Moving to the US or not - decisions and doubts

[bluedragon]

I am having this mind-wracking dilemma weather I should move to the USA or stay in Romania for a while longer.

Somehow, I have this idea that in the US, I can meet more people like me (who are into Tai Chi, personal development and other interesting stuff), while here, I feel that there are almost no people like that, although this is probably not true... Besides, I also feel that it would be easier for me to connect with more people in the US, because there are so many interesting events, workshops, courses etc, where you can meet people. Basically, everything I read about on the internet is happening in the US - conferences, workshops, courses, cooking classes, you name it. All the authors I read - they reside in the US. There are hundreds of blogs about every subject I love, written in English by people who live over there. I don't see this happening here as much. I am worried that by staying here even 1 year longer, I could deprive myself of wonderful opportunities to connect with wonderful people.

Then there is also the issue of money - can you give me any tips on how much would cost me to rent a cheap room somewhere in a large American city like NY or LA ? Do you know if non-citizens are allowed to rent rooms? Stuff like that...

Any input would be appreciated.

[MidasGirl]

Is there any particular reason you want to move to a big city like LA or NY? Just wondering.......seems to me you don't have an offer of any sort bringing you here, so why not go for a smaller city (or cities closer to the big city) to start out? That alone could half your cost of living.

[ar81]

There are 300 million people in US. It is likely that you find different types of people.

Health system sucks in US. I'd say you go to Canada, become resident, so if you get ill, you may go to Canada to be treated if you move to US.

[JSB]

Finding people interested in Ti Chi, self-development, etc. will depend greatly on where you are. I would research different cities and see which ones appeal to you.

Anyone can rent an apartment, but you may need a credit check, proof of income, etc., depending on the landlord -- the more downscale the place, the less likely they are to care. Some cities are much more expensive than others: NYC & San Francisco are way up there, LA and Boston a little less so, but still pricey. Check out apartment listings for various cities on Craigslist.org

[bluedragon]

I read about every article I could find today about decision making (mostly on Steve's Blog though), and I understand more about making decisions, but I don't see how to apply it to this dilemma.

I know what I wanna do, I know who I wanna be, but I don't know WHERE I wanna do it and... be it. There is so much choice - we could live basically anywhere on Earth - how to decide where to live and not worry that it may not be the BEST choice?

[rei]

bluedragon, have you made an effort to see what is available in your own country? there was something in the OP that made me wonder this.

a lot of people believe x will be easier if they can just be in y situation - a situation other than the one they are in currently. i think it might be good to explore how things are in your area before you commit to moving. often if we go to an area with more people, there is more to do in terms of workshops and classes, and we're more likely to meet those who share our interests. (in other words, it may help to check out a more urban area of your country, and if you are already in the most urban area that may be a moot point, or you may be able to check other neighborhoods for some better connections.)

as for your latest question, i am not sure there is a real answer to that. we go with what feels like the best choice, we ask our intuition/gut instinct/heart what is the best option. we do our best to set aside what we *think* is the best option so we get a clear answer. we ask for signs to show us which is the best place to live and stay open to a bunch of different ways for getting those signs.

i just wanted to add, while there may be quite a few people in the U.S. who are interested in PD, there's also quite a few people who aren't. it's probably like that almost anywhere we go.

[JSB]

How about a vacation to different parts of the US before you make the decision to move? Research a few cities or towns that interest you and spend some time visiting.

[Gracestars]

My vote is for San Francisco! I love that city... plenty of cool stuff to do there, and plenty of friendly people

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

can you give me any tips on how much would cost me to rent a cheap room somewhere in a large American city like NY or LA ?

Here's a starting point: craigslist: new york city classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals, for sale, services, community, and events

I would go with San Francisco, CA or Portland, Oregon

[bluedragon]

I visited NY, Philadelphia and spent 3 months near Cleveland.
I live in Bucharest, the capital of Romania. There are things going on, but too few... Plus, Bucharest is as large as all the other 6 big cities together I feel that in the US, I could easily take the Greyhound and go to so many interesting places...
My heart tells me to stay another year here, but this may be only because I'm not confident I can make it in the US just yet, because of the costs. Maybe choosing the safest option is not ideal in this case, even if it feels tempting. We got a nice Tai Chi group, I am friends with my teacher and his wife, we work together on websites... I have 1/2 good friends. But I believe I can make friends anywhere.

