Food. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t believe in food as just sustenance. I’d rather die happy with a mouthful of bacon and a handful of fries than live forever on salad. I have a hunch I’m not going to find street tacos and corner-store burritos, but we’ll see what Hamburg can bring in the food-as-an-experience arena.
Weather. It’s hard to beat year-round ultimate frisbee. Say what you will about weather in the city, but being on the beach in shorts in January (almost) makes up for throwing on a layer (or four) in the summertime. It’ll be interesting to see how the seasons differ in Hamburg.
(Although sorry SF, I’m definitely looking forward to the prospect of regular rain.)
Views. Let’s face it, the Bay Area gives you views of everything without having to travel too far. Cityscapes, beaches, mountains, farms, grasslands, ocean, bay, you name it. I first visited San Francisco on a business trip a lifetime ago and fell in love with it then. It’s no less magical to me now. In fact, driving over the Bay Bridge for the last time I felt (admittedly sentimental) like I was being carried on the back of some beautiful bird to my home. I hope Hamburg can be half as inspiring.
Craigslist. This is a tool whose importance you don’t realize till it’s gone. In my last week in San Francisco I sold my dishes, my washing machine, a living room chair and gave away a ton of stuff through Craigslist. I also bought a vacuum cleaner for $5 so that when mine was packed away I could still clean my place before I left. Although Craigslist exists for Hamburg, it doesn’t appear to have nearly the same volume of traffic and offerings.
Friends. The older you get, the harder it is to make friends. Good friends. You become set in your ways and there’s not a lot of reason to put yourself out there if things are working. I’ve met and befriended some incredible people in my 15 years in California. It’s hard to leave that community behind and start over again.
I added the following after two days in Hamburg:
Smoke-free environment. There are smokers in SF, but FAR fewer than Hamburg. It’s not odd here for several people to be walking down the street smoking, and smoke breaks attract herds rather than isolated groups of people. I’ll have to learn to keep my indignation and exaggerated coughing in check. Sigh.
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