(this is a repost of an opinion on El Paso I expressed several years ago)
As a native El Pasoan, I have some things to contribute:
Stay the hell out of El Paso. That place is a stink-hole that will suck the life and money out of you. If you align yourself with the Republican party, prepare to be surrounded by a bunch of liberal, economy-draining bottom dwellers who think the government OWES them something (even if they're illegals). Don't drive a nice car - it will be vandalized, broken into, stolen, or damaged in an accident caused by an illegal with no insurance. Oh, and I hope you speak Spanish fluently, because God forbid, it's nigh impossible to find someone there who actually speaks English.
To deal with it in the short term: rent/buy a home on the West side of the mountains; they're classier and generally populated by a smaller number of bottom-dwellers. If you can't afford that, or don't like looking across the river at cardboard huts, then I might suggest actually living in Las Cruces, NM. It's only a 45 minute commute. Be sure to get caught up on all of your shots, and make sure you get a TB test reguarly. Stay away from the Lower Valley AT ALL COSTS. Don't be anywhere near downtown at night. Lock your doors everywhere you go. Always watch out for that thug next to you. Carry a knife. Don't look at anyone, and speak only when spoken to. If you eat at a Mexican food joint, be prepared to have the ****s, and don't drink the water. Buy bottled water. Don't ever shop at Wal-Mart...it'll make you want to commit suicide. Most of the women there are infested with STDs, so be careful who you mess around with. Don't party across the border in Mexico; the cops ARE corrupt and will throw you in jail until you can bribe them to let you out. And lastly, be prepared for random, arid weather. No rain.
So yeah, if you can handle all of that, you should be fine.
[This message has been edited by AggieJason (edited 7/22/2013 5:16p).]
