To live in the US?

[obin_gam]

I'm growing really tired of my country of origin (sweden), for really no particular reason - the politics, education, taxes... I have nothing to complain about, just growing tired of the culture I suppose, after 26 years here I haven't found anything to hold on to.

Been thinking of trying out the US, I have never visited the place in real life so I only have internet sources to rely on. I really like how the north east states looks like on pictures so I'm thinking somewhere there would be my preferred choice.

So just generally, where are the best places in the north east states to live in? How are the employment situations, the housing affordability, the general "feel" of the towns there?

[BLACKOUT]inb4 im terking yer jebs [/BLACKOUT]

 

[CashforStash]

Alaska.

Don't have to deal with 99 percent of the population.

 

[ThePhantasm]

The US is nice. I say this as a Scot who travels frequently between the US and UK.

 

[obin_gam]

Alaska.

Don't have to deal with 99 percent of the population.

haha, +1 for not having to deal with people but -1½ for the climate I would guess

 

[Tanin]

I've Lived in three areas of California (Hollywood, Foothills, Oregon border, Virginia, Nevada, W. Virginia, and Texas. They are all so very different but I love the part of Texas I'm at the best.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Dey Took Are Jeb!


Anyway, I dont know if New England is the best place to find employment and generally speaking, it tends to be a fairly expensive area to live. The site below show 9 areas that are employing and none are in the northeast.

This link is on the older side but it might give you an idea what to expect. I would suggest doing some visiting of the areas you are interested in. Each location in the US can vary wildly from place to place.

http://247wallst.com/2012/04/02/nine-us-cities-where-jobs-are-booming/3/

 

[Tanin]

I found a job in San Antonio on my first day looking!

 

[RetrogradeOrbit]

Alaska sounds interesting. But I'd want super high speed broadband...

 

[Kable24]

I'm growing really tired of my country of origin (sweden), for really no particular reason - the politics, education, taxes... I have nothing to complain about, just growing tired of the culture I suppose, after 26 years here I haven't found anything to hold on to.

Been thinking of trying out the US, I have never visited the place in real life so I only have internet sources to rely on. I really like how the north east states looks like on pictures so I'm thinking somewhere there would be my preferred choice.

So just generally, where are the best places in the north east states to live in? How are the employment situations, the housing affordability, the general "feel" of the towns there?

[BLACKOUT]inb4 im terking yer jebs [/BLACKOUT]

Alaska.

Don't have to deal with 99 percent of the population.

I didn't realize Alaska moved to the North East.

Maine is beautiful, especially places like Wells and Ogunquit.

 

[Anita18]

My fiancé has had it with the messed-up nature of our politics, and we WANT to move to Sweden or Norway or some kind of "socialist" country up there where you pay a bunch in taxes but get some stuff in return. Green is always greener I suppose.

I do agree than the nicer parts of the northeast and the west coast are much more expensive than the other parts of the US, and the job market is a lot more challenging to navigate. (Ie, too many people, not enough jobs, even in the big cities.) Gunning for a large-ish city in the midwest is probably the way to go.

Unless you can write computer programs, in which case get thee hence to San Francisco and wallow in your money.

What are your skills? IIRC you can't just stay here on a vacation sort of visa - you have to get a work visa, so unless someone here hires you specifically (we did this for one of our postdocs), the paperwork mountain is probably going to be formidable. Or unless you get married to a US citizen.

 

[Pink Ranger]

obin, Anita, both of you should move to Canada, a happy medium between the USA and Europe.

 

[terry78]

Everybody here wants to leave, everybody over there wants to come here. I know people ***** about us here in 'Murica, but it ain't stopped them from coming.

 

[Hobgoblin]

My fiancé has had it with the messed-up nature of our politics, and we WANT to move to Sweden or Norway or some kind of "socialist" country up there where you pay a bunch in taxes but get some stuff in return. Green is always greener I suppose.

That's the way I look at it too. Sometimes I want to move to Europe.

I do agree than the nicer parts of the northeast and the west coast are much more expensive than the other parts of the US, and the job market is a lot more challenging to navigate. (Ie, too many people, not enough jobs, even in the big cities.) Gunning for a large-ish city in the midwest is probably the way to go.

Unless you can write computer programs, in which case get thee hence to San Francisco and wallow in your money.

What are your skills? IIRC you can't just stay here on a vacation sort of visa - you have to get a work visa, so unless someone here hires you specifically (we did this for one of our postdocs), the paperwork mountain is probably going to be formidable. Or unless you get married to a US citizen.

Dont come to Chicago. We're a financial/career mess.

 

[BLACKVULCAN]

I'm growing really tired of my country of origin (sweden),

WOW!!!WHOA Dude! I will TRADE you! Vegas for Sweden!
All the Carrot tops,Strippers and blow for your ABBA, Ace of Base and Bikini volley ball teams! I will even throw in some white tigers and Wayne Newtons free of charge!hehe

 

[obin_gam]

Dey Took Are Jeb!


Anyway, I dont know if New England is the best place to find employment and generally speaking, it tends to be a fairly expensive area to live. The site below show 9 areas that are employing and none are in the northeast.

