I'm Moving To AZ

[cirrocco]

Soon, I will be moving to Arizona from the only state I've ever lived in, Michigan. I'm kind of nervous because I'm going from a "blue" state to a "red" one; although, I have noticed you have a democratic governor. I guess that's a good sign. Michigan has failed me and my only hope is to find decent employment in Arizona. I realize that life will be different in the southwest, I just don't know what to expect. Any thoughts?

cheers,
cirrocco

[bluestateguy]

1. The first thing you can do is register to vote

doing that will help make Arizona just a little less "Red".

[cirrocco]

6. I plan on that

It'll be one of the first things I'll do when I arrive, right along with obtaining a driver's license.

[NMDemDist2]

2. I'm in phoenix-- where are you ending up down here?

I can probably help a lot! let me know what you need to find out.

PS leave all your heavy coats and woolens there, bring fleece, a "springtime" (for MI) windbreaker and a few sweaters only, no heavy boots (unless you are moving to Flagstaff or plan to go sking)

[cirrocco]

7. Thanks

Thanks for the tip, it'll mean I have less to pack. What I haven't already given away to friends will end up being donated.

[found object]

3. phoenix: hell on earth

2a.m. on any morning in july expect the temp. to be close to 100. Phoenix is as big as L.A. and takes forever to get out of town, but once you do it's as pretty as any place on Earth.

[JorgeTheGood]

4. You'll be fine

A lot will depend on your ocupation. If you are a skilled craftsman or a plumber, carpenter, air-cond expert, landscaper, concrete et all -- you will have so much work it will feel like your head is going to explode. Phoenix proper is growing by 150,000+ every year now. The new transplants mostly buy homes due to the reasonable prices in the real estate market. Nice 4 bedroom with 3 car garage and pool for less than 200K and even much cheaper if you live on the far eastside or far westside -- let's say 40 miles from downtown.

OTOH, if you're in a technical field, don't count on the big companies. Motorola has shrunk from 17,000 employees to less then 5,000 and most of it was sold to General Dynamics. Honeywell is deeply involved in outsourcing their work -- manufacturing in China and design in Czechoslovakia. Last I heard the big companies were not hiring at least not in significant numbers. That could change and let's hope it does.

AZ is a right to work state so coming from MI you might be used to unions. Very few in AZ outside the ones you would expect to find -- police, fire etc.

Phoenix is quickly becoming famous for private schools -- Phoenix University, Thunderbird school of management, Argosy University , Midwest University and even the most popular motorcycle mechanics school in the world. Waiting lists for nearly all the big named schools -- So, if you're in education -- you shoud have a pretty easy time finding a job.

Of course there are always the $8-10 jobs at Home Depot and such but more than likely not many benefits.

You'll get used to the 118 degree days and 100 degree nights but probably not the first year. It takes a little over a year for the average persons blood to thin.

If you any specific questions, just let me know and I will try to answer them. I have nearly 30 years under my belt in Phoenix although I now spend most of my time in LA.

And here's the best tip I can give you -- plenty of water at all times. Don't forget that -- heat stroke is no fun.

TO CAtheozonefreestate: I loved your remark about Phoenix being as large as LA. It's really not -- LA proper is 3 times the size of PHX proper but you're dead on that trying to get into and out of town is a major adventure. God I hate the Black Canyon Freeway.

Jorge

[cirrocco]

8. A job. But where?

My choice of employment there remains somewhat cloudy. I have a mechanical engineering degree from U of M but have never found work in that field. I graduated one week before 9-11, but Michigan was already suffering and the economy continued to spiral downward thereafter.

Although I have over twenty years experience in retail grocery, I'm not sure if I want to re-enter the retail area. I will be collecting unemployment from Michigan until September and that will allow me some time to look around.

Teaching might be an option but it's not something I think I'd be comfortable with. Maybe I could find a job within a university that wouldn't involve actual teaching.

As far as AZ being a right to work state, that's fine with me. I was a card carrying union member during my entire work experience and I hold the union partially responsible for my current unemployment. Although the union does provide some useful function, they are just fat cats trying to get fatter.

Thanks for your insight

[imax2268]

9. cirrocco

you say you have mechanical engineering degree...well...If I was you I would look in to city or state government jobs...

Here's a few links about jobs...
http://www.arizonajobs.com/
http://phoenix.gov/
(employment is on the left side)

And yes...you really don't need the bulky winter clothes out here...unless your in Flagstaff...the "high country"...if your in the valley(phoenix)...you won't need them...in the wintertime it rarely drops below 50...

You going to like it here...you can get in your car and drive in any direction and see something really nice...Grand Canyon, Meteor Crator, Sedona, Las Vegas(4 hours away), Lake Havasau...etc etc...

[silverojo]

25. That's not true! We often have freeze warnings here.

I've been here since 1986. Nighttime lows often dip below freezing, prompting the weatherguessers to issue "freeze warnings"--where you'd better cover your tender plants, or expect them to get toasted by the frost.

And yes, you'll need at least one heavy coat, for the colder spells. Oftentimes, tourists come here in the winter and lament that they left their heavy coats behind.

[Young Socialist]

13. I'm a mechanical engineer as well.

sorry to say this but it's real slim pickings for us. I work in Prescott at a small consulting firm which is fun, but all of our clients are out of state. BTW most people here think mechanical engineer means someone involved in HVAC.

