Quote:
Originally Posted by katyseagull
I always hear great things about Austin. I've never been there. I hear it's pretty hot! Why do people like it so much?
The good:
The people are just great all around. Very easy to talk to people. No one is staring at their phones all day. People read actual books.
Pretty and, shall I say, easy-going women. Friendly, open, not assuming you are a rapist, for the most part.
Nature is pretty nice. The river walks are great. Kind of flat though there are hills and cliffs, but overall, beautiful scenery. They've managed to not pave over all the beauty like they did in San Francisco.
Lots and lots of live music, spanning mostly rock, country, heavy metal, folk, etc. Not much of an EDM scene if you are into that stuff. Best part is that it is mostly free.
The bad:
Despite it's rep as a "music capitol," it is far from. Little useful talent, a dearth of singers, and mostly a bunch of pot heads. The good stuff at SxSW is all imported.
Way too much alcohol / drugs. I don't have a problem with it per se, but it's kind of tiring to see wine at Starbucks and beer at a book store. The problem is amplified because no one sees being an alcoholic or a junky as a problem.
I work in a restaurant. I'm absolutely terrified of ever eating in a restaurant here if it doesn't have an open kitchen.
The hospitals are 3rd world. I learned this the hard way, but a few of my friends have been going through the same thing and are absolutely shocked.
The weather. OMG, it is all over the place. 110 degrees in summer, some days it is 90 in the afternoon and 40 at night. The rain is horrible.
Getting way too expensive way too fast. It wasn't that bad when I first came here 18 months ago, but it's gotten out of control and it's up to LA prices right now, and probably going to get worse.
I'm also used to living a life where I can just step outside and walk to wherever at any time and have something to do. Austin, at least the area I live in, is kind of sleepy and boring.
The slobs. It's just crazy to think people live like this. Putting a truck on cinder blocks would be a step up in sophistication for these people. Just gross.
But overall, I'd say Austin is an amazing place to visit. It has a lot of redeeming qualities for visiting, but staying here is kind of ugh.