move to denver without a job lined up? are we crazy? (debt, landscaping)

[at-a-crossroads-again]

to denver or not to denver, that's the friggin' question!!!

my husband and i just moved to the states from nicaragua a few weeks ago. I'm north american and am bilingual. my husband, however, is learning english slowly, but surely. we're with friends in florida for the moment, but really need to get out of their hair and get started with life in the US.

We're both going thru a bit of culture shock and interestingly, my husband is doing better than i am!!! It's his first time to the US and my return after a few years. the consumerism, etc. is getting to me.

The cool news is that we're pretty much to the point of playing "rock,paper, scissors" to pick a place to live and just go! We really could go anywhere , though we do have some pre-reqs and weeded-out cities (ie: not the mid-west and not minnesota-type cold).

Denver is on our list though i've never been there. From what i've read, it's pretty, liberal, ethnically diverse and relatively affordable (relative to i-dont-know-where, considering we're coming from Nicaragua!).

We'd both like to live in a city, without a car (or just one), with good public transportation and accessible green space/parks/nature, has "fun/music/pubs/etc" things to do, but that is also "affordable" to rent and much later own....We'd also like to start a family in less than 2 yrs and not have to move again (i know!, we're asking for a lot!)

My question to you folks is what you think about the following:

1. going without a job lined up for me (I have a masters in community development and am bilingual), and temping at an office or something in the mean-time....possible or completely stupid? we do have a few grand saved up to live off of while i'm looking, but not sure how long that would last in denver.

2. I've found a number of ESL classes available (even free) for my husband which is great, but do you think he (with a working/low conversational knowledge of english) could find work? He's currently waiting tables at a mexican restaraunt....at least he's able to practice english with the customers, but he's not making much.

3. could we find a 1-2 bedroom apt. downtown (i dont even know if that's the "best" place) for about $700 with utilities that's not terrible and close to public transportation? I've scoured craigslist and yes, they are out there, but not knowing the area (or having a job yet!) , the information is not so helpful.

4. how is the public transportation? could we get by without owning a car?

5. taxes?? i've obviously lived in the states before, but for some reason this tax thing is hard for me to wrap my head around. I've tried those cost of living calculators to try and compare, but can only compare from portland, oregon where i lived many years ago and was single. Can someone tell me if i can find a job working with immigrants or refugees or as a program coordinator in a social-service-y type job and what i need to make to support both of us? Ie: we only have my grad school debt, we live modestly, dont have a car, etc... If i get a job making 35K to start, what is my takehome pay? Please just break it down for me!

6. Residency status? How long will it take before my husband can get in-state tuition rates?

I apologize for the length of this message and it's potential convolutedness...we're both just really feeling stuck here in florida and are getting opinions from EVERYONE about everything! Like i said, we're almost ready to just pick a place, any city, and move....as long as it's metropolitan, has green space, is "affordable", has free esl classes and i can get a damn job!

thanks so much in advance.

[RangerDuke08]

I got a TEFL certificate at Bridgelinguatec, it's the biggest language center in Denver, you might want to check that out. They teach any language on the planet. 303-777-7783

[wanttomoveeast]

My thoughts are in red below.

Originally Posted by at-a-crossroads-again

the consumerism, etc. is getting to me. wow, I can't believe you are coming back here, I bet you are having huge culture shock!

...weeded-out cities (ie: not the mid-west and not minnesota-type cold). I bet a lot of people laugh at me, but I think of Denver as mid-west, but hardly any days like Minnesota-cold.

1. going without a job lined up for me (I have a masters in community development and am bilingual), and temping at an office or something in the mean-time....possible or completely stupid? we do have a few grand saved up to live off of while i'm looking, but not sure how long that would last in denver. I have comparable skills as you and have no problem getting good jobs here --- temping is definitely a very easy option, if anything just to get working asap.

2. I've found a number of ESL classes available (even free) for my husband which is great, but do you think he (with a working/low conversational knowledge of english) could find work? He's currently waiting tables at a mexican restaraunt....at least he's able to practice english with the customers, but he's not making much. I swear there are more restaurants here than anywhere else -- so that won't be a problem, although he won't make all that much.

