I actually really love living here. The downside for me, as it probably would be for most of you, is how far away it is from my family and my boyfriend. The city itself is very different depending on what part you're in. On the west side, you've got more of a suburban feel, with lots of new stores, chain restaurants, nice neighborhoods, apartment complexes, etc. A lot of the nightlife is on the west side around UTEP, where they have several bars and restaurants. There are a few nightclubs downtown for people who are into that kind of thing, but I can't give you much of a review about that, since I haven't personally been. There are two malls: Sunland Park Mall and Cielo Vista Mall. Sunland Park is on the west side of the city and is a little smaller, but still nice. Cielo Vista Mall is a couple of miles east of the school and is quite a bit larger, but it appears older. It has several higher end stores that Sunland Park doesn't have, though. We also have an outlet mall that's maybe 5 miles down I-10 from where most people live.
For people who like the outdoors, there are lots of cool hiking trails in the Franklin Mtns, ranging in difficulty from beginner to more advanced (where you'll encounter chains to help you climb, etc.). There's also a cool amphitheater on the east side situated on the mountain in McKelligon Canyon. They hold concerts and shows there sometimes, and in fact this Friday I'll be checking out the Viva El Paso show that they've got going on, which includes the history of El Paso through the ages and some folklorico dancing. The Ron Coleman trail also starts at McKelligon Canyon, which is the more advanced trail I was mentioning before.
The central and eastern parts of the city are older for the most part, which is where the school is located. There is some new growth to the far east and near Ft. Bliss, but that's more as you get to the outskirts of the city, from what I've encountered. Commute times haven't been bad so far. It takes me approximately 15 minutes to get to school in the morning, but that will most likely increase when UTEP is back in session for the fall.
I hope that gives you a pretty good idea of the layout of El Paso and what it has to offer. You might not see all of the cool stuff when you come for your interview, considering most of it is not near the school or airport, but trust me, it's there!
Did you guys have any more specific questions about El Paso? I can't say much right now about workload, considering regular classes start next week, but I will say that all of the faculty and staff I've encountered so far have been extremely kind and helpful. They're very approachable, which is important to me. I don't feel nervous about asking them questions, emailing them, etc.