What is it like to move from California to Arizona?
I grew up in California (LA suburb) and moved to Arizona (Phoenix/Tempe) when I was 18 to attend college.Actually, the two states are pretty similar in a lot of ways. Lots of ethnic diversity (at least moving to a college town/larger city in AZ). No snow. Lots of heat. Plenty to see and do. Lots of outdoor activities.I found the biggest change was the extreme heat of Arizona. All the shops and restaurants (and lots of the houses) have misters strung along the eaves to help combat the heat. Your shoes will literally stick to the asphalt. You don’t go outside during the hot parts of the day - everyone kind of comes out as the sun goes down.But you acclimate quickly. When I first arrived, it was to a 115-degree heat wave. When we went out at night, it was still 99 degrees, but I put on a sweater because it felt cold. :)And the rainstorms are amazing. During monsoon season, suddenly the sky will open up and pelt on you. No fine mist - just a heavy downpour. And the lightning storms are something to behold. I’d never seen lightning like that, where you can literally see where it’s striking the ground (not near you, but in the distance).The other big difference is that people run red lights a lot. After a light turns red, expect 3 or 4 cars to still go through the light. You’re begging for a ticket if you do that in California, but in AZ, it’s expected. People will honk at you if you don’t go.And don’t expect a lot of grass. Rocks, sand, cacti. Watch for scorpions. And they have these giant flying cockroaches - harmless but creepy. I actually love AZ. I’d move back in heartbeat.
I'm planning to move to California, but it seems like every place I look up has horror reviews (bad management, bugs, etc.). What is a good apartment recommendation in the Bay Area?
As someone who just moved into 101 San Fernando, one thing I must say is that online reviews capture the WORST of every place. Very few people who have a nice (but not awesome) experience bother writing reviews. So take the reviews with a pinch of salt!Good luck :-)
What is it like living in Fallbrook California?
Fallbrook is really out in the boondocks. It's six miles east of any major freeway and is on a winding county road, one of the most dangerous in the county. It's mostly avocado and citrus groves along with ranches. It gets very hot in the summer. When it's 80 on the coast it could be well over 100 degrees there. It's inland, and north, almost in Riverside County, and doesn't get the benefit of the cool ocean breezes. There is a county road that goes right to the back gate of Camp Pendleton, but Camp Pendleton is huge so close is relative. The reality is that it's a narrow road with lots of traffic and a very slow commute. Also, you might have to drive to the other side of the base to the main gate. You are better off trying to find something in Vista or Oceanside. $800 / month isn't going to buy much. For a real nice place in San Diego, expect to pay at least $1500 / month. Some parts of Oceanside are full of gangs, so check out the area before hand. Other areas to check out for decent housing are San Marcos and Carlsbad. In general you do not want to live east of I-15. Way too hot in the summer.
My parents are moving to California. Can they buy a car outside California and bring it with them for me without paying California tax?
A few taxes we're talking about here:Sales tax - a tax you pay at the time of purchase, regardless of where it is purchased. If the car is purchased in a state with low sales taxes, great. Title/License - a tax you pay either at the time of purchase or at the DMV shortly after. This is how you get a license plate from the state. Use Tax - when you move to a new location, or buy a car out-of-state, you are supposed to register your car at your new address and notify your insurance of your new location (If you tell them you live in WY where rates are lower and get into a wreck in SF, you may have issues with your insurance paying if they can prove you were intentionally misleading them). Use tax is generally equivalent to a sales tax. So when you go to California DMV to register your car and get a CA license plate, a use tax will be assessed (state, possibly county and local too). Many states will allow a partial rebate/credit for sales taxes paid in other states, so make sure you bring your purchase receipt.Most states have written rules about how long a car is in the state before it's required to be registered (usually ranges from 30-90 days, but check your state specifically). If the car is there temporarily and less than that window, then you don't necessarily have to register it in the new state. Please consult your state's specific tax statues.IRS CIRCULAR 230 DISCLAIMER: To ensure compliance with IRS Circular 230, any U.S. federal tax advice provided in this communication is not intended or written to be used, and it cannot be used by the recipient or any other taxpayer (i) for the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the recipient or any other taxpayer, or (ii) in promoting, marketing or recommending advice to another party, a partnership or other entity. The recipient or any other taxpayer should seek advice based on the recipient’s or any other taxpayer’s particular circumstances from an independent tax advisor.
I'm moving to London from the States. What should I know? How do the neighborhoods in London compare to those in Boston and New York? What are the best shipping and transport options? What's the best way to find a great apartment remotely?
I moved to London from NYC nearly 10 years ago. Here are some things that surprised me:It took more than one day to open a bank account - and I had to have a ridiculous amount of ID to do so. This is a bit better now, but check out Metro Bank if you want an easy life. Metro Bank OnlineBritish people don't keep their eggs in the refrigerator.When you move to the UK you get a whole new credit rating.Shops close really early on Sundays. Need milk after 7PM - forget it.There is a difference between "Night busses" and regular busses. Aside from the amount of druken passengers at night, I'm not sure what the difference is.British people judge you by your accent - it's not so bad having an American accent.There are few good cocktail bars in London.The amount you pay to rent a place will be 2-3x more than you would pay on a mortgage for the same place.Dental health isn't prioritized as much as it is in the USA. If you have a near perfect set of teeth, they will be referred to as "American teeth"If you need to transmit large sums of money a bank transfer from your US bank account to your UK bank account may be the easiest but not cheapest way.Citibank offer a US Currency Bank Account in the UK, which may help if you have to regularly transfer money: US Dollar Current AccountIf you have more than the equivalent of $10K in your bank account (which isn't hard given the strength of the pound) you'll have to notify the IRS:Still Have A Foreign Bank Account? - ForbesBread, butter, milk, broadband and cell phone service cost less in London than New York City. Enjoy it. It is about the only things that are cheaper.You get a ridiculous amount of vacation time over here.It's viewed as declassé to read a "red top" newspaper - Red-tops on the rise, survey showsYou can hold a perfectly adequate conversation with a stranger (but not on the tube) as long as you stick with these topics: The weather, the lateness of he trains, the (soccer) game.I have not yet met a Briton who has something positive to say about George W Bush.British people take queuing (waiting in line) seriously.On the dating scene, your American accent will give you bonus points.There isn't much gun crime here, but the amount of petty theft and knife crime is unbelievable.Health care is 'free.'If you live in Central London, it isn't practical or cheap to own a car.If you work in an office, Thursday is the night that you go out.You can't get Crest toothpaste. So bring some over and give it to me!
