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Warning: If you live in and/or love Cape Cod, you may find this post offensive! Sorry. Just being honest...
I am a freelance reporter and have been beating my brains out here in Massachusetts for the past four years since college graduation (I am from New York, moved to MA for college, and have been stuck here ever since). I currently live on the south shore and work a temp job (to support my writing) on the Cape. I've been temping for nearly a year and thankfully my position is wrapping up in few weeks, because I hate Cape Cod! Not sure if California is much better from what I've read here... I guess the grass is always greener, huh? Well, I am looking for a major change, and I hate New England and its extreme seasons, especially the bitter winter. I highly doubt I would get sick of the endless CA sunshine and warmth... sounds like a slice of heaven to me!
So I'd love to hear from anyone who's relocated to CA, especially if you're from NY or New England. The only thing I like about this area is the coast, but I just have a hunch that I'd be happier on the west coast. I am kind of a hippie/free spirit and just don't jive with the elitist Cape Codder types I regularly encounter. I am annoyed by everything, from their attitudes to their accents.
I would like to think that I could move out there, waitress or sling coffee and ideally find a great reporting job after a while, but I am aware that unemployment is high and the economy sucks just about everywhere. I've read that CA is deeply in debt and the cost of living is super high (though it's also high in MA, especially in my area). But I truly believe the trade-offs will be much better. Every day, I feel like I'm just wasting my time here, and am growing more and more miserable and disenchanted. It's a joke I've heard often, but people say that Cape Cod is "where old people go to die." That may be highly offensive, but I'm afraid it seems true, especially when you live here... I have such a hard time finding people my age to interact with, let alone some who share my interests and passions (specifically pertaining to my "hippie" beliefs and lifestyle). I realize that moving and finding work in CA will be difficult, but I don't want to wake up one day and realize that I wasted the better part of my twenties in a place that I loathe. Even my older co-workers tell me that if they were my age, they would do things much differently... and wouldn't stick around here!
Ideally, I would like to make this big move sometime in the next few months. I am in my mid-twenties, unmarried and have a pet that I would like to move with me, if possible. I have a varied work history, from office administrative work to retail and various copy writing and local news reporting experience. I also moonlight as a singer/songwriter and think I could find more gigging opportunities around L.A. However, I'm not trying to "make it" as a musician, so that doesn't really impact my decision to move.
Often what happens when you move to get away from some particular annoyance is that you succeed in getting out of that dissatisfaction and put yourself in the midst of another one that you couldn't foresee where you were before. Maybe you want to get out of a severe climate. So you move to someplace with a better climate, but maybe it's not safe to walk the streets alone or the cost of living is so high that you have no discretionary income.
1 out of every 8 Americans already lives in California. And that perhaps is the main thing that's wrong with it: everyone wants to live there...or at least in some movie-in-the-mind version of it. As a result, housing is astronomically expensive, work is hard to find and often low paying, and congested living conditions prevail in the mild-climate portions. Most of California is a difficult place to build your life as a work-a-day drone because so many of the milestones that help you get ahead -- buying a decent starter home, landing a professional salaried job, having some income left to put in the bank after paying bills -- are out of reach. Consequently, California is most accessible to three populations:
1. People who moved there at a time when middle-class ascendancy was easier (or perhaps were born and raised there) and built up a certain amount of personal wealth because of real estate investments made before 1995 or so.
2. Undocumented immigrants who are just trying to survive and get by with multi-family housing arrangements and sharing resources between family members.
3. People who have built their careers and increased their salaries by biding their time elsewhere and are willing to downsize to a humbler situation in California after transferring their equity from some other state. These people are generally middle-aged and typically have no kids.
A lot of East Coasters seem to have this idea that the U.S. consists of two parts: the East Coast and California. This may be difficult to believe, but there are about 40 U.S. states that aren't in either of those two domains. Many of them have much milder climates than New England. Your best chances of getting established might be in some place like Texas, Oregon, Arizona or Georgia.
I see a lot of 20-somethings who are taken in by what I call the Laverne & Shirley Syndrome: Milwaukee sucks, so let's just load up the car and move to a cute apartment in L.A. where we'll drive down Sunset Boulevard beneath the swaying palms with the wind blowing through our hair. Well...real life in California isn't anything like Paramount Television's idyllic depiction of it. Living in southern California is a real grind. You might find it satisfying for a year or so, but if you can never get ahead, if you know that you'll never be able to buy a house or get established in a real career, how long will that last?
