[liberal8]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

...says the person who moved from the South to the West Coast, and has clearly never lived anywhere in the Northeast.

Another proof that schools in NE are not that great.
Otherwise why would anyone with a decent education post such nonsense - I lived in NJ for almost 6 years before moving to South.
NJ is one the worst places to live in US - horrible overpopulation, pollution, traffic, stressed people.
"Great" NJ public schools another BS IMO - lot of dumb and rude people around, can't imagine they are all coming from good schools.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by Stylo

No doubt but it sounds like the OP has already decided to not like it...

Not like that at all! I am trying to evaluate what I will miss by relocating... The thing I like most about CA is incredible natural beauty and the diversity/cosmopolitan culture. CA is so cosmopolitan that you can go to small towns and still find a diverse mix of culture and huge selection of ethnic restaurants. CT sure has scenic spots but there is no way anything in east coast is even remotely comparable to CA when it comes to natural beauty and that's just a fact. To me the biggest advantage of CT is relatively affordable housing and short distance to major cities like NYC and Boston. New Haven also seems like a great fun college town to visit.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by JayCT

True. I would bet the OP would be stunned by the beauty of the Connecticut coast if he took a boat tour of the Thimble Islands in Branford. It is amazing how beautiful they are and a boat tour gets you up close to them and the shoreline. Jay

Wow that looks pretty on pictures! But seems mostly privately owned In SF bay area we have Angel island, alcatraz and of course catalina islands and channel island near LA.

[RogerAnthony]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

CA is so cosmopolitan that you can go to small towns and still find a diverse mix of culture and huge selection of ethnic restaurants.

The ethnic restaurants in Connecticut are amazing. You can find cuisine from just about anywhere! Most of the time these places would like like a little hole in the wall joint that you would overlook if you didn't know about them.

[dazzleman]

FWIW, if I were working in New Haven, I would live in Orange.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by liberal8

Comparing to places like SFBA New Haven will be a **** hole, you got it right. Good schools in CT happen as often as bad schools. CT is a state where riches from NYC land and obviously their children go to private sector schools. There are good schools in smaller towns but again step left or right and you are again in bad schools/high crime area. I think all those ratings which place New England schools at the top are BS, there are more good schools in CA and even higher education system is much better, like UC system is unbeatable comparing to most public New England schools.
East coast is generally a crappy place to live comparing to CA especially northern CA.

Not sure if I will use that extreme words but in general CA is the most egalitarian and progressive state. Public universities (Cal) here are just as good as Ivy league schools and open to everyone regardless of socio-economic background... Beautiful and wealthy places like Marin county has the most beautiful area protected as public land that's enjoyed by the extreme wealthy and poor alike.

[hvexpatinct]

For someone who is looking for a cosmopolitan lifestyle, you're right - all NH offers is price and convenience to two major cities, with a smattering of the diversity you'll find in larger metro areas. For someone who is looking for a more rural lifestyle, the NH area is too congested. In general it's a suburban area with some amenities. You'll have access to good healthcare and safe neighborhoods with decent schools. Some good ethnic spots, but they won't be on every corner.

[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

Not like that at all! I am trying to evaluate what I will miss by relocating... The thing I like most about CA is incredible natural beauty and the diversity/cosmopolitan culture. CA is so cosmopolitan that you can go to small towns and still find a diverse mix of culture and huge selection of ethnic restaurants. CT sure has scenic spots but there is no way anything in east coast is even remotely comparable to CA when it comes to natural beauty and that's just a fact. To me the biggest advantage of CT is relatively affordable housing and short distance to major cities like NYC and Boston. New Haven also seems like a great fun college town to visit.

You're painting with a pretty broad brush. No one would call Fresno or Bakersfield cosmopolitan. It's like saying all of New York State is cosmopolitan because of NYC. It's just not true.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by liberal8

Another proof that schools in NE are not that great.
Otherwise why would anyone with a decent education post such nonsense - I lived in NJ for almost 6 years before moving to South.
NJ is one the worst places to live in US - horrible overpopulation, pollution, traffic, stressed people.
"Great" NJ public schools another BS IMO - lot of dumb and rude people around, can't imagine they are all coming from good schools.

I would not compare NJ schools to Ct. schools. I don't care for NJ at all either, and I don't think the two states are comparable.

I don't understand how you can give an opinion on Ct. schools since you admit you never lived here. You are making assumptions.

[willow wind]

OP- once again you are trying to compare apples to oranges. CA is a large, long state. In comparison, CT is the size of a postage stamp. However, there you talking about Catalina Island.

That's like 400 miles away from Oakland. Get out a map and draw a 400 mile radius around CT. It will give you islands for sure- Block Island, Fisher's Island, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket. You want to compare Alcatraz and Catalina to them ? No comparison in my mind.

Your big problem, as I see, it is that you think you are losing something. You're not losing anything- CA is not going away. You can always go back to visit those places that you would hardly ever see anyway. How often do you go to Catalina- once in a blue moon ?

And of course, you're ignoring the ugliness of CA. 50 miles east of Oakland you have a crime ridden,failed city like Stockton, with nearby Modesto not far behind.

Rather than seeing yourself as losing something, think of the new places to explore- from Washington, DC to Quebec, all within a 5-7 hour drive from New Haven. Just like driving from Oakland to LA & San Diego.

Develop a sense of adventure and realize that you're not losing anything, you're gaining experiences and seeing the country. And a beautiful country it is. Your fear of moving is going to trap you into misery. Change that attitude and enjoy life.