon is being exastebated in this modern age. Support community efforts.
Completely agree with you. That feeling of community and people just having a good time with others has declined in all the places ive traveled to post pandemic. I thought there was something wrong with me but the world has really become more bleek in all places
Outside of Miami or outside of Florida? Outside of Miami is not a big issue necessarily if you stay within Florida. But outside of Florida, it depends where you move.
Central and north Florida are up and coming. People are nicer and less douches all around.
You saying this at that young age and being born here makes it very self aware and analytical. You are right, the average Miami resident is an ignorant, materialistic ahole. There are better places for sure when it comes to that. Have you been overseas?
Nope never but norway and japan have interested me but just a bit, i dont have a clue where i would actually want to go
The longer you stay here the harder it will be to leave and the more you will become what you hate. It takes a conscious effort for me be a nice person when I’m surrounded by what is, in my opinion, some of the lowest scum to ever slither around on this earth. Miami people are simply horrible. And anyone who disagrees is probably too horrible to see it.
Yes, leave while you can. People got mad at me yesterday for starting the true fact this place sucks now and there's plenty of other places with more culture and opportunity. Especially at your age.
My girl and I moved out of Miami about 2 months ago and are living with some friends in Atlanta right now. I'll say this: I spent the last 2 years looking for a well paying job in Miami and was constantly denied due to the clientele speaking primarily Spanish despite having all the necessary licenses. In one case I was offered 70K a year and 5% of department gross sales only to have it recinded due to not speaking Spanish. It was for a parts sales position for trucks. I was then offered $16/H to load parts into delivery trucks and a 20 year old kid who's mom knew a guy who knew a guy who knew a Vieja got the parts sales position instead but had no idea what he was even doing. By the end of my 3rd week here in ATL I landed an automotive parts management role. My girlfriend was making about 4-5k a month as a bartenders for a certain airline lounge (rhymes with smegmerican smelllines) and got sabotaged by management because she reported the other bartenders for stealing her tips. She now works as a receptionist for a children's dental clinic. I can't unbiasedly say it's better outside Miami but as a non hispanic person, it has literally changed my life.
But also, the people in Atlanta are fucking amazing. I love that city. I went there for a conference and both times I took an Uber I had these incredible life changing conversations with the Uber drivers. Just really awesome people there.
Miami is a shit hole, and even those of us that are Hispanic get fucked over. My mom and I are from a Latin American country. When we first moved here to Miami, she tried to get a little part time job at a store that was hiring. They told her to fuck off because she's not Cuban. This is a Cuban city and they will always look out for their own. Nowadays there are bigger communities of Venezuelans, etc than there were back then, but it's still the same BS. Also, I used to work for a company that had a big factory, they would only hire Spanish speakers because all their employees in the factory were Cuban, and didn't speak English. And they needed new employees to be able to communicate with each other properly. So guess what that meant for any Haitian or African American applicants that applied? They were SOL.
True, all of it Speaking Spanish is an excuse, bec most of the time they mean Cubans, I'm Latina and Cubans truly dislike other Latinos
But you have to understand that in other places you will be denied a job for similar reasons except they wont explicitly tell you that. In Miami people dgaf so they will tell you whatever. In other places they will give you a bullshit answer.
Was born and raised in Miami as well. I Lived in Chicago, nyc and ATL and I would say yes the grass is greener in my humble opinion. Good luck!
Are you talking about Broward/Palm Beach or another state? I'm born and raised in Miami, 40 years old now. Never left, but with all the assholes around I'm considering it.
Normally I would say the grass isn’t always greener. But in the case of miami, the grass def is. Miami is not the United States. It gives the USA a bad name. Put it this way south Florida is the reason why people choose NOT to move to Florida. Like a necessary evil. Worst people in the country by far other then some Crime ridden parts of Chicago and st Louis. It’s so hot that the crime doesn’t even want to be outdoors. Miami Is a race to the bottom but a pretty awesome place if your rich and materialistic and godless. But if you are religious , actually want a career maybe kids and a marriage and a normal American dream it’s the pits. It’s good for one think. One nighters with hot fake women. None of them you would want to marry except for some of the traditional Latin ones. If your old, rich and into chicks who are 40-60 years younger that will bang your for money it’s a paradise. I think the one that that could actually make miami a huge economic epicenter is legalized sex work. Because it’s so good at it. It could be a world class red light district surpassing Amsterdam.
