Early 20's Life in Seattle/Kirkland? (Vancouver, Kent: apartment, crime rate, student loans)

[kattwoman2]

Backstory: I'm a female in my early 20's who recently graduated from college in a small town. I've lived in a small town for most of my life and frankly I'm looking for a more socially and financially fulfilling life. I was born in Texas, but have spent most of my life living in Appalachia and I wanted to go to DC, but I haven't been able to find reliable roommates and housing.

Main: I was recently invited by my relatives to move to Kirkland and live with them while I find a job and get an on-line degree (not from a degree mill or anything). From what I've read, and from my visit there last summer, it's a posh area, and I'm basically a friendly southern girl, but I'm looking for more opportunities and I really don't like the idea of my bachelor's degree from a private liberal arts college being used in a town where making more than $10 an hour is a miracle.

I know DC is an awesome place to live for younger people who want to socialize and do exciting things, so I have a few questions about living in Seattle instead of DC or anywhere else:

1) What is the nightlife like there? Are there any clubs? Do they play anything other than rap/pop or is that the limits of the nightlife? I don't go clubbing every night, but I love to socialize and dance.

2) Does Seattle have good public transportation. I don't own a car and while I have been told that DC is pretty good in terms of public transportation I'm not sure about Seattle.

3) mod cut: transferred to the "freeze" thread

4) How is the job market in Seattle? If I live in Kirkland where should I go to try to look for jobs? One of the big reasons I want to relocate is b/c I want to try and make more money.

5) Is it a good place for a single lady in her early 20's to go? Or is it more for those who have already settled down? Are there a lot of things to do in Seattle (movies, museums, theaters, etc)?

6) How easy is it to travel from Kirkland/Seattle to Vancouver, BC (by train preferably)? I have some friends up there that I might try to visit occasionally during the weekends.

7) This is the most important, but I think I sort of got a feel for it from people on here: How safe is Seattle? Is it a place where I have to constantly be on guard or can I walk through the streets a little late at night and not have to worry about being killed? I'm a blackbelt, so that helps out some, but just wondering since I know a lot of people freaked out over DC b/c of it's high crime rate and I wanted to know if I should worry.

[snowdogging]

1) What is the nightlife like there? Are there any clubs? Do they play anything other than rap/pop or is that the limits of the nightlife? I don't go clubbing every night, but I love to socialize and dance.

What do you like? Seattle scene has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Most of the young crowd is either strictly goth/emo/punk, or hip-hop. So if you want large crowds you either go all black with frill or D/C gansta style. (They will not trust you if you don't dress like them) I have hung out with both a lot and its interesting how similiar they are once you get to know them....different insecurities but the same problems and a lot of fun. Although techno still has some roots it is dieing a slow death...it wasn't long ago that every other person I knew was a house DJ. There are indi bands and some local flair at places like the tractor or naemos (sp). Friends make all the difference.

2) Does Seattle have good public transportation. I don't own a car and while I have been told that DC is pretty good in terms of public transportation I'm not sure about Seattle.

Seattle is good but kirkland /= Seattle and the commute across the lake is horrible.

3) mod cut: orphaned, transferred to another thread


4) How is the job market in Seattle? If I live in Kirkland where should I go to try to look for jobs? One of the big reasons I want to relocate is b/c I want to try and make more money.

Unemployment rate is in the upper-middle of the country. But jobs are completely subjective on what you bring to the table. Entry level jobs are everywhere.

5) Is it a good place for a single lady in her early 20's to go? Or is it more for those who have already settled down? Are there a lot of things to do in Seattle (movies, museums, theaters, etc)?

There is a ton of cool stuff around here...especially if you like outdoor activities. But, there is cool stuff to do in DC too....

6) How easy is it to travel from Kirkland/Seattle to Vancouver, BC (by train preferably)? I have some friends up there that I might try to visit occasionally during the weekends.

Not sure.

7) This is the most important, but I think I sort of got a feel for it from people on here: How safe is Seattle? Is it a place where I have to constantly be on guard or can I walk through the streets a little late at night and not have to worry about being killed? I'm a blackbelt, so that helps out some, but just wondering since I know a lot of people freaked out over DC b/c of it's high crime rate and I wanted to know if I should worry.[/quote]

Each neighborhood is a little different but in general it is very safe for you personally. You are unlikely to be attacked unless you do something obviously unsafe...like black out in a taxicab. It's your stuff you have to watch out for. I have had two car thefts in two years.

