Boston is a one-of-a-kind American city, and living here definitely feels quite distinct from living in many other parts of the country. In some ways, Boston is a city of extremes that you should be familiar with before committing to a long-term relocation. The following are five important things you should know about Boston before calling up any long-distance moving companies.
1. Boston roadways are dotted with more roundabouts than the rest of the United States
If you’re going to have your own vehicle while living in Boston, you may want to spend some time practicing navigating the roundabouts before you need to do it as part of your workday commute. Roundabouts tend to be somewhat unfamiliar to American drivers. As a rule of thumb, remember that when you’re driving through a roundabout, drivers who are already in the roundabout always have the right of way over drivers who are entering the roundabout. When exiting the roundabout, you must be in the outer lane; do not cut across another lane of traffic to make your exit. Check out these helpful tips on rules of roundabouts.
2. Bars close much later than the major public transportation does
On second thought, you might just want to stick to public transportation, which is much easier than driving. First, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the schedule of the city’s metro public transport system, referred to by locals as the “T”. While the “T” is excellent for workday commuters, unfortunately, it tends to close a bit early on Friday and Saturday nights when you might be out late. While the city’s bars typically stay open until 2 a.m., public transportation usually isn’t available after 12:30 a.m. You’ll probably need to use Uber now and then if you enjoy staying out until the last call on a regular basis.
3. Boston is a very liberal city
If you’re a die-hard conservative, you may want to think twice about moving to Boston. Boston has the distinction of being the first state where gay marriage was made legal, and Massachusetts has long had universal healthcare. The city’s population is distinctly liberal and is also densely academic thanks to the many prestigious universities located in the environs.
4. You shouldn’t move to Boston if you’re not fond of winter weather
If you live in Boston, you’re going to get hammered with snow every single winter. You’re also going to have to deal with bone-chilling temperatures during a significant portion of the year. If you’re not prepared for the might of the cities “nor’easter” snowstorms, you might be better off moving south.
5. The Boston accent takes some getting used to
Boston has its own accent and even its own vocabulary in some cases. When you first move in, you might not always readily understand your neighbors. Boston speakers tend to drop the “r” sound in a lot of words, like “car” and “Harvard” for example. They also tend to use the adjective “wicked”, which has multiple meanings in quotidian Boston parlance.
Boston, like any city, has its quirks, but if you’re looking for a beautiful city with quaint cobblestone streets, abundant job opportunities, and lovely park spaces, then this is the place to be!