Hello to all.. (Pittsburgh, State College, McKeesport: high crime, hotels, houses)

[hardindex]

Hi,
I am Hardik. I am from Gujarat. I will be coming to penn state greater allegheny (mckeesport) next yr as an international transfer student due to an education treaty signed between my current university and penn state.
I will be getting penn state uni.'s "IST" (Information science and tech. degree) bachelor degree.

I have 8 penn state campus option which includes berks, wilkes-baree, worthington,york etc...but not university park

I recently heard of "Alpha lab" situated in pittsburgh which is great for wannabe entrepreneurs like me as i can easily meet like minded people and can get great access to mentorship and venture capitalist firms. That's why i have decided to opt for "penn state greater allegheny campus". So that i can attend those meetings.

About me : I am 18, young, energentic and entrepreneur by heart.
I want to open up a "Ruralsourcing" or "onshoreoutsourcing" IT company in USA. (Already 5-6 companies are operating on this model)

Ruralsourcing or onshoreoutsourcing is a very interesting business model. I would love to see if fed. govt/state govt may take some initiatives in promoting/helping companies with this business model.
It offers to save jobs in USA while reducing IT costs of the clients.

I have recently seen many articles online about how pittsburgh is shifting it's economy from old steel city to new tech startups city. That's very encouraging for me.


I just wanna say to all of you that please don't lope hope in your country. I am a foreginer and i still believe that US is a "Land Of Oppurtunity". Your citizens do have that "Entrepreneural spirit" and that perfect ecosystem for any startup company. Capitalism is best way to run any country but i think it should always be : capitalism with patriotism. But major US corporations have forgetten that. Never mind, we can still work together and make US a great country. I as an potential immigrant feel depressed when you all talk that golden days of US is over. We know that nothing is impossible. If we have screwed up, we can fix it. Work hard - play hard.
There is a lot of talent in US and specially in rural USA which is still untapped due to various obstacles.

Okay..Let's talk something different.
I have few questions..
1) What do you think about living on campus in mckeesport/greater allegheny? I have heard that area is not good as it has high crime rate?
2) How about living in pittsburgh? I am open to any house sharing, co-ed house sharing and other ideas.
3) What type of transportation is available from pittsburgh to the college?
4) Do you know any other place where i can meet "like minded people"?
5) Is there a small gujarati community in pittsburgh? (Although i am open to live in any type of people - white, hispanic, black, asian etc.. but a small gujarati community may help me initially while setting in)
6) Where can i find some good restaurants and hotels?
( I like only vegetarian food)
7) What are the major attractions in pittsburgh that i should visit ?
8) (A little bit odd) Where can i find some great girls ? ( I am asking in terms of "dating" - I am open about every race)
9) Any other advice that you would like to give me?


Thanks for any help.

[Craziaskowboi]

Living in McKeesport is not recommended. There is lots of government housing there, and the people who live in them aren't good neighbors to have. You should be safe on campus, but away from campus is where it gets rough. Personally, I'd recommend living either in the towns of Edgewood or Swissvale, or in the Pittsburgh neighborhoods of Greenfield or Regent Square.

I'm feeling sleepy right now, so I'll respond to some of the other questions later.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by hardindex

5) Is there a small gujarati community in pittsburgh? (Although i am open to live in any type of people - white, hispanic, black, asian etc.. but a small gujarati community may help me initially while setting in)

Is there a difference between a Gujarati community and an Indian community? Indians and Pakistanis tend to live together in the same neighborhoods in the United States. I highly doubt that Indians group together according to individual Indian states--especially since they are grouping together with Pakistanis here.

I wouldn't recommend living in McKeesport. There's a large Indian/Pakistani community that lives in the Western suburbs somewhere. I see them get off the buses at Gateway Center in the morning. Almost everyone on one bus seems to be from India or Pakistan. But that neighborhood, whereever it's located, wouldn't be convenient for attending school at McKeesport. You need to look for communities in the South suburbs of Pittsburgh. I'm not familiar enough with the southern suburbs to tell you which ones have Indian/Pakistani neighborhoods.

