@anastasiapelot

I lived in Santa Barbara for the last 15 years (originally from Russia, also lived in HN, NYC, CT, and Florida). Currently working remotely for a European startup. Sure, it's expensive (probably around 80-90% of Bay Area cost of living), but the weather is perfect (not too hot, not too cold, all year around), the scenery is beautiful (mountains on one side, ocean on the other), and the city itself is fairly old and cozy (home to the second oldest building in California). People are generally fri

December 2022: Nairobi is a city less walkable than Bangkok, worse infrastructure than the Eastern European province, a non-service culture that would rival Germany, WiFi & 3G/4G like in rural Kyrgyzstan (the kind of where you walk with your phone in your stretched out hand)…. All of that you get for almost US-level prices. Nah, I didn’t have a good time. It feels utterly derelict and careless. Zero things to do except paying through your nose for Safari stuff. Although the people are ver

Berlin used to be nomad base in Europe... but it's not the same anymore. The 'pandemic' changed many things -- the cost of course, but also the culture -- the freedom and liberty have been contained. The police presence and size of the state have grown -- definitely doesn't feel so relaxed anymore. It's also important to note here -- there is limited ambition. Most are looking for an easy, fun and peaceful life -- which is great, but if you are building something or running a business it can fee

A city in the grip of a financial crisis (Feb 2023), plus other calamities, so requires a bit more effort to do stuff than many places. But IMO worth the effort. You have to carry cash around and lots of bills as worth 1/40th of what they were a few years ago. You can't really use cards anywhere, except dollar ATMs and some supermarkets. Electricity mostly from generators, which have downtime a few hours a day. You need to check the daily hours of supply for the building before booking a place.

Overall, a pretty great place. Good restaurants and many breweries. Solid entertainment. It has all four seasons and lots of sunshine. Some homelessness issues downtown, like most cities.

New York is cool. I’ve visited multiple times to see my family throughout my life, and recently came back from my first post-COVID trip there. Yes, it’s very expensive — but there is no city on earth that’s more captivating in my opinion. I used to think that New Yorkers were smug by claiming that NYC was better than everywhere else, but now I totally get it lol. My personal favourite neighbourhood is the Upper East Side, which is where you’ll find the coveted Museum Mile. But I also

I grew up in Chicago and still return fairly often. I love the character of the different neighborhoods, the variety of architectural styles, and as others have said, the food scene is incredible. It's easy to make friends in the suburbs, perhaps not so much in the city itself. I have never witnessed racial tension here, and have been pleasantly surprised by the interracial friendliness I have observed. There are a wonderful selection of forests and parks just about everywhere, and the museu