What city should I move to? (Age: 26 | Current Residence: USA)

[integritymatters]

I'm thinking of moving to Los Angeles, London, or to any smaller village in the English Countryside.
At the very least, if I end up moving to LA instead, then I'd love to buy a summer house in England and spend every summer there, even after getting married and starting my family, so that my kids can experience that kind of duality that I had as a child (my family and I used to vacation every year; I'm originally from New Jersey, but we lived in Florida and Georgia every summer for 7 years).

I do realize that all 3 of those regions (LA, London and the EC) are wildly expensive - probably in the 6 figure range - but I feel it is a risk worth taking.
If push comes to shove, and I end up emigrating to England, then I'd buy a summer house in Los Angeles and spend the summer there every year.
It all depends on what happens next.

What would be the best city or region to live in, based on all 3?
I'd love to hear from any locals from the US and the UK about great qualities of the areas they live in.
People's heads turn when I say that living in America is repetitive and formulaic, but at the end of the day, it is quite true.
And even if living in England doesn't work after awhile, or even a short time, I'd move to Los Angeles and start all over again - simple as that.

I'd love to move to a more Liberal/Democratic/Labour type of area; Conservatives irritate me.
I don't vote currently; however, I'd only vote if I were to immigrate to England - and in that case, I consider myself a staunch supporter of the Labour Party.
I've watched too many parliamentary hearings from "Prime Ministers' Questions" & debates on LBC Radio as preparation for what to expect (politically and economically) if I do move to England.

Although a psychic reader suggested (when I was 19; I'm 26 now) that she sees me emigrating to Italy.
I'd never even felt drawn to Italy in my entire life; though I have very little Italian ancestry (from the Middle Ages and the Crusades eras) - so maybe Italy could be a great place to move to?
I've never even considered emigrating to Italy.
But I'd love to hear what you guys think about my immigration conondrum.

 

[pepinogrande]

Try the upper West Side of NYC

 

[integritymatters]

Try the upper West Side of NYC

I moved to NYC (on the North Shore of Staten Island) in 2020.
It was a disaster - so many horrible things happened while I was there.
So that childhood fever dream I had about moving to New York and chasing my dream of being a professional songwriter & TV producer (for now) is gone.
So I moved back home and I'm living with my abusive family members until I can afford a second out of state move.
That's where my confusion & this post come into play.
LA, London and the English Countryside are my 3 favorite options, but England is a last resort.
I'm also thinking about moving to Northern Ireland - since I'm part Irish & I'd always wanted to visit Ireland anyway, as a vacation - so immigrating to Ireland may be worthwhile.

 

[integritymatters]

I've also had several jobs since I came back from NYC.
This Thursday, I have a job interview for a remote sales job; if I get hired, it'll be my sixth job I've worked at in the last 2 years.

 

[deleted7400431]

Anyone at Barbican tonight?

 

[integritymatters]

Anyone at Barbican tonight?

What?
Stay on topic, please.

 

[WilliamG]

I do realize that all 3 of those regions (LA, London and the EC) are wildly expensive - probably in the 6 figure range

Have you actually visited LA? You know where this is going right..?

 

[malakos]

I don't know how to say this as kindly as I'd like, so I'll just beat around the bush a little: the way you're describing your plans and what they involve and require, and how that relates to the place you're at in life... it's really not adding up. I think before you consider any major life changes you need to take another long, hard look at what is truly involved in the ideas you're considering.

For example, calling "6 figure range" wildly expensive for the LA or London areas... since you're talking about purchasing homes, I'm assuming the "6 figure range" remark pertained to that. The reality is that it's not at all unusual in major metropolitan areas in the 1st world nowadays to be in the seven figure range. I live in a less expensive neighborhood of a suburb of one of these metropolitan areas, and the houses a few years back started selling in the lower seven figures.

There's nothing wrong with having dreams, but in order to be able to do anything with them they need to be checked against the realities one will have to face along the way in pursuing said dreams.

