Now I'm here, is it just like I imagined?
Last time we wrote, we had just moved to Boston. Now we've had some time to settle in here and form an opinion about the place.
For those who know me well you already know I've wanted to live in Boston since I was 16, so now that I'm here, is it everything I wanted it to be? YES!! but I will admit there are some things I wasn't expecting.
Things I LOVE about Boston:
People here call it a "small town feel" To me it's a huge city, so I don't really agree, but it's cute they think so. Strangers here really are more friendly than in NY or DC, so I guess that's why they say it.
The diversity- both in the church and in school and work there are immigrants from so many places- China, Nigeria, Sweden, Dominican Republic, England, India and Albania (which Nate loves) are just a few.
The student atmosphere- a HUGE population of Greater Boston is students because there are so many universities, that means there are lots of undergrads too, which I'm used to from Logan, and Provo, where I was one, but there are also so many grad students just like me. Saying I'm doing a PhD in Neuroscience isn't crazy here, and I like that. In the ward there's another girl at BU doing a PhD in biomedical engineering, and lots of other working women.
It's a huge science hub. Because of all the grad students, there is a society of science here. Research thrives because there is so much collaboration, seminars, symposiums and like minded people.
Public transit is actually way easier than driving- this might also go on my things I don't love list, but I do love it too since taking the LTD (logan's bus system) growing up was my experience with public transit so far. It also contributes to Boston's green culture, sustainability is big here and people really care about it.
There aren't Walmarts. (and unforunately no Chic-fil-a). I don't love walmart, although it is nice occasionally for some cheap home supplies, but Boston is against big huge companies like that. They definitely promote small and local business. I believe Tom Menino- Boston's mayor for the past 20 years that everyone loves- ruled out Walmart. FYI: The mayor's spot is up right now again, and he's not running so someone new will have some big shoes to fill.
Opportunity to learn about others' beliefs and share my own- My religion is very far from being common here, but I have found for the most part people are very respectful of it. There is also a great opportunity to learn about different belief systems that is harder to come by in Utah. Side note, if anyone had the misconception that being LDS was a white person's religion, it would only take one visit to our ward to dispel that misunderstanding! Our ward is such a diverse mix of people and it is fantastic to see it. For example, the first member in Nigeria is in our ward now!
It is GORGEOUS here with the Charles River, old colonial buildings everywhere, the harbor, and some beautiful parks. There is so much open space around that it doesn't feel at all like a crowded city.
Great (but expensive) food- for Nate's birthday we went to a little Italian Restauraunt in the North End (Little Italy) and it was great, not at all like the Olive Garden. Then we went to an incredible Ice cream place and had some of the most amazing ice cream ever.
Art- there are so many museums and it is so accessible. The Library offers free passes, and BU offers free admission, and last week was free museum day. Also, right now there is an art project where they have placed piano's all over the city in different locations that anybody can play. Yes, there has been some chopsticks, but I've also heard some incredible pianists. (I'm way too out of practice to play anything myself though)
It's liberal (now Nate and I are conservative compared to everyone else instead of the liberal ones like we were in Utah.)
Ton's of other stuff, but I'll stop because I'm sure you're all jealous now.
Things I don't love about Boston-
Driving sucks- GPS is REQUIRED, it is terrifying, and one road changes names like 5 times in the course of one mile. They also have roads that change names, but then the same name continues for the next road over. WHAT??? Brigham Young was a GENIUS when he designed Utah in a big grid.
You can't get everywhere in 15 minutes. (It takes me 30-45 each way on the T)
IT IS SO EXPENSIVE!! Rent is 2x what it was in Utah! Gas, Food, shopping, everything is so much more.
I miss being close to family
I hear the skiing sucks
That's pretty much it though because other than that Boston rocks and I'm so glad we're here!
For those who know me well you already know I've wanted to live in Boston since I was 16, so now that I'm here, is it everything I wanted it to be? YES!! but I will admit there are some things I wasn't expecting.
Things I LOVE about Boston:
People here call it a "small town feel" To me it's a huge city, so I don't really agree, but it's cute they think so. Strangers here really are more friendly than in NY or DC, so I guess that's why they say it.
The diversity- both in the church and in school and work there are immigrants from so many places- China, Nigeria, Sweden, Dominican Republic, England, India and Albania (which Nate loves) are just a few.
The student atmosphere- a HUGE population of Greater Boston is students because there are so many universities, that means there are lots of undergrads too, which I'm used to from Logan, and Provo, where I was one, but there are also so many grad students just like me. Saying I'm doing a PhD in Neuroscience isn't crazy here, and I like that. In the ward there's another girl at BU doing a PhD in biomedical engineering, and lots of other working women.
It's a huge science hub. Because of all the grad students, there is a society of science here. Research thrives because there is so much collaboration, seminars, symposiums and like minded people.
 |
| For example, a BU professor received the Nobel Prize for discovery and development of Green fluorescent protein (GFP), now used as a gene reporter and incredibly helpful for science. These mice are transgenic mice (mice that you can put genes of interest into)- developed at Harvard (right next door in Cambridge) that are expressing GFP |
Public transit is actually way easier than driving- this might also go on my things I don't love list, but I do love it too since taking the LTD (logan's bus system) growing up was my experience with public transit so far. It also contributes to Boston's green culture, sustainability is big here and people really care about it.
There aren't Walmarts. (and unforunately no Chic-fil-a). I don't love walmart, although it is nice occasionally for some cheap home supplies, but Boston is against big huge companies like that. They definitely promote small and local business. I believe Tom Menino- Boston's mayor for the past 20 years that everyone loves- ruled out Walmart. FYI: The mayor's spot is up right now again, and he's not running so someone new will have some big shoes to fill.
Opportunity to learn about others' beliefs and share my own- My religion is very far from being common here, but I have found for the most part people are very respectful of it. There is also a great opportunity to learn about different belief systems that is harder to come by in Utah. Side note, if anyone had the misconception that being LDS was a white person's religion, it would only take one visit to our ward to dispel that misunderstanding! Our ward is such a diverse mix of people and it is fantastic to see it. For example, the first member in Nigeria is in our ward now!
It is GORGEOUS here with the Charles River, old colonial buildings everywhere, the harbor, and some beautiful parks. There is so much open space around that it doesn't feel at all like a crowded city.
.jpg) |
| Charles River, just chilling in the middle of Boston |
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| This piece is in the museum of fine arts right now, made of styrofoam cups!! |
Art- there are so many museums and it is so accessible. The Library offers free passes, and BU offers free admission, and last week was free museum day. Also, right now there is an art project where they have placed piano's all over the city in different locations that anybody can play. Yes, there has been some chopsticks, but I've also heard some incredible pianists. (I'm way too out of practice to play anything myself though)
 |
| This one's on BU med campus |
It's liberal (now Nate and I are conservative compared to everyone else instead of the liberal ones like we were in Utah.)
Ton's of other stuff, but I'll stop because I'm sure you're all jealous now.
Things I don't love about Boston-
Driving sucks- GPS is REQUIRED, it is terrifying, and one road changes names like 5 times in the course of one mile. They also have roads that change names, but then the same name continues for the next road over. WHAT??? Brigham Young was a GENIUS when he designed Utah in a big grid.
You can't get everywhere in 15 minutes. (It takes me 30-45 each way on the T)
IT IS SO EXPENSIVE!! Rent is 2x what it was in Utah! Gas, Food, shopping, everything is so much more.
I miss being close to family
I hear the skiing sucks
 |
| Ummm, is that supposed to be a mountain? |
That's pretty much it though because other than that Boston rocks and I'm so glad we're here!
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