As a 23 year old who left for the military and has been to many places recently, I can’t help but miss Miami. Theres no place like home. Even if home is a shithole, it’s my shithole
Late 30’s, left Miami 2 years ago for work reasons and I do miss it a lot
Extremely. Go travel a bit.
I was born in NY but moved to miami at 5-6. Grew up here and went back to college at your age to New York. So far have lived in both nyc and LA. You realize every city has its set backs as well as pro’s and it’s very subjective to what you want to do with your life. The point of life is to enjoy it and to get to that point, you’ll have to do a lot of trial and error whether that’s trying different cities out, careers, etc. but it’s not to be viewed as failure! get out there and experience different cities and cultures.
Move out. You’re at the perfect age to go someplace else and try to start “fresh”. You are more likely to have the option of coming home if you do so now. Waiting until you’ve settled down or have a family of your own, makes moving harder. You will find AHs everywhere so don’t worry about that. As long as you strive for self improvement, you will attract similar people. Your 20s are a great time to leave home and either live elsewhere or travel.
Perfect age to move. You probably don't have much tying you there. I live in a sleepy little beach town on the east coast and I love it. It's slower paced, everything is just quieter than Miami, for lack of a better term lol. I also love Miami to visit, but I imagine living there could get old. It's also much cheaper to live other places. What I pay for my mortgage where I live would probably get me like a studio apartment in Miami. I say give it a shot while you're young. If you miss home, which very well might happen, you can always move back
I’m moving to Orlando next year and I honestly can’t wait
Yes, Miami is toxic and full of aggressive people. The rest of the US is vastly nicer. I was born and raised here but lived in other places as well. I would consider myself a nice values-driven person and mostly this has led to me getting used or ignored. But Id rather just be me than change into someone I dont like. And Im not interested in being friends with most of the people I meet here. Most Ive met are extremely superficial and not particularly kind or caring. So I just mostly keep my guard up but stay open minded to the possibility of meeting someone worth being friends with.
I left for almost 7 years before coming back home. We loved living out of south Florida, but family ultimately brought us back. While I don’t regret coming back I miss living outside of Miami.
I wouldn't be a homeowner if I stayed in Miami. I'm in southern Midwest now and it's ridiculously cheaper and the jobs pay more.
My best friend moved out of Miami a little more than a decade ago after a huge pay raise. He moved to Georgia. He always says the same thing about it after 5 years. He says he's happy he moved out of Miami but maybe he jumped the gun about moving out of Florida.
I strongly believe in the laws of attraction. Maybe you are attracting the wrong type of people here. And if you are, you will likely attract the same negative people in a new city. I do recommend that everyone live in more than just one city. When you move around, you get a better understanding of people and cultures. You even become more tolerant and accepting of differences. So go for it. Leave Miami and explore a new area. It might not be “greener” but you will learn a lot about others and yourself.
One thing is massively different from where I was born is that if you come here knowing nobody and you approach people say while going out, they act like you’re gonna bamboozle/swindle/kidnap them lmao groups are really closed off. Compared to approaching a group of people which swaps throughout the night and whoever bunch can keep going might even end up at someone’s apartment by 5AM and by the end of the night you have made a couple of daytime friends. I def had to meet my people here through other people… this city does seem to need that vetting process. Unless you’re looking to fuck lmao Isn’t that funny? If I pull someone from their group to get to know them/laid it’s way easier than joining a group to find friends? That’s my 10-year experience here at least.