This link is on the older side but it might give you an idea what to expect. I would suggest doing some visiting of the areas you are interested in. Each location in the US can vary wildly from place to place.

http://247wallst.com/2012/04/02/nine-us-cities-where-jobs-are-booming/3/

Thanks for the link, just visiting a place first sounds like a good idea.

My fiancé has had it with the messed-up nature of our politics, and we WANT to move to Sweden or Norway or some kind of "socialist" country up there where you pay a bunch in taxes but get some stuff in return. Green is always greener I suppose.

I do agree than the nicer parts of the northeast and the west coast are much more expensive than the other parts of the US, and the job market is a lot more challenging to navigate. (Ie, too many people, not enough jobs, even in the big cities.) Gunning for a large-ish city in the midwest is probably the way to go.

Unless you can write computer programs, in which case get thee hence to San Francisco and wallow in your money.

What are your skills? IIRC you can't just stay here on a vacation sort of visa - you have to get a work visa, so unless someone here hires you specifically (we did this for one of our postdocs), the paperwork mountain is probably going to be formidable. Or unless you get married to a US citizen.

The grass is always greener on the other side, a universal fact!

I'm a very leftish person so that's one of the reason the north-east is more interesting. If I were to come to a red state I would be crucified in an instant for being a blasphemous atheist-communist

I have a teacher-degree (or at least plan to have in a matter on weeks) in geography, religion, and english, and to that a small media production degree, so my Plan A would probably be some sort of substitute, or part time teacher job, but applying for a community college wouldn't be out of place either, that way I could expand the religion and geography-stuff. So I have 'some' plans, but they are very much just broad outlines right now.

obin, Anita, both of you should move to Canada, a happy medium between the USA and Europe.

Canada sounds very amazing actually, but on of the reasons I want to move out from Sweden is the weather, I want a warmer climate basically. If Canada and the US were to switch places there wouldnt even be an issue, I would have moved there the second I graduated haha! But alas, snow is stupid

Everybody here wants to leave, everybody over there wants to come here. I know people ***** about us here in 'Murica, but it ain't stopped them from coming.

Even though "the american dream" is complete BS in terms of actually working as it is advertised as, the aura of the country is still very much "choose your own fate" to a degree. For me it's the notion of "something completely different from where I am now" that's pulling me to these thoughts.

WOW!!!WHOA Dude! I will TRADE you! Vegas for Sweden!
All the Carrot tops,Strippers and blow for your ABBA, Ace of Base and Bikini volley ball teams! I will even throw in some white tigers and Wayne Newtons free of charge!hehe

An intriguing offer indeed! Wayne Newton for Ace of Base is a trade-up for sure

 

[Victarion]

I've heard the right parts of Texas are pretty nice; a fairly liberal fellow I know settled in Austin and is doing well. He even told some guys at the bar he voted socialist. One of the stereotypical-looking patrons (Tall guy, hat with a really broad brim) declared him a real Texan. So it sounds like a place where you can say and do whatever you like without getting harassed, so long as you do it with cahones.

 

[Anita18]

I have a teacher-degree (or at least plan to have in a matter on weeks) in geography, religion, and english, and to that a small media production degree, so my Plan A would probably be some sort of substitute, or part time teacher job, but applying for a community college wouldn't be out of place either, that way I could expand the religion and geography-stuff. So I have 'some' plans, but they are very much just broad outlines right now.

Oh man, we are NOT hiring teachers right now. The job market is so, so bad for new teachers, especially in popular cities. And adjuncts for community colleges are notoriously treated like crap.

Your only hope is to move to the south, if you want to be a teacher. My coworker has a PhD and was advised to move to the south, the job market in California is just SO bad. She lucked out and got a lab manager position at a local uni, and she gets to teach a little as well. But there are tons of US citizens already vying for teaching jobs, so I'm not sure a foreigner is going to have any luck.

Canada sounds very amazing actually, but on of the reasons I want to move out from Sweden is the weather, I want a warmer climate basically. If Canada and the US were to switch places there wouldnt even be an issue, I would have moved there the second I graduated haha! But alas, snow is stupid

Define "warmer climate." In SoCal, it's warm and dry year-round. In the Midwest, it's hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. Same in the northeast, except it's humid too.

Even though "the american dream" is complete BS in terms of actually working as it is advertised as, the aura of the country is still very much "choose your own fate" to a degree. For me it's the notion of "something completely different from where I am now" that's pulling me to these thoughts.

Yeah, you can get second chances in the US. I have no idea how it is in Sweden, but my parents are from Taiwan and there, if you don't do well on your "big test" in high school, you are basically screwed for life. It's not nearly as bad in the US, but if you don't get a good start (good education, rich parents), you are at a severe disadvantage, I have to say.

I've heard the right parts of Texas are pretty nice; a fairly liberal fellow I know settled in Austin and is doing well. He even told some guys at the bar he voted socialist. One of the stereotypical-looking patrons (Tall guy, hat with a really broad brim) declared him a real Texan. So it sounds like a place where you can say and do whatever you like without getting harassed, so long as you do it with cahones.

I have a neighbor who's from Austin and she loved living there. She actually said it's more laid back than Los Angeles. It's just not as diverse, so her being Asian in Austin was a bit of a novelty. Obviously not the case in LA.

 

[nite-owl]

obin, Anita, both of you should move to Canada, a happy medium between the USA and Europe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0HyebF6O0w