- Lots of job opportunities
- Lots of great universities (hence, lots of young, like-minded, energetic people)
- International and domestic airport hub
- Great public transportation
- Lots of night life (city that never sleeps)
- Diversity and multi-cultural
- Fantastic amenities (restaurants, shopping, parks, theaters, clubs, other amusements)
- Nice to have: some large bodies of water (rivers, lakes, ocean)
Based on my own experience, here are my top picks (in no particular order):
- London: global citizens would love it here! But waaayyyy too expensive
- Shanghai: if you like lots of people, lots of youths, and endless activity, this is the place to be
- Hong Kong: best part is the drive into the city from the airport, you’ll see a cityscape that’s out of this world
- Paris: not too fond of the snobbery of Parisians (though they have gotten better over the years) but love the architecture and art
- New York City: loud, obnoxious, dirty, expensive. But this is the city where dreams come true!
- Boston: Small and quaint, but so pretty and diverse. I love the neighborhood of Back Bay in particular and the walk down Newbury Street
- Seattle: ridiculously expensive houses given all the tech and E-Commerce people who live here. And a LOT of clouds and rain. But makes you appreciate the sun more when it does peek out
- San Francisco: who can argue with sunshine and beaches? Great food, outdoor entertainment. Just too expensive. And you have to be the California-sort of person. I’ve found that you either are a East-Coast lover or a West-Coast lover. The two don’t seem to mix well.
- Chicago: highest tax rates in the country! But the lakes are so beautiful. Not a fan of traveling during winter through O’Hare though
Aja James - Paranormal Fantasy Romance Author 