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Canada is definitely far more European than anywhere in the USA. It is a wonderful country to be in 3 or 4 months of the year. They can however keep it in the winter.
"I'm a 19 year old female looking for a nice place to live in the US.
I was born in Japan, lived there for 4 years then my family moved to California and I've been living here in Cali ever since.
My experience here has not been very great. I only lived in one city I went to public schools which were composed mostly of people of ethnic minorities in which I experienced a lot of racism because I look white although I'm only half, so school was never pleasant and my parents were always indifferent to anything I was going through. (My mother is mentally ill and my father has many problems of his own). "
Sad to hear, I'm surprised that hispanics would discriminate against since I would imagine that mexicans and asians don't look all that different.
Kind of sucks you were discriminated against but you can't judge an enitre people off a few bone heads.
"I really really just want to get away from it all. I tried college for a while, I chose an almost all white college and I was in for a huge culture shock because I was never in my life around white people. (I know, how weird). All I had to do was be near someone and they'd want to start a conversation with me. Everybody I passed would smile. I'm use to being either ignored or insulted so this was like being on another planet. I left college the first week because I just wasn't ready for it (I have anxiety around people, plus I had no money so I don't know what I was thinking) also I really find it tough to handle school work. I always had a hard time in school so I decided I'm just going to go through life with only a HS diploma and maybe sometime in the future I'll get a college education because I eventually (maybe) want to immigrate to Europe. (Hopefully Sweden Or Germany). The UK seems appealing also."
If you dislike racism UK is not really the best place to go. I'm in Norway right now so can say sweden is pretty good place to go.
My only fear for you is that you will get to europe and dislike it. sure europeans might seem to have a better life when you hear about random facts like long vacations. However the reality on the ground is different. they have long vacations to make up for the fact that there are not enough jobs. So to deal with their unemployment rate of 30% for people under 30 they make 35 hour work weeks and 12 weeks mandatory vacation.
Also realize that in europe you will be taxed on everything, 50% incoem tax, 20% vat and by the end of it all you will be worse off than america. If you can't make it in america you won't make it anywhere, and I am in NORWAY, the "best" country in the world.
also realize that if you want to work in germany or sweden you need to learn local languages like german or swedish.
"Right now I still live with my Mom and Dad in a small dingy apartment (the same one for 15 years) which is too embarrassing to describe.
My parents are the ghetto-est people on earth and I'm completely opposite them."
Why not move to New York or something, why depend on other people for money. America is the best country because someone with no education or no money can start a business and get rich.
"I've been searching all these different places on google maps, city-data and wikipedia in hopes of finding a great place to move but I haven't found anything suitable yet. (I've never actually been to another state and I don't have family in any of them so I can only go off what I find online)."
Might want to at least visit first before committing long term, moving is a hassle.
"I want to feel like I'm in Europe and St. Paul MN looks like they have a lot of Swedish and German influence which I find very appealing! However I can't stand heat. (I would like to find a place where I won't ever have to use air conditioning). I was looking at Spokane WA too but the crime rates are too high. My Mom said to move to Pennsylvania because that's where she grew up and I like the idea of living in the East but still, there are so many other places that I could move to and the weather there is probably too hot anyways."
Isn't San Francisco practically european?
"I don't know if I want to move to a city or a town, I definitely do not like areas that look very industrial but I think I'm kind of stuck living in cities because I only have a HS diploma. I don't know how to drive so any place I move to definitely needs to have busses to get around. Walmarts and Targets are great too. I will be completely on my own for the first time and I need to be able to support myself so I guess I could become a waitress or something.
I would really appreciate any place suggestions.
Thanks very much for reading.
"
I suggest NYC, the downside is it is big and expensive, the upside, everything is close there are so many people if you can't make a friend here you never will and there are so many places it impossible to not find a job
I understand Portland can be a bit expensive - not a lot of room for housing because of geographical barriers, and they have policies in place to limit growth and sprawl -meaning more expensive housing.
