OT: OK, I'm moving to Los Angeles

[King RAZZ]

I had several factors in leaving CA for Las Vegas in 2003...but I felt that my health took first priority and that the drier climate would do me much better than being within spitting distance of the beach (Huntington Beach that is)...

The only drawback to Vegas is that you have to deal with the summers...and it's hard even after ten years... Of course the rest of the year it's road construction season...

 

[King RAZZ]

I think you should move somewhere else because California isn't what it once was. It sucks because I lived there for 23 years and loved it but there's no way I'd move back with how bad it is.

Ditto for me...but it was 31 years...

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I love living here, I just think that it's difficult for a transplant with no career, no experience living here to adjust to life here (especially when they said their family is in the IE). Basically impossible.

If I was moving out of country Australia would definitely be of consideration. I like that idea.

Aw yeah...Australia. Preferably Perth! Can't wait to move back there in this spring. Well, autumn there.

 

[Shootmaster_44]

If you want to move to LA and have problems with the US immigration route, have you thought about working for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade with the Government of Canada? It may take you a bit to get to Los Angeles, but Canada does have a consulate down there. The biggest catch is you have to be fluent in French to work for DFAIT (I would love to but sadly Je ne comprend pas francais.)

As a foreign diplomat, you wouldn't need the visa from the US government to work in LA. From what I understand, the Canadian consulate is considered sovereign Canadian soil. As a diplomat, your residence (at least the one arranged by the Canadian Government) is also considered sovereign Canadian soil. However, my guess is that you would need to work through some of the more dangerous/less popular DFAIT locations (i.e. the poor African nations and the dangerous countries in the Middle East/Asia) first before you could transfer to a prized location like Los Angeles.

With a BA in Political Science and Economics, even if DFAIT is out you could probably get a decent job with the Canadian Government. Being with the feds, you can transfer around Canada. Might be an idea to look into it and you might be able to land a posting outside of the GTA. Honestly, I would love to move back to Toronto. That's ultimately where I want to go.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

If you're gonna come, come illegally.

You'll get everything handed to you for free.

That is the American way!

Yeah back in the day, the streets were paved with gold, there were rivers of chocolate milk and virgins willing to give themselves to you at your will.

I've lived here all my life and it really hasn't changed that much.

Maybe something else has changed.

Lol! Yeah I get that people grow and want different things in life but by and large the LA area hasn't changed a whole lot in the 32 years I've been on this planet.

Where I live I can wear shorts year round, don't have or need AC, I can walk to groceries and bars, commute to work without a car and pay $1200 for a two bedroom apartment 4 blocks from the pacific. I'm not a world traveler but out of all the places in the US I've been, I can't imagine living anywhere else.

 

[Ron*]

Where I live I can wear shorts year round

You weren't wearing shorts two weeks ago when we had that freezing cold snap.

Unless you are mentally ill.

 

[DocWest]

I moved here from Chicago about four years ago and I love it. Obviously immigration and getting a job lined up are crucial, but some people are making LA seem like it's a really dangerous place. While there are awful areas, they are easy to avoid. I haven't had a single problem yet. The traffic can be a real ***** though.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

You weren't wearing shorts two weeks ago when we had that freezing cold snap.

Unless you are mentally ill.

Only if you consider temperature in the 50s freezing.

 

[DocWest]

Only if you consider temperature in the 50s freezing.

I always think it's hilarious how all the winter clothes comes out once the temp dips to the mid 60s.

Some of those people should try living on the East Coast.

 

[Brodie]

Speaking of you could always consider Chicago, or as Mr. Burns once called it "the Miami of Canada"

 

[Live in the Now]

Aw yeah...Australia. Preferably Perth! Can't wait to move back there in this spring. Well, autumn there.

Back there? You from there?

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Back there? You from there?

Nope. I stayed there for a month last year.

 

[Choralone]

Your biggest advantage is that you are young, don't have many obligations, and have a safety net because you can go home again if things fall apart. Even if you aren't keen on the last part, it's a huge advantage that lets you take chances.

The immigration thing is your biggest hurdle. Second, because the LA metro area is so sprawling, you should square away a job first, before picking your place to live.

