For Europeans thinking about moving to SF/San Jose (San Diego: gated, jobs)

[striker]

Here is my story about Frisco (as I like to call it:-)

Originally from Milan (known as the Fashion Capital of the World, great sophisticated night life and beautiful friendly people but not so nice weather as it’s cold in the winter).

Grew up in Milan until the end of high school. Decided to do my university studies in the US. Moved to Austin, TX to attend college at Univ. of Texas where I played soccer for the school. Great 4 years of fun and good friends. Always wanted to live by the beach, so moved to Tampa to get my Master at Univ. of South Florida. Another great two years. Life style similar to Austin but night life more sophisticated and more things to do. The beautiful Tampa Bay Area. That is the real “Bay Area” to me.

Visited often Miami during that time and absolutely fell in love with the Magic City and South Florida. A mix of Mediterranean, South American and European influence. Amazing city where I would have liked to move at the end of my Master for my first job. Lots of real Italians actually from Italy in South Beach compared to most other cities in the country where there are only Italian-Americans who don’t even speak the language. In South Beach there are actually lots of Italians from Italy, French from France, Germans from Germany, etc. Hottest women on the planet, friendly latin/caribbean culture, better night life than Milan, London or Paris. After all even Italian pro soccer players love South Beach. Oh and great soccer too for being in the US thanks to all the super friendly and “party lovers” latin people (mostly Argentineans, Colombian, Brazilians and central Americans).

Unfortunately, what seemed to be the best job for the beginning of my career (high tech as I am an electrical engineer with a Master) came up in San Jose, CA also known as the Silicon Valley. Visited during the interview and didn’t like the area from the start. However, I thought I could live close to San Francisco which sounded cool at least at the beginning. Some people had even told me that for some reason it was very European.

So I moved to Redwood Shores 8 months ago (as close as possible to SF as any further up north would have been too far from San Jose). Let’s just say that I am already trying to move back to Florida again. San Jose is a ghetto ass town which should belong to Asia. Beside the ghetto, it is just bunch of Asian engineers wearing white socks with dark pants and leather shoes. I'm a young professional, and bored as hell in this suburban lifeless tech jungle of the South Bay. The South Bay is boring, sterile, expensive, and impersonal. I have minimal friends here, and they're mostly homebodies. It's totally illogical that a place with no substantial cultural value, transportation, nightlife, or other urban benefits should have living costs as high. A true cultural wasteland by any European standard. The “frisco” bay area as a whole is the most boring place a young person could ever choose to live in. You need to be driving at least two hours to find anything interesting.

And now about SF: hate the weather (cold and rains all the time), hate the people (dirty and but ass ugly hippies), the bums, the junkies, the calling “The City” (while SF is not a city by any mean when compared to NYC, London or Milan), the keep on hearing “Bay Area” here, “Bay Area” there.

The night life is pathetic to say the least by any European standard. Truly, there is not a worse and more overrated place I have ever been to. Always liked the US, but the 8 months here are making me wanting to move back to Italy. There is no Latin friendly atmosphere, just ghetto ass Mexicans (nothing to do with the friendly South and Central American culture of Miami), Asians (lame and boring, wearing white socks with dark pants and leather shoes, cheap as hell too), and WASPs who think this is great place to live at segregated in their areas. Did I mention it's always cold? Fog in the summer too!

The young crowds here have no idea what fun life is like. They seem to enjoy dirty cheap bars while tasting some draft beer. That’s what SF has to offer. The dance clubs are laughable here. The people here seem to enjoy never being able to wear a bathing suit cause it’s too cold to lay out, the lame night life, and the spending hours commuting in the car. Instead of going to the gym trying to look nice, they smoke out. That's the theme of the city of SF: Pot heads and gays!

Truly the worst place I have seen in the US, although some of the areas around are pretty to the eyes. LA and San Diego seem much nicer to me (in fact more Europeans are found in Santa Monica or San Diego) although now I know my dream is called Miami Beach and that’s exactly where I will move to ASAP.

[headingeast]

Originally Posted by striker

Here is my story about Frisco (as I like to call it:-)

I have to tell you that anyone from the Bay Area will laugh at you or quietly consider you a hick if you say "Frisco". But since you are Italian, maybe they will just think it is cute. I doubt it, though, since you are obviously so arrogant and snotty -- don't think that people don't notice. I know in Italy it is normal to look down on anyone who does things differently than you or is a different race than you, but in the United States we don't find that a desirable quality. It's called "provincial", and I think they use a similar word in Italian to mean the same thing, non è vero? La mentalità provinciale...

Maybe you could go back to Italy and try to find a job there -- oh yeah, there are no jobs in Italy! Oops!

