I just moved to Boston all the way from Newport News, Virginia, and I can't understate how different this region actually is from my Southern hometown.

Here are 16 differences I didn't expect to encounter in this city.

1. No one's even heard of my hometown.

They have definitely not heard of Newport News. But they haven't even heard of Virginia Beach?!

2. People are mindblown when I tell them I grew up in a region where people still hang up Confederate flags.

"Wow, so you guys are really Southern."

3. The city is way more LGBTQ-friendly- even the churches hang Pride flags.

This is a welcome change.

4. Solar panels are everywhere- even on stop signs.

So are home solar panels, electric cars, and other allusions to the free energy sector. This is ridiculously cool to me.

5. Everyone loves the giant Citgo sign.

I don't understand this. I will never understand this. No matter how many times I have this explained to me, I don't understand why there is a massive ad protruding from the beautiful skyline as lone king of the city, and why everyone loves and accepts this. Apparently the Citgo sign is even a "registered historic landmark." Come on, Boston. That is so extra.

6. Saying hi to strangers will get you weird looks.

The chances are two out of three that they'll A. either completely ignore you or B. look at you like you're crazy, but there's always a one out of three chance they might actually say hi back.

In Virginia, it was normal to wave to strangers and greet them, so it really confused me when people just ignored me when I did that here.

7. Everything's faster.

Everything. Talking, shopping, walking, driving, you name it.

8. Traffic laws are optional.

At least this is what I've gathered from other Boston drivers.

9. You will get honked at for driving the speed limit.

People drive fast. It's not an accident that on almost every neighborhood street you can find multiple yellow signs that say, "SLOW."

10. It really is a city of immigrants.

I actually love this part, but it surprised me. I had never seen people of so many different nationalities in one city in my life. It's beautiful. And it's treated as completely normal, these differences, and you don't see the kind of open bigotry against foreigners that you would in the South. I love that- I hope that- it's a welcoming place for people from all over the world. I wish my hometown was more like that.

11. No one's really from Boston.

When introducing myself to others after my move, I'd always mention that I was new here, and then ask them if they were from Boston. I quickly learned that... almost nobody is? People come from all over the country, and even all over the world. It's more reliable to assume they're not from Boston than to assume they are. This is also incredibly different from Virginia- where most people still live in their home state, if not their hometown.

12. Your liberal beliefs aren't seen as radical.

In a hometown ruled by "Don't Tread On Me" bumper stickers, unironic camo pants, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. memorial shrines, my liberal or anarchist opinions made me feel like an outcast, and they were the subject of many an exasperated sigh from my family.

In Boston, conservatives are actually the minority.

13. Little Free Libraries are a big deal.

I thought this was an adorable, totally revolutionary concept you just see on Pinterest, but never in real life. But Little Free Libraries are in basically every neighborhood and every street corner in this city.

14. There are so many jobs. And entry-level jobs pay a reasonable wage.

Okay. Let me just say this. In Virginia, the minimum wage is $7.25, and the minimum wage was rule-of-law for almost any entry-level job. The minimum wage here is $11, and more than half the jobs you encounter offer higher than that- canvassing jobs paying $15, McDonald's paying $15, an ice-cream shop paying $21/hour.

In Virginia, I remember working 40-hour weeks. It was physically painful to look at my paycheck and discover that for 40 hours of exhausting labor (80 hours over 2 weeks), I was only getting paid $580.

In Massachusetts, I'm working 40-hour weeks at $15/hour (this is not unusual), and after 80 hours of work over 2 weeks, my paycheck reads $1200.

That's double what I would have made in Virginia. That is literally more than double.

And I know, everyone says taxes are higher in Massachusetts, or the cost of living is so much higher there, but compared to Newport News, a place with ridiculously expensive real estate values... actually, not really.

If you're smart and get roommates, choosing your city of choice carefully (go for college towns surrounding Boston, of which there are tons), you can rent a room or apartment here for $600. Not all places, but some. It's a thing. In Virginia, the cost is... actually about the same.

The cost of food and basic amenities is slightly more expensive, but nowhere near twice as expensive. For the price of food (especially if you have a Costco membership), I haven't really noticed a difference. Read comparison statistics here before you try to debunk me on that.

For someone like me who's just working here for the summer to save up money to take back to Virginia, there is definitely a solid return on my investment.

15. Smoking weed is not a big deal.

Massachusetts legalized cannabis for recreational use last November, even though they're currently still trying to iron out the details. It can't be sold in stores yet, but regardless of that, you see it, and definitely smell it everywhere. In Virginia, possession is a felony that will permanently stick on your record. In Massachusetts, you can grow up to six cannabis plants for personal use, and if you're pulled over, it's illegal for cops to seize cannabis from you. Under the new law, if you're caught driving with it, you'll likely just get a $200 ticket with no criminal charges. In head shops, there is no careful walking-the-tightrope lingo about "tobacco pipes," and you won't be kicked out of the store for accidentally uttering the forbidden word "bong." The store clerks will tell you, "These are weed pipes. This is a bubbler. You are allowed to say the word here." It's kind of... refreshing. Cannabis is not a symbol of the forbidden underground. It's just a thing. And from unapologetic smokers you'll likely hear the nonchalant words, "It's medicinal."

16. People love their city.

I guess this is what happens when you move to a city by choice- you're proud of it. I'm trying to remember if I have ever- I mean, ever- heard someone say they "love" Newport News. If you're even remotely cool, it's practically mandatory to throw in a cynical, "I hate Newport News" when anything mildly inconvenient happens, from traffic to a shooting. But it's not cool to hate on Boston. The people who live here love it here. And you know what? I love it too.