[LVGeneration]

Hi, bluedragon. I'm from Romania as well, but I've been living in America for a few years now. I've actually just visited Bucharest about 4 months ago. I live in Las Vegas, and I can tell you the rent here is about 800/month for a one bedroom apartment in a decent area, it can be a bit lower too, and then you have to think about bills like electricity, which is maybe another 100 dollars a month... I love Las Vegas and for now wouldn't live anywhere else, but there are many beautiful places in America. LA is more expensive than Vegas regarding rent, and NY even more so.
You could find a roommate for a while until you get on your feet, that way you don't have to worry about your application being rejected. When you rent on your name, they do a credit check, and since you will have no credit whatsoever and no renting history in America, it will be difficult at first to get into a good apartment. If they do accept you somewhere, it will probably be with a high deposit, something like $1,000 before you can move in.

Well, that's all the "tips" I have for now
All the best and good luck to you!

[LifeFirst]

Wild guess


But if you wanna meet people interested in Tai Chi.....wouldn't the most obvious country be something like China or Japan???

[JSB]

I know there are some excellent Tai Chi teachers in Boston, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area. I'm sure there are plenty of good ones elsewhere, but I'm just not aware of them.

I'm a fan of Spring Forest form of qigong --- they are based in the Minneapolis area (but Minnesota in the winter is brutal).

[bluedragon]

Originally Posted by LVGeneration

Hi, bluedragon. I'm from Romania as well, but I've been living in America for a few years now. I've actually just visited Bucharest about 4 months ago. I live in Las Vegas, and I can tell you the rent here is about 800/month for a one bedroom apartment in a decent area, it can be a bit lower too, and then you have to think about bills like electricity, which is maybe another 100 dollars a month... I love Las Vegas and for now wouldn't live anywhere else, but there are many beautiful places in America. LA is more expensive than Vegas regarding rent, and NY even more so.
You could find a roommate for a while until you get on your feet, that way you don't have to worry about your application being rejected. When you rent on your name, they do a credit check, and since you will have no credit whatsoever and no renting history in America, it will be difficult at first to get into a good apartment. If they do accept you somewhere, it will probably be with a high deposit, something like $1,000 before you can move in.

Thanks a lot for this info! That's exactly the kind of tips I am looking for.
When you say a one-bedroom apparment, do you mean an appartment with 2 rooms, one bedroom and one living room? Cause I could do with a studio with just one room. I could do with a 4x4 meters room if I can be in a great city and not very far away from downtown. At least, to be near a subway or something.

You say that if I can offer a large deposit, then rent is not a problem? Cause I could do that. Luckily, I dispose of some funds, and I can loan my appartment in Bucharest to compensate.

Do you think I can find a studio for less tha 400$ ? I mean, in a decent area, near a decent city...? I will look on Craiglist but I assume it will take me a long time to get a feel of the market, especially since I don't know what neighborhoods to look for. I see one thing on Google Maps, and then when you get there, maybe I have to walk one hour across people's grass loans to get to the bus station...

Originally Posted by JSB

I know there are some excellent Tai Chi teachers in Boston, New York and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Yes, USA is great on Tai Chi

Besides, I also want to join a Taostmasters club, and as far as I can tell, there isn't any in Romania. I want to be able to go to all kinds of events that I read about, and not have to just dream about how they might be.

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

Cause I could do with a studio with just one room. [...] Do you think I can find a studio for less tha 400$ ? I mean, in a decent area, near a decent city...?

Even in expensive cities you can often rent a room in someone else's house or apartment for $400-$600. If you're wanting your own place it gets more expensive though.

If access to a good Tai Chi teacher is critical, it'd be worth looking for one online in an area that interests you before deciding. Just google the city name and tai chi, such as New York tai chi

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

Besides, I also want to join a Taostmasters club, and as far as I can tell, there isn't any in Romania.

Actually ...

