I am moving to Cambridge, MA.
Any advice?
>>62208309
What're you moving there for? What kind of advice are you looking for?
>>62209064
I am going for my PhD.
I am interested about general stuff, like things to do and not to do. I know I can google it, but opinions from /int/ are probably more interesting.
>>62209313
Prepare for winter.
As a resident of MA I can tell you that the city is expensive, but it's not bad. Personally I always prefer to live outside of the 95 ring, but if you're going to school then you can't help it.
Don't think you're getting anywhere by car during rush hour. The city is like a black hole. In the morning anything going towards Boston is slow as fuck, at night anything away from it is the same.
Faneuil hall is fun to visit. If you like clubs the city has plenty. I personally prefer doing things away from the city, but just be careful. Everyone is always in a fucking rush and people get pissy in the summer because it's wicked hot.
Also keep your hands to yourself. Personal space is more important in this region than in Brasil.
>>62208309
MIT students use alot of drugs and have good parties
If you use a bicycle use a helmet, masshole drives are some of the worst on the planet
>>62209786
>MIT students use alot of drugs and have good parties
This is literally every university and apples mostly to meme majors and people who don't care how they do.
Any school in Cambridge will drop someone without a second thought if they start tanking, and the professors have such a God complex that they have almost zero empathy about people who do poorly in their class.
The last bit is valid though, our drivers are shit.
>>62209605
Thanks for the advice!
If I decide to live outside de 95 ring, is there a way of transportation to MIT that is cheap enough to compensate for other daily expenditures?
Here in Brazil, I live two hours from university, but my rent is so cheap that the effort pays off.
> Personal space is more important in this region than in Brasil.
What a relief. Seriously.
>>62209313
>>62209064
As a Brazilian do you want to hang out with other Brazilians? We have a lot of Brazilian immigrants in MA. Places like Framingham and that area have Brazilians as well as pockets of Portuguese. Finding Brazilian grocery stores and restaurants isn't too hard, but Cambridge doesn't have all that many compared to other areas
As a warning about Cambridge mentality/politics, it is very liberal and not religious, especially among Cambridge academia. I do not know what your politics are but just so you don't step on someone's toes. I have heard someone say before that Cambridge is the most diverse group of people with the exact same politics. Make of that what you will.
Faneuil hall is pretty touristy but I would go visit it once if you want to. The train system(called the T) is pretty OK. The normal subway can get you pretty far around and the commuter rail can get you to other towns further away for a weekend or day trip of you want, but there are plenty of bus routes that do the same thing.
As another anon said prepare for winter and a lot of snow. The Brazilians I know here usually have a tough first winter due to not knowing how to deal
with cold weather. The trick is to dress in layers. So an undershirt with a normal shirt with a jacket makes you warmer. And don't skimp out on good boots, you will regret it, just do your research on them.
I'm a Boston/Cambridge resident as well so feel free to ask other shit. Which university or department are you with? I am in a academic family here so there is a good chance I can tell you about them.
>>62210112
It depends on where you decide to live.
If you google MBTA you can find the maps that will show you where you can live and be within a decent distance of a station that goes into the city. I used to take the Lowell Line to North station every day. You can walk (if you live close to the station) or drive your car to the station and then take the train into the city.
I know the red line subway goes straight from south station to both Harvard and MIT. Because of this I would try to live in a city that has a line that connects to south station.
Walking to the station from my shithole in Lowell took 15 minutes, The train itself took 25 minutes, and then another 15 minute walk to work from the north station stop. The train does not wait for anyone and will leave on time.
As far as actually managing to reach specific places in the city you'll need to know the buses or whatever. The Boston area has better transportation than most of the US, but it still isn't all that great.
>>62209313
>PhD
In what?
>>62210427
> The trick is to dress in layers.
> The trick is to dress in layers.
Did you hear that? LAYERS. I can't tell you how many people think "Oh one really heavy item is the same"
No, it is not. Last winter wasn't bad so this next one is clearly going to suck cock.
>>62210427
> As a Brazilian do you want to hang out with other Brazilians?
It sound more interesting to meet people from other countries, but it is good to know that if I ever miss Brazilian food.
>>62210427
>>62210718
> The trick is to dress in layers.
I am from the coldest region of Brazil, so I think I won't suffer as much as other brazilians (some people from Rio and Bahia almost die in our winter). I can see that the average temperature during the winter is not very different from here, but we've never had snow, so I have no idea about the thermal sensation.
>>62210475
Thanks, I will try to be informed about MBTA.
>>62210427
>>62210569
I am a biologist.
>>62211315
Oh as long as I remember, be very careful of putting money into renting or wherever you plan on living before you get here. One of the post docs in my lab was coming over from Sweden and put 3 months rent down on a place. He arrived and found out that the guy didn't own the place. Not that this sort of event happens often but just be careful. It's no fun.
Do you have any specific questions for things?
>>62211315
What a meme degree...
>>62209313
Don't eat McDonald's or anyother crap fast food. Don't buy food made with corn syrup and other additives.
>>62208309
practice driving nicely
driving like a dick will make lots of enemies
inb4 masshole meme
