My husband and I grew up in rural New York, but spent over 30 years in the SF Bay Area. We raised our son there. He still lives there, but we now live in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. My son loves his home state but, as a high school math teacher, his chances for a comfortable lifestyle there are not good. Once he has his credential, he wants to leave so he can aspire to a better standard of living. (The wild fires gave him pause as well.) The weather is great in the Bay Area, but boring. I’m so much happier to have moved back East. I revel in each of the four seasons. I realized after I left that I’d never really fit in there anyway. California has many charms and we loved our time there, but I must say our lives here are so much better. I visit California a couple of times a year to visit family and friends. It’s fun but I sure don’t miss it.