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Old 05-12-2014, 08:49 PM
 
248 posts, read 309,215 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thatbritishchick View Post
Hello everyone,

I'm a 20something university (college) student from the UK hitting up L.A. for the summer and I've got a whole load of queries. So please sit tight and bear with me-

1) I'll be working in Culver City. I hear it's a mixture of rough and nice, so which are the rough bits and nice bits?

2) As a young woman travelling alone, what specific threats should I look out for and in what areas? Please be specific ie. gangs in XYZ neighbourhood. I'll be taking normal precautions but I want to be safe.

3) What do young people my age in LA do to meet new people? Where are the hip & happening places and bars where everyone goes to in the evening/ weekend afternoons? Please bear in mind that I'm underage.

4) I'm also looking for a church. Which churches are Biblically solid yet have vibrant, dynamic 20something/ singles ministries? From online research I'm leaning strongly towards Bel Air Presbyterian, but I'd like to hear some opinions from the natives

Thank you all!!
1- there are no rough bits in Culver City

2-The strange thing about LA is that even Santa Monica has gangs. The chances of you being a victim of gang violence is extremely low.

3- 20 something...so when do you turn 21? While you're here?

4- singles ministries? that's a new one.
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Old 05-12-2014, 09:00 PM
 
601 posts, read 751,480 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Moriarti View Post
4- singles ministries? that's a new one.
Hahaha, I remember the churches in my home state having those. It my experience, it was basically a desperate ploy to give college students and 20-somethings a reason to still attend church after their parents can't force them to go anymore. (Err, no offense intended, op...)
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Old 05-12-2014, 10:39 PM
 
59 posts, read 102,958 times
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As mentioned, Culver City is pretty nice all around.

The issue is the south end of Culver City boarders some areas that were dangerous. But if you focus on the mid and north ends of the city, I can't imagine you'd have any problems.

There are some 18+ clubs you can get to. Although they change around all the time. Once in town, get a copy of the LA Weekly and see what's current.
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Old 05-12-2014, 10:43 PM
 
Location: Earth
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Culver City's very safe.

However, if you're a Glasgow Rangers fan, there's a certain pub on Washington Place you should avoid.
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Old 05-13-2014, 04:05 AM
 
4 posts, read 4,216 times
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Thanks for all the great replies, folks! I've also been told that it's not a good idea to wear red/ yellow/ blue when walking around certain neighbourhoods as those are gang colours which might be provocative?

I don't fancy stuffing wads of banknotes into my trouser pockets so I'm thinking of opening an American checking account. However, bearing in mind I'll only be in the States for 8-9 weeks, is this still an option? It'll probably be a student account and I will not be applying with a Social Security number. I've been advised that Bank of America and Wells Fargo are the most student-friendly- is this a consensus?

Some great suggestions have been put forth on this thread- thanks a million! In terms of the day-life, where could a 20 year old (English- you guessed right) girl go to meet LA natives her age? I'm worried about cliques and getting ostracised since I'll be the new, temporary kid on the block.

Please excuse the very ditzy/ girly statement coming up, but I honestly can't wait to get to SoCal. Totally
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Old 05-13-2014, 04:12 AM
 
193 posts, read 463,615 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thatbritishchick View Post
Thanks for all the great replies, folks! I've also been told that it's not a good idea to wear red/ yellow/ blue when walking around certain neighbourhoods as those are gang colours which might be provocative?

I don't fancy stuffing wads of banknotes into my trouser pockets so I'm thinking of opening an American checking account. However, bearing in mind I'll only be in the States for 8-9 weeks, is this still an option? It'll probably be a student account and I will not be applying with a Social Security number. I've been advised that Bank of America and Wells Fargo are the most student-friendly- is this a consensus?

Some great suggestions have been put forth on this thread- thanks a million! In terms of the day-life, where could a 20 year old (English- you guessed right) girl go to meet LA natives her age? I'm worried about cliques and getting ostracised since I'll be the new, temporary kid on the block.

Please excuse the very ditzy/ girly statement coming up, but I honestly can't wait to get to SoCal. Totally
those "certain neighborhoods" are those you would never be in, and even then I dont think you would get confused for a gang member
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Old 05-13-2014, 05:05 AM
 
4 posts, read 4,216 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HaemophilusAphrophilus View Post
those "certain neighborhoods" are those you would never be in, and even then I dont think you would get confused for a gang member

Is that because of my accent? Haha! and yet British actors play villains in American films all the time. That's funny
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Old 05-13-2014, 07:47 AM
 
517 posts, read 1,699,488 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thatbritishchick View Post
I don't fancy stuffing wads of banknotes into my trouser pockets so I'm thinking of opening an American checking account. However, bearing in mind I'll only be in the States for 8-9 weeks, is this still an option? It'll probably be a student account and I will not be applying with a Social Security number. I've been advised that Bank of America and Wells Fargo are the most student-friendly- is this a consensus?
I'm not sure you can open an account being a temporary resident without a SSN. Maybe someone can give a definitive answer? When I was in the States (from the UK) the Wells Fargo bank was easy to deal with and they weren't fazed by foreign details. This is due to dealing with Mexican workers and immigrants in America. BofA is probably similar. They do require various forms of Govt. ID though, and a drivers license in the states is the most common. Plus proof of address etc

There are plenty of options for your money when you travel. A lot of people just use their UK credit card abroad. But be careful to check their exchange/roaming charges before you set out. Take some notes regardless, because you'll need them for tipping (standard practice in the US) and small market stuff.

Good luck in LA. I loved my visits there and hope to return!
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Old 05-13-2014, 08:18 AM
 
14 posts, read 13,631 times
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Great Church is Mosaic on Hollywood Blvd. Great dynamic and lots of kids your age. Check out mosaic.org
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Old 05-13-2014, 08:22 AM
 
193 posts, read 463,615 times
Reputation: 123
Quote:
Originally Posted by thatbritishchick View Post
Is that because of my accent? Haha! and yet British actors play villains in American films all the time. That's funny
haha thats true, but I also think style and appearance would play a big role. In areas that are "ghetto" (I use this term here to mean areas with a significant active gang/violent crime presence) Id be more concerned about sticking out like a sore thumb rather than being confused for a rival gang member. However, you wouldnt really have a reason to be in the highest crime areas, though some up-and-coming areas would be worth checking out (Highland Park, Leimert Park, etc, which are rougher than, say, Beverly Hills or Santa Monica, but are not an imminent danger and are way safer than they were 10+ years ago, and significantly safer than the worst neighborhoods)

I assume you either live in or around a major city or at least have travelled in some. Something about LA that may or may not be different than what youre used to (I honestly dont know how much this applies elsewhere) is that nice and bad areas sometimes can blur together, where you can be from a good to bad to another good area in a fairly short stretch. Also, some areas may look a bit "run-down" or unpolished, but are not really bad at all (I think some of Koreatown outside Wilshire and a few other stretches can fit in here). Im a dude so I dont think I can truly relate to this, but young women walking alone should be more aware of their surroundings, even in good areas, but don't interpret this to mean that its a danger. Culver City is great-- I live in Palms (within LA City), which is adjacent to culver city

As for meeting others, Im too much of a nerdy student to give good advice. I feel our drinking age would change how you would approach this in England, but there has to be other opportunities outside of drinking right? Maybe hiking, concerts in smaller venues, etc? To be honest, since youre English just opening your mouth and speaking will attract attention since a good chunk of us Americans seem to go gaga for the accent (yes I know there are many different types of English accents)
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