Dan Feinman

    As the clock struck twelve on New Year’s Eve I found myself—well, I found myself in Tampa. The weather was warm compared to my home state of New York, the place where I had lived the first 28 years of my life. As my wife gave me a big ole’ New Year’s kiss, I thought, “What am I doing here?  Do I belong here in Tampa? It was 83 degrees outside today…and it’s New Year’s!” Let me tell you how I found myself here, transplanted from the only city I had known and loved my entire life.
I had been standing on the platform for the number 6 train for just about 45 minutes when I finally saw the lights of the subway car approaching. The other hundred or so people on the platform saw it as well, and suddenly a whole swell of bodies began jockeying for position. As the train approached, some of the folks waiting near the front of the platform braced themselves so they wouldn’t be pushed onto the tracks. The floor was slippery from snow slush that had melted down into the subway corridor from the grated sidewalk of Park Avenue above. The passengers were all wearing bulky winter coats, sweating from the heat of the subway station. There was no room to remove our coats, and more people just kept shoving inward from the back of the line.
The train arrived and the doors opened. A few passengers jostled their way out of the metal doors, and everyone waiting attempted to shove their way onto the train. Much to everyone’s disappointment, there was not an inch of room on the subway cars. I felt like a cow being pushed around and herded into a pen. We would all have to continue waiting.  
    When I finally made it home to my tiny apartment that night, after walking through a blistering, wind-filled snowstorm, my wife met me at the door. We were both sweaty in our business suits from the subway, yet freezing from the weather. We were exhausted from our long day of work, and raging from our terrible commute. We locked eyes, and said, basically in unison, “We’re done with New York.”
    Having lived and worked in or around the Big Apple for my entire life, yes, I was ready to leave all of my friends and family behind and get out. Don’t get me wrong…I love many things about New York including the culture, the interesting people, and of course, the food. Unfortunately, these factors could not convince my wife and I to stay. We needed a change of pace. “But where would we go?” we thought.
“L.A.?” Nah. Too much of a scene for us.
“Miami?” Nope. Everyone there is a little too tan and sculpted.
“D.C.” Uh-uh. We don’t know anyone there.
“Tampa?” Hmmm. Maybe. My wife grew up in Tampa and her parents still live there. She knows a bunch of people from High School whom she would love to reconnect with. The weather is wonderful compared to New York.
“Tampa…really?” Yes. Tampa. It was decided. We quit our jobs, packed up our belongings, and headed down to Tampa Bay.
     The first order of business was simple really; we merely needed 2 jobs, 2 cars, and a house. In New York, for us, finding a house was nearly impossible. Even buying an apartment was nearly impossible, economically speaking. My wife and I are both attorneys, and each made a fairly decent living, but the prices for apartments in Manhattan are astronomical. Plus, dealing with a broker in New York is almost always an awful experience. The word sleazeball would be a complement to most of the real estate folks we dealt with up there. Here in Tampa, everyone has been all smiles, full of patience, and actually understands the concept of customer service. Plus, with the housing market falling steadily (for better or worse), my wife and I cannot believe some of the value and space you can get for your money down here.
    As for a car, we decided to lease one for my wife first, and get a second car after I found a job. We walked into the Volkswagen dealership, were greeted by a knowledgeable and helpful sales guy, and within a few days we were driving a great car (which we put no money down on and leased for a great price.) In New York, just paying for a parking space in runs you about $600 a month. A car was out of the question.  
    The job search is going on as we speak. Before we came here, we knew we were going to take a hit on our salaries coming from the Big City. An HR consultant at a financial company in Tampa described the salary difference here to me by using a term known as, ‘The Sunshine Factor’. With a straight face, she informed me that I would make less money in Tampa, well, because it was sunny out. As she said it, my eyes glazed over and I looked out of the large glass window that she had in her office. It was a sparkling 82 degrees and sunny outside. I had driven to my interview smoothly in my wife’s brand new car. When I returned my attention to the HR woman, she smiled, and also told me that the cost of living would be so much less here and that my money would go a lot farther.  
    Will it? We shall see. I will keep you posted. But for now, I am enjoying the New Year and the wonderful weather of January by sitting outside and reading a book, while those in New York are commuting like sardines inside the subway, walking home in the slush and snow, and returning to their tiny apartments. Sure, they’ve got culture up there, and maybe some better food…but they sure don’t have ‘The Sunshine Factor’.