3. could we find a 1-2 bedroom apt. downtown (i dont even know if that's the "best" place) for about $700 with utilities that's not terrible and close to public transportation? I've scoured craigslist and yes, they are out there, but not knowing the area (or having a job yet!) , the information is not so helpful. oh yes, yes yes! Go to Capitol Hill, there are tons of affordable apts. and it's funky and safe. Plus, you won't need a car. I lived on the Hill for 15 years with no car. The bus system here is fantastic, especially downtown. And if you work somewhere very close to the 16th St. pedestrian Mall, you can take their free shuttle.

4. how is the public transportation? could we get by without owning a car? Yes! See above.

5. taxes?? i've obviously lived in the states before, but for some reason this tax thing is hard for me to wrap my head around. I've tried those cost of living calculators to try and compare, but can only compare from portland, oregon where i lived many years ago and was single. Can someone tell me if i can find a job working with immigrants or refugees or as a program coordinator in a social-service-y type job and what i need to make to support both of us? Ie: we only have my grad school debt, we live modestly, dont have a car, etc... If i get a job making 35K to start, what is my takehome pay? Please just break it down for me! ugh, I'm not good at this stuff. I honestly think that cost of living vs. what you propose to make would have you living just fine.

6. Residency status? How long will it take before my husband can get in-state tuition rates? 1 year.

I apologize for the length of this message and it's potential convolutedness...we're both just really feeling stuck here in florida and are getting opinions from EVERYONE about everything! Like i said, we're almost ready to just pick a place, any city, and move....as long as it's metropolitan, has green space, is "affordable", has free esl classes and i can get a damn job! p.s. - where in Florida? We are moving to Miami. Just curious if you are over there and what your thoughts are on it. You can direct message me if you don't want to post here.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Augie Daugie]

Originally Posted by at-a-crossroads-again

to denver or not to denver, that's the friggin' question!!!

my husband and i just moved to the states from nicaragua a few weeks ago. I'm north american and am bilingual. my husband, however, is learning english slowly, but surely. we're with friends in florida for the moment, but really need to get out of their hair and get started with life in the US.

We're both going thru a bit of culture shock and interestingly, my husband is doing better than i am!!! It's his first time to the US and my return after a few years. the consumerism, etc. is getting to me.

The cool news is that we're pretty much to the point of playing "rock,paper, scissors" to pick a place to live and just go! We really could go anywhere , though we do have some pre-reqs and weeded-out cities (ie: not the mid-west and not minnesota-type cold).

Denver is on our list though i've never been there. From what i've read, it's pretty, liberal, ethnically diverse and relatively affordable (relative to i-dont-know-where, considering we're coming from Nicaragua!).

We'd both like to live in a city, without a car (or just one), with good public transportation and accessible green space/parks/nature, has "fun/music/pubs/etc" things to do, but that is also "affordable" to rent and much later own....We'd also like to start a family in less than 2 yrs and not have to move again (i know!, we're asking for a lot!)

My question to you folks is what you think about the following:

1. going without a job lined up for me (I have a masters in community development and am bilingual), and temping at an office or something in the mean-time....possible or completely stupid? we do have a few grand saved up to live off of while i'm looking, but not sure how long that would last in denver. If you move w/out a job, temping is probably your best bet. It may take a while to get a full-time job...but it seems as though you are aware of this.

2. I've found a number of ESL classes available (even free) for my husband which is great, but do you think he (with a working/low conversational knowledge of english) could find work? He's currently waiting tables at a mexican restaraunt....at least he's able to practice english with the customers, but he's not making much. There is a large Spanish-speaking population and a number of jobs that don't require a strong knowledge of the English language. Obviously, he's better off knowing as much English as possible, but I think if he focuses on business owned by Spanish speakers and/or serve Spanish speakers, he'll be fine.

