Uploaded on 2017-05-09

My name is Azadeh and I am from Boston, MA, U.S. 1). Which are your top livability criteria? 1. Culture 2.Education 3.Job opportunities 4.Political stability 5.transportation 2. Why do we live where we live? I moved to Boston in 2011 to get my master’s degree. I like to be here because it offers me opportunities that I always wanted to have them in my life. Besides the cultural issues and language barriers, I believe everyone has the equal chance to be successful especially those with higher education. Although the cost of living is high, I have a stable job with an acceptable salary. I do not have a car. However, public transportation is available in almost every neighborhoods in Boston. It is not 100% reliable. However, it makes life way easier for people who don’t have cars and it is undeniable that it is more economical. There are many people with different backgrounds and with different cultures in Boston. It is not always easy to mingle with people due to cultural diversity, but there is a culture of acceptance and respect among people. In general Boston is one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. and providing affordable housings is one of the main issues for the local/state governors. In recent development projects in greater Boston area, many mixed used and affordable housings have been proposed by the developers, local and state officials that support low income families. 3. To what extend does your own place of residence fulfill your ideal livability criteria? I would say a lot. As I mentioned earlier in my answer for question 2, education, job opportunity, culture, and housings are the reasons that I chose to live here. 4. What would you change? I would allocate more budget for public transportation systems. MBTA in Boston has covered almost all neighborhoods. However, still trains and busses are not reliable. There are delays and many difficulties especially during the wintertime. Most cars are old and rails on the street levels are not in a good shape. I would use more technology like GPS or security cameras to improve safety and reliability. I would also work on the safety issues during the night by redesigning some streets and encouraging nightlife activities. Why do we move? 1. If I ever decide to move from Boston, My first choice would be Washington DC. because there are many similarities between Boston and Washington DC in terms of culture, education, housing, economy, political stability. 2. My second choice would be Tehran, Iran, which is where I was born. I have lived there for 25 years so I am so familiar with environment and culture. Safety, health care, and climate are other reasons to move in there. 3. The last choice would be Dubai, Emirates. The main reasons are because of the job opportunities and economy. Also, international connection which has a direct effect on culture and stable economy is important to me.