Living in America

[Drizzt]

Well, in the US, actually

I've heard about this thing...three months jobs in the US...and I was just thinking about taking a break from Italy...

Now, before I even think to begin looking for a job, I need some suggestions about where to live.


What you USers think could be a good place?
My personal taste, I'd like a small place near a "big city", a small place where I can actually walk to the supermarket or to the coffee shop (or wherever you go in US for having breakfast), and take the metro or the bus to the big city center.
Actually, I think I'd like to be near New York, or...well, how's Miami? I've seen it only on CSI, and it looks actually much less "interesting" than New York...

[Brian Ellis]

Seattle if you don't mind rain, San Diego if you do!

[cjolley]

Good picks Brian.

Also, Denver if you want to ski, hike, etc.

[VJ]

(or wherever you go in US for having breakfast)

Mc Donald's ?

I'd chose either California (San Fransico, ...) or the NYC area... but I haven't travelled that much in the US.

[Jammrock]

Big cities you have New York, LA, Dallas and Miami. I don't recommended Chicago. NYC is always a good pick, I'm told, if you can afford it and learn what areas to ... avoid.

For sunny weather you should check out Tampa Bay, FL. Good location, white sand coastal beaches, prices aren't as outrageous as Miami, lots of fun spots to visit only 1-4 hours away. And they have FiOS, which is Verizon's fiber high speed internet. The only major US internet service that doesn't suck.

[Brian Ellis]

Personal taste, of course, but the cities I've liked least in the US were, in no special order, NYC, LA, SF, Dallas, and, above all, Miami. Other than Seattle and SD, I mentioned previously, I liked Boston, DC, strangely Baltimore (Inner Harbour area), but, being a nature buff, I adored the wild parts of Florida (more than just the Everglades) but Orlando is a no-no unless you like Mickey Mouse & Co. Another area I loved is Utah, but not SLC except for a couple of days or so visit: more in the Dead Horse Point, Arches, Needles area.

However, some of the mid-sized cities with populations in the 500k-1M region often have more character than the big metropoles (possibly NYC being the exception because it is not a real city but an agglomeration of small towns bundled together).

[Jammrock]

There are a lot of what I call mini-metro areas that are nice, as Brian mentioned the 500k-1M range, but they are "mini" for a reason. They aren't close to a lot of the popular places international types want to visit while in the US.

With that in mind you could add Charlotte, NC (where I live). Pricing is reasonable, job market isn't bad despite being a banking town (lots of R&D and other types of jobs around here too), you are a couple of hours from the Applicachian mountains, a few hours drive from the Carolina beaches, and a day trip away from Orlando, DC and NYC (though that is a loooong day trip away). You just have to put up with NASCAR.

Tampa Bay as I mentioned before. Knoxville, KY is right next to the mountains, but not a lot else. If you go to CA stay north of the bay area. Boulder, CO is nice if you want Rocky mountains without Denver cost. Stay away from southern Texas. Austin is about the only good place for outsiders to stay there unless you want big city in which case there is Dallas.

[cjolley]

...Austin...

If you haven't been to Austin in a while, it has changed a lot.

How about San Antonio?

[Jammrock]

If you haven't been to Austin in a while, it has changed a lot.

How about San Antonio?

I know some people who live in Austin who say it has become more progressive/liberal versus traditional Texas. That would be more suitable to a European in my opinion, but that may only parts of Austin that are like that. Namely the tech sector.

[Drizzt]

Well...it's now a matter of courage...and will.

Thank you all :-)

[cjolley]

I know some people who live in Austin who say it has become more progressive/liberal versus traditional Texas. That would be more suitable to a European in my opinion, but that may only parts of Austin that are like that. Namely the tech sector.

Austin has been more progressive than the rest of Texas since before Becky was in graduate school there 35 years ago.
It has, however, grown much more "Big City" during that time.
And sprouted highways all over.
It's still a great place though.

Drizzt, how about a job involving lots of travel?
Have your cake and eat it too.

[gt40]

Go to Canada, it's a kinder, gentler America.
Just watch out for wolves, and don't feed the bears.

[Kruzin]

I second the suggestion of Denver.
However...the job market there is in the toilet right now.

It has everything. From hoppin metropilitan areas to remote wilderness. Skiing/boarding in the winter, biking/hiking in the summer. Historical sites, culture, museums. More days of sunshine per year than LA or San Diego.
Even has the highest per-capita of boating/diving than any other land-locked state. It is the center of IT, communications and broadcasting for the western (non-coastal) states.

I lived there from '75-'09, and never wanted to live anywhere else. I only left because I needed a job, and after 6 months unemployed, I had to go where the work was.

So I moved to Casper, Wyoming.
It's like Denver 'Lite'. 4 hours north, very similar in landscape and weather, but much, much smaller in population (and windier).

I WILL eventually move back to the Denver area, when things pick back up there...

[Umfriend]

Hehehe, I used to joke about emigrating to Wyoming. The size of France (well, close) and just 500k inhabitants.

[Kruzin]

Hehehe, I used to joke about emigrating to Wyoming. The size of France (well, close) and just 500k inhabitants.

The 'City' of Casper is 55-60k in population.
It still offers much of what larger cities can, but just on a smaller scale.
And it's like living 10-20 years behind big cities.
There are still many places you can go in for dinner, and have a smoke while you wait. It's still legal to wear a firearm unconcealed at your side without a permit without being harassed by the law. It's the old west modernized here...