Regional unemployment is high, but because benefits keep getting extended, there is a portion that isn't pushed to find work and so the numbers are a little inflated.

Finally, people specifying the beach cities as places to live are crazy. There are plenty of places in Southern California that are aren't as romantic (or expensive) but are still safe, pleasant places to live.

For instance, I'd recommend Burbank, where I've lived for the last 2 years. It's a little sleepy, and doesn't have many good restaurants, but the traffic is light, the neighborhoods are safe, and you're close to Pasadena, Hollywood, and Downtown LA (20-25 minutes when there's no traffic, 40 minutes when the traffic is substantial).

 

[RonSwanson*]

Going to be brutal honest.

If you don't have a job lined up.....Don't bother. California has double digit unemployment, and probably around 40 percent under employment.

What type of skills do you posses ? Cause I can tell you right now, if your looking to land some sort of office job, stay in Toronto.

You need to posses some sort of labor skill. Like welding, plumbing,IT, Accounting.

The cost of living in LA is outrageous. It's even bad here in the Central Valley (use to be cheap).

I am currently looking to move out of California, Some place that doesn't tax me to death.

Some place where my 60k Salary actually allows me to live decent.

I am thinking PHX, Mesa area or Tempe. Plus I can carry my sidearm without the cops being called on me....

The California economy right now is a mess, and the State government is worse.

Unless you plan on being a state worker, don't bother moving here.

You can't start a business unless you have a 750 credit score, and 20 percent down.

You cant land a decent paying job, unless you are at the top of your field with a serious degree.

California is in bad shape.

Colorado welcomes you. I moved here three years ago from L.A. and never looked back.

 

[RonSwanson*]

Don't let the pessimists above detract you.

Obviously, one guy above is sour on California. I understand that. But people wonder why California is so expensive and to be clear, this is where the jobs are.

Why not live in Kansas where homes cost about a quarter of what the do here? Because there are absolutely no jobs there.

So I would take the advice above with a grain of salt. Secure a job, then move. You are young, so apartment living is in your future. But its all about establishing yourself here, and then moving forward.

Ron, there are jobs everywhere for skilled people. CA's unemployment is the highest in the country. It's expensive in CA because of the weather and because of the sheer quantities of businesses there, but not because of jobs.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

I moved here from Chicago about four years ago and I love it. Obviously immigration and getting a job lined up are crucial, but some people are making LA seem like it's a really dangerous place. While there are awful areas, they are easy to avoid. I haven't had a single problem yet. The traffic can be a real ***** though.

The reason why you have many who make a great deal about LA as a dangerous place is because there are areas in Merto LA is are not supposed to be shady but they are. When I went to Santa Monica for the 1st time a few years ago, I was shocked by what I saw in the neighborhoods of the rich. I truly thought I was in either Compton or Watts at 1st when I saw street corner after street corner homeless people and gang members flashing their guns. Then when I said to myself that both of those places are a ways south of where I am things looked worse all around as I was driving more at night into Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. The truth is even if I can afford to live in those places I mentioed I wouldn't. In areas where you have a very high number of celberties per capta I wouldn't feel safe knowing that one of their stalkers could end up mistaken where I live for the home of a celeberty and I would have to be on guard all the time from any kind of threat.

 

[RonSwanson*]

You weren't wearing shorts two weeks ago when we had that freezing cold snap.

Unless you are mentally ill.

 

[DocWest]

The reason why you have many who make a great deal about LA as a dangerous place is because there are areas in Merto LA is are not supposed to be shady but they are. When I went to Santa Monica for the 1st time a few years ago, I was shocked by what I saw in the neighborhoods of the rich. I truly thought I was in either Compton or Watts at 1st when I saw street corner after street corner homeless people and gang members flashing their guns. Then when I said to myself that both of those places are a ways south of where I am things looked worse all around as I was driving more at night into Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. The truth is even if I can afford to live in those places I mentioed I wouldn't. In areas where you have a very high number of celberties per capta I wouldn't feel safe knowing that one of their stalkers could end up mistaken where I live for the home of a celeberty and I would have to be on guard all the time from any kind of threat.