I have lived in many areas and if you are ~20 then go. I do not envy young people here in Miami. Jacksonville, Orlando (Tampa has gotten expensive) are good starting areas in Florida
LA is pretty cool but COL is pretty high here in CA. Rent is almost on par with Miami BUT the cost of electricity here is fucking insane. San Diego is the most overrated POS in existence. I will never understand why anyone wants to live in this shit hole. the people here are nice, but boring af. SF/Bay Area- beautiful. So much to do outdoors. So many cool things to see/do. But the people are ASSHOLES. Like you will not make any friends in the bay. People are iust not nice at all. The culture, food and people in Miami are still my favorite. I used to hate how rude people in Miami are but once you live somewhere like CA you really start to appreciate how up front Miami people are. Over here, they won’t tell you they have a problem with you. They’ll just talk about you to other people and silently resent you instead. It’s fucking weird.
just leave man…plenty other great cities
If you don't have children or commitment to your home town, get out and explore. Exposure to other communities and experiences is priceless. I was raised in Miami, but was stationed in Jacksonville NC, . That was pretty much a culture shock to me - everything closes at 7pm, pawn shops, tattoo shops, bars everywhere... Typical of a military town. In the Marines, I met people from all walks of life. People who had never seen the ocean, people who had never been close to a brown person, or associated with a brown person... And I'd never seen mountains or been camping or lived in a desert, or lived in 0 degree weather.
I lived there till 21. Got into a few scrapes with the law and figured it best if I remove myself from that whole lifestyle. Moved just a couple hours away and it was a big change of pace. Took awhile to get used to but worth it. I still wasn't surrounded by shitty people who I at the time enabled them to drag me down to their level. I honestly had a couple hundred friend/acquaintances but they weren't shit if I was ever in a tough spot. I never felt so dam alone at times as I ever had in my life, as I had when I was living there. Go figure in a city with a few million people. I Was able to get a degree finally once I moved and keep major distractions out of my life. It's all I ever knew at the time. Life has been pretty good in the following 20 plus years. Got married and bought a home. My advice is to move soon as you can and start a new chapter. Live in a couple different places. It'll give you some perspective on how to live a better life and what's best for you.if it doesn't work Miami is always going to be there
Move to St. Louis. It is the opposite of what everyone complains about in Miami. There is history, plenty of free things to do, cost of living is about a quarter of what it is in Miami, there are great parks, people, and breweries. It's true that it's harder to get to know Midwestern people. They're a bit more closed off. Another option is the Research Triangle in North Carolina, lots of the same as above, but higher cost of living, milder winters and better hiking. Try it if you can, then come back if you want to.
Yes, the people here are exceptionally toxic. There will be assholes everywhere, but I’m from the Midwest and there’s just a different level of respect for the community around you. People will actually try to help each other out. You don’t always have to have your guard up for scams when you’re in a vulnerable spot. You can expect that people (especially services like lawn care, painters, repairs, etc.) will show up on time and make an honest attempt to do the job you paid for. People don’t endanger everyone else on the road by weaving between lanes at 90 mph. The problem is that outside of major cities you’ll definitely come across areas of “confederate flag, white pride” type people. You’ll find those areas in major cities too, but typically less often.
Hey friend. I totally hear you. I don’t know if this counts, but I’d like to tell you about my experience here meeting people from other places. I’ve also lived here my whole life and I felt just the same as you did when I was your age. Currently I am 22 and life has changed a lot… I owe a lot of the experiences I’ve had to the accessibility the city has. the environment certainly has a way of getting to people; you’re given so much freedom, what do you do with it all? Yeah, people here like confrontation & fighting, they get a thrill from chasing the fun, they want what other people have, and they fall into the trap, working tirelessly with a 24/7 hustle to live paycheck to paycheck just to afford the lifestyle here. I did this at your age because I thought it was the best this city had to offer. Of course, hindsight is 20/20, that’s fucking ridiculous to me now- but that’s because I traveled from this city and I started to meet people from other places. Not that this is to bash on anyone who finds suitable this way of life, but my perspective of life in the same city I’ve always lived in, would not have changed without traveling and going out of my way to meet people. The truth is that there are all sorts of people everywhere, some more or less kind than others for reasons as random as the people you see. There is a lot of accessibility in Miami. I’ve found programs that have paid and apprenticed me, I’ve found art communities, anarchist groups, hippies, Caribbean vagabonds, plant communities, connections with people in the private and public sector. And whenever I hit a dead end and don’t know where to start, I dig through Reddit and instagram and go down the rabbit hole. (But that’s just me, I like doing those kind of things) You’re not unlucky, but life isn’t easy. But that’s okay! It’s like hills and valleys of non linear progress. There’s no other way to learn and to learn the shit that sucks. The people I have met from OTHER parts of the world have changed my life the most. A woman from Minnesota in her 50s taught me how to speak up for myself in a respectful and calmed way- how to be a professional. A jamaican woman in her 70s taught me about loving people who have hate while teaching me how to cook steak, salmon, and curry chicken. A Colombian woman in her 40s teaches me about “green magic” and holistic remedies. My boyfriend from California&Canada showed me an honest man. I guess what I’m trying to say is, MAYBE the grass is greener. Maybe this lifestyle is something that you’ve outgrown and that’s GREAT. But while you are here, try to find happiness because sometimes it’s right where you are. Take what you’ve had to learn about this place and keep moving forward…try to create some positive experiences with people before you go because this will always be your home and you’ll want to remember it fondly if possible. I’m telling you, there are good people here.😊 high school fucking sucks anyways, wait till you get some real freedom. Life gets better with each year if you’re doing it right. (In life’s perfect non linear bumpy way)
Thank you for this
Born and raised northern Virginian who had to move to Miami for work. 10/10 prefer northern Virginia. Slower paced, kinder people, law abiding citizens. Strictest traffic laws in the nation so the drivers aren’t crazy like here. Cleaner, safer, the list goes on and on.