I can only speak accurately about Minneapolis/St. Paul and environs so I'll address that. Its also a bit expensive up here, compared to the south and other parts of the midwest; however there is sufficient mass transit and cheap housing in the inner cities (which is relatively SAFE) so that a person could make it on a low income. The original poster may need to rent a room to start with (Craig's list).
I can't say we're more or less European than anywhere else in the country. Our immigration was a bit over 100 years ago, however, and we're a "sticky" state - people who are born here tend to stay here - so some of that culture has held over, including the well-known Scandinavian (and German) sense of reserve so people will "leave you alone" and not force social contact on you (but are friendly if you go looking for it). There is also a bit of a "leveling impulse" which means there are more opportunities to grow into a middle-class lifestyle. It also means people aren't as materialistic and don't flaunt wealth when they have it.
For weather, July & August can be hot and sticky, but those are the only months of significant concern on that front. We get gulf air from the south and it picks up humidity from all the lakes and transpiration from cropland. Modern hybrid corn "rents" water in the same way that normal people "rent" beer, and it goes through a LOT of it.
Racism isn't going to be as much of a concern, things are pretty cool on that front. I'm not saying it doesn't exist - it does - but its nowhere near as intense. Even then a lot of it is "crimes of ignorance" by the well-intentioned.
The economy in Rochester, MN is better than in the twin cities, and will almost certainly also be cheaper on the housing front.
Stuff-people-made wise, there are parts of California that mimic the Mediterranean part of Europe.
Stuff-people-made wise, the northern part of Europe's feel is tough to find other than a few older parts of the East Coast. Problem there is, the climate on the East Coast is more like the Pacific Coast of Asia and is unlike Europe.
The only places in North America that I feel are anywhere close to a European feel are San Francisco, Montreal, and Quebec City. Even so, it's not really like Europe. NYC is a great vibrant place, but it never reminded me of any place in Europe I've been to.
Colonial-era, and also pre-20th century American towns and cities, like parts of Baltimore, Boston, Pittsburgh, and where I live, Alexandria Virginia, do have a good vibe that's like a consolation prize for not being able to live in Europe.
Without a college degree, and even with one, it will be difficult to move legally to Europe as an American citizen.
EDIT: someone else mentioned attending a European university, that is a good way to legally be there. Good suggestion!
Last edited by robbobobbo; 01-20-2010 at 07:16 AM..
DC is probably what you are looking for. But you could also go to a place where they shun eye-contact, but not sure where that would be in America. Americans are very fond of eye-contact. Eye-contact rules.
Actually, one thing many newcomers to DC and its metro area in VA and MD complain about is how people don't say hello in the street and how they avoid eye contact. It's true. We're not mean or purposely rude, but if you're walking by someone on the sidewalk and look into their face and say "hello" or "good morning", most people will act surprised, and either say nothing or mutter hello back. DC is an eyes-forward (or on the ground) place. The subways full of passengers are silent.
Washington DC is the nation's capital but also a pretty vibrant city itself. There's plenty of good neighborhoods and you can have fun. I'm not sure about its diversity, but it does have a big Chinatown lol. The food is good. Not much else I can say about it except that it feels very European with the mid-rise density. It is more expensive than Philadelphia though.
Very diverse, in the city and in the suburbs. Chinatown is kind of a joke here. The city doesn't really have areas of particular ethnicities, like a Russiantown, Irishtown, Koreatown, etc. I think northeastern and midwestern cities grew like that, but not DC. But there are people from all over the world living here. Lots of universities with international students, also.
There is an area considered "Koreatown", but it's in suburban Virginia, in Annandale.
I would not recommend NY to a nineteen year-old person with no friends, relatives or a job in the area. NY is a very lonely city for many and it's not easy to meet people. You'll feel worse there than you do already.
Boston is a very young town due to all the colleges. If you're looking for a city in the northeast, I'd recommend giving it a try. Good luck, it sounds like you have some obstacles to overcome.
NYC feels and looks like London? Have you been to London? I was there and didn't feel that it was like NYC... I agree with the Boston sentiments though.
Agree! Aside from crowds of people, the similiarity with London stops. What is the oldest building in NYC? London is loaded with historic buildings.
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and I'm completely opposite them."
