Moving to the U.S.A

Seattle is VERY rainy and gloomy. Sometimes you don't see the sun for months I'm not kidding. Alot of people are addicted to heroin there and they say it is because of the weather.

In the "sunny" season which is about 4 months it is very very green because of all the rain which is why they call it the Emerald state.

A temp will get about 12$ an hour in California on average.

I am in California but I have been all over the country and will be happy to answer any questions.

$12?
Is $12/h enough to live on over there, are things quite cheap. Like what is the average cost of rent? At the moment I pay a third of my wage in rent. Would it be about the same? Say I get $600 a week I have to pay $200 a week rent.

This is not the price in Sydney itself (That's much more expensive) I am about an hour and a half from the city itself.

That is about right but California is vary expensive. 12$ an hour will allow you a single apartment in a ok neigborhood with change left over for the necessities but it will be tight. Thats how it seems to be for everybody I know but we manage to have fun together and stay alive and pay the rent.

But right now alot of people are renting rooms out in there houses to help pay their house payments so you could start at one of these places for 500$ a month for a place to sleep take a shower and get established. I know all the best towns (kind of) and the bad ones. It depends on where you need or want to got to school.

Long Beach California is a very good place to start and has a college there that is easy to get to on the bus, has fairly cheap rent and is by the beach and has great weather and a social scene.

It all depends on your priorities?

Who is "they" that calls WA "the Emerald state"? Try, Evergreen State.

Right, but Seattle (known as the Emerald City)....

Yes I meant "city" not "state" as I was talking about Seatlle. Thank you Francis.

1. Visa - I've seen these green card lotteries, however they seem like a bit of a scam, is there another way to get a Visa. Also I know when you travel to England you need a certain amount of money in your bank account. Does America have the same policy?

THE GREEN CARD LOTTERY IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE - A LOTTERY. IT IS HIT OR MISS. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT A SCAM, IT IS 100% LEGAL AND PERHAPS THE ONLY WAY SOME PEOPLE COULD EVER HOPE TO COME LIVE/WORK HERE WITHOUT BEING SPONSORED IN SOME WAY. I WON A GREEN-CARD IN THE LOTTERY WHILE I LIVED IN IRELAND AND I CAME TO AMERICA WHERE I WAS ENTITLED TO EVERYTHING A FULL LEGAL CITIZEN GETS EXCEPT THE RIGHT TO VOTE OR SIT ON A JURY UNTIL I BECAME A CITIZEN. NOT KNOWING ANYONE IN THIS COUNTRY, I HAD NO-ONE TO OFFER ME A JOB OR PLACE TO STAY OR GUARANTEE THAT I WOULD NOT LIVE OFF THE SOCIAL SECURITY/GOVERNMENT WHILE I WAS TRYING TO FIND A JOB AND SETTLE DOWN. IF YOU GET THE GREEN CARD, ALL THAT IS IMMATERIAL. IF YOU APPLY FOR A VISA IN THE REGULAR WAY, YOU HAVE TO FILL IN MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS, AND GO THROUGH QUITE A BIT TO GET INTO THE COUNTRY.

2. Is it possible to attend a University in America, without being a citizen, also what is the average cost.

YES IT IS POSSIBLE TO ATTEND UNIVERSITY WITHOUT BEING A CITIZEN. YOU NEED A STUDENT VISA, ALTHOUGH IF YOU INTEND TO GET A JOB THEN YOU NEED A WORKING VISA.
TO FIND OUT THE COST OF COLLEGE YOU NEED TO GOOGLE THE COLLEGE YOU WANT TO GO TO AND FIND OUT HOW MUCH THE CLASSES/COURSES ARE. THIS VARIES FAR TO MUCH FROM UNIVERSITY TO UNIVERSITY TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER.

3. How much is the average wage over there? At the moment I am temping. Usually Finance Admin, PA, Office Assistant. Those types of positions.