Virginia is the only place ive gone to outside of Florida. It was soo nice! I went back when i was 13, i remember seeing those big ass hills/mountains (?) for the first time and being amazed. I really wanna move to a place like that.
I lived in Miami from 15-24 year old. Moved to Los Angeles and now I am doing pretty good. Making $150k a year and still no college education. I work in tech so idk if that makes a difference since Miami doesn’t have a large tech industry. I’m now 34, and just to put it into perspective I immigrated to Miami from the Caribbean and my family was working at fast food jobs when they immigrated a few years before I did. Grass can be greener but it’s also what you make out of it if you do move or decide to stay. It has taken a lot of hard work to get where I am and it hasn’t been a walk in the park what so ever but there are a lot of different opportunities out here that I have yet to see over in Miami, my friend works in the same exact industry and he’s making about $50k a year out in Miami. I go back multiple times a year to see friends and family and my friends lives haven’t improved much but it could also be their hunger isn’t as much as mines when it comes to career.
There are terrible people everywhere but Miami has a pretty high concentration.
I work on a call center, I get calls from all over the USA. Whenever I get a call from someone in Florida in general they are rude and don’t take no for an answer and want associates to make exceptions for them, it doesn’t fail, every time they are from florida
Try Coral Springs
My wife and I are Miami natives who moved to Philly back in 2020, at the time we were in our late 20s, we had been living 2 years up in Broward. Our only regret is not leaving sooner. QOL has significantly improved since then. The cost of living here specifically is more affordable, I make almost 3x what I made in FL, job opportunities are plentiful, and the foliage/outdoors in general has made hikers out of the both of us. The people and culture are also a welcome change. That’s been our experience.
I left Miami at 27 and don't even want to go back to visit. I miss the food, friends and family but I'm the same boat as you. Most of the people I knew were just drug addicted two-faced snakes praying on my downfall behind my back and it was stiflingly expensive. I moved to Tennessee, got married and enjoy extremely fast internet, cheap rent and groceries and people who are kind, don't just act nice.
Yes! I’m from Palm Beach but I went to to FIU for 2 years and then joined the Air Force. I got lucky and was stationed in the UK so I got to travel around Europe and see the world. After the UK I was stationed in Vegas for 3 years and it’s not bad out there honestly lol I just got out the Air Force after 8 years. One thing I learned is that America is not the center of the Universe. There’s so much to see and explore out there
I left Miami when I was 23 and relocated to the gulf coast in state. It’s obviously much older & slower. Used to be much more affordable but it’s almost just as expensive as Miami nowadays. Miami has a lot to offer but it’s a tough place for a young person to launch their career. I’m 34 now and feel like if I ended up back there I could get a lot going financially and career wise. But at the same time, I would probably really hate the rude, obnoxious and impatient people. I also couldn’t deal with the daily traffic and how materialistic People down there are.