I guess I'm lucky to have never seen that and I'm sure it exists. I used to work at a production company in Santa Monica and never once saw a gang member flashing a gun in all my time there. Instead I saw an insane amount of tourists and street musicians. Granted I worked minutes away from the 3rd Street Promenade and that's a super nice area. I agree though that there are some areas of LA that get crazy seemingly out of nowhere. For example, Sunset Blvd gets really seedy after dark.

As for worrying about celebrity stalkers, that's a little far fetched.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

I guess I'm lucky to have never seen that and I'm sure it exists. I used to work at a production company in Santa Monica and never once saw a gang member flashing a gun in all my time there. Instead I saw an insane amount of tourists and street musicians. Granted I worked minutes away from the 3rd Street Promenade and that's a super nice area. I agree though that there are some areas of LA that get crazy seemingly out of nowhere. For example, Sunset Blvd gets really seedy after dark.

As for worrying about celebrity stalkers, that's a little far fetched.

Don't know abou gangs but the Pier and the area near it (especially Ocean Avenue) are infested with bums. I think it's because tourists give them money and the trash cans are always full of food...leftover food, that is.

 

[Choralone]

I guess I'm lucky to have never seen that and I'm sure it exists. I used to work at a production company in Santa Monica and never once saw a gang member flashing a gun in all my time there. Instead I saw an insane amount of tourists and street musicians. Granted I worked minutes away from the 3rd Street Promenade and that's a super nice area. I agree though that there are some areas of LA that get crazy seemingly out of nowhere. For example, Sunset Blvd gets really seedy after dark.

As for worrying about celebrity stalkers, that's a little far fetched.

San Francisco is 100 times worse as far as sketchy areas being right on top of nice areas. It almost seems block-by-block sometimes.

As far as Santa Monica goes, most areas are nice. But even gangsters and homeless people like the beach too...

 

[Melrose Munch]

If you want to move to LA and have problems with the US immigration route, have you thought about working for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade with the Government of Canada? It may take you a bit to get to Los Angeles, but Canada does have a consulate down there. The biggest catch is you have to be fluent in French to work for DFAIT (I would love to but sadly Je ne comprend pas francais.)

As a foreign diplomat, you wouldn't need the visa from the US government to work in LA. From what I understand, the Canadian consulate is considered sovereign Canadian soil. As a diplomat, your residence (at least the one arranged by the Canadian Government) is also considered sovereign Canadian soil. However, my guess is that you would need to work through some of the more dangerous/less popular DFAIT locations (i.e. the poor African nations and the dangerous countries in the Middle East/Asia) first before you could transfer to a prized location like Los Angeles.

With a BA in Political Science and Economics, even if DFAIT is out you could probably get a decent job with the Canadian Government. Being with the feds, you can transfer around Canada. Might be an idea to look into it and you might be able to land a posting outside of the GTA. Honestly, I would love to move back to Toronto. That's ultimately where I want to go.

Never heard of this until now, will look for sure. Honestly, Toronto is nice, but transit is terrible. At least LA is making changes.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Don't let the pessimists above detract you.

Obviously, one guy above is sour on California. I understand that. But people wonder why California is so expensive and to be clear, this is where the jobs are.

Why not live in Kansas where homes cost about a quarter of what the do here? Because there are absolutely no jobs there.

So I would take the advice above with a grain of salt. Secure a job, then move. You are young, so apartment living is in your future. But its all about establishing yourself here, and then moving forward.

No, CA is not the same.

-------------------------



There are a lot of negative nellies around here but there are also some obvious concerns. You need to get the immigration thing solved first and I'm pretty ignorant on the subject. Next, finding a job will be a challenge for anything that pays decent. I have a friend who does customer service at a car dealer and lives two blocks from the water in Long Beach. So, it can be done. But you need to figure out what your career path is and start working towards that first. As far as traffic is concerned, a lot of people have simply made choices to live in areas that aren't near their jobs because they either don't like the area where they work, can't afford to own/rent in those areas or want to be shielded from city life. It is all about what floats your boat. I know people that are willing to drive from Fontana area to DTLA because they can afford a home there. I think they are bat **** crazy. I personally see no value in owning a home. I like the freedom and lack of responsibility in renting.

