What are the big differences between living in the southeast and living in Los Angeles CA?

Question

Living in the south is great and Ive never lived anywhere else, I will be moving west within the next year. Im curious about what to expect.

Answer 1

It's VERY expensive.
I am extremely happy to pay $1450 for a 2 bedroom apartment in a nice area.

It's congested.
Too many people on too few freeways.

The people are rude and mean.

The weather never changes.
There is no humidity, so you skin and hair are going to dry up very quickly. Get used to carrying a water bottle with you.

Everyone is pretty...and fake.
You can get plastic surgery as easily as you can get an apple.

EXTREMELY diverse!
Unlike the South, it's not just Black and White here. There are cultures from all over the world who call LA home.

Answer 2

I have travelled to almost every city in the US including all of the southeast. There are alot more work opportunities in Southern CA. The people here are very self concious and selfish. But its not their fault, its just the system. The better you look the more chances you will have to succeed. Hispanics, corrupt and otherwise, have dominated certain lower end communities while places like Orange County are dominated by racist white consertive powerfuls who have priced out many of the hispanics. Most of the gang activity is in Los Angeles County especially from Long Beach up thru the 105 / 110 freeway corridors. Nevertheless, you'll never here people say hello or be nice like in the south, unless you're a total hottie. Most people just keep to themselves and mind thier own business. Good Luck.

Answer 3

I'm a lifetime native of LA. Joan Didian said it best when she wrote "There is no there, there!" In LA, you drive everywhere. Even if you're going a block, you take the car, and curse the traffic. LA is smog, freeways, rude people, and noise. You can live in a place for 10 years and never speak with your neighbor. But it is also charming. The sunsets at the Hollywood Bowll on a warm summer night are amazing. Likewise, any type of music, art or festival you like is always happening somewhere nearby. Within 2 hours, you can go from swimming in the ocean to skiing down a hill, which is something everyone should try at least once. But the best part of LA is that "cold" is anything less than 64 degrees!

Answer 4

The oceans/shores/waves are different. Smog is out of control there! The values and morals are different. Everyone is fake in Los Angeles but they're nice to you, which I'm ok with it. I'm from Pittsburgh and moved to Los Angeles and no one really tells you the truth, everyone has weird motives, etc... but once you get used to it, you'll be ok. Housing is definitely expensive. It's not as glamorous as everyone thinks-far from it, actually. HOWEVER- the food and shopping is great, you can't beat the weather (most of the time), you get to see movie stars at random spots, you get all of the movies before almost anyone else in the country does... I love Los Angeles compared to NYC. I'd move back in a heartbeat if I could. And there are good people there if you search for them!

Answer 5

Lived all my life a few miles from Kent. Used to ride my bicycle to the Kent Valley and pick beans and berries for summer spending money. The best river-bottom topsoil in the State is now covered with asphalt Living on the east or west hills is OK, but traffic is a bear. You said Kent and Grayland are both close to Seattle. Kent shares the Puget Sound interior with Seattle, about 15 miles south. Grayland is out on the Ocean, over a hundred miles further... I have an aunt who is retired in Grayland. How do you suppose the place got its' name? To me it is damp, cloudy, and depressing. Yes, it is on the Coast if you like to do coastal stuff, but I can't ever get the chill out of my bones. LA, Kent, and Grayland are all quite different. I wonder why you narrowed your WA search down to two such different locales. I suggest you spend some time up here before deciding where to settle down. If you like Kent and Grayland both for different reasons, you can do what many in the Kent area do: Buy a weekend cabin in the Grayland area!

Answer 6

In Los Angeles, you can find a really ghetto dangerous area, and drive for 15 minutes into a really affluent, clean, safe area.
LA is so diverse. It's one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. That's the big difference you'll find.

Answer 7

Summers are not humid in LA, so even if the temperature sometimes gets as hot as in the Southeast, it's much less oppressive. Also, It doesn't rain in the summer in LA.

Answer 8

Housing is through the roof! We paid almost three times as much for our house here as we did back home (texas) but the shopping is great. The food is great. The wine is fabulous. The southern hospitality is gone though! All of my new friends call me Mrs. Texas bc they say I am so friendly to everyone. And everyone will listen to what you say bc of your accent so you have to be careful not to offend anyone although everyone is really laid back! Oh, did I mention the shopping?

Answer 9

The biggest is probably the time zones. It takes a while to get used to different time zones (where jet lag comes from). Although theirs is a different ocean you will find that the culture is very much the same.

Answer 10

I think Joan Didion was paraphrashing Gertrude Stein who first said, "There is no there there!" She was speaking of Oakland, too.

Refer to http://www.bartleby.com/66/37/55537.html

See my previous answers about LaLaLand.