Bay area vs East coast

[sam008]

Folks

I want to explore the Bay area as a possible move from here in New York. There are 2 main reasons:
- Better year-round weather
- Better social circle

I'm single but soon to be married and feel the lack of desi friends in new york. I feel that the depth of friendships is superficial at times and not sure if it would be any different on the west coast. Also do you folks socialize with people from work? That's not very common around here

Apart from desis, I've heard that folks (non-indians) are more friendly on the west coast. Is that true?

I'm okay adjusting to the high prices of Bay area as I feel NYC is quite similar

Thanks

[XOXO]

Folks

I want to explore the Bay area as a possible move from here in New York. There are 2 main reasons:
- Better year-round weather
- Better social circle

I'm single but soon to be married and feel the lack of desi friends in new york. I feel that the depth of friendships is superficial at times and not sure if it would be any different on the west coast. Also do you folks socialize with people from work? That's not very common around here

Apart from desis, I've heard that folks (non-indians) are more friendly on the west coast. Is that true?

I'm okay adjusting to the high prices of Bay area as I feel NYC is quite similar

Thanks

I had stayed in NYC as well as in Bay Area (east bay). NYC was during the early years of US. I was new and so I was mostly to myself and quick in judging people around me. SO my conclusion could be prejudiced. I found NYC folks to be a bit uptight...very formal, a bit blunt, very much to themselves and their close circuit.

Whereas west coast (BayArea),it was friendly, inviting and warm. My line of work and that of my husbands didn't bring us in contact with Desis much unless we joined some temple group.

I socialized with my professional colleagues on west coast more than I did back in NYC...which could be because I was settled in my profession and at ease with my surrounding than during initial days of US in NY.

I find BayArea (NoCal) better than East Coast only it takes longer to reach India.

PS: I never liked socializing with work colleagues more than necessary because it was mostly gossiping...not sure what is it but have also found that American men gossip much more than any Indian women can do.

[okonomi]

.....
PS: I never liked socializing with work colleagues more than necessary because it was mostly gossiping...not sure what is it but have also found that American men gossip much more than any Indian women can do.

Could there be an international gossip index that grades nationalities by their penchant for gossip ??

In an old docu'-movie about Finland, it was claimed that Finns gossip the least. Their words are too long, and too consonant-y and hard to pronounce even for the native; so they just think it and not quite get to saying it; and most often the moment for response passes before they could line up those consonants.

And besides, the country is frozen most of the time. In one scene from the movie, man is checking his water pipes in the basement by gently knocking ( they "design" such nice wooden spatulas, you can probably get them at IKEA) and listening to possible freeze ups. He turns to the camera and comments,"it takes for ever to make one word in our language in morse code". While he was making that comment, the knocks from somewhere else underground comes through his pipes. He beams,"...a response !! Somebody else also likes to gossip!!"

Helsinki in summer is quite nice. Need good sunglasses; platinum hair reflects everything. But then, Mark Twain had spent the coldest winter of his life in a summer in SFO. So it is always six of one and half a dozen of the other.

[Ranger13]

This is a no-brainer...West coast is a million times better than east to what you are looking for. Sometimes you even feel like you are in a different country compared to the rest of the US.

[My Roots]

I don't want to comment much on social life. It all boils down to how you keep relationship with others.
Weather wise, sure, Bay area wins any time.
If you have experienced this winter in east coast, you know what I am saying.

[ahirman]

Your mileage will vary based on what kind of person you are but in general bay area is more diverse and thus open to different cultures than east. The greater number of desis in bay area will certainly improve the probability of findings Indians with similar taste.

NYC cant be compared to bay area like Mumbai cant be compared to old Bangalore. The fast and mechanical pace of a city like NYC is not easy to adapt to if one is from completely different culture. If thats what your problem is than there is nothing better than bay area in US.

Great weather year around and diverse population facilitate easy social networking. Good warm beaches, hundreds of mountain parks and trails within easy reach are another great plus. In fact sometimes I feel that bay area is a kind of place where a person can enjoy life without much social network. Especially in summers. Just grab your cooler, your book, your chair and pass a lazy day in one of the beaches on scenic 1.

If you are into technology (not IT) large number of job opportunities is another great plus.

[fido_dido]

If you are into technology (not IT) large number of job opportunities is another great plus.

What does that mean?

[VS007]

There was a thread by IBD about socializing in west coast for new migrant to that state where it seems social groups are already formed, but may not be applicable to FOBs.

[M V]

There was a thread by IBD about socializing in west coast for new migrant to that state where it seems social groups are already formed, but may not be applicable to FOBs.

I didn't know people traveled from east coast to west coast by boat. :)

[okonomi]

I didn't know people traveled from east coast to west coast by boat. :)

hehehehehehhh.... :)) nothing ever gets by !!