Did Anything About Boston Living Surprise You?

[Cliff Clavin]

Not to derail the thread...but if you folks are ever up in Wakefield, try Melethab.

Meletharb Ice Cream - Wakefield, MA

[Pear Martini]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I've lived in Brighton since mid-November. My major surprises:

- how expensive everything is. I knew it was gonna cost more than Cleveland, but the price of entertainment is really what got me. I mean, I knew already what my rent was going to be, but I didn't expect going out on the weekends to be so much.

- lack of late night stuff. It just seemed weird to me that places are closed so early. The area is quite a bit bigger than where I'm from, but I think most everything is open later at home, at least places that I hung out - cafes, libraries, casual dining. But, stuff closing is kinda good. Keeps me from spending money!

- I have met very few people from Boston. It seems that everyone I run into is from New Hampshire or Connecticut or somewhere, but NOT Boston. I guess I was hoping for a less transient kind of place. That's why I laugh when people bring up the "provincial" thing. I think Boston isn't "provincial" enough.

- But I was also surprised how international the place is. I didn't expect there to be so many Russians, which was very nice for me to find out. I shop basically only at Russian stores. My building is also probably at least half foreign. I think that is kind of cool.

Those were the first things that came to my mind. I'll post more if I can think of anything.

most of the provincial types has been priced out of the city recently (past ten years) due to rising rent price. You will find more townies outside of Boston in weird small towns like Lynn and Waltham than you will in Boston now days.

Over the past 15 years my aunt has been priced out of Brookline, and then Brighton, they now live in the suburbs.

[JacksonPanther]

So I guess the surprise is, there are few Bostonians living in Boston...

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

So I guess the surprise is, there are few Bostonians living in Boston...

Exactly! It's too bad. The ~4 native Bostonians I've met have been really friendly.

[rranger]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Exactly! It's too bad. The ~4 native Bostonians I've met have been really friendly.

We're talking about the Boston in MA, right? This thread is bizarre; I live in in Boston, and I can assure you the place is crawling with locals. Time to get out of the student areas, I guess.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by rranger

We're talking about the Boston in MA, right? This thread is bizarre; I live in in Boston, and I can assure you the place is crawling with locals. Time to get out of the student areas, I guess.

Yes, Boston. I just answered the question- what surprised me. Even if you think there are a ton of locals, I guarentee, where I am from, there is a much much much much higher percentage of natives.

[AnonChick]

I went to Boston because I went to college there. I wasn't prepared for the culture shock. Sounds silly, but - I had never known more than a single individual "out of the closet" gay person, til I went to Boston. I'd known some effeminate men, and some butch women, but had no knowledge of whether or not these were just quirks of their heterosexual personality, or if they were expressions of their homosexuality. Never gave it any thought at all, one way or another.

But then I got to college and learned that 60% of the school - including the staff - was homosexual. I wasn't really sure how I was -supposed- to react to this information, or the sudden onslaught of the "stereotypical behavior" of effeminate gays and masculine lesbians. I basically ended up taking it all in stride, mostly because I was brought up to acknowledge differences, but not emphasize them. But boy the initial exposure and sudden realization that I was in the minority threw me for a loop, for the first couple of weeks!

I LOVED my college years and stayed in Boston for years after - met a counter culture of homeless people and street musicians, became one of them (street musicians), learned their stories, benefited from their generosity in sharing their lives with me. That was the second thing that surprised me - the whole "subculture" of people who live in and around Boston and Harvard Square, the faces you pass every day but dare not look at. I dared to look. And I was blessed, as a result.

[Bettafish]

- It's hard to reach a mega supermarket where I can buy everything. When I was in Kansas I often went to Walmart to buy food, hardware, furniture, goldfish, plants, Vitamins at the SAME time. Near the city it is hard to find such a place.
- Many shops close too early.
- I stopped eating Chinese/Asian food in the restaurants because other options are much better.
- It's hard to find a decent apartment. They all ask for this and that and then tell you it is gone.
- Cops are not harsh. I feel they don't want to catch you unless you are doing something too bad.

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by AnonChick

I went to Boston because I went to college there. I wasn't prepared for the culture shock. Sounds silly, but - I had never known more than a single individual "out of the closet" gay person, til I went to Boston. I'd known some effeminate men, and some butch women, but had no knowledge of whether or not these were just quirks of their heterosexual personality, or if they were expressions of their homosexuality. Never gave it any thought at all, one way or another.

But then I got to college and learned that 60% of the school - including the staff - was homosexual. I wasn't really sure how I was -supposed- to react to this information, or the sudden onslaught of the "stereotypical behavior" of effeminate gays and masculine lesbians. I basically ended up taking it all in stride, mostly because I was brought up to acknowledge differences, but not emphasize them. But boy the initial exposure and sudden realization that I was in the minority threw me for a loop, for the first couple of weeks!

I LOVED my college years and stayed in Boston for years after - met a counter culture of homeless people and street musicians, became one of them (street musicians), learned their stories, benefited from their generosity in sharing their lives with me. That was the second thing that surprised me - the whole "subculture" of people who live in and around Boston and Harvard Square, the faces you pass every day but dare not look at. I dared to look. And I was blessed, as a result.

LOL I recall the first time I went to a department party in graduate school. A male professor showed up with another man, and I was shocked too. When I saw them kiss (in front of other people!) I felt gross.

[AnonChick]

I wasn't grossed out by anything I saw - just more like - it was a novelty. I stared at lot for the first couple of months in school. The fascination faded eventually and it became "just folks." The kissing stuff - well I'm kind of prudish about public displays of affection anyway. So it was discomforting, no matter who was doing it. Still is.