An Expat Talks about Living in Boulder, Colorado

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Boulder

What activities, clubs and organizations would you recommend to newcomers to help them meet others?

There are so many options in Boulder it is hard to believe. The most obvious answer is the numerous organizations relating to outdoor activities. For the majority of people that live in Boulder, everything starts with their favorite recreational activities. Many enjoy going to the wonderful restaurants, which offer just about anything you could possibly want. There are also bookstores that people frequent. Naturally, going to sporting events, especially University of Colorado (Buffs) football. As with any liberal town, there is also numerous people that revolt against organized athletics, but these are drowned out by the vast majority that live for the Buffs, the Broncos and the Avalanche (those poor Denver Nuggets!). People here are very friendly and it will be very easy to make friends if you put forth the effort.

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In terms of religious, racial, economic and cultural diversity, are the people of this city or town diverse? Are they accepting of differences? Describe.

Boulder is a fairly diverse community. The university obviously helps foster this, but there are also plenty of Latinos that help to enrich the area too.

What are the main industries in this city? What types of career opportunities commonly exist? How do most people find new jobs?

There are several high-tech firms in or near Boulder, including IBM, Sun, StorageTek, and a number of biotech firms. There are a large number of small businesses, too. It can be a tough job market at times, and sometimes it's bountiful. Persistent people will always find work.

In general, what are peoples' priorities in this city? For example, do lives revolve around work, family, socializing, sports, etc.?

People are very passionate about the outdoors. Family is important too, though. There is an interesting clash (not physical) between the people that are in Boulder due to its liberal image (stemming from the University) and the many drawn to the plethora of high-tech companies in the area. Bottom line is that there are plenty of interesting people and attitudes in town.

If a friend of yours was thinking of moving to this city or town from far away, what other advice would you give them.

I hope you like outdoor activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, biking and rock climbing. This is a place for active people, regardless of what kind of job you have. Traffic outside of town (going to Denver) can be a major hassle. There should be a train that runs between Denver and Boulder, but for some reason it will probably at very least be a long, long time before that happens. Some of the urban planning sometimes seems haphazard. Bottomline is that you will have a fabulous time in this area if you are a positive person looking for an adventurous lifestyle.