John Schumann: Settling in to the Bay Area

After relocating from Oklahoma, John Schumann shares about why he enjoys his new home.

Transitions are fraught – there’s the excitement of the new tempered with fear of the unknown. Two months ago, my wife and I moved from Oklahoma to San Rafael. “That’s quite a change,” everyone says to me. Yes it is! 

For starters, the climate here is so much lovelier – Oklahoma summers are brutally hot, with little cooldown at night. Air conditioning is a necessity – so coming to a place where it can actually be cold in the summer is a revelation. The hills of Marin and opportunity to go hiking out my front door bring me joy. 

Oklahoma is pretty darn flat. There’s also the obvious change of moving from a libertarian red state to a blue state with significantly higher costs. But I find the Bay Area ethos of paying people a living wage heartening. 

After 15 years, I tired of my fellow Okies being hoodwinked into voting against their own interests. I’m drinking in the Bay Area’s culture – the incredible and diverse food, its arts and intellectual ferment – I didn’t realize how culturally famished I was living in the Vast Middle. There is something interesting to do here. Every. Single. Day. 

Before I settle into new routines, I’ve been making the effort to go to events, meet new people and try new activities. On any given night, authors, artists and performers of all kinds are sharing their talents in the City, the Peninsula, the East Bay and up North. 

It’s dizzying. It reminds me of my old college course catalogues – there were more interesting options than I could ever have hoped to attend. Living in the Bay Area feels like that and I’m so energized by it. I’m riding a wave; I just have to learn to avoid the sneaker waves. With a Perspective, I’m John Schumann.

John Schumann is a primary care doctor, writer and hiker. He lives in San Rafael.