Hello blogger buddies! It’s bestie A here, guest posting for the fantabulous S.
S & A
As you may know from reading Shanna’s blog, I’ve recently relocated from California’s bay area to Boston, MA. And being a native Californian, I had many a stereotype about the east coast, so I thought I’d share with you what I found out in my transplantation.
At first glance the two areas seem fairly similar. They both have lots of local colleges, and strong tech areas. They’re both near the ocean. The cost of living isn’t cheap (although I think the bay area takes the cake here). Both areas are really liberal in their politics. I could go on, but in reality California is not Massachusetts’ cooler younger sister. Lets start with my top five misconceptions of the northeast before I came out here.
I assumed (and we all know that when you assume you make an ___ out of u and me):
1) It is frigid in the winter and that I will look like the Michelin man for about 4 months of the year.
2) Everyone has a crazy accent that will be impossible to decipher and I will stand out like a blond in Mexico.
3) All east-coasters have a dislike for west-coasters, because we think we’re cooler than everyone else. (side note: I don’t think I’m cooler, I’m really a big fat nerd, but that’s neither here nor there)
4) They are all pasty and poorly dressed because they’re forced to look like Michelin men for 4 months of the year and have lost any sense of style. (Don’t hate me here, I was raised in the CA foothills and thus was supremely un-cultured)
5) They only eat Italian food, and my days of enjoying the supreme pleasure of the Mexican cuisine are over. (I have an unnatural obsession with mexi, just one of the many reasons S and I are besties)
So you can imagine (if you’re not from CA), that I was shocked, SHOCKED, when I got here at the end of November and was not greeted by a group of grumbly, hard-to-understand, pasty, pepperoni eating, Michelin men. 
Hot look, no?
Perhaps I really wanted to hate the idea of anywhere else being awesome, because CA was my home for so long. But I think CA had beaten be down long enough with its cost of living debacle that my mind was primed and ready to accept somewhere new being cool, and so I left. So what exactly *did* I find you ask? Here’s the real low-down on Boston, just in case (and I’m not gonna name any names) you have one or more of the same misconceptions I did.
- I just survived a really snowy winter, but it’s the most snow they’ve had in 15 years, and even the locals were shocked. In reality Boston’s winter is mild. Milder than Tahoe. Which is part of CA.
- Only a select few people have that crazy accent (I’ve been looking for them!) because so many here are transplants. And the accent is rather endearing.
- East-coasters have no idea the west-coast exists, especially when it comes to sports. When the Giants played Texas in the world series last year, I’m pretty sure everyone on the east coast just thought the series got canceled or something.
- Bostonians are actually well-versed in fashion and are super into exercise, so forget all the pasty lumpy people I thought I’d meet. I have had many an envious glance at ladies making full use of the cold weather to sport hot patterned jackets and gorgeous boots.
- There is a WIDE variety of food here. The cuisine selection could only be rivaled by (dare I say it) San Francisco. AND, I found here my *favorite* sit-down mexi place of all time, which I will mention in another guest post later on about food. Don’t worry Taqueria La Bamba, I said sit-down. You still make the best burrito the size of my head in the world.
So there you have it. Aside from drivers who act like 5-year-olds on the road, changing lanes all willy-nilly and either driving the speed limit or speeding like they’re being chased by bears capable of running 80 mph, Massachusetts is really kinda cool. The people are cool, the food is super delicious, the sights are breath-taking. The reception I’ve had so far is so warm (not in temperature, yet) and welcoming, that I’m beginning to think Massachusetts is California’s cooler older sister, and CA is the spoiled youngest kid who wants to be the center of attention. (btw, this is not a reference to my younger sister in case she’s reading this… I love you and you were only a little spoiled ).
Oh, and I’ll be back to give you the dirt on Boston’s eats and sights to see, just in case you find yourself in my new neck-o-the-woods. 
So blog friends, I’m really curious as to what geographical stereotypes you hold. Don’t hold back… I wanna hear everything you think about everywhere you haven’t lived. What stereotypes are there for where you live now?
~A
