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Tell me about ARIZONA!!

post #1 of 13
7/16/10 at 6:13pm
Thread Starter 
We've got Arizona on our list of places to move come the end of 2010.

Things I like-
Vax, homeschool, breastfeeding, and homebirth laws.

Things I need to know about:
Best places to live in terms of cost of living and available jobs.

So.. AZ moms- what can you tell me?
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post #2 of 13
7/16/10 at 10:34pm
There is a lot of things about AZ that I like. Particularly the high desert (think Flagstaff) however this is the most racist place I have ever lived in my life and I am currently doing every thing I can to get my family moved from this state. I do not want my children to grow up where the rampant racism is okay. That bad outweighs the good IMO. I haven't had a problem about the vax the I have chosen to not give my children. Homeschooling is not terribly uncommon here but as I don't homeschool I don't know anymore than that. I was given the stink-eye by someone every time I nursed my daughter in public but I ignored it.

The cost of living is cheaper than coastal FL (where we moved here from) and I suppose after they chase all of the Hispanics (both legal and illegal) out of AZ you should be able to find plenty of jobs. The same law that is chasing the Hispanics out is chasing us out.

As I said before in another thread, I would NOT move here but I will leave that up to you,
post #3 of 13
7/16/10 at 10:58pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah- forgot about the hispanic thing. I hadn't really considered that. Both DH and I are Mexican -both born here- I'm only half Mexican and was raised by my caucasian mother but look very hispanic. So do my DDs. I don't want to expose them to that.

New Mexico is also on our list- perhaps it's a bit less racist. Hmm.
post #4 of 13
7/16/10 at 11:41pm
Yeah, that being the case I would ABSOLUTELY not move here.
post #5 of 13
7/17/10 at 12:08am
wow, my dh is from mexico and we haven't had any issues with racism that i know of. we love it here and love visiting other places but AZ is home. i say come on down we have a lovely community of natural minded mamas all over the valley. i could go on(i was born in AZ), so pm me if you want!!

eta: im talking about personal issues, not laws etc.
post #6 of 13
7/17/10 at 12:09am
ooh our kids are close in age too!
post #7 of 13
7/17/10 at 12:54am
ITA with Gr8ful Mama. There is an awesome community of natural-minded people throughout the Valley, but, jobs are drying up and the attitudes expressed in local politics are shocking and toxic.

Unfortunately, the area in which I live is nowhere near as tolerant as I would like.

I suppose the upside is that real estate is cheap.
post #8 of 13
7/17/10 at 1:08am
The statistics on support for the illegal immigration law really surprised me. Maybe I live in an insulated circle because I don't see racism.

I have breastfed continuously for 4.5 years, for awhile I tandem nursed in public, and I've never had a comment (okay, someone who turned out to be an unschooler came up to me at storytime and congratulated me for tandem nursing.) Vax, homebirth, and homeschool laws are easy. We are part of a secular homeschool group and an unschooling group.

I'm in Tucson which is the liberal part of the state. I like it here. I grew up in AZ so I don't know anything else.

The key will be if you have a job. Many jobs here are low paying. Don't come here without a job.
post #9 of 13
7/17/10 at 1:20am
I'm insanely jealous of those of you who aren't seeing it/living it/dealing with it. I think my neighborhood is cute and has a lot of potential, but I can't read the newspaper (especially the comments online) or listen to news and talk on local radio stations without serious damage to my tooth enamel, and I've learned that the people collecting signatures outside the public library can get really nasty if you express a view opposing theirs.
post #10 of 13
7/17/10 at 9:42pm
I'm from the Chicago suburbs and living in the Phoenix suburbs. I definitely see the racism. It's bad. I'm ashamed to live in AZ. I wish I could unload my house and move because I also do not want my daughter raised here. It's very different out here from Chicago.
post #11 of 13
7/19/10 at 12:49am
I'm in Tucson and I don't see a lot of racism. A couple people at work have made wonky remarks, but that's the exception. I do go to a liberal/progressive church and have pretty liberal friends, though, so maybe I'm missing it?

Anyway, there are a bunch of homeschool groups here, even our "mainstream" ped is wonderful about my "crazy" ways , I have never been given crap about nursing in public (nursed DD1 until she was 3) - in fact, people have given me support about it... it's a very beautiful place here. Earthy and happy - I grew up by Chicago and then we moved out to Pennsylvania when I was 16. Moving here felt like moving "home" for me. I witnessed a LOT more racist remarks out East than here.

Hope that helps - good luck!
post #12 of 13
7/19/10 at 4:15am
I like the homeschool law and its the only reason we stayed so long. Any good job (over 50k) really doesnt exist. now if you want a call center job at 9$/ hr we have tons of those. Its really hot here, our last AC bill was pushing $400/. Real Estate is cheap, tons of foreclosures all over the place...

Ive been here 11 years and I want out FAST...DS hates it, I hate it and honestly I would take Chicago anywayd over AZ.
post #13 of 13
7/20/10 at 7:49pm
AZ varies a lot across the state, so I think it would depend on where you move. like others who posted, we're in Tucson, and I love it! I admit I'm probably in an insulated community, but Tucson is a liberal pocket in AZ, and I haven't heard any racist attitudes expressed when I'm out and about. Sure, there are people posting discouraging stuff online and crazy stuff on talk radio, but I'm pretty sure that exists everywhere.

It took my husband a while to find a job, but he's now working in the solar industry and loving it. And the industry is really growing-- all the companies in tucson are hiring! but i don't know what kind of work ya'll are looking for.

I've only gotten encouragement from people when nursing my children in public.