SALARIES DIFFER WIDELY FROM ONE STATE TO ANOTHER FOR THE SAME JOB. AN OFFICE WORKER IN ONE STATE COULD EARN HALF THE SALARY OF AN OFFICE WORKER IN ANOTHER STATE. IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH WHAT THE COST OF LIVING IS LIKE IN EACH STATE, IF THE JOB IS LOCATED IN A CITY OR SUBURB, EVEN THE TYPE OF INDUSTRY THE JOB IS IN CAN HAVE A LARGE IMPACT. I KNOW OFFICE WORKERS (IN BOSTON) WHOSE SALARIES VARY FROM $25,000 PER YEAR TO $90,000 PER YEAR.

4. I have no idea where I'd like to go! I keep thinking Seattle for some reason, what is the weather like in Seattle?

I VISITED SEATTLE ONCE AND LOVED IT. SINCE I AM ORIGINALLY FROM IRELAND, THE RAIN DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I LIVE IN BOSTON AND HAVE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND IT IS NICE HERE, BUT EXPENSIVE. I THINK NEW YORK, BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO ARE IN THE TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES TO LIVE IN THE U.S.

UNTIL YOU DO MORE RESEARCH ON WHAT COLLEGE YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND, AND MAKE INQUIRIES INTO THE GREEN-CARD OR A REGULAR STUDENT/WORKING VISA, THEN YOU CAN'T DRILL DOWN MORE SPECIFIC INFORMATION. YOU CAN'T RESEARCH EVERY SINGLE STATE IN THE U.S. AND FIND OUT EVERYTHING ABOUT EACH BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION. YOU HAVE TO PICK A HANDFUL OF PLACES AND THEN DO SOME IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON COLLEGES, COST OF LIVING, JOB SITUATION, ETC.

IF YOU DO COME TO AMERICA, THE COLLEGE MAY PROVIDE INFORMATION ON DORMS OR PROVIDE A SERVICE WHERE STUDENTS CAN GET TOGETHER AND RENT ROOMS/A HOUSE TOGETHER. SHARING THE COST OF RENT, UTILITIES, FOOD ARE THE ONLY WAY TO GO FOR A COLLEGE STUDENT, UNLESS YOU ARE RICH!

ALSO BE AWARE THAT FOREIGN STUDENTS PAY FULL PRICE FOR COLLEGE. YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANY SCHOLARSHIPS THAT PERMANENT RESIDENTS OR U.S. CITIZENS WOULD BE.

Good grief - this is a first!

I spend my time answering questions from those who want to go exactly the other way!

Trust me Margo I know!
I have looked everywhere I can think of for some information on all this, and all I find is Americans who want to move here!

Thanks for your replies everyone.

Does anyone have a State they think would suit. I don't really have a preference re: weather. All I want is to go to Uni (sorry College), work and hopefully have my own little apartment.

Re: Trust me Margo I know!


If you don't have a specific preference for a state or region I'd suggest you find Universtities that offer the course of studies you want and work your way down your list of other criteria. Depending on what you plan on studying you may very well find that you have to be accepted to the school so without an acceptance letter, there isn't much point in moving near the school.

Every state in the U.S. offers something so just picking one out of a hat without any set criteria is pretty fruitless.

You'll generally find that jobs are more plentiful along the coasts and in major cites. It also tends to cost a lot more for rent (and everything else! ) in those areas. The midwest, southwest and mountain states tend to be cheaper areas to live in but jobs also pay less.

Can't answer any part of your questions, except what has already been done. On the Uni, though, you might consider community colleges, and much, much cheaper. Pick your state, pick your college, and then find out exactly which community colleges which offer the most credits that will transfer to a four year institution.

Community colleges normally offer two year courses.

omg college keeps getting more and more expensive. try to find a college u can afford
i live in NY & it def iz more expensive than other placs ive been. i think u shud star by finding a good college. i agree that u should check out community colleges

good luck dude

Cost of living varies widely across the US.

$12 an hour is nothing some places, and quite a bit in others.

Based on your Criteria, a school in the Midwest could possibly offer much more than a Big City school, as far as working your way through.