Was this a normal move to South Florida Arc?
I have lived down here for 3 years between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Looking back at my experience:
- Software dev in his early 20s who got a new 6 figure job, am a nerd and like learning. I moved here
- Place was interesting to me because I like warm weather and dressing down. I am from the Midwest rust belt area originally and I liked how everything looks newer and it was more diverse (very white and provincial where I'm from)
- For the first year or so it seemed good. I made some friends and a girlfriend like me
- Then I noticed one by one the friends I made always left and my girlfriend and her family. I don't know anyone anymore here. I feel like I'm in a waiting room
- The people who do stay I would call the "dominate type" (at my age) of South Florida. Too concerned with their appearance and looking successful. The types of jobs that value presence over competence. I can't connect. The types of jobs people work here are different from mine
- I've had several older locals ask me how long I've been here in the last 6 months. I said 3 years and they were impressed, like it was a long time, interesting they gave the same answer. For like half of that I was checked out so I'm guessing that was on schedule - only reason I stayed is because I was grinding Spanish to move abroad eventually, saving all my money, and the logistics of that take time. Florida became a base camp
- It made complete sense having more reference points of life elsewhere. especially Mexico City. I felt oddly comfortable there, felt like I could meet people like me so much more easily and it just had a good vibe
- My parents also visit. 2 times since I've lived here staff has also gotten weird in certain businesses in the "young areas" that I'm out with my parents, like I'm weak or dependent. anyone can explain that?
- Also have had plenty of experiences with businesses that I've felt scammed or they were trying to scam me, never been so angry before. I've basically lost my filter in certain social contexts
Moving here was a bad decision. But hindsight is 20/20. Younger me probably would have done it anyway and said those people are wrong and you can find people in metro of 6 million. At least I learned who I was and made logistical progress in life