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Hi, im currently 19 and in my second year of a degree in Web Design at the University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. In my third year I am hoping to do a paid placement year (internship) and I would very much like to spend it working somewhere in the US. I have not been to the US before but it has always been somewhere I have wanted to go, especially somewhere like California. But im not really sure on where to start looking and what sort of places would be good to live in for a year. What would living in LA be like?
LA is not well suited for a student from abroad to be visiting. It's very spread out, and without a car, very difficult to get around. I'm sure it looks glamorous from a movie/tv perspective but that won't be your reality.
New York City, Washington DC, Boston, and Chicago are fairly similar to large cities in the UK. You might want to consider cities like Denver or Austin, which are quite different and major tech cities as well.
Ok, thanks for your input, i'll check out those cities, New York was always high on my list. I understand LA is not realistic now but would there be any other Californian cities that could suit my needs?
Well, if you're looking to get around without a car, San Francisco really is your only option in California. Plus a large portion of the tech sector is based thereabouts.
I know Brittan has strong currency right now, but many of the places mentioned are pricey.
For a similar experience with a cheaper pricetag, try Chicago, Cleveland (CWRU is great for engineers), Pittsburgh (suprisingly cool), Dallas, Houston, and Atlanta (I died a little inside suggesting the last three).
It is possible to live in LA without driving. I've done it. LA has a good public transportation system; not NYC-good, but decent. Many neighborhoods in the core parts of the cities actually have a majority of residents who don't own cars, so lots of other people are doing it as well. There's light rail, subway, buses, commuter rail, express buses, etc. IF you want more specifics on LA post your questions on that forum and the regulars can help you out.
The problem with LA, and with SF, or anywhere in CA, is that the economy is terrible right now, worse than in most places in the US. I don't know what impact that has had on the paid internship scene; you could still do okay because employers who really need actual workers may be trying to get by on cheaper interns to do the job.
Much as I love LA, I'd be tempted to go with something totally different. Same thing with NYC or any of the obvious choices. I like the Pittsburgh suggestion; otherwise maybe somewhere like Charleston (SC), Houston, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Santa Fe, or any number of other cities that could be fun for a year. Or, look for the jobs and then research what the locations are like. If you were able to find a paid internship in a smaller place it could be a great experience, maybe in a resort town or tourist destination like Key West, Aspen, Monterey (CA), etc. Depending on place you could also ask about housing; my brother had a friend from Scotland who managed to find a paid internship in CA that came with housing, and my old work in DC offered its summer interns free housing to help offset the high costs of living in the city. I'd be open to almost anything and just see what's out there and what catches your eye.
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