By the way, Milano is grey and ugly. The only thing it has going for it is La Scala e il Duomo. Maybe the Galleria. The rest of it is an ugly, industrial city that everyone tries to leave as soon as they've seen the Duomo. San Francisco is ten times as beautiful as Milano, and it's not filled with racist Italians smiling to your face and ripping you off behind your back. Basta e punto.

[aguamarina4u]

Striker, why are you posting this again? I've already read your original post on the San Francisco board, hmmm.

Dude - Stop complaining and move where you will be most happy. With all this negativity you are gonna have a heart attack! And no one really cares what you have to say!

Live life to it's fullest!

[Jim Finn]

Originally Posted by striker

Here is my story about Frisco (as I like to call it:-)

Originally from Milan (known as the Fashion Capital of the World, great sophisticated night life and beautiful friendly people but not so nice weather as it’s cold in the winter).

Grew up in Milan until the end of high school. Decided to do my university studies in the US. Moved to Austin, TX to attend college at Univ. of Texas where I played soccer for the school. Great 4 years of fun and good friends. Always wanted to live by the beach, so moved to Tampa to get my Master at Univ. of South Florida. Another great two years. Life style similar to Austin but night life more sophisticated and more things to do. The beautiful Tampa Bay Area. That is the real “Bay Area” to me.

Visited often Miami during that time and absolutely fell in love with the Magic City and South Florida. A mix of Mediterranean, South American and European influence. Amazing city where I would have liked to move at the end of my Master for my first job. Lots of real Italians actually from Italy in South Beach compared to most other cities in the country where there are only Italian-Americans who don’t even speak the language. In South Beach there are actually lots of Italians from Italy, French from France, Germans from Germany, etc. Hottest women on the planet, friendly latin/caribbean culture, better night life than Milan, London or Paris. After all even Italian pro soccer players love South Beach. Oh and great soccer too for being in the US thanks to all the super friendly and “party lovers” latin people (mostly Argentineans, Colombian, Brazilians and central Americans).

Unfortunately, what seemed to be the best job for the beginning of my career (high tech as I am an electrical engineer with a Master) came up in San Jose, CA also known as the Silicon Valley. Visited during the interview and didn’t like the area from the start. However, I thought I could live close to San Francisco which sounded cool at least at the beginning. Some people had even told me that for some reason it was very European.

So I moved to Redwood Shores 8 months ago (as close as possible to SF as any further up north would have been too far from San Jose). Let’s just say that I am already trying to move back to Florida again. San Jose is a ghetto ass town which should belong to Asia. Beside the ghetto, it is just bunch of Asian engineers wearing white socks with dark pants and leather shoes. I'm a young professional, and bored as hell in this suburban lifeless tech jungle of the South Bay. The South Bay is boring, sterile, expensive, and impersonal. I have minimal friends here, and they're mostly homebodies. It's totally illogical that a place with no substantial cultural value, transportation, nightlife, or other urban benefits should have living costs as high. A true cultural wasteland by any European standard. The “frisco” bay area as a whole is the most boring place a young person could ever choose to live in. You need to be driving at least two hours to find anything interesting.

And now about SF: hate the weather (cold and rains all the time), hate the people (dirty and but ass ugly hippies), the bums, the junkies, the calling “The City” (while SF is not a city by any mean when compared to NYC, London or Milan), the keep on hearing “Bay Area” here, “Bay Area” there.

The night life is pathetic to say the least by any European standard. Truly, there is not a worse and more overrated place I have ever been to. Always liked the US, but the 8 months here are making me wanting to move back to Italy. There is no Latin friendly atmosphere, just ghetto ass Mexicans (nothing to do with the friendly South and Central American culture of Miami), Asians (lame and boring, wearing white socks with dark pants and leather shoes, cheap as hell too), and WASPs who think this is great place to live at segregated in their areas. Did I mention it's always cold? Fog in the summer too!

The young crowds here have no idea what fun life is like. They seem to enjoy dirty cheap bars while tasting some draft beer. That’s what SF has to offer. The dance clubs are laughable here. The people here seem to enjoy never being able to wear a bathing suit cause it’s too cold to lay out, the lame night life, and the spending hours commuting in the car. Instead of going to the gym trying to look nice, they smoke out. That's the theme of the city of SF: Pot heads and gays!

Truly the worst place I have seen in the US, although some of the areas around are pretty to the eyes. LA and San Diego seem much nicer to me (in fact more Europeans are found in Santa Monica or San Diego) although now I know my dream is called Miami Beach and that’s exactly where I will move to ASAP.

GO BACK TO EUROPE! I will buy the ticket if you stay there!

[krudmonk]

You tried making friends with techies, right? Bad idea. You should have sought out some normal types. Don't blame our city because your profession attracts socially awkward people.