i need a change of scenery. where to move?

Question

i'm a 22/f in nyc. ive lived here all my life. went to college in new york, it was great. now, i want to go somewhere else. the suggestions ive gotten so far are:

DC
Charlotte, NC
Atlanta
Philly
Houston

Aside from that, i'm stumped. the only time i've been out of nyc is for conferences and business-related trips. remember, im a college grad so i still young and itll be my first time on my own. and im going to need a city, not some two-bit town that is going to make me gouge my eyes out.

ok let me be more specific.

right now, i'm lookng forward to being a teacher. that's not really region-specific like investment banking or something. wherever i make the move, i would most likely attend graduate school there.

admittedly, i dont drive. im licensed, but more like to kill :) than be on the road. i can imagine that anywhere i go there's a 99% chance that ill have to get a car because the public transit sucks.

lastly, some cultural diversity would be good. all of one type of people would get really boring.

oh! i know this is random, but being close to an airport would be GREAT in case i need to get the hell outta there.
does that help?

Answer 1

While I am partial to the Pacific Northwest, I think Shaun hit it on the head for you in suggestion San Diego!!

It's a great city, would be a change for you in many ways, experiencing something really different, but still meets your criteria. I don't know about public transportation there, but if you really need a big city fix and a different culture, you can visit Tiajauna in Mexico, it's just across the border. Be careful though.

For someone your age, I think San Diego would be a terrific place to live! If after a year or two you decide you don't like it, you can always pick up and move again ... that is one of the great things of not having dependents. Also , San Diego has great colleges.

Answer 2

San Diego i think would be a great fit for a college grad. A lot of college students that come here for school decide to stay here after they graduate, inlcuding myself. It's such a great town with a very young and laid back vibe to it. Although you being from NYC, it's going to be a lot more casual and laid back here. Most people are in board shorts and flip flops much of the year, including 35yo professionals that you would normally see wearing suits and stuff elsewhere.

There are tons of transplants from all over the place here, especially from the east coast. I;ve met tons of people from Boston and NY so you wont have trouble meeting someone from back home. People are friendly here b/c most of us are just here to have a good time and enjoy the place, and transplants just like meeting new people. A lot of people just move to San Diego just to live there, they don't come for a particular job or b/c it's cheap to live here, they come just b/c they want to be here so people have a really good mentality and good attitude.

The weather is amazing, it's not cold during winter (65-75 usually) and it's not hot during summer (75-85) and it's not humid or dry like the desert. It doesnt rain from May to October and when it does rain you barely notice it. Amazing beaches and natural scenery everywhere. Mountains, forests, deserts, and lakes all within an hour or two. LA, Orange County, Mexico, Arizona, and Vegas are all within 2-5 hour drive. San Diego is a big city with lots to do but it's not as congested and crowded as LA or SF.

You should check out communities around downtown or near the beach. Pacific Beach I think is the best place in SD (I live there too). Everyone is 20-30, tons of bars and clubs, there is a party at the beach all summer long, booze is legal on the beach too. There's probably at least 50,000 people at the beach on any given weekend in summer and up to 250,000+ during holiday weekends.

SD also very diverse and is next to another country if you want to take a day trip away from America. There are also tons of public and private schools here for teaching. The airport is really close to everything, it's located right next to downtown. If you fly into it you will see what I mean when I say right next to downtown. It's probably the most convenient big airport in the country b/c of its central loation.

If this type of stuff apeals to you then check out SD, but if you want more of a fast paced urban lifestyle like NY, SF or LA are great cities too.

Answer 3

Its difficult to give you a qualified recommendation, you might offer some criteria that is important and relevant to your needs.
For instance, what career are you pursuing, what populous are you looking for in a city, are you simply looking for another concrete jungle to hang your coat in or do you want an environment that will allow you to explore other cultures, someplace close to the mountains and lakes, etc...
We could all list cities that we live in or have traveled to, but you might as well start sticking thumb tacks on a map then.
I'm sorry I don't mean to be dismissive, just needing more information to help narrow your search.
Good luck in your search, I hope you find your shangri la.

Part (2)

First let me commend you on your chosen career path, we certainly need more teachers. My father retired after teaching for 46 years.
To answer your question, I suggest you consider Seattle Washington for these reasons.
1) many public and private schools as well as colleges and universities seeking qualified teachers.
2) excellent grad school programs
3) whereas very few cities in America can compete with the variety of public transportation that New York offers, Seattle has a fine public transportation system, should you prefer not to drive
4) Seattle is very culturally diverse
5) SeaTac international airport is one of the largest airports on the west coast, with flights to everywhere in the U.S. as well as the pacific rim nations.
I could go on and on telling you about the many things Seattle and the State of Washington has to offer, but this site will be able to tell you many things as well
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle%2C_WA

Once again, I hope you find this helpful and if not, good luck finding the next chapter in your life.

Answer 4

ok, a new york city girl may not like the idea of the south but consider the roanoke (valley), virginia.
it's a beautiful rural/urban setting with lots of friendly, culturally diverse people.
it's only ninety minutes from greensboro, n.c; two and a half hours from richmond, va; and only three and a half hours to washington, d.c.
thirty minutes from roanoke you can be on a major lake skiing, or hiking on the appalachian trail, or in west virginia hitting some very major ski slopes or whitewater rafting.
there are very progressive school systems in the valley and if one is going to attend college for a master's than there is hollins university, virginia tech (yuck - but that's a personal issue), and radford university, all of which have excellent programs.
you have to see it, experience it, and then you'll never leave it.

Answer 5

Well, if you have lived in NYC all your life then ANY other American city is going to seem like a "two-bit town".
Try London or Paris.

Answer 6

seattle would be a good alternative. good transit system, very diverse . good opportunity for a young person. starbucks everywhere .fast paced . lots of nightlife. beaches, sailing on the lake. good paying jobs. food costs less than n.y.

Answer 7

buffalo or memphis