 

[evolution]

IMO,
if you are interested in moving to the UK, then hopefully you are following what is going on there.
You would be well advised to avoid the economic turmoil that is going to hit the UK very hard for the next 2 or so years.
Current CA economics has a lot of people migrating out of CA, heading to UT, AZ, NM...
IMO, now isn't the time for you to head to a major metropolitan area. You'd be "buying high" & likely find yourself trapped as economies cool.
If you are open to finding a cheap way in - flatmates, renting a tiny studio, then go for it. Otherwise, you would be well served to wait, save, research.
Chances are real estate will be "on sale" compared to now in another 1.5 - 2 years from now.
Meanwhile, do the remote employee climbing the employment job ladder thing.
And VOTE. Wherever you are, vote.

 

[Americanspirit]

I'm thinking of moving to Los Angeles, London, or to any smaller village in the English Countryside.
At the very least, if I end up moving to LA instead, then I'd love to buy a summer house in England and spend every summer there, even after getting married and starting my family, so that my kids can experience that kind of duality that I had as a child (my family and I used to vacation every year; I'm originally from New Jersey, but we lived in Florida and Georgia every summer for 7 years).

I do realize that all 3 of those regions (LA, London and the EC) are wildly expensive - probably in the 6 figure range - but I feel it is a risk worth taking.
If push comes to shove, and I end up emigrating to England, then I'd buy a summer house in Los Angeles and spend the summer there every year.
It all depends on what happens next.

What would be the best city or region to live in, based on all 3?
I'd love to hear from any locals from the US and the UK about great qualities of the areas they live in.
People's heads turn when I say that living in America is repetitive and formulaic, but at the end of the day, it is quite true.
And even if living in England doesn't work after awhile, or even a short time, I'd move to Los Angeles and start all over again - simple as that.

I'd love to move to a more Liberal/Democratic/Labour type of area; Conservatives irritate me.
I don't vote currently; however, I'd only vote if I were to immigrate to England - and in that case, I consider myself a staunch supporter of the Labour Party.
I've watched too many parliamentary hearings from "Prime Ministers' Questions" & debates on LBC Radio as preparation for what to expect (politically and economically) if I do move to England.

Although a psychic reader suggested (when I was 19; I'm 26 now) that she sees me emigrating to Italy.
I'd never even felt drawn to Italy in my entire life; though I have very little Italian ancestry (from the Middle Ages and the Crusades eras) - so maybe Italy could be a great place to move to?
I've never even considered emigrating to Italy.
But I'd love to hear what you guys think about my immigration conondrum.

I think people should only buy or rent one house. It’s a crime the way we spread houses and infrastructures around the world, the environmental and life cost simply does not make sense. 1 place to call home is enough. Then travel or rent for periods, work less, invest in good companies that help other people to thrive. If possible, go live in a place that is desertifying/ loosing people/ whose landscape and houses need a good investment. Help those communities grow and becoming more youthful. If you follow this criteria, you will find that many places can be amazing and quite close to large amazing cities. Especially in the EU — the USA … well… is the USA

 

[dreamer20]

Are you already a British national fivelive? If you aren't you won't be voting in the UK until you have obtained UK citizenship. If you were a British national, and very wealthy, you would be free to flit back and forth between the USA and the UK. But it appears you are a US national who would first need to obtain a long term UK work visa, then stay put in the UK for at least 5 years, as required, in order to apply for UK citizenship. You need to research what UK emigration would require and consider the pros and cons involved beforehand:
How to Move to the UK? - Step by Step Guide on Moving to England.
A better alternative would be to work in New Jersey, or elsewhere in the USA, and save enough money for short term vacations abroad - and purchasing a home someday too.

 

[seventiesdemon]

I'm thinking of moving to Los Angeles, London, or to any smaller village in the English Countryside.
At the very least, if I end up moving to LA instead, then I'd love to buy a summer house in England and spend every summer there, even after getting married and starting my family, so that my kids can experience that kind of duality that I had as a child (my family and I used to vacation every year; I'm originally from New Jersey, but we lived in Florida and Georgia every summer for 7 years).

I do realize that all 3 of those regions (LA, London and the EC) are wildly expensive - probably in the 6 figure range - but I feel it is a risk worth taking.
If push comes to shove, and I end up emigrating to England, then I'd buy a summer house in Los Angeles and spend the summer there every year.
It all depends on what happens next.

What would be the best city or region to live in, based on all 3?
I'd love to hear from any locals from the US and the UK about great qualities of the areas they live in.
People's heads turn when I say that living in America is repetitive and formulaic, but at the end of the day, it is quite true.
And even if living in England doesn't work after awhile, or even a short time, I'd move to Los Angeles and start all over again - simple as that.

