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"hated the heat, and the backwardness of the natives, and the creepy-crawlies, and the gimmicky golf-courses, and the fact that there was no body of water bigger than a tennis court, but it was the bread (or lack thereof) that made me want to leave. Arizona sucks. There's a reason why people don't live in deserts if they can help it."
I happen to be a "native" Arizonan and I resent your comment. I am not backwards.
I don't know who you encountered out here but it wasn't me. As for the bugs, snakes, etc., I have yet to see one in any of the homes I have ever lived in. I personally hate the cold and would never consider living in a cold climate.
We have plenty of bodies of water, they are called "LAKES". Without our resevoirs and lakes, life in the desert would not be possible. Growing up here, we spent most of the summer out at the lakes in our boat.
I have watched this valley explode with growth and am not thrilled with it. Too many ex-californians and east coasters coming out here and trying to turn it into what they left. Keep spreading the word to your friends how horrible it is here, so us "natives" can continue to enjoy our magnificent desert in peace.