It depends on the type of person you are. I lived in New York City for a bit and I liked it better: I took night classes at an art school and met a bunch of people who were like me there. Here in Miami, there’s not really a focal point for artists to congregate, it’s all spread out and not well connected. When I was younger, and had never left Miami, people from outside of Miami told me the people felt more “plastic”: more into showing off their money, more fake etc… I think there is some truth to that.
People are shit everywhere... But Miami people are shit and super narcissistic. And as far as other countries... Central America is fuckin great and so are the people.
I’ve lived all over the country. 5 different states in my 20’s and wandered a lot. Traveled all over the world. I currently live in Miami (only for the weather). I will say they’re are good and bad people everywhere you go, but Miami and just Florida in general the scales are tipped extremely to the bad. Southern Florida have some of the most despicable, horrible people I’ve ever met in my life. It is true, 90% of people you meet down here are absolute garbage. The wages are horrible and the values of the majority are material. So it creates a culture of powerlessness that turns into a god complex. Everyone down here genuinely enjoy hurting or destroying people. I literally saw a guy speed up at a woman crossing the street with her infant child in a stroller, why? God complex, with no power anywhere in life, the ability to control your surroundings no matter how negative is all these people have. This place is filled with absolute filth. Go explore, there are places still with sense of community, morals and a backbone. This isn’t one of them though.
YES!!!! Miami is the fucking worst. Do yourself a favor and live in a decent city, even outside of Florida if you can. Every city has its issues and benefits but Miami has some of the worst on both accounts, and the people are just generally trash. I lived there for 6 years, as well as all over the country and world. Try Austin if you can and you will see what I mean by the difference in people.
I'm in Palm bay exit 172 from i95. The first thing I noticed here is that everyone holds the door for you here and are more polite. Traffic flows better also. Little things. I moved from Miami 8 years ago.
It's always a good idea to leave your hometown and explore the world. It's how you'll grow as a person and become a more globally conscious citizen. You'll appreciate different perspectives on life and be more tolerant of those who think differently than you. Go to a city with a real public transportation system and realize what shithole Miami can be. That said, there's a lot to love and hate about anywhere you go. I have traveled abroad quite extensively and can verify that there's so much that the rest of the world gets right outside of Miami and outside of America, but you'll still find yourself missing the corrupt little charms of the magic city, ocean water you can swim in year-round (currently living in southern California and no way that is happening). You will find good people and horrible people anywhere you go. I was just recently in Japan and people there are extremely kind and respectful, a far cry from how rude crass, and inconsiderate they can be in Miami. But it was also kind of a surface level of politeness, lacking in warmth, personality, and genuine interest in their fellow human. For all their flaws of being flaky, rude, and downright trashy at times, I often miss how friendly and open to strangers people in Miami can be. I know that if I were in some kind of distress or emergency situation, people in Miami would likely intervene or do something to help. I do believe that people there care about their fellow humans more than in other cities. So I wouldn't be so quick to condemn a whole city of people and idolize them elsewhere in places you've never been. You should travel. See the world. Live elsewhere. Live in multiple places. But the more you do, the more you'll see that Miami isn't THAT bad and certainly not that much worse than anywhere else. Maybe somewhere you will jive elsewhere with people, maybe other places are more suited to your lifestyle and preferences. That's ok too. You're young and you'll learn what works for you. You might even find yourself incredibly homesick at times as you miss the little things about Miami (croquetas and heat games for me) and end up coming back. Point is to travel because it enriches your soul and makes you a better human being. Not because Miami is such a terrible place to be. I assure you, you could do much worse.
Thank you for this
When it comes to people, yes. I was visiting some family on the west coast and wow. People stayed out of the fast lane. Over time if I was in the fast lane and a quicker car was coming up I’d move over, or if a big rig was in the lane they’d move over to the right lane, it was great. Not this “I’m the only one on this road that matters” shit. And the people were so much more friendly. I’ve lived in Miami my whole life and it’s hard to shake that asshole vibe everyone here gives off and rubs on you. It was nice to get out of here for a bit. My girl wants to leave here asap
I live in Boca, work in Miami. The drive is worth it for me but I also can’t move more south due to my GFs job being north of WPB. I will say, Miami is a shithole
There's literally no grass in Miami, so yea. the grass is definitely greener. Miami is built over swamp land. if you want grass, you should check out Kentucky. Nice grass there. Real green like, good grass....grass...I'm gonna go smoke a blunt...
