My big move - help needed!

[Warrels18]

Hi everyone, I have a huge question to ask and I need some helping finding the answer...
I live in South Africa but I'm planning to come over to the USA soon (around Dec/January) for a couple months at first, to chase my dreams of starting a new life. I've never been to the US and I would like some help from you guys with regards to which State/Area/Town/City in the US is the best place for me to start out?? I was just hoping to get a better idea of the best places to go. I have friends who say Chicago,Boston and California are great but I have no idea ....

Any opinions or ideas would be a great help

[SubtleStyle]

Wow, that's going to be quite a change for you, good luck. There's a lot of great cities in the US but it all comes down to a matter of personal taste. Everyone here could all choose the same city that we all like but that doesn't necessarily mean you will be happy there.

I would personally choose a smaller city near a big city like say Chicago, Boston or Los Angeles that way you can travel there in a short amount of time but you won't have to deal with the large population.

I think you should plan this out for more than just a couple of months if that's possible. There's a lot of different things you need to take into consideration. What kind of skills do you possess to help you get a job in a given particular city? What are the crime rates? What's the climate like? The list goes on and on.

Answer some questions about what you're looking for and that might give you and us a better idea what might work for you. I live in a smaller city near the medium sized city of Portland, Oregon which is in the northwest portion of the US. I love it here. It get's a little rainy but it's beautiful here and the people are great. Looking for more sun? Look a little more south in California.

[SX FORTE]

there is a website I stumbled on once that is a forum...it list cities worldwide and people discuss the pros and cons, climate, jobs, crime etc...I've lived in California and it is beautiful but jobs are hard to find and most places there the cost of living is high...we could help more if you tell us what job skills you have, what kind of person you are, what climates you like, etc...family? Like Subtle said the variations here vast, america has a very diverse climate, population, culture from one state to the next...

If you like hunting places in the north, northwest would be great...if you have alot of money towns along the southern coasts are nice, if you like dating your cousin the south would be perfect...JK

Well let us know what your looking for. That web forum is called city-data.com

[GraveSideTears]

Well I can tell you that in a Marine newspaper a few months back it said "Need a job? Move to Texas". I have a friend that moved from Texas to Virginia and he has stated on plenty of occasions that Texas has a much better economy then most of the other states. Better jobs and less cost of living. Then again there are some states that are better to move to if your a professional cheese maker, expert mushroom farmer, politician, or orange picking, so on so forth.

[Tuner]

Well Florida is hot and rainy.... But a very relaxed place to live. And even tho employment is hard to find in the us. I seem to always find jobs by looking.


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[Cachua714]

Have a friend that came from south Africa here in southern California. He was a surf instructor over there so now he came here and found work at a surf shop and he loves it.

[ShaksForteSX]

I live about 40 minutes away from the best city in the world (New York City) and it's awesome to be able to go there basically whenever I want but to be honest, it's too expensive to live here right now. Taxes here are absurd! Someone mentioned Texas and before I read that post, I was going to say Texas as well. I've heard that the cost of living there is very cheap and it's a nice climate there. I have a couple of friends that moved there and their only complaint was that there's a lot more to do here in NY but I don't think that's something you should really worry about. If not Texas, I'd probably say southern California because of it's climate and ease to live their. Good luck man that's a tough decision and really needs to be thought out and researched until you have exhausted every possible situation.

[Warrels18]

Thanks for all the replies!
I know its a tough decision for me to make but I've made my mind up that I really wanna come to the states, so right now I am still in the research process just gathering as much info as I can. Im also holding thumbs on my visa application!

I would prefer a warmer climate simply because I'm from sunny south africa and thats all I'm used to! The climate isn't a major concern for me though.

In terms of qualifications and work experience, I have a university Diploma in Business Management & Entrepreneurship as well as 2 years work experience in various fields. So I'm confident that my knowledge will be able to secure me a job. My family owns a gym here so I have knowledge and working experience of that too...

The thing that scares me the most is the fact that I don't know anyone in the US!

So far I'm leaning towards somewhere near California but Texas sounds great too

I appreciate the response from you guys and I'll be sure to keep you posted.

[xXRockAweaRXx]

I live near Boston and I enjoy it here. I'm not sure if you have much snow in South Africa but the winters in Massachusetts can get a little hectic. Boston is very much like a European city. There's a lot of walking, biking and the way Boston was built and how the roads are resemble European city-like features. I've spent a lot of time in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic and Boston really does have that European vibe to it. It's truly unlike any other city in the United States. The great thing about the United States is you DON'T have to stay in one place. So if you end up moving to California or Texas and you don't like it there you can leave. If you do plan to come maybe live in Boston you will have seasonal weather, New Hampshire hiking and mountains not too far up north, very good sea food, very sports oriented city (Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins), lots of walking in Boston, you will experience the "T" which is the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (Subway, buses, trains) I don't know why but Massachusetts calls their state transportation the "T" and overall Massachusetts has the attitude that we're the best state in the United States. Also life is faster paced up in Boston than it would be down south in Texas. You will notice culturally that the north has a faster paced mentality than the south. The south is more relaxed where as the north is more uptight. In the end Boston is a city that is worth checking out. Most of all, good luck!

[xXRockAweaRXx]

Also if you want a citizenship, find it difficult to get a job in the United States you can always join the United States military. I've seen many good men from other countries join the United States military to obtain a citizenship and find their place within this country. Just an option, not advocating the service.

[axsx]

If your looking for good city living with a semi-moderate climate, try Baltimore Maryland. Its not as expensive to live in as some other major cities (NY,Boston) and the winters dont get TOO severe. Also right by the ocean, lots to do, and lots of culture.

[sje0123]

Originally Posted by axsx

If your looking for good city living with a semi-moderate climate, try Baltimore Maryland. Its not as expensive to live in as some other major cities (NY,Boston) and the winters dont get TOO severe. Also right by the ocean, lots to do, and lots of culture.

That's def NOT a suggestion I was expecting to see. IMO, from much experience working in and around Baltimore, avoid it. It's a shit hole. I'm not a fan of MD really at all. Only thing keeping me here is family. Then again, most of my opinions are based off of the politics in this VERY Democratic state.

I guess any city can have it's bad eggs, but Baltimore has a rotten carton of eggs. A very minute display of culture mostly muffled by the crime, filth, & pollution.

One city I spend a ittle time in and liked a lot is Charlotte, NC. Very clean and friendly. Still some bad but less than many others. That's not a suggestion to live there though. That's a tough decision. Your best bet is to travel and don't limit yourself to one area until you know you like it. When you get to the right spot you will know that's the place to call home.

[axsx]

LOL @sje I have seen that side of Baltimore too, but I have definitely seen worse cities. I guess it depends where in Baltimore your living and what you are doing for a living. It also depends what city you are comparing Baltimore too.

[Warrels18]

What do you guys think of Jacksonville, Florida??

[Black forte kouppp]

just dont move to maryland, it sucks in every way possible