Living & Nursing in New Mexico

Snowboard, snow ski, white water raft, fish, rock climb, ride horses, bike, hike through the desert and never leave the state. Did I mention practice under your new nursing license at some of the region's finest healthcare facilities? That's New Mexico!

No wonder they call it the Land of Enchantment.When you begin to seriously look at where you want to work and live after graduation, New Mexico just has to make your short list! You're going to want some recreation after work and pretty much anything you want to do can be found right here. It's not far from one climate to another all within the confines of New Mexico, so if you tire of the picturesque, jagged snow-covered Rockies and Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the north you can be in the low lying, arid desert region in pretty short order.

There are six regions of New Mexico. The first is Central New Mexico and it includes the metropolis of Albuquerque as the anchor.

Northeast New Mexico, like many other New Mexico locations, is filled with historic places, National Monuments and a National Forest, Santa Fe National Forest and the Pecos Wilderness Area. Climb to the rim of dormant Capulin Volcano and you can see four states.

Southwest New Mexico is a taste of the wild, Wild West with ghost towns and Native American treasures. It also includes the White Sands Missile Range, Silver City, Truth or Consequences, and Las Cruces, the state's second largest city.

The North Central region includes state capitol Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Taos for world class skiing. Northwest New Mexico is home to Chaco Canyon. More than a thousand years ago it was the center of a culture that united most of the southwest U.S. The whole region is steeped in Native American history, fascinating ruins, monuments and unique rock formations.

Go Southeast to find Roswell, Carlsbad Caverns and Alamogordo and the Guadalupe Mountains. Drive the Billy The Kid National Scenic Byway and visit the restored frontier town of Lincoln.

There you go, that's a super quick mini-tour of the regions of New Mexico and it certainly doesn't do them justice. There are thirteen National Monuments and parks, 34 state parks, five National Forests, 19 Native American Pueblos, two Apache reservations and the Navajo Nation all tucked inside this state and enough private industry to support most any outdoor activity you practice.

It's been said that you may feel comfortable right away in New Mexico because you've already seen so much of it in movies. They probably choose to shoot here for the same reasons you are considering living here. There's a huge diversity in geography, climate and cultures in New Mexico not to mention the sweeping colorful vistas. The Native American and Hispanic influence blends into a most appealing architectural style in the towns and cities. The entire state has a mystical, magical ambiance that draws people worldwide to its majestic landscapes, wide open skies and the weather that makes it possible to get out and enjoy it all-not to mention making a great backdrop for award-winning movies. Parts of the state are at higher altitudes than you may be accustomed to and the air is dry enough that you want to be sure to hydrate yourself adequately for the first few days, but your body will quickly adjust, so no worries, just enjoy yourself!

Ski Resorts in Pajarito, Red River and Angel Fire draw wintertime visitors from around the world with their world class slopes and facilities. White water rafting on scenic stretches of the Rio Grande and Rio Chama Rivers is perfect for adrenaline junkies in the warmer months. Have an artistic bent? New Mexico is an absolute Mecca for artists. Colonies can be found throughout the state. Artists say the sunlight in this western state is unparalleled.

Lest you begin to believe that New Mexico is purely for the outdoors type, you need only take a look at what Santa Fe has to offer. For intellectual nourishment you'll find fabulous galleries, restaurants, opera, and museums like the Georgia O'Keefe, the Wheelwright Indian Museum or the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe. In Albuquerque visit the Museum of Art and History then step across the street to the Atomic Museum for everything you want to know about history and nuclear science, and you might enjoy the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra while you're in town. By the way, you don't have to be able to spell Albuquerque to live there-but it helps. Want funky? Search for aliens in Roswell, arts and crafts in Truth or Consequences (maybe the only town in America named after a TV game show-ask your Grandmother.)Want chilling? How about Los Alamos-the town where the nuclear bomb was developed? Back outdoors, where New Mexico really shines, be sure to visit the Bandelier National Monument and see the Anasazi cliff dwellings in the rock walls there. The Petroglyph National Monument, just ten miles outside Albuquerque, is the place to go to see thousands of pictures carved into the rocks by the ancient Pueblan people. Enjoy the hot springs at Jemez Springs situated inside the Santa Fe National Forest. Watch the horses run at famous Ruidoso Downs Race Track. With a population of less than 2 million in a state that has the fifth largest land area there's plenty of room to stretch and grow in New Mexico.

Luckily for you, there are great healthcare facilities like the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico VA Healthcare System in Albuquerque, Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces, San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, Lea Regional Medical Center in Hobbs and Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo just to name a few. As you know, that's one of the great things about a career in nursing-you can choose where you want to be!

If you haven't already visited, this short article is far from the whole story on New Mexico. To find out more visit www.newmexico.org. You could be Living and Nursing in New Mexico very soon!