Surviving a Life Transition. Moving to the Sonoran Desert......

Born and bred in the Pacific Northwest, and having lived there my entire life, fighting off the mold that tends to grow on one's back (and everywhere else) due to the dampness of the climate, and moving to the Sonoran desert of Arizona is quite the transistion!

Snowbirds do it all the time. I am talking about real live human snowbirds, that load up their R.V.'s, and head south to Arizona for their yearly migration. The only difference is, they flock down AFTER the heat has relented to a mere 90 degree daily average, and they leave BEFORE it heats back up to a mere 118 degrees (and up!)

The transistion I am talking about, involves packing up your entire household, closing up shop forever, and moving permantly to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, to the city of Yuma.

If this is in your agenda, and you are coming from a fairly cool climate, I suggest you make your transistion in the fall around late September or October. That way, you have about six months to get ready to get BLASTED from the fiery furnance for the next six months. Whatever you do, DO NOT MAKE YOUR TRANSISTION IN LATE SPRING. If you come too late in the spring, you will think you entered the land of the living dead.
The heat will be unbearable, your clothes wont be cool enough, and I mean even your lightest cotton dress wont suffice. Your car will hate you when the plastic elements in it start to melt, (because you are not familiar with the shiney aluminum window protectors.) You could find yourself walking aimlessly down the aisles of air conditioned stores like WALMART just to stay cool, and nausia and diarherra may dictate your every moment.

You probably wont be used to drinking the mandatory 1 to1 1/2 gallons of water daily, just to stay away from heat stroke or exhaustion, and I bet you would not believe the sunburn capabilities.
Sunburn can happen, fully clothed while swimming in a pool. Do not be deceived! 20 to 30 mins 'laying out' to get a suntan can mean an excruciating burn, and a trip to the local hospital.
Those early summer Sonoran rays can penetrate the best sunblocker made..........

I speak from experience! My transisition to Arizona started just before the hot season. I did have a couple of months to enjoy the lure of spring in the desert, but, I was not ready for what hit me later. I wish I had come sooner in the year to acclimate a bit before the long endurance test started, but then, I always seem to do things the hard way. Its more challenging that way!

First of all, it seemed that my entire wardrobe was not going to work. Everything I owned was 'cold clothes'. The type of clothing worn in a rainshower, or snowfall, or mudpuddle stomping weather. Boots, shoes that cover the toes, heavy cotton jeans, sweaters, leather jackets..... all no good in the Sonoran desert for at least spring thru winter, and really not needed much in the winter months either.
So, I suggest you either come prepared to buy all new clothes, or just 'sweat it out! But, be careful not to sweat too much! Even sweating too much can become a hazard to your health, causing a depletion of your minerals and electrolytes will cause craziness and even death.

One day, I was sure that death from being hot was nearing. I actually couldnt take another minute of the heat. I stopped at the nearest Circle K, ran to the freezer section, threw open the door, and just stood there with my head extended as far into the freezer as it could get. I probably contaminated all the products, but I didnt care. I needed to cool down, and FAST!

Also, I soon found out why all the trucks and alot of vehicles in Yuma are white. They reflect the sun. If you drive a black car..........SELL IT! You will feel like you are in a traveling toaster oven, and everytime you touch it; like opening the door, grabbing the steering wheel, or opening the gas lid, you will recoil in pain from the HOT steel.
White vehicles are a bit of a deterrant from the sun, but, nothing and I mean nothing will actually save you from the HOT summer months except shade and airconditioning, and cold water.

In finding a nice place to live, I suggest staying with someone you know first, and look and check around. Ask about the neighborhoods. Ask about the gang hangouts, and what streets to avoid living near. Do NOT go for the cheapest apartment or condo. Cheap means that you are going to live with all the other people that can only afford cheap, and that is usually the drug and gang related portions of society.
NOT A GOOD IDEA, and it was one of my biggest mistakes in my new transition. I just thought if the place had a pool, then GREAT! All would be just great! Swimming, suntanning, life in the good lane!
I learned that in Yuma, cheap apartments mean danger. Literally, DANGER. Dangerous people live in cheap apartments. You make dangerous acquintance's, things get stolen off your car, you will hear police sirens in the middle of the night, occasional gunshots and see dirty little faces of children running around the community area. Whatever you do, DO NOT GO CHEAP.

Looking for a job? GOOD LUCK! Yuma Arizona is a is a 'WHO knows WHO town.' You have to know someone to get a decent job. If your not Pedros second cousin, or bilingual, all I can do is wish you the best of luck. The Hispanics have tied up most of the good positions in any given company. Dont believe that they only work in the fields either! They are in the banks, the hospitals, the supermarkets, well, just about everywhere. If you dont like the hispanic culture, DO NOT MOVE TO YUMA ARIZONA.
That is the best advice I can offer about that. You will see Mexicans everywhere. Some are legal, most are NOT!
The bad part about living with the Mexicans so close to the border, is that in Mexico they do not have to have driving lessons to obtain a drivers license (if they have one at all). Their idea about driving, is to jump in a car, turn on the key and push the gas pedal, steer a little, and weave in and out of traffice without signaling, or drive about 5 mph with a fixed stone look on their face...
Or, speed down Interstate 8 in a van or Suburban loaded with about 20 illegals, sometimes in a heated chase with Border Patrol.

Be prepared to ask, "Could you say that in English please?"...... the Mexicans dont like to speak English. That is just a fact. You will either have to learn Spanish, or tolerate their Spanglish.
Either way, its quite the transition from Washington state where English is still spoken and taught in our schools.

Leave all preconcieved notions of your new life back in your old state. Moving to Yuma (*unless you are very familiar with the desert and hispanic culture) is a transistion that just takes time.
You may experience climate shock, culture shock, and wonder what in the world did you do, by moving to this God forsaken place.
Your hope is in giving it time.
Time will cure all ills, and if you cant stomach the desert in your first 6 months, GET OUT!
You may end up a sunbaked, destiture, friendless, isolated, deranged individual.

Transistioning to the Sonoran desert takes time. Enjoy the subleties the desert has to offer, have a bit of patience with the hispanics (*good luck) and stay cool. Once you acclimate, and suffered an entire summer, you have become a true YUMAN, and shed the wings of the snowbirds. Your intiation is complete.