[kattwoman2]

Thanks Snowdogging . I'm actually more into rock/dance music, also some hispanic clubs too, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn't like Lexington, Kentucky where the only clubs I heard about (other than Don Carlos) were mostly rap/hip-hop and the only thing guys knew how to do was grind (sorry, but if I wanted a penis up my butt I would have been born a gay man). LOL, just kidding.

The main reason I don't feel as though I could go to DC is mostly the costs. The highest paying job I could find was about $30,000 and while that is a lot, it's not enough to live in DC by myself and the people I was going to live with are less knowledgeable about city costs (even though they lived in places like NYC). They thought they could just go down there, get jobs as hotel maids or whatever, and have all three of us live in one bedroom at China Town (*rolls eyes*). No offense, but I didn't like trusting people like this with finances like paying rent.

However, I have family there who have offered me a place to stay. I also have a relative that works for Microsoft (though I don't know if this will help with finding a job). They want me to help set a positive influence with their daughter (a native there and sort of pampered in comparison to me) and are offering me a free place to live. I'm going to try to find a job and save up while getting my Masters on-line, so I don't plan on living here for the rest of my life.

[snowdogging]

The relative thing sounds like a great deal. If you can get a job at MS go for it...connections help. You may like it. I personally avoid that company like the plague. The pay scale is on the low end and the environment is a confusing mix of fanboys and "old money". But, starting out, it would look great on a resume if you can hang in there. Good luck.

[kattwoman2]

The pay scale is on the low end? Really? Wow, then what's on the high end? I'm not really as much into technology as I am into communication, but I worked in the technology field in customer services, software trainer, and student supervisor for four years and I like it for the most part (except customer service, but it was mostly hardware focused). And I do agree with you about the environment. I went there for a tour and went into the Red...something, where ever they go to eat lunch and it was like a jumble of people! Still, I'm more focused on trying to get a high paying job to save money and pay off student loans while getting a masters on-line. Although, I would also like a place where I can socialize and make contacts, but that might have to be more aimed at my visits to Vancouver.

[Ira500]

There is a daily Amtrak train from Seattle to Vancouver which follows the waterfront for much of it's route. It's fun and not expensive.

[snowdogging]

It's on the low end for my skill set. I should have been more specific and you may have different results.

I have worked for a lot of technology companies in this area and the environment everywhere is different. MS has done a lot for me indirectly and the area at large so it is unfair of me to be too critical in a public forum....in short it's just not for me.

Like I said if you need a job and they offer one go for it. But they are far from the only player in town so thankfully you can still shop around.

[kattwoman2]

Originally Posted by Ira500

There is a daily Amtrak train from Seattle to Vancouver which follows the waterfront for much of it's route. It's fun and not expensive.

Awesome . I especially like trains. I rode Via Canada this spring and I liked the price (and it seemed safter than greyhound). And I love to travel.

Originally Posted by snowdogging

It's on the low end for my skill set. I should have been more specific and you may have different results.

I have worked for a lot of technology companies in this area and the environment everywhere is different. MS has done a lot for me indirectly and the area at large so it is unfair of me to be too critical in a public forum....in short it's just not for me.

Like I said if you need a job and they offer one go for it. But they are far from the only player in town so thankfully you can still shop around.

Awesome . I'm glad that there's still a chance to shop around. I know in the small town I'm in now I tried signing up for a company that's 30 minutes away and they told me it would take 30 days to just get to my resume b/c there were so many people looking for jobs and not enough jobs to go around. So at least I know I have more options in Seattle to look around for places that might pay more than $10 an hour.

[jwb123]

I lived in the DC area, well since I was really little - but through my early 20's. DC, hands down, wins for social nightlife.

[kattwoman2]

Originally Posted by Jenbar

I lived in the DC area, well since I was really little - but through my early 20's. DC, hands down, wins for social nightlife.

Yeah, that was one of the big appeals about DC other than awesome graduate schools, good public transportation throughout NOVA, MD, and DC, the political atmosphere, the opportunities, talking to people who have an IQ higher than hillbilly, etc. However, I won't be able to move there b/c the roommates that were going to stay with me did not take it seriously and were talking about having all three of us share a bedroom in someone's apartment in China Town and they didn't understand that it takes a lot of money to live in or around the DC area.

I'm asking for a deferrment on my attendance to graduate school there, but I am thinking about going to Seattle b/c 1) I have a place to stay and 2) Hopefully more job opportunities where I can make more than $10 an hour with a Bachelor's degree and technological work experience. It's not a permanent move, but I was wondering how the social life was especially since I talked to a friend of mine in Vancouver and he says clubbing there is crap. Not to mention I would like to maybe try my hand at dating. Maybe I can ask about Portland clubs?