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how much of a culture shock is this going to be?! how much am i going to be hating life if i move in january? thoughts/feelings/reactions from locals would be beyond appreciated!!
thanks!!
I'm a SoCal native (San Diego and L.A.) We currently live in Texas (which we love) but we spend six months in DC and hated it. It's a great place to visit but living there sucks. The winters are terrible (for someone who is from SoCal) and the summers hot and muggy. I found the people to be dull and standoffish.
I'm a SoCal native (San Diego and L.A.) We currently live in Texas (which we love) but we spend six months in DC and hated it. It's a great place to visit but living there sucks. The winters are terrible (for someone who is from SoCal) and the summers hot and muggy. I found the people to be dull and standoffish.
If you moved here for the weather (unless you're from Buffalo), you deserve what you get. SoCal does have awesome weather, yet I know many people who have missed the East Coast (and some moved back) because of the four seasons. DC is not much colder than Charlotte, nor much hotter than NYC, and I'm really surprised that someone who loves Houston would complain about humidity. People here are a little different from those in LA or SD
To the OP: Liking it here, like most places, really depends on where you live and what your interests are. Don't move to a neighborhood that you don't like, and don't saddle yourself with an insane commute. There's something for everyone, and since you probably have experience with high living costs and bad traffic, the rest won't shock you as much. Good luck!
If you moved here for the weather (unless you're from Buffalo), you deserve what you get. SoCal does have awesome weather, yet I know many people who have missed the East Coast (and some moved back) because of the four seasons. DC is not much colder than Charlotte, nor much hotter than NYC, and I'm really surprised that someone who loves Houston would complain about humidity. People here are a little different from those in LA or SD
To the OP: Liking it here, like most places, really depends on where you live and what your interests are. Don't move to a neighborhood that you don't like, and don't saddle yourself with an insane commute. There's something for everyone, and since you probably have experience with high living costs and bad traffic, the rest won't shock you as much. Good luck!
Doesn't everyone move to DC for the weather? My complaints about the DC summer is that the weather is crappy most of the year. I can handle 3 months of heat and humidity for nine of months of beautiful weather.
To the OP, everyone is different. Some people love DC and take it as a personal offense if the place is criticized, others like me hate(d) living there. To each their own.
Doesn't everyone move to DC for the weather? My complaints about the DC summer is that the weather is crappy most of the year. I can handle 3 months of heat and humidity for nine of months of beautiful weather.
To the OP, everyone is different. Some people love DC and take it as a personal offense if the place is criticized, others like me hate(d) living there. To each their own.
If you explain why you hated DC, then the OP would better understand your opinion. Some of the reasons you give for your hate may be some of the reasons the OP will hate DC as well which could be a good heads up. If your hate was only the weather, then 6 months living at a place is not enough to judge a place by its weather.
If you explain why you hated DC, then the OP would better understand your opinion. Some of the reasons you give for your hate may be some of the reasons the OP will hate DC as well which could be a good heads up. If your hate was only the weather, then 6 months living at a place is not enough to judge a place by its weather.
I also lived in DC for a tad over two years from 2002-2004. I found the people to be rather pompous and overly impressed with themselves, standoffish and generally dull. DC itself has a "sterile" vibe - to me it has no soul, unlike L.A., San Diego, Bay Area (East Bay!), Houston and other places I have lived. The suburbs galactically suck, I've had the dubious pleasure of residing in Silver Spring and Arlington (Courthouse) areas among others.
I also lived in DC for a tad over two years from 2002-2004. I found the people to be rather pompous and overly impressed with themselves, standoffish and generally dull. DC itself has a "sterile" vibe - to me it has no soul, unlike L.A., San Diego, Bay Area (East Bay!), Houston and other places I have lived. The suburbs galactically suck, I've had the dubious pleasure of residing in Silver Spring and Arlington (Courthouse) areas among others.
Arlington courthouse area is so much better than most of Houston, so I guess you would have to provide more detail as to why it sucked. Have you been to Arlington recently - it's changed a lot. I don't think you would recognize Arlington now.
To simply say you hated because people were overly impressed with themselves doesn't make sense - maybe you meant they were too much into their career and being successful - then yes I agree with you on that.
Then to say that the suburbs of DC "galactically" suck doesn't make sense either since Houston proper seems like a suburb itself. Have you been to Silver Spring lately - another place that is drastically different than 5 years ago.
In terms of weather, after three days of cold damp rain and two more days of the same weather in DC I may start to agree with you that the weather in DC does suck. It's supposed to get back to normal soon with highs around 70 and sunny skies, but the past few days have been ridiculous.
Yes I'm from the East Bay - I don't know if you spent a lot of time there, but other than parts of Oakland, East Bay is a bedroom community - there's not much room for soul there. The big attractions are your big box stores like Costco and Walmart, your typical chain stores, a Dave and Buster and other typical things you find. Of course there are a lot of mom and pop ethnic stores and restaurants, but nothing with soul - just to serve the residents that are living there.
Arlington courthouse area is so much better than most of Houston, so I guess you would have to provide more detail as to why it sucked. Have you been to Arlington recently - it's changed a lot. I don't think you would recognize Arlington now.
To simply say you hated because people were overly impressed with themselves doesn't make sense - maybe you meant they were too much into their career and being successful - then yes I agree with you on that.
Then to say that the suburbs of DC "galactically" suck doesn't make sense either since Houston proper seems like a suburb itself. Have you been to Silver Spring lately - another place that is drastically different than 5 years ago.
In terms of weather, after three days of cold damp rain and two more days of the same weather in DC I may start to agree with you that the weather in DC does suck. It's supposed to get back to normal soon with highs around 70 and sunny skies, but the past few days have been ridiculous.
Yes I'm from the East Bay - I don't know if you spent a lot of time there, but other than parts of Oakland, East Bay is a bedroom community - there's not much room for soul there.
That Arlington is "so much better" than Houston is your opinion. Duly noted. Was there two days before we left the DC area in May. I suppose five months could render it unrecognizable but I doubt it...
I'm not sure what doesn't make sense about people being overly impressed with themselves, I also used the word "pompous" too. I think the phrase pretty much defines itself in context. I'm fine with people being really in to their career, it's exaggerated notions of self worth that I found obnoxious.
I left Silver Spring five months ago. It sucked in May but perhaps things changed over the summer.
Glad we can agree about the weather.
I did spend alot of time in the East Bay (four years) and found the 510 to be gritty and soulful. Wouldn't want to live there again but it was not plastic and sterile like DC. I'm not talking about Walnut Creek - think Berkeley, North Oakland, etc.
You lived in Courthouse and Silver Spring, and then feel compelled to argue that DC lacks "soul", unlike places such as Houston and San Diego?
Lived in Cleveland Park & Adams Morgan also.
Sarcasm Fail.
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