Can't decide on universities in California.... CSULA, UCR, USF, others...?
I don't know where to go for college..... I want to head for California, or possibly Oregon and Washington. But I really don't have a chance at UCLA, UC Berkeley, or those really good schools. I feel confident about getting in schools like CSULA, UCR... etc. But I've heard CSULA's education is low and not recommended. USF is alright but not worth the cost. UCR is a wonderful school but the city itself is boring. I want a college that's not too hard, around the same as I mentioned, but also has an interesting, entertaining city along with a tuition cost that's reasonable for the education given. Also, I want to attend a university where there's a lot of clubs, extra curriculars.... etc If you go to any of those universities, you are free to give me more pros and cons or even deny what I've said I heard. If you don't, you are free to suggest schools in California, Oregon, or Washington. :)
Will a new husky adjust to southern california?
I live in Southern CA. We do have Huskies here. :o) There are two right now in the shelter I work with. You just do what you should do with any dog where it gets very hot - bring it inside to the air conditioning during the hottest part of the day, and walk it outside during the coolest part of the day. I walked my dogs at 7:30 in the evening tonight.
I am moving to the US and want to take one more degree there. Should I apply to an MBA program or choose other areas to study? Why?
First, I wouldn't worry too much about the language barrier in studying. If you have high enough English test scores to get into a program, you will be able to manage. It will be hard at first, but it will get better. Many students say they felt like they didn't understand anything during their first semester, but your English will improve and everything will start to make sense. Your English will improve a lot in a degree program like this that demands you to use both written and spoken English. It would be easier to study something like statistics, but your language skills would also probably not improve as much. Second, whether or not an MBA is a good area of study is a bit hard to say. MBA programs can be a good way to advance your career and boost your salary. There are many MBA programs, and those at prestigious universities will likely be worthwhile, while an MBA at a low or unranked school may not really help very much. Helpfully, information about pre- and post- MBA program salaries is available so you can see how much an MBA program increases the average graduates salary. Also, it would be a good idea to look at job postings for the kinds of jobs you want and find out what kind of requirements they have. Do they require or prefer a MBA? Do they list preferences for other kinds of degrees? It makes sense to seek the kinds of qualifications that are needed for the jobs you most want. Once in the U.S., you can also speak with people in your field to find out what they recommend. If the MBA program itself is interesting to you and you are interested in the kinds of jobs that it will help you to get, then the MBA program makes sense for you. People often pursue and MBA after working a few years, which I think is wise. Also, note that some companies will pay for you to pursue an MBA or other degree while you are working for them. Of course, waiting to start a degree may not be an option if you are coming to the U.S. on a student visa. Good luck!
What advice would you give to someone who is moving to Vancouver, WA?
I moved here 1.5 years ago from southern OR, near CA, and before than SoCA in Santa Barbara. Honestly, it’s taken me a long time to feel comfortable here. First of all, for all the Devin said below about the fine weather, I disagree. This past winter, worst on record they say, was terrible for me. It turned cold and damp and overcast in November, had huge dumps of snow and way below freezing in Dec & Jan, and stayed wet, overcast and dreary until June. Just a few weeks ago.Then there’s how spread out it is. Of course any big city is spread out, but I still don’t know the city well at all, only the parts I go regularly. There are ALOT of churches. It is decidedly more conservative than Portland, and seems like there are churches everywhere, of every variety. It’s taken me this long to find the kind of new age, feminine spirituality, yoga-ish, hippy-ish vibe that I resonate with. If that’s not your thing, then it won’t matter.I really do like the downtown area, its really got an up and coming hip vibe. Not alot of housing available there, though they are building a lot.Walking along the Columbia Riverfront is my favorite thing to do on a pretty day. There are sunny days from time to time and summer is beautiful here. Cool, misty mornings, and warm days that get hotter and hotter until the sun goes down at 930–10. Then cools way off and starts over again the next day.Lastly, I thought I’d go to Portland alot for culture, entertainment and socializing. That has proved to be not true at all. There are only 2 bridges from Van to Portland, and the I-5 one is packed with traffic nearly ALL the time. For example of why I don’t go very often. Last Saturday I went to an event in downtown Portland at the waterfront. I got there at 8:30am with little to no traffic in 25 minutes. Great! When I got in my car, parked in an 8 story parking garage, it was 2pm. It took 4o minutes to get out of the parking garage!!! Then an hour to get home, 11 miles away! Horrid. Fridays leaving Portland northbound for any reason is insanity. Public transpo IN Portland is great and IN Vancouver pretty good, BUT they don’t connect. Really. Politics in WA don’t want it for some reason I haven’t determined yet. Probably because a new bridge would be needed. Anyway, it’s best to discover Vancouver’s treasures. :) Oh and not pay state income tax. Nice.