My advice is to look for a new job in your field and follow the best job leads. At your age you have to "pay your dues" to get established and be willing to postpone the Dream Life until you've earned some cred. Then, maybe, you can write your own ticket. You obviously need to get out of New England, but California is not the answer.
Incidentally, California covers a lot of latitude and it isn't all "endless sunshine and warmth." Some of the cloudiest spots in the U.S. are in California. Days along the north coast are typically overcast with temperatures in the mid-50's to low-60's (that's in summer). Even in southern California, the climate is Mediterranean, meaning that winter is the wet season. In areas of coastal influence, fog is common. Half the state is covered in snow 7-9 months of the year (if it weren't, there would be no water as it doesn't rain in summer).
Last edited by Brenda-by-the-sea; 03-08-2011 at 02:30 PM..
The thing that I've found with being on City Data for a few years, and researching lots of towns, is that everyone has their own idea of what is perfect, as far as where to live.
I know quite a few people that abhor New England for many of the same reasons, plus the attitude is different there (less open and friendly at first.)
I grew up in Southern California, then lived on the Central Coast for years. Believe it or not, you do kind of get tired of the sameness of the weather after a while. The people are friendly, the atmosphere (outside of the city or more depressed areas) is nice. I'd stick to the beach areas if you can afford it.
Having said all that, you might consider the Pacific Northwest. Yes, not as sunny as California, but not as extreme as NE. You might like the culture of Portland, and the natural beauty. California rocks for many reasons, but you have to accept that you'll probably have to rent the rest of your life, and it needs to go a long way before it's healthy again economically.
I left the Central Coast 8 years ago for the Seattle area. Do I miss the beach and the sun and wearing flip flops all the time? Big time. But am I willing to trade having decent place to live that I own, clean streets and air, and so much natural beauty? Nope. But I have found that Washington State is just NOT me. I have spent a ton of time in Oregon, and have family there, and I figure it's the best of both worlds.
Open your horizons and consider places like Oregon, and even Colorado. That might be what you're looking for.
PS- Really, consider Portland, it seems like a good fit if you can hang with the gray weather. The summers, and parts of spring and fall, are spectacular. And the Oregon Coast is the most beautiful place ever. Lots of cool stuff for 20-somethings, and the rentals are much much more pet-friendly than any place in California.
Quote:
Originally Posted by eithne25
Warning: If you live in and/or love Cape Cod, you may find this post offensive! Sorry. Just being honest...
I am a freelance reporter and have been beating my brains out here in Massachusetts for the past four years since college graduation (I am from New York, moved to MA for college, and have been stuck here ever since). I currently live on the south shore and work a temp job (to support my writing) on the Cape. I've been temping for nearly a year and thankfully my position is wrapping up in few weeks, because I hate Cape Cod! Not sure if California is much better from what I've read here... I guess the grass is always greener, huh? Well, I am looking for a major change, and I hate New England and its extreme seasons, especially the bitter winter. I highly doubt I would get sick of the endless CA sunshine and warmth... sounds like a slice of heaven to me!
So I'd love to hear from anyone who's relocated to CA, especially if you're from NY or New England. The only thing I like about this area is the coast, but I just have a hunch that I'd be happier on the west coast. I am kind of a hippie/free spirit and just don't jive with the elitist Cape Codder types I regularly encounter. I am annoyed by everything, from their attitudes to their accents.
I would like to think that I could move out there, waitress or sling coffee and ideally find a great reporting job after a while, but I am aware that unemployment is high and the economy sucks just about everywhere. I've read that CA is deeply in debt and the cost of living is super high (though it's also high in MA, especially in my area). But I truly believe the trade-offs will be much better. Every day, I feel like I'm just wasting my time here, and am growing more and more miserable and disenchanted. It's a joke I've heard often, but people say that Cape Cod is "where old people go to die." That may be highly offensive, but I'm afraid it seems true, especially when you live here... I have such a hard time finding people my age to interact with, let alone some who share my interests and passions (specifically pertaining to my "hippie" beliefs and lifestyle). I realize that moving and finding work in CA will be difficult, but I don't want to wake up one day and realize that I wasted the better part of my twenties in a place that I loathe. Even my older co-workers tell me that if they were my age, they would do things much differently... and wouldn't stick around here!
