family moves from Los Angeles to tiny rural town, excitement gives way to boredom

[Demovictory9]

long story at link.. i hope you can get past paywall

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-03-07/los-angeles-cost-of-living-debt-rural-california

L.A. sank them into debt. Will this family find a better life in rural California?

The rent on their South Gate apartment was set to increase. In the COVID-19 pandemic, Cabrera’s hours as a maintenance man were cut.

Not only were they failing to save money, but they also were sinking further into debt.

Their door was feet away from a busy street. Crime and homelessness seemed to be getting worse. With the kids home all day learning online, their apartment seemed too small.

So on a fall day last year, they headed to Huron, a town of 6,000 with no stoplights, surrounded by grape fields and pistachio groves.

-------------

Then, reality set in.



The kids were bored. There were no after-school activities. Even the advanced classes weren’t challenging.

The family quickly tired of the food options — seven taquerias and one pizza shop, by their count.

They felt different from the locals, who listened to ranchera and wore either cowboy boots and sombreros or saggy pants with chains.

Their three-bedroom apartment wasn’t as big as they expected. There wasn’t room for all their things.

Despite the free rent, they weren’t able to save money. The cost of moving had set them back. Food and other necessities were expensive in Huron, and driving to Hanford meant spending money on gas.

[secondwind]

1. Be careful what you wish for...............

it appears that they made their decision very quickly..........

[Demovictory9]

2. they did...job offer landed in their lap. but they had previously visited the area

[Chainfire]

3. Rural life is certainly not for everyone.

You have to be able to create your own entertainment.

Personally, I love it, because I don't require a lot of entertainment and the older I get the less I want to be around other people. Basically, I don't like any of you any more and the less of you I see the better. I will probably enjoy the peace and quiet and solitude of the grave. When I was a kid, I had a part time job of mowing some large country cemeteries with a push mower. I never heard a single person complaining.

[Coventina]

7. Now that I'm old enough to know myself and know my "needs" I agree with you.

I am also a misanthrope and introvert.
I am happy to be alone for long stretches at a time.

I'm very self-sufficient, although I do like to eat out. So, I would miss that.

However, I would not have wanted to raise a family in that environment. I wouldn't want to impose my social isolation on them.

[NBachers]

4. Well that's a hell of a change - check out the map

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Huron+CA&ia=web&iaxm=about&iax=images

[Hortensis]

8. I saw what you did, all right. Google walked streets to the edge

to see what the family did.

They arrived at a small, low income island of straight streets and buildings completely surrounded by giant, flat Big-Ag fields to the horizon in all directions.

Nice family. Hope their next place is right for them. Fresno's a big city in comparison.

?w=1600

[tinrobot]

5. Huron, CA? Talk about middle of nowhere.

Smack dab in the middle of the Central Valley. Nothing but farmland for miles around. No nature, no shopping, nothing. No wonder they're bored.

Even Bakersfield or Fresno would be more exciting.

[Demovictory9]

6. Huron tour