- Brian Norris
When first moving to Washington, D.C., I didn't know many people outside of the office. InterNations has changed that with some exciting events.
Living in Bakersfield
Life in Bakersfield is officially ‘All American’, with the city having been awarded the All-American City Award by the National Civic League in 1990. It’s no surprise then, that the city is also known as California’s Country Music Capital, having adopted the ‘Bakersfield sound’; a twangy style of steel guitar music made popular by hometown country music stars, Merle Haggard and Buck Owens. The Buck Owens Crystal Palace and Museum still hosts country music concerts and is also a night club and bar. Expatriates interested in music can find a wealth of information on events and connect with other expat music lovers on the InterNations discussion groups. For expats living in Bakersfield with more of an interest in food than music, most of the historic restaurants deliver Basque food, giving a nod to the Mexican influences in California. Being ‘All American’, Bakersfield is home to some minor league professional sports teams and expats with an interest in sports can watch the Bakersfield Blaze (baseball), Condors (ice hockey) or Jam (basketball), or even check out the Famoso Raceway for some drag strip racing.
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Moving to Bakersfield
Bakersfield sits at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in California, equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles. Sitting in a valley, with close proximity to mountain passes makes Bakersfield a transportation hub. This is great news for expats moving to Bakersfield with a view to working in the surrounding areas. Bakersfield is one of the fastest growing cities in California, with thriving communities spreading right to the city limits. Many companies have moved to Bakersfield to take advantage of inexpensive land and access to the rest of America, with international ports in both Los Angeles and Oakland. Expats moving to Bakersfield can find essential information on everything expatriate related from storage to apartments, housing to communities on InterNations, as well as using the discussion groups and forums to socialize with other expats. An online journal published by InterNations, called Expat Magazine, also carries articles written by expats on their experiences of living and working abroad.
Working in Bakersfield
Bakersfield has a hugely diverse economy with industries including: natural gas, energy extraction, petroleum refining, mining, aerospace, manufacturing, food processing, distribution and many corporations and headquarters calling it home. Kern County is in fact the most productive oil producing county, and the fourth most productive agricultural county in the whole of the U.S. Expatriates looking for information on jobs and opportunities within the city’s diverse spread of industries can use InterNations to network with expats already working in Bakersfield. Other vital information for expats looking to work in Bakersfield, including details on visas and working abroad, can also be found by asking other members on the forums on InterNations.