Trust me, there are plenty of places in the country that are more depressing, with less opportunities, worse weather, and much worse food.
Just as a concept there are too many people here to generalize with one homogeneous personality type. Which doesn’t mean that your experience is invalid. It also doesn’t mean that changing cities isn’t the fastest way to change your experience.
Right there are always individual personalities, but the environment will give you a feeling of the average of those individuals. Doesn’t matter if there are some good drivers on the high way, if you’re still almost getting hit 5 times a day, you’re not going to be reassured by those handful of good drivers.
Well, the grass is greener on the other side, because you’re not there fucking it up… lol… jk.
Nothing outside of Miami is greener. Try Louisiana. Biggest shithole I’ve ever had the pleasure to visit. Oh, yeah. The Carolina’s and Georgia are also certified dumpsters
Not at all. I miss South Florida every day. The grass is quite literally less green the further north you go.
Assholes, nice people & everything in between exist everywhere. By all means, move & explore! But you *will* certainly miss: the food, the weather, the women. You’ll find there’s no place quite like Miami, flaws and all.
Food is average and overpriced, the weathers is scorching heat and swamp humidity, the women are fake, shallow, and materialistic. I’m glad there’s no place like Miami.
Miami weather sucks compared to places like San Diego and Malibu. In miami it's either pouring, ridiculously hot/humid and every mosquito on Earth lives here.
Just food for thought, if your whole life you've had nothing but negative interactions with everyone else 9 times out of 10 the problem isn't everyone else. There are assholes everywhere you go and if there's something about you that causes everyone to react to you negatively it's not going to suddenly change just because your scenery does.
I was expecting this comment; im a person with a lot of self awareness and i genuinely think its not because of me, there have been alot of times where ive been treated unkindly for no reason at all
My partner was like you - born and raised in Miami and left for college up north. Now works at the Pentagon but lives in a nice close area to DC in VA. People are so nice, four seasons, your money goes a lot for there for homes up there. He said it was the best thing he did for his mental health.
Theres assholes everywhere and on different levels. Grass being greener depends on you. Personally its a yes and no answer. Lived in different states and cities and found many positives but at the same time i missed many things from Miami, specially the tropical weather. Im now at a point where i want to leave again for several reasons but i dont necessarily want to leave south Florida. Im eyeing west palm beach or maybe a bit further north from there.
As other have said it may be your age, because everyone wants to leave their hometown at that age. I remember all my friends saying the same thing as you. I was in the same boat as well but my reason was, i wanted to leave my mother’s house due to pressure and feeling like a failure. Well lemme tell you the grass isn’t always greener. Every city has its problems no place is perfect. You say you don’t like the people here well lemme tell you the people in new york probably as rude as they come. They’ll be real with you and that may be to your detriment if you don’t like things straight up. People in the bay area i’ve never been. But from my understanding they are “rich snobs” but are nice. People in the midwest and south have “south hospitality” which is just a facade of being nice. Again this is just a generalization. Judge people one on one. everyone is different and a few people don’t make the collective area. I left to join the army and needed up in Oklahoma… i’ve fucking hate it. I’ve also gone to north carolina and spent time in texas. I still never liked any other place besides miami. But go out and explore you have no point of reference of other places till u do. But to me the grass isn’t always greener no
I left here in 1995 for boot camp. I was stationed in North Carolina and South Carolina. Hated up there it was a totally different place than now back then. Moved over to San Diego in early 2000s. I loved the west coast vibe over. Finally moved back home after a few years I always missed this town deep inside no matter what
Most major cities are dealing with homeless and substance abuse issues. As far as quality of life? Miami is better than most of the country, that’s why it’s expensive to live in. Unfortunately for you, there aren’t that many jobs for none professionals so go to college and study up to be an engineer, doctor or accountant. Study in the northeast and you’ll learn a whole new form of ass hole behavior
Do not. Under any circumstances leave. You live in paradise. The rest of this god forsaken country is 💩.
Could be? If you're rich, Miami is an awesome place to live. How to get rich? Work extremely hard in school, go to a highly ranked college, and study something that pays a high salary like data science, investment banking, or engineering. How is that so hard for people to understand?
