I've lived in San Francisco and Austin, and I want to move back to California. Here's what Texas is missing.

Pavi Theva left San Francisco in 2019, but now she wants to move back

Courtesy of Pavi Theva

• Pavi Theva moved to Austin in 2023, drawn by the city's good weather and lower living costs.
• But now she wants to move back to San Francisco, where she lived years earlier.
• Theva said California's the place to be if you want to grow and be challenged.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Pavi Theva, 31, a career coach who lives in Austin. The following has been edited for length and clarity.