The bottom line is anyone can go anywhere. You just need a game plan. In terms of costs, you're gonna need about $500 rent to find a room to share in a 2+ bedroom apt or house then add in food and traveling expenses. Everyone knows getting a job is about who know. I'd hit up your relative to see if he can find you ANY kind of work and go from there.

As far as career advice goes, don't spend too much on your education. Go to community college and get a degree in business or some sort of tangible skill or trade. I know a guy who is over six figures in debt from going to law school and he just finally found a job after looking for two years. He is going to be paying that off the rest of his life. I have no college education and no debt and make more money than a lot of my pledge educated friends. It has put some limitations on my career but I'm happy to not be saddled with a mountain of debt like some of my friends.

I love living here, I just think that it's difficult for a transplant with no career, no experience living here to adjust to life here (especially when they said their family is in the IE). Basically impossible.

If I was moving out of country Australia would definitely be of consideration. I like that idea.

I moved here from Chicago about four years ago and I love it. Obviously immigration and getting a job lined up are crucial, but some people are making LA seem like it's a really dangerous place. While there are awful areas, they are easy to avoid. I haven't had a single problem yet. The traffic can be a real ***** though.

Your biggest advantage is that you are young, don't have many obligations, and have a safety net because you can go home again if things fall apart. Even if you aren't keen on the last part, it's a huge advantage that lets you take chances.

The immigration thing is your biggest hurdle. Second, because the LA metro area is so sprawling, you should square away a job first, before picking your place to live.

Regional unemployment is high, but because benefits keep getting extended, there is a portion that isn't pushed to find work and so the numbers are a little inflated.

Finally, people specifying the beach cities as places to live are crazy. There are plenty of places in Southern California that are aren't as romantic (or expensive) but are still safe, pleasant places to live.

For instance, I'd recommend Burbank, where I've lived for the last 2 years. It's a little sleepy, and doesn't have many good restaurants, but the traffic is light, the neighborhoods are safe, and you're close to Pasadena, Hollywood, and Downtown LA (20-25 minutes when there's no traffic, 40 minutes when the traffic is substantial).

Thanks for the support. I don't really plan on staying in Fontana but of course
I thought having family out there would help the process a bit.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

What is the best LA county coastal town/neighborhood?

 

[Kingspiracy]

Have you considered law school? I had a few Canadian friends who went that route after undergrad and they all got work visas easily after graduating. It's expensive, but it might be your best shot unless you find some sort of job. You might also consider looking into jobs in the Southeast and hoping you get lucky.



New Zealand would be, but the others won't. It's virtually impossible to move to the UK without a British spouse due to EU laws and Australia has some very restrictive immigration laws. Commonwealth citizenship doesn't count for much anymore, though it would if you were moving to the Caribbean

NZ is relatively layed back with immigration, especially if you're young or are skilled. Being canadian I would have thought the op could get a working holiday visa for a year or two (since he's under 30) in australia as well. You'll probably find your cash won't go as far down here now though because our dollar has strengthed a lot. There's a lot of building work here in Christchurch NZ due to the earthquake rebuild, so if you can hit in a nail you'll get work.

In all honesty a big city like LA or London, UK would probably be your best bet at your age, plenty to see and do.

 

[Buddy The Elf]

What is the best LA county coastal town/neighborhood?

Depends on what you like and can afford. There are pros and cons to everywhere though. A place like the Southbay is great but it is expensive, far from freeways which adds to a commute time you might have, there are lots of people in the area and like most beach cities, parking is a pain. A place like Seal Beach is nice because you have easy access to freeways and there aren't nearly as many people as a lot of the other beaches especially compared to other OC beaches but the locals there are a bit older so not as much night life if you're younger.

I live in Long Beach and it is by far the cheapest area to live near the water. The drawbacks are big city problems since it is a big city, the actual beach sucks as there is a giant breakwater off the coast for the old naval bases which stop the tide and it is a bit warmer in the summer time. There I'd pretty good public transit in the city and there are lots of diverse neighborhoods here with something for everyone.. Even criminals! Parking is relatively good for a beach city and there aren't nearly as many tourists or people in general.