I'd love to move to a more Liberal/Democratic/Labour type of area; Conservatives irritate me.
I don't vote currently; however, I'd only vote if I were to immigrate to England - and in that case, I consider myself a staunch supporter of the Labour Party.
I've watched too many parliamentary hearings from "Prime Ministers' Questions" & debates on LBC Radio as preparation for what to expect (politically and economically) if I do move to England.

Although a psychic reader suggested (when I was 19; I'm 26 now) that she sees me emigrating to Italy.
I'd never even felt drawn to Italy in my entire life; though I have very little Italian ancestry (from the Middle Ages and the Crusades eras) - so maybe Italy could be a great place to move to?
I've never even considered emigrating to Italy.
But I'd love to hear what you guys think about my immigration conondrum.

You don't mention in all of that what you do for a job.Oh wait...you are in sales.

Sorry. All vacancies filled. Like everywhere else, we're after skilled trades, professions, etc or the like here. Need to have or produce the product to be able to sell it.

 

[integritymatters]

You don't mention in all of that what you do for a job.Oh wait...you are in sales.

Sorry. All vacancies filled. Like everywhere else, we're after skilled trades, professions, etc or the like here. Need to have or produce the product to be able to sell it.

For your information, I just passed prelicensing for my life insurance license.
I was going to get life + securities and P&C licenses, but I left my insurance job and went to my sales job.

And before I even worked in sales, I got my travel agents' license in April 2022.
So not only do I have my own vacancy filled, I also earned a travel license before I even made this post.
And my insurance job still wants me to get my life license before I leave.

 

[seventiesdemon]

For your information, I just passed prelicensing for my life insurance license.
I was going to get life + securities and P&C licenses, but I left my insurance job and went to my sales job.

And before I even worked in sales, I got my travel agents' license in April 2022.
So not only do I have my own vacancy filled, I also earned a travel license before I even made this post.
And my insurance job still wants me to get my life license before I leave.

Australia is a long way away anyway. By the way, it's 12:30 am here, different hemisphere on the other side of the planet............... so if I'm short, it's because people on the other side of the world forget for us to chat with you we need to stay up.

 

[integritymatters]

Are you already a British national fivelive? If you aren't you won't be voting in the UK until you have obtained UK citizenship. If you were a British national, and very wealthy, you would be free to flit back and forth between the USA and the UK. But it appears you are a US national who would first need to obtain a long term UK work visa, then stay put in the UK for at least 5 years, as required, in order to apply for UK citizenship. You need to research what UK emigration would require and consider the pros and cons involved beforehand:
How to Move to the UK? - Step by Step Guide on Moving to England.
A better alternative would be to work in New Jersey, or elsewhere in the USA, and save enough money for short term vacations abroad - and purchasing a home someday too.

Yes, I am a US national.
My dad, however, was a Bermudian national who emigrated to the US twice - first in 1973 (he moved back to Bermuda when he had my older sister in '75 - she's 47 now).
He met my mom in '87 (at that time, he was a father of 3, and had married & divorced someone else); they started dating in '91, and married in the States in '94.
My dad moved permanently to the States in '95 (and stayed until his death in 2010).
I was born in '96.
My mom said herself that the reason she insisted my dad move to the States is because the Bermudian government refused to grant her dual citizenship (and that was back in 1993; my mom was 30 years old in '93, with a house & apartment of her own, and my dad had an apartment and was living by himself).

So basically, I have family in the States, Canada (my dad's dad & his siblings were Canadian & moved to BM after World War II) and Bermuda.
I've never met my Canadian relatives though; I only recently discovered they're still alive & my great-aunt has 2 sons who are my dad's age (had he lived).

Regarding my citizenship, I've been trying to simultaneously work on investing and my citizenship at the same time.
It's been an uphill battle financially - things keep preventing me from both (until I realized the investing issue was due to my credit card debt - so after I pay that off over the next 3 months, I'll be able to start investing).
But my citizenship will take longer, considering (at least in Bermuda) applicants have to pay $525 to apply for citizenship.
I don't know if the UK has an application fee, though.

