Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jg]

I went to college in New Mexico and also spent sinificant time in Las Vegas and Santa Fe. I'd say the city I'm most familiar with is Las Cruces. There's a little town on the edge called Mesilla thats really cool - they've got an old school square thats a bit touristy but still super laidback and the area surrounding it is soooo tranquil and beautiful - its an oasis of sorts. Its really green and leafy, a cool and surprising sight since the area around it is standard issue dry and barren desert. You even see tumbleweeds... New Mexico cuisine, unlike Tex-Mex, is righteous and a pretty good and authentic spin on the original. During chile season supermarkets and restaurants sell roasted chiles, the smell is one of the most appealing I've even come across. Seriously.

Many small towns in NM have something to offer. Ruidoso and Cloudcroft are picturesque small towns, Ruidoso has a famous racetrack. The Hatch Chile festival is primo. Santa Fe - on the outskirts - is fabulous. The collection of extremely well-maintained adobe structures is really pleasing, and its not just some little roped-off area in the center either. Maybe 20 years ago you could afford to eat and hang around in town, but now, its for trustafarians and the like, though still somewhat accessible... Taos is just cool, and it and Santa Fe offer fabulous skiing and swanky ski resorts/chillout spas. White Sands is a good place to hang out for the day, and its beautiful. Albuquerque's downtown has really made a turn-around, I was there for a wedding a few years ago and surprised how nice it's becoming. Honestly, if you want developed areas with lots of spiffy newish strip malls and all your favorite chain dining emporiums, New Mexico isn't for you.

Unfortunately, NM is really backwards in some ways - I know of at least two bookburnings there, one in Almagordo where they cheerfully set fire to a newly released Harry Potter novel. The alcohol selling laws are stricter (as I recall) than anywhere besides Utah. In college, in order to get our spirits we had to drive to famously liberal Texas on Sundays. The Native Americans there... decimated is the only word I can think of, and I'll leave it at that. Many native New Mexicans regard them with a generous degree of contempt, thats for sure.

New Mexico is the least "American" state by a fair stretch. Lots of the small towns have a really Mexican flavor, as opposed the Latino/Chicano vibe you might get in California or Texas. Yeah, the economy sucks but the cost of living is crazy cheap in many places. N.M. is also really really outdoorsy - so many people (even in 'Burque) are avid cyclists, campers, skiiers, etc. Definitely not the fat, lardy midwest or the surgically altered and preening west coast!

I also must say that the people there (and the people the state attracts) are the quirkiest, oddest and most un-stylizedly eclectic people I've ever encountered. Their food is top-shelf and should get way more props than it does, and the scenery - particularly in the mountains, the Mesilla Valley and the northern portion of the state - is absolutely stunning.

And every sonics in the state sells green-chile cheesburgers. New Mexico, hell yeah.

[i can do]

Ahh, NM rocks. As a teenager there, we used to call it the Land of Entrapment instead of the state motto, Land of Enchantment. It really did get kind of boring when you're carless, but now I miss it. Going away from there and living in other states really gives you perspective. Now I miss the cold desert nights, beer runs to Mexico (as a teen, it rocked), actually seeing a tumbleweed roll down the highway, snow and skiing in the mountains, rocks as your lawn instead of grass, clear clear skies, the mixing of cultures, the cracks in the desert, the history, the science and art, the ghost towns, the barrenness, the 'waterless beach', Sonic as the local hotspot, coyotes in your backyard, etc. Yeah, I like NM.

What's interesting was when I moved to my next state, people asked questions about NM like, 'Oh, do they speak English there?' 'Do you need a passport to visit?' 'So you must speak Spanish then?' 'What was it like living in another country?' 'Are you a citizen?'

[Tiger Beer]

Went to ABQ yesterday. Its smaller than I thought - quite easy to get around the city. It appeared MUCH better than its often described. Really love the adobe-style architecture.

Didn't get a chance to try NM cuisine..

[Boodleheimer]

new mexico has the best food ever.






oh, yes.






EVER.

[kangnam mafioso]

when in albuquerque try the frontier restaurant across from the university of new mexico on central avenue.

sadies and the patio are other favorites for new mexican cuisine.

[hubba bubba]

Lived in Albuquerque/Santa Fe for a year. Absolutely gordgeous weather and environment.

But when it comes to the locals...well, all I have to say is Caleb Crump:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nu2SY3f-Gk4&mode=related&search=

[Wishmaster]

Yeah, as I stated New Mexico is a nice place. If I only spent a few days there, I would be impressed. It is just that once you live there, you realize that the city is(at least when I was there) spread out. As I said, if you don't have a car, you are in deep doo-doo. The public transportation system is bad(unless it has changed in the last few years). Many great areas in ABQ...but it does tend to get boring after awhile(just like anyplace out there). Jobs...good luck on that. Tons available if you like crap wages.

[kat2]

We are moving to Albuquerque in January. Any sage wisdom from all you people out there? We picked it b/c it seemed laid back and fairly atypical for the rest of America. (We've got to ease our way back into the states if we are going to make it.) So, we're now looking for apartments and jobs and blah blah, all that stressful stuff.
Does anyone have an apt complex to recommend or have a friend with an apt available in early January ? We want to get a 6 month lease somewhere before we really choose a spot and buy a house and all that. We want to live somewhre within walking distance of retaurants, grocery store, video store, public transit, etc, and somewhre that is mroe neighborhoody than stripmally, if you know what I mean. (somewhere like capital hill in DC or Kitsilano in Vancouver, well minus half the hippies)
Thanks!

[reactionary]

i never thought of new mexico as a place i'd like to live - or even visit for that matter. this thread has really sparked my interest - definitely would like to check it out. hope the job system isn't really as bad as you mentioned, but i looked on the santa fe wikipedia page and did see some disheartening facts like albertson's being one of the biggest employers.

[kangnam mafioso]

[kat2]

Thanks Kangnam Mafioso! is the university area not a giant party/pukefest area? I grew up not that far from the Uni of Tenn campus, and there's absolutely no way I would live anywhere near there. So, do I have the wrong idea about UNM?

[kangnam mafioso]