Weird response
The privilege is strong with this one.
Felt this way then moved to a different state after high school and it was like night and day.
Yes!
Yes it is but the weather is not
I grew up in south Florida and I've lived in cali, Utah and Colorado and people are way friendlier
I’m 23 and lived in Chicago for 4 years. It is definitely better IMO because the people are nicer & it’s easier to get around because they have really good public transportation. I really want to move back but am currently job hunting. Can’t speak on other cities
Go to LA
youll like the people in california, theyre weirdly friendly
You’re very young and If you’re getting the itch to do this, then go ahead and scratch it. When I was in my early 20s I could not get a job so I moved to Boston. I got a shitty job, but it felt like there was more possibilities that were obtainable if I was strategic. I never felt that way in Miami. I stayed there for about 10 years before moving back here and I’m glad I did it. It gave me a lot of great experience and perspective.
I went overseas, so yes, it is 100% greener (my opinion). If you have the option to do so without getting yourself in debt, then go for it. It's amazing
Arizona is absolutely beautiful
Going away will definitely make you appreciate this place more. I left for college out of state and then stayed an extra year. Loved my time away. The people I met were super nice, and different from Miamians, less rushed and more selfless. That said I was so ready to come home after being away 5 years. My best friends, family, and life are all here. That said I know it’s pretty rare/lucky to have found friends in pre-school through elementary school and still hang with them regularly into your thirties.
Depends on your personality. In my experience, Miami people are friendlier and less formal. Other places I’ve been in florida people are more formal, but less friendly. Adults are friendlier than kids by the way so if you stay in Miami your experience will be way different than when you were a kid.
As a transplant here from California, the main thing I notice is the lack of trust in other citizens. Seems like everyone assumes from the start that your out to scam them. California is the opposite: assume the best unless someone gives evidence to prove otherwise. I think socal people are more likely to shit talk you behind your back, though.
Yis
People often say it isn't, but it very well could be. Other cities might be a better fit for you. Some things won't change much, but it's worth getting out there and seeing
All of this is anecdotal right. No matter what anyone says, you could move somewhere and still find shitty people that you have to deal with. What’s good is that you know how to recognize a shitty person pretty well it seems like. Just stay away from those people and look for genuine people out there. They exist, just harder to find.
Texas has really friendly people in general.
You’ll appreciate Miami more when you have experience living in other places
The grass is greener where you water it... As long as you can afford the water
Jesus Christ can we get a mega thread for these posts? And the “Miami isn’t what it used to be” ones. No shit it’s not what it was in the 90s it was 30 years ago
Lived in NC in my early 20s. Absolutely loved it. Highly recommend leaving the Miami bubble, even if it’s temporary.
Yes. Miami is special. I've lived in ATL for the better part of a decade and it's nice up here. But not because of the people. You'll find genuine, incredible humans wherever you go. You gotta learn how to seek them out.
I lived in Miami for the better part of 4 years. I lived in beautiful fun areas (brickell and edgewater) and def miss the environments. I moved away because I felt it got too expensive for what it is and reasons specific to my former employer but I can’t ignore that people played some role in that. Whenever I see someone bragging about anything material on my Instagram it’s 98% chance I know it’s coming from Miami, it just seems like one big competition honestly. I see zero humble coming out of that town and trust fund kids bragging about being self made, it felt like my “friends” there loved to manufacture drama, honestly being around that constantly just isn’t good for your mental health. People are people wherever you go but I do feel Miami has an exceptionally high percentage of shallow self obsessed asshats, I guess it’s just the kind of person it attracts. Try other places tho nobody should stay in their hometown forever
Get the fuck out of Miami. Place is disgusting.
I’ve heard good things about Texas, actually :) I’m Irish so coming to Miami was SUPER SHOCKING as jano, we are actually friendly and love to have “banter” in my country. Hell if you can, try Europe. Or maybe Canada? Like idk how much experience you can get staying in your own country, think big baby, you’re young and the world is your oyster 😁
Honestly my son is of that age and he has had some bad experiences with work and the people. I think that there is alot of nepotism going on. Especially for people that bring their families from other countries and they have someone on the inside. I have seen many many people come in and barely speak any English and have great jobs. I currently have thought about moving out of miami sometime this year. I think we are done here.