Ideally, I would like to make this big move sometime in the next few months. I am in my mid-twenties, unmarried and have a pet that I would like to move with me, if possible. I have a varied work history, from office administrative work to retail and various copy writing and local news reporting experience. I also moonlight as a singer/songwriter and think I could find more gigging opportunities around L.A. However, I'm not trying to "make it" as a musician, so that doesn't really impact my decision to move.
I used to be engaged to someone from Mass. He came out along with several of his friends to San Francisco, had a very good job but ultimately ended up back in Massachusetts. He used to say that people weren't "nice". He was very friendly and was raised around more of a community type environment. He used to have problems making friends here---even though he was a very positive, friendly sort.
I'm a native Californian, and I hate to say this but it seems to be a completely different vibe here than elsewhere from talking to people. A lot of people that move over are disgruntled, unhappy and trying to "escape" whatever problems they had "back home"... and yes, a lot of times it's weather related.
California tends to attracts dreamers. That in itself tends to bring a lot of attitude and independence and a snarky, "too cool for you" and competitive attitude- I'm speaking for San Francisco (where a lot of blow-ins seem to move to).
I have heard this a lot over the years from folks from the East Coast. Now I cannot speak for other parts of California, but I do feel pretty confident in my assessment over the years as a Bay Area/native San Franciscan. I don't want to put you off about it since you might ultimately love it, but for a lot of people, it's never going to be like "home". It didn't take very long for my own East Coast friends to end up back where they started...despite the bad weather...(there's a huge uptick here on c-d of folks looking to move to CA lately over the weather)
Also, that whole hippie/free spirit attitude that we're known for has been replaced by yuppies. Hippies can't really afford it here and just doesn't exist anymore (at least in/around San Francisco). Someone mentioned Oregon/Washington...I honestly think that's where the free spirits are going now days.
I love where I am, but I also have very strong family ties to the region and jobs that fit our qualifications that wouldn't really be in abundance elsewhere.
Brenda-by the Sea has a very good take on all of it--it's not like in the movies anymore--it's expensive and unless you have family or roots or already own a home, it's not easy to make a go of it. I don't want to turn you off at all---but I've personally known far too many people that couldn't stand it here.
Having a friend from Los Angeles and San Diego who have lived there since our grand dads come to retire, California sounded like the place to be. Well, I cannot speak for everyone, was just saying from my minds eyesight of how nice Cali is (based on people I know who lived there all their lives) But yes, could be that the reason they feel fine, content, able, happy as a family is because they had a home already, a car, a family, and kids who earns on their own. Probs might arise though once the grandkids starts school (?) hope not.
"I would like to think that I could move out there, waitress or sling coffee"
As someone's who slings hash part time, I gotta warn ya, even the restaurant business has been hit in California, at least in Orange County where I live. Places are cutting hours like crazy and servers are shooting on site any manager even thinking of hiring someone new!
If you're young and pretty, (I used to be LOL) you may not have a problem, but I'm just saying it's not like it used to be when we were a dime o dozen!
You hate Cape Cod but as said, CA isn't the only other place in the US or the planet for you to move to. Your criteria includes wanting somewhere:
that isn't Cape Code
with more young people
with less snooty, old money elitism
with more sunny weather
a place for "free spirits"
You'll get #1 and #2 anywhere, including NYC. #3 is available in CA but in almost all the other states as well. #4 is available in the entire sun belt, which includes not only CA. As said, #5 might be better found outside of CA, more in the PNW, but if you want it in CA, I've seen it in Santa Cruz though that is an expensive city to live in.
I suggest you also look at Taos, NM and Austin, TX for "free spirits" though those places will be expensive as well.
The downsides of CA include a large third world immigrant population who refuses to learn or speak English, crushing taxation which funds the welfare programs for third world immigrants, and a very competitive job market in which you are best off it you know someone. Otherwise, yours is one more resume to be deleted by the resume software.
If you insist on moving to CA, get a job before you do and I mean one well-paying job. Don't depend on getting part-time entry-level jobs to supplement your income because even those can be hard to get and you'll be more of a candidate for one if you know Spanish, less if you don't.
Start applying for jobs all over the west coast and the whole southwest now.
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