Did you move to California from the Midwest? (San Francisco: fit in, transplants)

[Annie3]

I currently live in Illinois, have lived here all my life, sad but true. I visited California for the first time this year and I think I'm in love with the place. For a long time Boston was at the top of my list, but I realized I just don't want to be cold any more . I am tired of snow, but I am more tired of that cold-to-the-bone feeling that lasts all winter.

So, my question is this: If you moved to California from the Midwest, did you find it hard to fit in and make new friends? Was it hard to adjust to an extremely different culture? If you left California (for whatever reason) would you ever move back?

Thanks !

[uptown_urbanist]

I'm from Minnesota originally, then in a roundabout way (couple of stops on the east coast) made my way to California, first LA then SF. I've actually found it easier to meet people here than anywhere else I've ever lived. There are many Midwesterners here (there are people from everywhere here!) and I don't consider it to be an "extremely different culture." Of course that depends partly on where you live now; if you're living in a small town in Illinois and move to the middle of Hollywood or to the Mission in San Francisco then yes, there will be a major difference, and the same thing if you live in Chicago now and moved to some small town in CA. I don't want to suggest that the Midwest and California are alike (there are, of course, many differences), but I think they feel less more similar than do the Midwest and many parts of the east coast.

I would be happy settling down permanently in California - and had fully expected to do so - but because of family and cost of living issues we're planning on buying a place in Minnesota. If the economy was better and we could afford to fly back for visits more often then we might have chosen differently. (ironically, my dad is a native Californian, and many people in Minnesota think he's crazy for living there!) I love the Midwest AND I love California. I think I'll continue to feel a dual CA/MN "citizenship" for a long time.

[Soccersupporter]

Originally Posted by Annie3

I currently live in Illinois, have lived here all my life, sad but true. I visited California for the first time this year and I think I'm in love with the place. For a long time Boston was at the top of my list, but I realized I just don't want to be cold any more . I am tired of snow, but I am more tired of that cold-to-the-bone feeling that lasts all winter.

So, my question is this: If you moved to California from the Midwest, did you find it hard to fit in and make new friends? Was it hard to adjust to an extremely different culture? If you left California (for whatever reason) would you ever move back?

Thanks !

Annie, having lived in southern California all my life and then moved to TX I can give you some advise. No matter where you move don't talk about how different your new home is in a negative way. Always be positive and open to others. We have found TX to be very friendly and very comfortable but we have also welcomed the changes, weather, etc.. It is never hard to make new friends if you are friendly. It was actually quite easy in TX because it is full of friendly people. I have never come across so many people that love to talk more than myself and I am a man.

There are many CA transplants in TX so it made it a little easier an adjustment for us. CA is full of people from all over the world so fitting in should not be a problem. The economy is really tough in CA so it might be a little down compared to the past but good people don't change because of a down economy. TX has a far different culture than CA but big cities are all pretty much the same. Fitting in is never a problem if you want to. The key is that you have to want to fit in and are willing to adjust.

The only way my wife and I would move back is if our kids did and that is highly unlikely. We moved out here to be hands-on grand parents and give our younger children a better chance and a less financially stressed lifestyle.

Good luck to you!

[MtnSurfer]

*Many* Californians are from the Midwest. My mom's whole side of the family migrated out from Michigan. Once they moved out they never looked back. They had enough snow for one lifetime.

Although my wife and I are natives we did move to CO with our three children. We have since returned and find it actually easier to meet ppl in a new part of CA and make friends than in CO. Because much of CA is a melting pot of the whole world ppl seem to be generally used to outsiders including natives like us. I work with ppl from many states and countries. And this is the norm. I actually like diversity and missed that while living in CO.

Derek