Find a Club Results - Toastmasters International

Timisoara Toastmasters Club - Club #: 1269633, Dist #: U, Est: 12/16/2008
Student Plus
Blvd. Take Ionescu, nr. 40, Timisoara, Timis, 300042, Romania
Meeting Time: 20:00, Tuesday
Club Status: Open to all
Timisoara Toastmasters Club


Toastmasters Club Bucharest - Club #: 1216331, Dist #: U, Est: 05/25/2009
82/B2 Clucerului St
Bucharest, District 1, 011368, Romania
0040212221303
Meeting Time: 7:00 pm, Every 2 weeks Monday
Club Status: Open to all

You might also find a few worthwhile activities here, while you contemplate your move:

Search results - Meetup.com

[rei]

in some smaller american cities, you can rent a studio or efficiency for $300-400/month. i am not sure about larger cities, i imagine it's possible but probably not the safest neighborhood for that price, which may not matter to you. you could also check the roommate requests on craigslist for cities you're interested in. a lot of people will have a larger house or apartment and post their interest in having a roommate. prices vary, but if you don't mind having roommates you can usually get cheaper accommodations that way.

[LVGeneration]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

When you say a one-bedroom apparment, do you mean an appartment with 2 rooms, one bedroom and one living room? Cause I could do with a studio with just one room. I could do with a 4x4 meters room if I can be in a great city and not very far away from downtown. At least, to be near a subway or something.

You say that if I can offer a large deposit, then rent is not a problem? Cause I could do that. Luckily, I dispose of some funds, and I can loan my appartment in Bucharest to compensate.

Do you think I can find a studio for less tha 400$ ? I mean, in a decent area, near a decent city...? I will look on Craiglist but I assume it will take me a long time to get a feel of the market, especially since I don't know what neighborhoods to look for. I see one thing on Google Maps, and then when you get there, maybe I have to walk one hour across people's grass loans to get to the bus station...

Yes, a one bedroom has a separate living room, optional dining area, separate kitchen and separate bathroom, pantry, patio, etc. In Vegas, you might find something as cheap as $500, but it will not be in a good neighborhood. As for studios, I know in LA they are more expensive than apartments here. So I highly doubt you'll find a $400 studio, at least in LA or NY. Maybe if you could squeeze 2-3 people in there, then yes, your share will be that.
As for the deposit, no, a large deposit is not a guaranty you'll get in, what I mean is that if the landlord can't find any history on you (credit, renting, etc.), you'll be considered high risk, so if you do get accepted, the deposit they ask for will be usually higher than regular, and might be refundable or not. This is in addition to rent. So let's say rent is $800/month and they tell you your deposit has to be $1000. So you'll have to pay $1800 to move in, and $800 every month thereafter.
Maybe you could stay at a motel for a while, motels can be as cheap as $800/month, they won't check your credit or ask for a big deposit. Do you know anybody here? If you can find a roommate before getting here it would be a lot easier, not to mention cheaper. Don't get into a renting contract on your name when you first get here, you might regret it later and be stuck for months with a high rent, in an area that will prove to not be suited for you.

If you have more questions, you are more than welcome to PM me anytime.

[sk8joyful]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

I am having this mind-wracking dilemma weather I should move to the USA, or stay in Romania for a while longer.

Somehow, I have this idea that in the US, I can meet more people like me. I am worried that by staying here even 1 year longer, I could deprive myself of wonderful opportunities to connect with wonderful people.

Then money - how much would cost me to rent a cheap room somewhere in a large American city like NY or LA ? Do you know if non-citizens are allowed to rent rooms? Stuff like that...
Any input would be appreciated.

While the USA once resembled closer to "heaven on earth", currently & for the next 2+ years a majority of politicians act hell-bent on "changing" the good ole USA into another 3rd-world country, where pharma/government dictate who lives & dies, from what & when. - So $$$ may not be your biggest concern at all. And with the US-unemployment rate at over 20+%, as a foreigner they may even grant you jobs/insurance, denied to our own citizens. - I would have a problem, accepting such betraying circumstances, do you??

