Why I hate California
In the East Coast, I had a few real friends; here I have a lot of empty pointless relationships

Tamara Nakhjavani
July 29, 2005
iranian.com

You might wonder why I’m taking my precious time writing a piece on such a negative subject. But I really have had just about enough of this place. I arrived here 5 years ago from New York and did not realize how much the East Coast culture has penetrated my mind, mannerisms, and way of life.

I remember going to the restaurant on the first day of my arriving here and being freaked out by how abnormally and artificially nice the waitress was. Well, I did not know at the time that I was in for much more fakeness coming my way.

Slowly and surely I myself started flashing those empty, full of air, fake smiles. I had to smile even if I felt completely miserable. I know it sounds primitive but the California Fake Smile is everywhere, in the store, at work, in school, at parties, etc. It’s a ticket to a better and brighter status in California society.

Have you ever looked at a person’s fake smile here? It’s as though their eyes are flat but their smile is wide and open, it reminds me of the Orbit gum commercial on TV once in a while. Well, I can even put up with fake smiles if I have to but what about the senseless empty promises of people meeting in parties.

In the East Coast, I had a few real friends; here I have a lot of empty pointless relationships. It’s hard to build meaningful relationships here. You meet people everywhere if you flash one of those fake smiles, you make small talk, exchange numbers but then, there is nothing.

I can say with conviction that I cannot wait to get back to a place where I can be myself and can rely on other people being real.