[AZBlue]

23. ME degree - check out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, or Raytheon

[AgadorSparticus]

11. i don't know about the one yr thing to acclimate. i moved to tucson

from south texas close to 4 yrs ago and i still cannot deal with the summers. granted, it's easier now but it's still VERY difficult. i just dread it with every fiber of my being.

also, the aridness really affected me more than i thought possible. drink plenty of water is right! i think i was dehydrated for all of my first summer in tucson. LOL

oh well,the rest of the year is so amazingly beautiful, it's worth the wretched summers.

[silverojo]

24. And the temps are 110-115 a LOT during the summer

If you can't take the heat, stay out of Phoenix. ;)

[Arbustosux]

5. I was nervous too

I too moved here to Arizona (Tucson) from Michigan (Kalamazoo).

I like it down here. The economy is better. Your dollar buys more (or at least did until Bush seized power) The only down side is the summers and the oppressive heat. You will learn to deal with that and I never really liked snow anyways. :)

When and where are you moving to?

[Wetzelbill]

10. I'm from Montana and now a Tucsonan

[Luna_Chick]

15. I'm a former Montanan in Tucson, too

Used to live in Helena. The folks are up in Jordan. I've been in Tucson for 23 years and still can't get used to the summers.

[Ptah]

16. #3 here.

Born and raised near Conrad.

Finished high school in Marana, Class of 69.

[Ptah]

17. Thanks for your work.

http://wildcat.arizona.edu/media/storage/paper997/news/2006/11/06/News/Uas-Early.Polling.Site.Boasts.Pima.Countys.Highest.Voter.Turnout-2440690.shtml?norewrite200611062158&sourcedomain=wildcat.arizona.edu

UA's early polling site boasts Pima County's highest voter turnout

Good work, sir!

:thumbsup:

[hippiegranny]

12. i moved to phx in '83 from pennsy

and cannot imagine living anywhere else. the heat is tolerable because most of us tend to move from the air conditioned house to the air conditioned car to the air conditioned office, etc. even if you don't have a pool here, at least 10 of your friends do. and besides, we are only talking about 3-4 months a year that are rough. the rest of the time it is awesome. i love to call my friends and family back in cold, wet, yuckky pennsy on a crisp, clear january day from the top of a mountain that i have just hiked, and describe the unbelievable color of blue the sky is.

governor janet napolitano is a gem. she was on our local npr station production today and i was marvelling at her command of the issues and the english language, and of course, comparing her to president pinhead, who could never take questions from callers and answer them with such complete knowledge and authority.

[haymark]

14. welcome

[Ptah]

18. Welcome to AZ.

Are you moving here on a whim?

It's a good place to land.

This is the time of the year to move here.

If you haven't been here, you'll be surprised at some of the plant life:






And you'll be surprised at some of the animal life as well.

[democrat_patriot]

19. I did the same.

I miss Michigan (Go Blue!) and family. But it's pretty cool here.

Lot's of Republicans though.

And the summer's a bitch, but you don't have to shovel the heat!

Good luck!

[Kali]

20. Tons of low paying service jobs here.

Tucson is much bluer than Phx. The key to adapting to summer heat is either to leave and head to cooler climes or the old fashioned siesta. (sleep through the hottest part of the day if you are able)

ditch the black vehicle, make sure the radiator is in good shape and maintain the airconditioning. For the home try to make sure you have real airconditioning, especially in Tucson where the old style swamp coolers actually work quite well for the first part of the summer. They are actually rather wasteful of water and don't work at all once the summer rains arrive.

From a 4th generation Arizonan.

[PsN2Wind]

21. Apply to Raytheon in Tucson

They're on strike right now but it should settle soon. There's big money in the means to make war, so things could be good for a couple more years.

[Bryan Buchan]

22. I am a michigander who moved to AZ

....And I would never move back. We are slowly turning this state blue, no worries. Just a very dull and disorganized dem party here, that finally got some backbone this election season. Let's hope it continues it will very much depend on who is elected the next chair of the party in January.

[frustrated_American]

26. What to expect

For one thing, you can definately expect to sweat a lot. Our temps range from hot to hotter. Oh, yeh, we do have about two weeks of what is called winter, meaning it drops below 50 degrees.
Depending on where in AZ you move to, you can also expect dust, dust, and more dust. Our "grass" here is brown and in a powder form, called sand or dust anywhere else.
And, you better like the color brown. Our ground is brown, much of our water is brown, and all of our houses are brown. Scratch "green" off of your list of colors.
Seriously, I have lived in AZ for 10 years now. It is actually a pretty good place to live, and the people are for the most part very friendly, ads long as you don't get in their way on I-10. The cost of living here is reasonable, but climbing with all the construction going on. The Californians who suspect that their state will soon drop off into the Pacific are all moving here, and our economy is rapidly becoming like theirs.
You also need to learn Spanish, as most of Arizona is now a suburb of MExico City.
Yes, we have a Democratic governor, and a d__ned good one. Janet is one of the few governors in the USA who keeps her promises, and exhibits some backbone when dealing with industries that try to injure her state, like the Texas gas companies. She has also done everything for senior citizens that she said she'd do. I, personally, am an independent voter,but vote Democrat here in Arizona.
Hope you enjoy your move. Don't let any of this post scare you. I was just exercising my right to be sarcastic.

[ChazII]

27. Now that this thread is

two years old, how do you like it here?

[ben_meyers]

28. You noticed that too

Wow, not many DUers in Arizona.