I moved to Las Vegas last week. And I lived there a total of six days before I concluded that perhaps moving to Vegas sans car, job or apartment probably wasn’t the wisest of decisions. I’m now a little broker, a little wiser and back to sleeping on my parents sofa bed in California.
I know. Crazy, huh?
I don’t know how normal people relocate but judging from the “What do you mean you moved here without a job?” comments people threw at me, I’m guessing they find a job before they do so…or at the very least a car.
I’ve discovered that Las Vegas is one of those American ‘cities’ that doesn’t have reliable public transportation. Nobody rides the bus unless they’re 12 or sweating out a DUI suspension. And it’s easy to see why, considering the buses only run every hour and a half! Las Vegas is also located smack dab in the middle of a desert which means that it’s freakin HOT. 120 degree Fahrenheit hot. In other words, too hot to be trudging two miles to the bus stop and back.
People tried to warn me about this. But I figured that they were car people, so what did they know? They’d never taken a bus in their lives. I, on the other hand, had lived most of my adult life in places like Europe or New York City or Japan where cars aren’t only unnecessary but in an inconvenience.
So why did I move there, you ask?
Probably for the same reasons thousands of other broke and unemployed people move there…it’s cheap. I figured that Vegas would be a good place to save money. And I’d heard stories about friends’ neighbor’s third cousins’ who lived in three bedroom condos with a swimming pool and a two car garage for under 1,000 dollars a month. So even though I’ve always found Vegas to be a cultureless wasteland, I decided that I could handle living five hours from the ocean if it meant that I’d be able to save a bit of money for grad school and live like a rock star in the process.
But as I quickly realized, all of the apartments that are within walking distance from the casinos and resorts where I’d be able to find employment, were super sketchy, over-priced crap. I mean, 600 dollars for a studio with bars on the windows and a blood stains on the carpet! Are you kidding me?! I’ve lived in pretty impoverished conditions in the past (I once lived in a sleeping bag in my friend’s kitchen), but I totally refuse to share a building with shirtless, toothless crack heads and their white trash prostitutes.
You gotta draw the line somewhere, I guess.
So now the new plan is to only apply for jobs in American cities where you don’t need a car…which really limits me to NYC, San Francisco, Boston or Chicago.
It’s funny because everybody’s reaction to my predicament is: “So…Tell me again why you left a perfectly good job in Japan for THIS?” And by THIS, they mean a life as a broke, unemployed couch surfer.
To which I reply: I don’t know. What the F was I thinking?
If someone were to make my life into a movie, this song would be the title theme of the soundtrack.
What about Portland, Oregon?
Ooh, you could come to Canada! Montreal, Quebec City, Vancouver, and Toronto all have a public transportation/walking-friendly layout. From what I understand St. John's (Newfoundland) isn't too bad, either (but that could be wishful thinking on my part).
And thanks for introducing me to that song by the way… It will be on my knock-off mp3 player soon.
I love Canada! I'd love to live there actually…My older brother lives near Victoria. He invited me to come live with him but I don't know what I would do about a job. Do you know anything about how sponsorship works? His wife is Canadian.
I first heard that song on Weeds and I fell in love with it.
"Skillet on the stove
It's such a temptation
Maybe I'll be the lucky one who doesn't get burned."
I love that song! The melody corresponds with the lyrics and I play it on repeat every time I'm in 'what the f' mood. Also known from Weeds;)
Your description reminds me so much of my first days in the USA. Only difference was that parents couch was 18 hours flight away and so giving up was not an option.
Any way in my city here's even a night bus system, every half an hour in every direction so not drinking & driving doesn't mean cab expenses.
You should come to San Francisco, I don't know if you've ever lived there before, and it can be expensive, but it was the best relocation of my life! Which of course doesn't mean that it would be for you, but I do highly recommend it.
Ha ha just heard on cnn about a site for You:
hunch.com
Hi Kelly,
I'm actually in SF at the moment! I like it here…I really do. It's a little expensive and foggy…but it's a cute little city and compared to NYC or Tokyo, it's got this small town vibe. It doesn't feel like a city at all.
I'm applying to jobs everywhere though and I'll just see what happens.
Koala,
Weeds is the best! I love that show. I checked out that site and I don't get quite how it works. They had every quiz imaginable but not one that would tell me what job I should get. I took the "What city should you live in?" quiz and it said Baltimore.
Baltimore!!! I would never wanna live there in a million years.
But it's an interesting concept…did you take any quizes?
I'm not sure. I'm a dual-citizen, so I've never had to worry about immigration in either country… But I'm pretty sure you can come over and get a work visa or a working holiday thing… But like I said, I'm totally ignorant of the process.
I live outside of Boston, so from my perspective Boston is pretty expensive (but what major city isn't?) and a bit snobby, but it is a pretty city, there's always tons to do, and it's super eay to get around in w/out a car!
Hopefully whichever city you end up in will be a good match for you!
Dude! You totally forgot one of the best cities that you definitely don't need a car in! Denver, Colorado! It has the light rail, and buses that run like every 15 mins. Totally a rocking place to live.
Yeah, I've always liked Boston. The only down-side is that the subways stop running at midnight, right?
Really? Denver has a good transportation system? I didn't know that. I've never been there before…I'll def add that to my list of cities to consider. Thanks!
[…] this little job-hunt in Hawaii will probably end up like last year’s failed attempt to move to Las Vegas, at least I’ll get a good tan out of the experience, […]