I really don't like living in Boston (Revere, Douglas: school, gated)

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by charolastra00

Many a time I've struck up a conversation with a completely random person in JFK park, the T, Mount Auburn Cemetery, or the Common about politics or about whatever the other one is reading. That's not strange to me, whereas in Atlanta or even DC, that just would not have ever happened.

Well, perhaps I don't talk to strangers like you, but I'm sure if you're only in college you aren't really qualified to make that sort of assessment on DC. Actually, what you are saying is exactly what makes DC vibrant - the fact that people do engage in conversations of larger issues. Every conversation I pass by here has to do with the Red Sox.

But, your larger point makes sense. It does take time.

[ogre]

Bluefly, since you're still checking back with this thread, here's another thought. You haven't said how old you are, but I'm guessing you're fairly close to the traditional age for a graduate student. If you're older than that, I'd still guess 20's, maybe very early 30's. I'm guessing this because it sounds to me as if you may be heading toward a move into a new phase of life.

Thinking over your posts, I notice some apparent contradictions, but to me this seems more like confusion than contradiction. You say you were hoping to find Boston to be something like D.C. without the politics, but then you say that the political vibrancy is what you miss in Boston. But then in another post you say that moving away from city living altogether may be the most actualized way of life. To me this sounds very possibly like the kind of confusion that seems to occur during the lead-up to one of life's phase changes. In fact, I think it's that confusion--where a lot of what has worked for you and you've taken for granted no longer seems satisfying--that motivates you to figure out what you need now as you continue to grow, and to move into life's next phase. I'm guessing that you're in the process of figuring out what you want your life to be in mature adulthood.

Going through such a time in life is confusing. It would be confusing no matter where you were located. If I'm guessing correctly here, then I'd suggest accepting as much as possible that this is just a part of life you'r passing through, seeking out what you like to do as much as possible where you're living now, and keeping in mind that once you've settled into the next part of your life, you'll have a better idea what kind of setting you need to be in to live that next phase.

Hmm, off the deep end? Just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo from a wannabe wise old bearded man? Quite possibly. But out there now, for you to consider for what it's worth. Best of luck settling into Boston, and with school and your future endeavors.

[dozokoko]

This is gonna be one of those Scooby Doo reactionary type posts...making many shake their heads....

I am a born and bred Noo Yawker. Lived there my whole life, all 36 years. Lived in Downtown NYC for nearly 20 of them. Then I got married to a gorgeous wonderful man, formerly from the Boston area, and started coming up here little by little. Boston, by comparison didn't really excite me, I thought it was "cute".

But as a musician, watching a ton of art venues, music venues and a lot of artistic neighborhoods give way to the corporate onslaught of New York City's Fiscal at the risk of killing it's own soul, I decided "maybe I should search for some place, bigger, and with more room, and perhaps with some funky boho charm."

And that is when I first came to SOMERVILLE. And fell in love. Is it New York? NOPE. But, Somerville if you're looking for a city on the rise, a place full of ethnic diversity (I'm particularly interested in how many Brazilians are here....), a place full of musicians, artists and people who are here doing their own thing, THIS might be a place you should want to check out. And call me bananas, but after having lived in NYC my whole life, Boston by comparison is a far more affordable city. I mean, it would horrify you to see how little space and how much you'll pay for it in NYC. If I still felt like I was living in an artists community (and by now, kiddies, Williamsburg is a T Shirt), maybe it would have still be worth it to me to stay. But in Somerville, I have a HUGE space, a driveway for a car, and there's this wonderful vibe here. It's quirky and fun. Haven't done my first Boston winter yet, but being from NYC, I'm not that scared off. Ain't like we never got snow and cold there.

Boston is a city going through changes. It is a small city, that wants to be bigger, wants to be more interesting and I think that while Boston Proper is still stuck in small city land, the pocket neighborhoods around it, are where the real action is. Somerville (which is a city unto itself, but is really greater Cambridge) is really fun and funky. Union Square is quite possibly going to be getting a T stop and of all the areas of Somerville I see great promise for it. There's great ethnic restaurants and with a little spit and imagination, I'd love to see it become a musicians area, specially focusing on World Music because of all the Brazilians. I am very very devoted to Samba and Baile Funk and I think it's a simmering pot. I live off Davis Square (technically in Teele Square) and Davis is more developed up. The joke was (and I thought they only did this in NYC) that "Davis is the new Harvard Square." Which is hilarious to me, cause while Davis is a cool little funky place to hang, it's not as large as Harvard Square and it's not catering to the international population of Harvard's student body and their families. Harvard Square is where I like to take my family when they're in town. Davis is just....my nabe. I dig it. Small, but quaint, and funky. I think it needs......a little bit more, and I think that it's coming.

[matildathedog]

Originally Posted by wealthtrader

There are a lot of white people here becuase it was settled a long time ago, and people put down their roots and created good jobs, and excellent education which inflated the property values high enough so that many lower income immigrants would have little choices in the Boston Metro- besides a select few, i.e. Lawrence, Brockton, etc)


And coming from Europe, many people are proud of their heritage in the same way many races are. All in all, Boston may not be as diverse as NYC, however it's more diverse than Portland, Maine. It all depends on your mindset. Live with the city and start embracing the city for what it is.