3. could we find a 1-2 bedroom apt. downtown (i dont even know if that's the "best" place) for about $700 with utilities that's not terrible and close to public transportation? I've scoured craigslist and yes, they are out there, but not knowing the area (or having a job yet!) , the information is not so helpful. I doubt you will find anything downtown. But Capitol Hill is a possibility nearby.

4. how is the public transportation? could we get by without owning a car? Public transportation is very good. If you work downtown, it will be a cinch. Things get complicated if you have to work in the suburbs.

5. taxes?? i've obviously lived in the states before, but for some reason this tax thing is hard for me to wrap my head around. I've tried those cost of living calculators to try and compare, but can only compare from portland, oregon where i lived many years ago and was single. Can someone tell me if i can find a job working with immigrants or refugees or as a program coordinator in a social-service-y type job and what i need to make to support both of us? Ie: we only have my grad school debt, we live modestly, dont have a car, etc... If i get a job making 35K to start, what is my takehome pay? Please just break it down for me! It really depends on how much money you put into retirement and benefits...you take home would probably be between $1900 and $2300 a month.

6. Residency status? How long will it take before my husband can get in-state tuition rates? You can become a resident after 90 days of living in Colo. However, the University of Colorado require one full year after declaring residency to be eligible for in-state tuition, i believe (if you are older than 23). I think having a job and permanent residence qualifies you. It helps your cause to get a drivers license (or state id) and if possible, register a vehicle.

I apologize for the length of this message and it's potential convolutedness...we're both just really feeling stuck here in florida and are getting opinions from EVERYONE about everything! Like i said, we're almost ready to just pick a place, any city, and move....as long as it's metropolitan, has green space, is "affordable", has free esl classes and i can get a damn job!

thanks so much in advance.

Good luck!

[wanttomoveeast]

oh yes, I forgot to mention in my post that Capitol Hill is sometimes considered downtown. I know when I lived there I would generally tell people, oh, I live downtown, just because it is very close to downtown. I really think that would be a good fit for you.

[at-a-crossroads-again]

thanks so much! wanttomoveeast, i posted a message about florida to you directly.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by at-a-crossroads-again

to denver or not to denver, that's the friggin' question!!!

my husband and i just moved to the states from nicaragua a few weeks ago. I'm north american and am bilingual. my husband, however, is learning english slowly, but surely. we're with friends in florida for the moment, but really need to get out of their hair and get started with life in the US.

We're both going thru a bit of culture shock and interestingly, my husband is doing better than i am!!! It's his first time to the US and my return after a few years. the consumerism, etc. is getting to me.

The cool news is that we're pretty much to the point of playing "rock,paper, scissors" to pick a place to live and just go! We really could go anywhere , though we do have some pre-reqs and weeded-out cities (ie: not the mid-west and not minnesota-type cold).

Denver is on our list though i've never been there. From what i've read, it's pretty, liberal, ethnically diverse and relatively affordable (relative to i-dont-know-where, considering we're coming from Nicaragua!).
"Liberal" is in the eyes of the beholder. Colorado is a "red" state. Some think it is changing. Colorado voters are more likely to be independent. We have a Democratic governor, a Democrat and a Republican senator, representative of both parties. Denver, city, is fairly "liberal". But, this is not Minnesota with its Democratic-Famer-Labor party which is way more liberal, or NYC, etc.
We'd both like to live in a city, without a car (or just one), with good public transportation and accessible green space/parks/nature, has "fun/music/pubs/etc" things to do, but that is also "affordable" to rent and much later own....We'd also like to start a family in less than 2 yrs and not have to move again (i know!, we're asking for a lot!)