[Johnny Skosnik]

Hi bluedragon. An excellent resource is www . city-data . com, which contains detailed information on every U.S. city with over 200 people. They even have forums for each city where you can post questions about cost of living, employment, etc. Your interests sound well-suited for a college town (town with at least one large college or university) and those tend to have cheap places to rent. I can personally recommend Austin, Texas and Ann Arbor, Michigan; Nashville, Tennessee also looks good.

Good luck! I greatly admire people who move to another country, they seem the most content and passionate about life.

[bluedragon]

Thank you very much guys. I didn't know you can find roommates on the web.

There is one more thing (although I probably should open a separate thread for that) :

I suspect that the only way for me to get a long-term visa is if I sign up for a Master's Degree at a university. I was thinking to go for something related to personal develpment, such as psychology or leadership. However, I have studied "International Relations and European Studies" (3 years) here in Romania. Do you think I can apply for a master in the field of psychology in this case?

[JSB]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

Thank you very much guys. I didn't know you can find roommates on the web.

There is one more thing (although I probably should open a separate thread for that) :

I suspect that the only way for me to get a long-term visa is if I sign up for a Master's Degree at a university. I was thinking to go for something related to personal develpment, such as psychology or leadership. However, I have studied "International Relations and European Studies" (3 years) here in Romania. Do you think I can apply for a master in the field of psychology in this case?

You can apply for anything, but you may need to take some courses first. Take a look at some programs that interest you: they should list prerequisites for people coming in from another field. Some programs may let you take you prerequisite courses as part of the program (perhaps it will take you an extra semester), meaining you could do it in the US with your student visa.

[bluedragon]

I looked at many university websites but I feel totally lost. I found many masters and PhDs in psychology, but when I go to the "international students" section, they list tens of pages with all kinds of information and articles, but I can't find the pre-requisite courses for each graduate program. And when I look at scholarships, I can't find the lowest grade that got a scholarship last year. I really don't know if I have a chance of being admitted to a master in psychology or not, given my background in International relations.

I was thinking that it might be easier to just enroll in an undergraduate degree in psychology, and try to pull off a graduation in 4 semesters like Steve . This way, at least I will have the chance of applying for any master in any US university, and I will have the right to remain in the US for longer.

I was wondering if all my class-mates will be much much younger than me if I do that, though. Any thoughts? I would really appreciate some detailed advice (not where to go, what to do, but some advice about how to figure things out and decide among so many different choices of courses, masters, PhDs and stuff ). Thank you !

[ar81]

BBC NEWS | Business | The end of the American dream?

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by ar81

BBC NEWS | Business | The end of the American dream?

Any comments to go with the 3+ year old news article?

[ssandra]

Originally Posted by bluedragon

I looked at many university websites but I feel totally lost. I found many masters and PhDs in psychology, but when I go to the "international students" section, they list tens of pages with all kinds of information and articles, but I can't find the pre-requisite courses for each graduate program. And when I look at scholarships, I can't find the lowest grade that got a scholarship last year. I really don't know if I have a chance of being admitted to a master in psychology or not, given my background in International relations.

If you cannot find it online, why not email them and ask?

That way, you at least have the right answer right away, and can stop guessing.

[Michael Chui]

Most universities also have actual departments for handling graduate students who could probably answer a lot, too.

I don't think most programs have "pre-requisite courses". Actually, looking through the UWashington website for psych, the requirements are a decent GRE score and a "strong background" in statistics, scientific research experience, and relevant coursework.

Okay, blah. That link doesn't work.

[Declan JJ Lestat]

I arrived in the US a couple of months ago and I'm having a great time with the new opportunities and the change in overall attitudes, compared with my home in the UK.

Could I have found similar opportunities and attitudes in my country of origin? More than likely. But if a change is as good as a rest, this HUGE change has forced a renewal in my life - one that was seriously needed. The move was worth it just for that.

[ballhit2]

Move to Germany. The food's better and you can live there much more hassle-free being an EU citizen.

[Brutha]

Move to Germany. The food's better and you can live there much more hassle-free being an EU citizen.

Germany is a nice country and Berlin is a city where you can get a room for 250€ but it means that bluedragon would need to learn an additional language.
A university course could however be in English (some are some aren't).