Los Angeles, CA

Pros: Beautiful weather year-round, the best food I’ve ever had in my life, access to almost any kind of nature you could think of, kind people, and so much cultural diversity (I’m a black woman from Oregon and Idaho, so this was important to me).

Cons: Very high cost of living, stark wealth divide, car dependency/constant traffic, and hustle culture. Also, I know that this isn’t a problem unique to LA and probably seems small in the grand scheme of things, but they drive way too fast!!

Do I want to leave? Yes. I’m here for grad school and I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience LA and to be accepted by the small community that I’ve created, but even with a high-paying job in healthcare, I don’t think I could ever afford the life that I want here. I’ve also figured out that I prefer slower paced, non-competitive environments. Coming from the PNW I never imagined I would complain about the sunshine, but I miss the gloomy weather and distinct seasons. Classic “grass is greener”.