New York was settled a long time ago too but it is a lot more diverse then Boston and Boston's property values are insignificant when compared to New York's so your claim that european settlement made boston wealthier than other places is just plain . As far as being ethnocentric, yes people in Boston are 'proud of their heritage' but the difference between them and people in the rest of this country is that everyone else got off the boat and are actually American.

And it is true, Boston is as whitebred as they come. Every other major US city I've been too besides Boston, Milwakee, and Buffalo have a black middle class or blacks are a lot more visable in the business community, government, and are more intregrated in the general fabric of the community.

[rada828]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

Perhaps, having spent so much time in cities from LA and Seattle to New York and New Orleans, the reality is that maybe I've just moved beyond the trappings of city life as a viable means of deep satiation. In my philosophical and spiritual explorations, I've been exposed to the notion that more evolved societies move beyond city living - so maybe I'm just transitioning to that frame of mind while still immersed in a very city-oriented civilization. I don't know.

Just a thought: I think you may have answered your own question here. It's not very clear why you want to be here in Boston, rather than somewhere more evolved, but trying hard enough to make any given situation/setting confirm your preexisting ideas tends to be pretty effective, in general. I'm a transplant myself, and even after 8 years here I am still finding new things to explore and love about this area, but it helps a lot to keep your mind open and your philosophical notions on the back burner. Good luck finding something deeply satiating in Boston, or finding another place that is perfect for you (and demonstrates this within the first 3 months!).

[Cart24]

Originally Posted by matildathedog

New York was settled a long time ago too but it is a lot more diverse then Boston and Boston's property values are insignificant when compared to New York's so your claim that european settlement made boston wealthier than other places is just plain . As far as being ethnocentric, yes people in Boston are 'proud of their heritage' but the difference between them and people in the rest of this country is that everyone else got off the boat and are actually American.

And it is true, Boston is as whitebred as they come. Every other major US city I've been too besides Boston, Milwakee, and Buffalo have a black middle class or blacks are a lot more visable in the business community, government, and are more intregrated in the general fabric of the community.

Boston Demographics:

Non Hispanic White: 50%
Black: 23.5%
Asian: 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino: 15.6%

Half the population is classified as visible minority.

26% of the population is foreign born which puts it in the top 10 in the nation.

Visible in government? Deval Patrick (our Governor) is black, the Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral is from Cape Verde and Sam Yoon is running for mayor.

[brightdoglover]

Historically, there have been fewer black people than in many other areas because a) slavery ended early, and there were no large slave-holding plantations/farms b) there weren't many major heavy industries for World War II that would bring black people up from the segregated South as there were in many other cities.
I can understand the OP considering that maybe it's just time not to be in an urban environment. I always thought I had to be, because I thought the only option was a suburbo split-leve surrounded by kids playing soccer and stuff. I have learned that I am, at heart, a town person, not a city person, although a lot of my mind lives in the arts and culture stuff of the city, the physical city is just awful to me now.

[matildathedog]

Originally Posted by mattncind

Boston Demographics:

Non Hispanic White: 50%
Black: 23.5%
Asian: 8.3%
Hispanic or Latino: 15.6%

Half the population is classified as visible minority.

26% of the population is foreign born which puts it in the top 10 in the nation.

Visible in government? Deval Patrick (our Governor) is black, the Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral is from Cape Verde and Sam Yoon is running for mayor.

Virginia had a black governor back in the 80's, I believe but I'm not sure. Are you saying just because we have a black governor in mass in 2009 it isn't a racist place to live? Anyway the governor doesn't seem to be doing to well since the good old boy irish and italian network on beacon hill don't seem to like him too much.

Also just because Boston has a diverse population does not make it non-racist either. It is diverse but in the same way Johannesburg is diverse except the townships are mattapan, dorchester, roslindale, and roxbury. Also you can't count Hispanics exclusively as visible minorities since Hispanics are not a race and can actually be of any race; black, white, Asian, native, or any combination of these.

Also I have yet to see a company in Boston where even middle management has a significant visible minority presence that is representative of the demographics you present.

[Wingfoot]

Everybody likes what they like. So much of what we feel and do is on a subconcious level that argueing about it comes to naught.
In German"Jeder nach seiner art" .

[Mr. Joshua]

Originally Posted by matildathedog

Virginia had a black governor back in the 80's, I believe but I'm not sure. Are you saying just because we have a black governor in mass in 2009 it isn't a racist place to live? Anyway the governor doesn't seem to be doing to well since the good old boy irish and italian network on beacon hill don't seem to like him too much.

Also just because Boston has a diverse population does not make it non-racist either. It is diverse but in the same way Johannesburg is diverse except the townships are mattapan, dorchester, roslindale, and roxbury. Also you can't count Hispanics exclusively as visible minorities since Hispanics are not a race and can actually be of any race; black, white, Asian, native, or any combination of these.

Also I have yet to see a company in Boston where even middle management has a significant visible minority presence that is representative of the demographics you present.

It's not a racist city. There is no such thing.
Did I read your post correctly that you are comparing Boston to Johannesburg?