I lived there for 3.5 years. We moved to Orlando from El Paso.
Not a bad place. Middle of nowhere. Low violent crime, that stays mostly south of the border. The cartel bosses keep that shit in Mexico where the LE is easily corruptable. They don't want the attention of American LE.
Nice weather year round if you can stand the dry heat. The 4,000 elevation makes for great cardio. You can bike just about year round there.
-Cost of living is low. We rented a 2,200 square foot house for $1,250/month. -Beware a lot of houses have swamp coolers instead of forced air. -Spanish is the dominant language but you won't have any issues if you can't habla espanol. -Drivers are awful, worst I've seen anywhere outside of muslim countries. -It's windy and dusty there. -Stay in the 79911 and 79912 area codes. -Traffic is awful, even worse if you're in the far east. -Avoid I-10. Daily accidents that shut down the entire road. They don't move them off to keep traffic flowing. -Eat at L&J Cafe for Mexican food and Cattleman's in Fabens for steak. -Phoenix is 6.5 hour drive, Albuquerque is 4, San Antonio is 9. Not much in between. -A lot of Soldiers there, large part of the economy relates to Ft. Bliss. -Jobs are typically low paying retail and service jobs. -Labor is cheap. Had 11 tons of gravel moved from driveway to backyard for $250. -Great MMA gym on the west side if you're so inclined.
If you have more specific questions, let me know here or e-mail.
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September 01, 2017, 01:24 PM
ZSMICHAEL
Sorry I could not resist.
September 01, 2017, 01:35 PM
P220 Smudge
Hope your Spanish is good.
I was born and raised there and lived there until '97. I haven't found a reason to visit since I left. It's probably different now, but my parents opted to move us across the country to farmland where the gunshots in the night are coyote hunters and deer jackers, and where I saw one or two hallway fistfights at school instead of some kid getting jumped by a gang and beaten with a chain until he stopped moving. The middle school I went to fed into Hanks High, which was one of the most violent in the city at the time and I was one of maybe a few dozen white kids in a school of hundreds. I watched a fat white kid get swarmed by dozens of mexicans and blacks on the playground and basically get gang-beaten for calling someone a "black whore." I had a shell casing collection purely of empties found on the sidewalk or side of the street. Being spit on for being a "pinche gringo piece of chit" at about age 9 or so was a formative experience. Our neighbor's houses got tagged regularly, I got chased home by a pack of cholos one day after school, and then there was the day the low rider convertible with the top down and two guys wearing wigs, sunglasses and hoods up pulled up on the curb and were shouting at me with the passenger reaching for his waistband and standing up so I could see that. The driver said something to him, and then he sat down and they sped off, disgusted that I hadn't been worth their time, just some 11 year old kid that froze on the sidewalk like a rabbit. This was on the east side, supposedly a good part of town.
But like I say, it's probably different now.
______________________________________________ Endeavoring to master the subtle art of the grapefruit spoon.
September 01, 2017, 01:36 PM
CoolRich59
Back in the 90s, I had to go there several times to work out a resolution to a customer dispute.
I found some great Mexican restaurants, but did not otherwise care for it for the reasons mentioned above.
_____________________________________________________________________ “One of the common failings among honorable people is a failure to appreciate how thoroughly dishonorable some other people can be, and how dangerous it is to trust them.” – Thomas Sowell
September 01, 2017, 01:48 PM
zdog16
quote:
Originally posted by P220 Smudge: Hope your Spanish is good.
I was born and raised there and lived there until '97. I haven't found a reason to visit since I left. It's probably different now, but my parents opted to move us across the country to farmland where the gunshots in the night are coyote hunters and deer jackers, and where I saw one or two hallway fistfights at school instead of some kid getting jumped by a gang and beaten with a chain until he stopped moving. The middle school I went to fed into Hanks High, which was one of the most violent in the city at the time and I was one of maybe a few dozen white kids in a school of hundreds. I watched a fat white kid get swarmed by dozens of mexicans and blacks on the playground and basically get gang-beaten for calling someone a "black whore." I had a shell casing collection purely of empties found on the sidewalk or side of the street. Being spit on for being a "pinche gringo piece of chit" at about age 9 or so was a formative experience. Our neighbor's houses got tagged regularly, I got chased home by a pack of cholos one day after school, and then there was the day the low rider convertible with the top down and two guys wearing wigs, sunglasses and hoods up pulled up on the curb and were shouting at me with the passenger reaching for his waistband and standing up so I could see that. The driver said something to him, and then he sat down and they sped off, disgusted that I hadn't been worth their time, just some 11 year old kid that froze on the sidewalk like a rabbit. This was on the east side, supposedly a good part of town.
But like I say, it's probably different now.
I used to live right on the corner of Lee Trevino and Pebble Hills. Yes it has changed a bunch.
For ME: DA/SA=Sig 9mm or HK P30 LEM 9 Striker fired= Glock 9mm If it's a .45= 1911 Suppressed= HK in .45 I like anything in 10mm
September 01, 2017, 01:53 PM
RHINOWSO
Been there 4-5 times for work, usually 5-7 day stretches.
Not the worst place in the US, but it wouldn't be in the top 100 places I'd consider moving.
Now for a temporary job or springboard to better things, it's certainly tolerable for a year or two, but no way I'd live there beyond that.
September 01, 2017, 03:58 PM
arfmel
There are days that the smog is so bad it hurts to breathe.
September 01, 2017, 04:46 PM
KMitch200
When my brother was stationed at Ft. Bliss, he often said that the US tried to give El Paso to Mexico....they didn't want it.
-------- After the game, the King and the pawn go into the same box.
September 01, 2017, 05:32 PM
ensigmatic
Sounds like the Texas version of Camden, NJ.
"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe "If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
September 01, 2017, 05:47 PM
Augen
Wow. Thanks for the real experiences. The job wouldn't be so much career advancement as much we'll pay you a shitload of money to come here. I thought it was just because the isolation. I think I'll stay where I'm at.
September 01, 2017, 06:02 PM
arfmel
That is exactly how much money it would take to get me to move there.
September 01, 2017, 06:47 PM
ZSMICHAEL
quote:
That is exactly how much money it would take to get me to move there.
How much is a Shitload in Jerkwater currency?
September 01, 2017, 08:05 PM
arfmel
Tree fiddy more per week than a pantload
September 01, 2017, 09:02 PM
ZSMICHAEL
That is a boatload here. LOL
September 01, 2017, 09:51 PM
BillF
Unless the money is very good and it is temporary I would also recommend against it. Democrat run government the would be at home in California or South America. Work is viewed as a place to socialize first and work second. Theft is not viewed as wrong but acceptable by a large part of the population. A large number refuse to speak English. Violent crime rate is low. It is quicker for me to count the number good places to eat than bad. Something is very wrong when Taco Bell has better food than a Mexican restaurant. Drivers are bad, but not as bad as New Mexico. At least with Fort Bliss you have military people who are polite.
