Moved here from TN... LOVE IT!! Homesick though, will it pass? Advice from transplants? (Tustin: apartment complex)

[Mister 7]

Hello fellow Los Angelenos! Transplant from Knoxville, TN. My partner took a good job out here and we have been here for about 2.5 months. We both love this city; I have ALWAYS wanted to live in a big city, and I absolutely adore LA. I love the fact that there are 18 million people (but not the traffic), the things to do are ENDLESS (not to mention free), the beaches, the weather, the diversity, the amazing cars (big gearhead here), and the people. One thing to note, being from The South, probably my biggest surprise here is how NICE everyone is! I expected South Florida levels (or worse) of phoniness and rudeness, but I have been shocked by how welcoming, friendly, and nice mostly 95% of people I come in contact with are. It's not a stretch to say that it's the same level of friendliness as in The South, just that everything moves at a much faster pace, which I like. Best of both worlds! My partner and I say it's because everyone knows they live in such an awesome city, and are happy, and therefore nice/friendly!

I've been pretty homesick, though, lately, and I figured I'd come on here and talk a little bit about it bc I don't really want to worry my partner and I don't wanna tell anyone back home and worry them and have them get the wrong idea, and I love these forums and I know there are many fellow transplants who can relate.

First, I know this was the best decision I've ever made. Like I said, we love this city. We do not waste one minute of free time experiencing everything this fabulous place has to offer. And it NEVER gets old. We love the fact that you can do like a million things for little or NO cost. We go downtown just to walk around every Saturday, and usually one of the beaches Sundays. We've been to The Observatory like 6 times (We live in a great location, western Hollywood 2 blocks from all the Hollywood crap lol). There is just so much to do here, which we love.

But when the weekend ends and he goes to work all week, I get extremely homesick. Like I said, it NEVER gets old, however the newness, or honeymoon phase has worn off. A big problem is that I haven't found work yet, which is very hard on me. Sitting here all week with no job, doing nothing but sending out resumes (to get no phone call) takes it toll on me. I feel like I always think things through and most always know what to expect with things, but whoa, it's hard to find a job here. I am a college graduate from a good school with an English degree and I can't seem to land an interview for any sort of writing/editing/copywriter job. Hell, I can't even find a job waiting tables here! I came from one of the most high-end and respected restaurants in town back in Knoxville, and can't even get a job at a decent place here. I was senior staff there, and am more than qualified to work in a fancy Beverly Hills or WeHo restaurant or hotel, but I feel like no one takes me seriously because I'm not from here. With my resume and experience, back home I could walk into pretty much any restaurant in town and get hired. Here, I feel like people think there are no nice restaurants where I'm from, and therefore I must not be qualified. Couldn't be any further from the truth! A friend who lives out here tells me to try to find something not as glamorous and just "do your time", which makes sense, but still. She says you have to move out here and do said time and then you'll move up fast. I hope she's right. I just don't see how waiting tables at some pizza place or something will get me any closer to being hired at the good places.

Also, I just miss my friends and family so much. I miss my old life back home sometimes. Living in LA is great and was a dream of mine; however, life was also great back home and I was completely happy. I do miss my boat and the lake, and friends and family right down the street. I miss driving and actually being able to touch 50MPH and stay there for miles before slowing down again. (My car went from getting 20MPG to about 10.5 now, ouch lol.) I miss having so much empty space everywhere. Just the lot of the house that I lived in would swallow up my whole apartment complex no problem. It's an adjustment. My partner isn't from Knoxville; he moved away from his home in upstate New York to Knox a few years before we met, and tells me he went through the same thing. He also tells me it will pass. I didn't anticipate the "newness" ever wearing off. For the first month and a half or so, I hardly ever thought about home. But now that we've been here a while, I miss home more and more each day. He tells me that's just how it is, and that it will pass. He moved from Rochester, NY, to Knoxville where there's hardly anything to do (compared to me moving to LA), and made it, so I'm confident I can. I think another big part of it is because it's spring/summer back home (May is my favorite month BY FAR). One thing I am glad we did was get out of TN while it was still winter and crappy weather. I don't know if I could have done this easily if we left when the weather is nice like now... I HATE HATE HATE winters, and that's one thing I will NEVER miss.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Just wondering if anyone can relate, or has any advice for me. I didn't mean to come on here and whine or look for a pity party. I know once I find work (however crappy of a job it is), things will be much, MUCH better. The main problem is that I have too much time on my hands.

And don't get me wrong, I LOVE LIVING HERE and have NO REGRETS moving here. I know everything will work out in the long run; it always does.

[timtemtym]

Yes, I definitely get homesick from time to time even being here two years. I have found little pieces of Texas here and there and some Texans. I found a Kolache place in Tustin and a good barbecue place in Venice and most of the chains I love are somewhere around LA including a Schlotzky's in Brea. So when I feel that way I go and find my TX places. Maybe find something that reminds you of KnoxVegas.

[lterease]

I agree, not having work in a new city is hard! Keep putting out applications even to things that might remotely interest you. I plan on relocating to SD and have hundreds of job notices in my inbox everyday. Finding a job these days is HARD! Mind you, I have a graduate degree AND many years of healthcare experience and it is still hard. I guess it's just the market right now. LA is saturated with so many people in competition for the same job, so keep looking. Time and patience and perserverance is key. As far as loneliness for home, I suggest returning as often as you can even for a week-end should refill that empty space you have for it. Best wishes, and I hope to be visiting LA once I relocate to SD. I hear there is so much to do there. Yup, I am envious. Lol!