My question to you folks is what you think about the following:

1. going without a job lined up for me (I have a masters in community development and am bilingual), and temping at an office or something in the mean-time....possible or completely stupid? we do have a few grand saved up to live off of while i'm looking, but not sure how long that would last in denver.
wanttomoveeast seems to know your job field. I would be sure you have plenty of money saved up as anything can happen. There used to be some "rule of thumb" about how many months of job search per every $10K of salary desired, that has probably been revised. But the underlying truth is still there. The more you want to make, the longer it will take you to find a job.
2. I've found a number of ESL classes available (even free) for my husband which is great, but do you think he (with a working/low conversational knowledge of english) could find work? He's currently waiting tables at a mexican restaraunt....at least he's able to practice english with the customers, but he's not making much.
Ability to speak English is crucial for any higher-level job. Waiting tables, working for a cleaning or landscaping service, or doing construction are about the best that is open w/o good English skills. These are all honorable jobs, of course.
3. could we find a 1-2 bedroom apt. downtown (i dont even know if that's the "best" place) for about $700 with utilities that's not terrible and close to public transportation? I've scoured craigslist and yes, they are out there, but not knowing the area (or having a job yet!) , the information is not so helpful.
Absolutely!
4. how is the public transportation? could we get by without owning a car?
Public transportation is good to excellent. As far as getting by w/o a car: it depends. If your office and home are located on the same bus lines, etc. It would probably be a good idea to save up for a car in case you want to get out of town once in a while. There are also some threads on these forums about public transportation. Particularly if you/your spouse works in the service industry, you may be working odd hours when PT is not as good.

5. taxes?? i've obviously lived in the states before, but for some reason this tax thing is hard for me to wrap my head around. I've tried those cost of living calculators to try and compare, but can only compare from portland, oregon where i lived many years ago and was single. Can someone tell me if i can find a job working with immigrants or refugees or as a program coordinator in a social-service-y type job and what i need to make to support both of us? Ie: we only have my grad school debt, we live modestly, dont have a car, etc... If i get a job making 35K to start, what is my takehome pay? Please just break it down for me!
Someone else will have to answer this.
6. Residency status? How long will it take before my husband can get in-state tuition rates?
Oh, boy! It is complicated. At least a year. All sorts of criteria have to be met. There was a thread on here about this with some links. I would suggest doing a search.

I apologize for the length of this message and it's potential convolutedness...we're both just really feeling stuck here in florida and are getting opinions from EVERYONE about everything! Like i said, we're almost ready to just pick a place, any city, and move....as long as it's metropolitan, has green space, is "affordable", has free esl classes and i can get a damn job!

thanks so much in advance.

Good luck with everything!

[ColoWeb]

While generally I would say it was ok, lately I am saying that with the economy is going it may not be a good idea unless you have a job lines up. There are always exceptions, if you have very special skills that are needed.

[hilltop view]

I'm amused at the number of times people who are thinking of moving to Colorado ask if it is a liberal, open-minded, unbiased, non-homophobic, ethnically diverse population. Apparently there is some misconception as to what a "conservative" is. A "conservative" is NOT closed-minded, biased, homophobic, or ethnically racist. There are plenty of people in this world who ARE those things, but the title of "conservative" does not automatically translate to those characteristics. I and my conservative friends are fine, loving, caring, open-minded, generous, non-homophobes who embrace people of all cultures and ethnicities. We happen to believe in less government, lower taxes, and personal responsibility. THAT is what makes us conservatives. I am happy to read in these pages that Colorado has its fair share of conservatives and that Colorado is considered a "red" state. As a Californian considering a move to Colorado, I was unaware that there might be another conservative in the state. So now, having delightfully discovered this well-kept secret, I have a few questions of my own. We are looking for a semi-suburban to semi-rural atmosphere, perhaps a half acre to an acre or two of land, in a nice, mature, possibly wooded, family type neighborhood. Perhaps a home with a view of some sort. I'm not sure I'd be happy living on 5 acres if I'll never see another person all day. Does anyone have any opinions on what neighborhoods I should be researching? Work will be located near the 70/270 interchange; a 30 min (or less) commute would be ideal. Thanks for giving me a sounding board. I appreciate any advice you care to share. Sincerely, soon-to-be-ex-so. cal gal (hopefully)

[FoRuMRideR420]

i moved to denver with no job lined up and ended up with great job! i mean i ran wild for almost 2 months before workin but i had $$$ saved and wasnt exactly looking for a job when i arrived.....i lived it FL before and the people are so much cooler here.....CO gets 2 thumbs up