[Uptown kid]

I'm sorry but I can only answer one question...
1.) Did you have street gangs called "bloods," and "cripz," in your country??? Well if you didn't and you don't wanna ever know how it feels to live in a neiborghood with two rival gangs then don't live in McKeesport! There is high crime in most of McKeesport, although the area by State College isn't as bad as the projects. Just don't be suprised when you hear gun shots in McKeesport (pretty common)!!! Also, McKeesport is a lower class/working class neighborghood with some dirty streets and old houses in blight. Plus there's lots of: voilent gangstas, ck and bk is graffitied thoughout the area, drug fiends, alcoholics, and prostitute/hos. McKeesport (for the most part) is a high crime gang neiborghood that you don't wanna live in.

[hardindex]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Is there a difference between a Gujarati community and an Indian community? Indians and Pakistanis tend to live together in the same neighborhoods in the United States. I highly doubt that Indians group together according to individual Indian states--especially since they are grouping together with Pakistanis here.

I wouldn't recommend living in McKeesport. There's a large Indian/Pakistani community that lives in the Western suburbs somewhere. I see them get off the buses at Gateway Center in the morning. Almost everyone on one bus seems to be from India or Pakistan. But that neighborhood, whereever it's located, wouldn't be convenient for attending school at McKeesport. You need to look for communities in the South suburbs of Pittsburgh. I'm not familiar enough with the southern suburbs to tell you which ones have Indian/Pakistani neighborhoods.

Yes, I know that usually indians and pakistani live together...but i am weak at hindi language. I can speak english and gujarati fluently. So i thought that having a small gujarati community around will help.

Gujarati have their own "community" in pittsburgh. Here is the website :
Gujarati Samaj of Greater Pittsburgh
Gujarati samaj of great pittsburgh
where samaj = community

So i thought they may be in good numbers in pittsburgh but i don't know in which area majority of them live.

[hardindex]

Originally Posted by Uptown kid

I'm sorry but I can only answer one question...
1.) Did you have street gangs called "bloods," and "cripz," in your country??? Well if you didn't and you don't wanna ever know how it feels to live in a neiborghood with two rival gangs then don't live in McKeesport! There is high crime in most of McKeesport, although the area by State College isn't as bad as the projects. Just don't be suprised when you hear gun shots in McKeesport (pretty common)!!! Also, McKeesport is a lower class/working class neighborghood with some dirty streets and old houses in blight. Plus there's lots of: voilent gangstas, ck and bk is graffitied thoughout the area, drug fiends, alcoholics, and prostitute/hos. McKeesport (for the most part) is a high crime gang neiborghood that you don't wanna live in.

no, i don't want to see anything like that. Actually i am very shy and usually become a victim of bullying in my high school/college.

How is "white oak" area ? (where the campus is situated)

[ctoocheck]

There seems to be a sizable Indian community in Monroeville as well. I'd say contact the Gujarati community via their website or maybe someone from a temple for more information on that.

Meeting people at university is probably the easiest and best way to meet people (including girls). The university might also be able to help you out with finding organizations for young professionals/entrepreneurs.

The 61c bus goes from Pittsburgh (Downtown/Oakland/Squirrel Hill) to McKeesport. Getting to the campus would then require a transfer or a walk (google maps has good public transit directions). In any case, it would probably be somewhat complicated.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by hardindex

Yes, I know that usually indians and pakistani live together...but i am weak at hindi language. I can speak english and gujarati fluently. So i thought that having a small gujarati community around will help.

Gujarati have their own "community" in pittsburgh. Here is the website :
Gujarati Samaj of Greater Pittsburgh
Gujarati samaj of great pittsburgh
where samaj = community

So i thought they may be in good numbers in pittsburgh but i don't know in which area majority of them live.

Contact the Gujarati Samaj of Greater Pittsburgh and ask them.

It's likely that the "gujarati community" is scattered throughout the region living among other Indians and Pakistanis, not living in the same neighborhoods together.

Regardless, language shouldn't be a huge problem because you speak English and so do most of the Indian and Pakistani immigrants here.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by hardindex

How is "white oak" area ? (where the campus is situated)

White Oak is fine. It's not dangerous like McKeesport.

[Uptown kid]

White Oak is suburban=safe, & nice but doesn't have the vibe of youth & fun. Plus there's probably a very small (little to none) Indian/Middle Eastern population. I don't live there so Idk???