Editors’ note:

This is part of an on-going series of posts on the Valley’s creative movement and its counterpart the central valley brain drain.

If you are part of the brain drain and would like to participate, answer the questions you see below and send them to valley.notes AT gmail DOT com. Please give us ideas on how we can improve this series.

Brain Drain Chronicles: Garth, 26

Name (first name OK): Garth

Age: 26

Where did you attend high school? Clovis High School

What is your educational background?

I graduated from California State University, Fresno in Spring of 2005 with my B.S. in Criminology and an option of Victimology.
What is your current occupation? Supervising Counselor at a group home in Boston for children who have been abused and neglected.

Where and how long did you live in the central valley?

I lived in Clovis, Ca for 18 years.
Where do you live now? I live in Boston, Ma

Why do you (don’t you) live in the central San Joaquin Valley?


I don’t live in the central valley anymore, because I just got tired of the lifestyle in that area. Many other parts of Ca are beautiful, but for me right now, I like living in a city with less sprawl and more forward thinking as far as city development.

What are the secondary reasons?

I am enjoying exploring a part of the country that is much different from where I grew up. The changes in weather as well as the differences in people’s attitudes on the east coast are fun.

What are the top 5-10 adjectives that come to mind when you think of the central valley?

hot, dry, sprawling, conservative, grid-like.

How often do you visit? (Editor’s Note: New question!)

Usually about twice a year.

If you do not currently live in the central San Joaquin Valley, what changes/acts of God would need to occur in order for you to move there?

I would need to have no other choice but to return. So for instance, to help my direct family members because of sickness or death. Or if for some reason I absolutely needed their support and lost all my money or had some illness which required me to be taken care of.

If you do not currently live in the central San Joaquin Valley, what price would make it worthwhile?

The central valley already has a pretty low cost of living. Especially comparing it to my current residence in Boston. With that said, I don’t think I would move back despite how cheap it is. I value what I have in Boston too much to move back.