Just got back from California, couldn’t wait to jot down my impressions. Finally got around to finishing this post a month later.

Prologue

This summer I was fortunate to land an internship at a major Chinese tech company with US operations. While onsite attendance wasn’t required for interns, a company event gave me the opportunity to spend some time in California.

Objective Facts

Only after returning to my university’s small town (calling it a “city” would be generous) did I fully appreciate what makes California so special.

Sunshine every single day, yet never oppressively hot;
Desert in the distance, but lush greenery wherever people live;
Cool, crisp night air—perfect for falling asleep under.

Generations have transformed this semi-arid landscape into a remarkably livable place. But that comes with trade-offs:

• Intense competition. I didn’t experience this firsthand, but California parents push their kids just as hard as parents in China’s most competitive cities.
• Traffic. With most people still working from home, this wasn’t terrible. But the highway on-ramps were already clogged—I can only imagine rush hour once everyone returns to the office.
• Safety concerns. California has a reputation for property crime. While I was fortunate not to experience any issues personally (maybe all that security research helped?), the fact that everyone avoids leaving bags in their cars—and that every parking lot has signs warning you not to—tells you how common car break-ins are. Anti-Asian hate crimes were also a concern at the time.
• Higher prices. Basically everything costs 50%+ more than in my tiny college town. Understandable, given the broader selection of goods available.

On the positive side:

• People! Relative to my rural college town, at least. Three weeks of socializing in California nearly matched my total for the entire year :P
• The weather. Already mentioned, but worth repeating with emphasis. The day I returned to Indiana, I was greeted by a thunderstorm. I sat in my car for ten minutes after buying groceries, waiting it out—until lightning struck so close I decided getting wet was a better outcome than getting electrocuted. My internet was knocked out too. Meanwhile, the umbrella I’d packed for California’s supposed rain served exclusively as a parasol. It never rained once. (One upside of Midwest rain though: I’ve never had to wash my car.)
• Convenient living. Everything you need for daily life is available, with Chinese restaurants, food delivery, and even fresh grocery delivery services—a godsend for someone without a rental car. Of course, given US labor costs, don’t expect the ultra-low delivery fees you’d find in China. You could theoretically get by without speaking any English, relying entirely on Chinese-owned businesses.

Beyond these, I want to share more about work-life balance.

Subjective Impressions

Work-Life Balance

Perhaps the most important observation: WLB genuinely exists in California (and at most US companies). Engineers work without crushing pressure; companies invest in employees’ growth alongside their output. Having never worked in China, I can’t make direct comparisons, but the horror stories about China’s internet industry are quite intimidating. So what do people actually do with their lives here? From what I’ve seen: socializing, making music, sports, cocktail mixing, etc. Finding something you love and deriving joy from it is true happiness.

Great Food!

California has no shortage of excellent food, and the variety is astounding. Coming from my small town, it felt like stepping through the gates of a culinary wonderland. (Though the locals there would also call their area “rural”—they clearly haven’t seen actual rural.) Honestly, the food generally doesn’t quite match what you’d find in China. Recommendations: Jinliwan and Laojia Shaanxi—both genuinely delicious!

Some Regrets

Without a car, I missed many scenic spots. Next time I’m here for a conference, I’ll make up for it! I’ve been meaning to visit every place that became a macOS version name. Also missed seeing some people—until next time!

Not-Really-an-Epilogue

Huge thanks to all the old friends, new friends, and senior colleagues who helped me during my time in California. Everyone was incredibly kind, especially my mentor—I feel like I gave him a few extra gray hairs (sorry!).