OT- Poss. move to Jacksonville Fla. ? about area

Victoria, I have lived in Jacksonville all of my 50 plus years. Have seen the city change from a small south georgia town to a metropolitan area. I have travelled throughout the world and can honestly say I have not found any place I would rather live. We have a great town and you will find most of the people are extremely friendly.  If you have kids, you might want to consider living in St. Johns County. We found the school systyem in St. Johns County  seemed to provide a higher level of education. St. Johns County is about 10 or so miles south of where your husband would be working on Philips Highway.  There are some tremendous support groups in Jacksonville and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville has just started their WLS center. Mayo had been sending their patents from Jacksonville to Phoenix for surgery but have recently trasfered a surgeon to Jacksonville. I have heard they are going to be starting a community support group.  Good Luck on your move. Charlie

Hi Charlie,
Thanks for the info it ia all so exciting. We are chatty friendly people who love to be involved wqith our kids and the community. It sounds like a great place to live.

Jacksonville has an awesome magnet program.  My daughter was in the arts magnet at Pine Forest Elm... This year she will be going to LaVilla school of the Arts for middle school and most likely later on will Attend Douglas Anderson SOTA for high school... All 3 are 'A' schools. The families at Pine Forest were all close knit and had cast parties for the drama kids and all types of shows form choral to dance to theatre to art displays.  Most of the kids follow the same trail through high school, so I will be joining the Art boosters at the middle school as soon as we go to the orientation. I like Jacksonville.  I don't do nightlife and some of my younger co-workers say the night life isn't so hot, but I don't care about the club scene.  We get some good concerts and that is fine with me.   I live on the southside, but the northside is really growing, and if you like the country, Callahan is 30 minutes from the southside - maybe 20 minutes from the airport and they have that country small town feel and are building some lovely neighborhoods with acre plus homesites.  I think I'd like to live right at the edge on the Duval county side so I can still take advantage of the magnet schools but be closer to the country (I'm from a small town too initially).  We have been thinking about buying some property near Callahan, and may even check out Yulee which is a comparable distance. I really liked Dr. Cywes' seminar but he doesn't do RNY... Dr Webb does, and he had a good seminar too. PS I've been to the Philips Hwy BJ's... it is nice.  It is close to Southside/Mandarin/Baymeadows, and Pine Forest School of the Arts! Kim

Come on down.  I'm a support group leader here in Jacksonville....where I was born and raised.   So, naturally, I love it here.  But maybe that's because I don't have anything else to compare it to.  There are surgeons here in town as well as "the new guy" in St. Augustine.  He's not new to the business, just new to the area.  He's Dr. Marema; Dr. Webb, Dr. Cywes, Dr. Herrera and Dr. Chappano (sp) are all here in town and just down the road (in Ocala) are Dr. Jawad and Dr. Overcash. My best advise to you is to attend an informational seminar that each of these surgeons offer and then decide which one is right for you.  I give that advise to all pre ops but because you'll be new in town, I think its still worth your while and will then get a chance to meet them all.   In the meantime, good luck on your surgery and if I can answer any questions for you, please let me know.   When you get home, email me and we'll keep in touch.  I know where BJ's is on Philips and, like another post said...Mandarin and Southside are great areas to look.   Hope to hear from you soon and don't hesitate to come on down.  I may be a little prejudice but I love it here. La Wanda