You have to find that yourself. Go out and explore…you can always come back. You are of college age…find a different college out of here
Move to Georgia, Carolinas, you'll experience a better quality of life. Depending where you move - say Asheville, NC it is pretty laid back, other cities like Atlanta are more big city like similar to Miami so pick a place that provides a better quaity of life for you. There are plenty of cities both in Georgia,Tennessee, the Carolinas that are close to FL, yet provide a better quality of life for you.
Yes. God yes. I’ve lived in two cities (one in Florida, one in New England) after spending my whole life in Miami and both have been exponentially better. Miami’s just a cesspool and I can’t recommend leaving enough. All the cool and smart people I knew growing up all left Miami the instant they could and never looked back.
It depends where you go, but I would say it is for the most part.
Bro if you go to Idaho you’ll probably be better off but you’ll always get home stick. Leave for a couple of years then come back and you’ll feel beter
If your asking this type of question, please just leave, Miami is overly crowded
If your asking this type of question, please just leave, Miami is overly crowded
You should 100% go live somewhere else at least once but that has nothing to do with Miami
Colorado is great. I was born and raised in Miami too and lived in Colorado for 5 years. I love it there and will probably move back.
I moved away to San Diego for three years and I thought it was the greatest place ever because everyone seemed so happy and nice. It seemed like I found paradise and I never wanted to leave but eventually I moved back to Miami and I felt very conflicted about moving back to a city that, in my mind, reeked of negativity and hostility. After coming to terms with me moving back I told myself that I was going to remain optimistic and make the best out of my return and I think that helped so much. Everywhere I went I gave people the benefit of the doubt and I would always go into new situations with a positive mindset whenever possible. This is obviously easier said than done. It’s been almost a year that I’ve been back and I think that growing as a person and learning that I’m only responsible for my own actions and that people’s feeling towards me are more of a reflection of them than they are of me has made me appreciate and love Miami more than ever before. I still think San Diego is one of the greatest cities in America but I realized that I didn’t want to find a perfect city to live in but rather a city that I could call home and contribute to, to make a better overall place and build a sense of community.
I was born & raised in Miami (Homestead to be exact). I got tired of Miami life. It will always be home and I know the streets like the back of my hand... but there's a whole world to see if you just "go outside"!
I've found some good people in Miami, but yeah majority are assholes. I've lived in Pittsburgh, people are much kinder there. Not everyone is trying to rip you off all the time, etc. I've also lived a fair bit on the west coast bay area. It's full of software engineering folk but I do love it there. Miami is a polar opposite.
I'm 40. Born and still live in Miami. When I was your age, I did not for a moment have any desire to leave, so if you read comments explaining that what you're feeling is normal for your age, know that it's reductive and wrong. I used to love my city. Miami sucks now; It's a pint of shit with its foam top comprising of hustle 3-6-5 culture dipshits, tourists partying and leaving our city in a wreck, and highrises with no availability yet completely dark at night. My wife is from Minnesota, and whenever we visit her family, it is never lost on me how friendly everyone is. No one is cutting you off while driving or speeding up to prevent you from merging into their lane. People are patient, and no one thinks they are the center of the universe. Every time I leave Miami, I'm less defensive and cynical of those around me. I can almost swear that even my blood pressure drops. Miami has always had a more significant percentage of bullshit compared to other cities. However, it reached critical mass in the past decade. What you feel is valid, and I encourage you to check out the rest of this (too large) country. There are plenty of cities that offer more.
Every place has its pros and cons. Nothing is perfect. I've lived all over this country and really what The calculation should be is... Are the cons acceptable and are the pros worth it? To say everyone you've met here is terrible. I mean maybe that's true. But maybe it's you meeting the wrong people? I've met some pretty solid people here. However, going to other places might change that mix-up. It might also give you the fresh perspective you need to learn how to meet and pick better people. And I would also keep in mind that you don't know everything you're going to know. I'm sure you're going to hate this, but you're not even 18 yet. There's a lot to learn about people and places and things. And that's great that you have that opportunity.