I'm 26 years old now.
I am figuring getting a summer home in England is better because I'd have a place to escape when America is too chaotic for me to deal with (which is all the time).

 

[integritymatters]

Australia is a long way away anyway. By the way, it's 12:30 am here, different hemisphere on the other side of the planet............... so if I'm short, it's because people on the other side of the world forget for us to chat with you we need to stay up.

I know.
I have a distant cousin who lives in NSW.
I'm always apologizing to her for the time difference (it's not my fault, but I apologize out of respect for her).
When I'm awake, she's asleep; and vice versa.
It was the same situation with my ex from the Philippines (the PH is 12 hours ahead of me).
I think Perth is 12 hours ahead too, and Eastern Aus (might be?) 15 hours ahead.

 

[dreamer20]

Yes, I am a US national. My dad, however, was a Bermudian national who emigrated to the US...He met my mom in '87 ...and married in the States in '94. My dad moved permanently to the States in '95 (and stayed until his death in 2010). I was born in '96... My mom said herself that the reason she insisted my dad move to the States is because the Bermudian government refused to grant her dual citizenship <back in 1993> Regarding my citizenship, I've been trying to simultaneously work on investing and my citizenship at the same time.
It's been an uphill battle financially - things keep preventing me from both (until I realized the investing issue was due to my credit card debt - so after I pay that off over the next 3 months, I'll be able to start investing). But my citizenship will take longer, considering (at least in Bermuda) applicants have to pay $525 to apply for citizenship.
I don't know if the UK has an application fee, though.
I'm 26 years old now.
I am figuring getting a summer home in England is better because I'd have a place to escape when America is too chaotic for me to deal with (which is all the time).

Good news for you fivelive. As your father was a British citizen and married to your mother within the period - Jan 1983 to June 2006 - you automatically gained British citizenship when you were born as stated here:
Apply for citizenship if you have a British parent
Don't consult the Bermuda Government in this matter - save for obtaining a certified copy of your father's birth certificate from the Registry General. Consult directly with the UK government in order to get a letter confirming your UK status and apply for a UK passport.

P.S. Bermudians have a choice of either a UK Passport or a "Government of Bermuda" UK Passport - but both of these have to be issued via the UK Passport Office.

 

[hzs3fg]

Presuming that you are a US (and only US) citizen, then moving to most any other country will entail first obtaining a suitable visa - a process that is likely far more difficult than you may realize.

 

[neintynein]

I moved to NYC (on the North Shore of Staten Island) in 2020.
It was a disaster - so many horrible things happened while I was there.
So that childhood fever dream I had about moving to New York and chasing my dream of being a professional songwriter & TV producer (for now) is gone.
So I moved back home and I'm living with my abusive family members until I can afford a second out of state move.
That's where my confusion & this post come into play.
LA, London and the English Countryside are my 3 favorite options, but England is a last resort.
I'm also thinking about moving to Northern Ireland - since I'm part Irish & I'd always wanted to visit Ireland anyway, as a vacation - so immigrating to Ireland may be worthwhile.

Staten Island isn't New York City. (Sorry, I'm Washington Heights-born, South Bronx-raised.)

2020 in New York was a disaster no matter what, COVID was eating the world. But sorry to hear you had an awful time, and I can quite understand not going back.

I think your licensing thing is a big issue for the international immigration -- none of that will transfer from country to country. Figure out what kind of work you can do when you get there, before you consider moving anywhere. Visit places, though, too, see if you do actually like them. Northern Ireland doesn't seem like the place I'd move if I haven't visited.

 

[integritymatters]

Staten Island isn't New York City. (Sorry, I'm Washington Heights-born, South Bronx-raised.)

2020 in New York was a disaster no matter what, COVID was eating the world. But sorry to hear you had an awful time, and I can quite understand not going back.

I think your licensing thing is a big issue for the international immigration -- none of that will transfer from country to country. Figure out what kind of work you can do when you get there, before you consider moving anywhere. Visit places, though, too, see if you do actually like them. Northern Ireland doesn't seem like the place I'd move if I haven't visited.

Good news - I think it's been almost a year since I made this thread.
I applied for a passport in May, and the 3 month mark will be the day after my birthday (August 26th).
Bad news - I have to change my mailing address; I called the National Passport Center, and they promised to email the form, and never did.
So I guess my only choice is to call back later today.