Michael sent a letter to me earlier this week with a story tip–a good sign that someone is paying attention and thinks: Hey, this would be a good BRO story.
After emailing him back with a thank-you, I realized that Michael was a BRO story himself. Read on to see how he got to Buffalo and the thought process that went with his ultimate decision. His path of thinking is a common one, and we’re glad he came to the conclusion that Buffalo and UB was/is the place for him.
Elena,
Well, to be honest, UB was the *reason* for choosing Buffalo–they offered my wife and me fantastic jobs–but BRO definitely deserves some credit for making us feel *good* about the choice. Because actually, when a colleague of mine recommended I apply at UB, I declared that there was no way I could live in Buffalo. After all, I’d been fortunate enough to live in several places that outsiders rate as desirable, including the Twin Cities (much colder than Buffalo, but noted for great culture), southen California (noted for, uh, weather), and most recently, Ann Arbor, MI (noted for being a progressive college town). By contrast, I said, “Buffalo is just what it is: an industrial, impoverished land of chicken wings.”
Ugh.
(In my defense, I did grow up in Kansas City, so I have a lot of baggage from the Chiefs getting kicked around by the Bills in the 90’s.)
Over the past few months, however, I’ve had the chance to visit several times as well as read BRO, Artvoice, and a few other outlets, and all this has dramatically changed my impression of Buffalo. I’m still an outsider, or at best a newcomer, but I now see Buffalo as a place with a great arts and culture heritage, the friendliest people on the planet, and–perhaps best of all–the stirrings of exciting change. And while most people outside Buffalo may not know all this, it’s become a personal mission of mine to correct the misperceptions of people I meet, and tell them a little about the real Buffalo, both present and future. BRO provides ammo for that, so again…thanks.
All the best,
Michael
Michael and wife,
Welcome. We like quick studies in this town.
E