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Old 08-21-2009, 07:36 AM
 
2 posts, read 3,912 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi guys,

I'm from Malaysia and I'm the winner of green card in 2009 and will come to US pretty soon. But there's something bother me, i do not know where to go in Chicago. I've never been to the Chicago but Chicago would be my first choice because I like to live in the city, and you might ask why not go to NY, my response would be, NY is too fast to me.

Here's what I'm concern:

1). I do not know where to start, who to contact for rent, where to start to look for a new friends that's because i have no connection in Chicago, but i don't have to give up my green card.

2). I know nothing about Chicago, but I'd like to figure out, what I'd like to know for my current situation is, I'd like to know where is the best places in terms of low criminal rate, jobs, diversity (as I'm a Chinese), schools (I plan to further my MBA in USA), friendly people, etc.

3). Is there anyone who is willing to help? Help as in provide me more information and provide guidance when i need.

4). I know there are many gangsters and criminal activities but I'd like to know where is the safest place in Chicago?

I'm looking for more Asian and Caucasian people place. If Chicago is not the right place for me, where in US do you think it's the right place? The purpose of writting in this forum not just to get information but seeking someone who is willing to provide me more information and guidance.

Thank you for reading this.

Please send me a PM (if it's private), or reply to this thread if possible.

Besides, if you don't think Chicago is the right place to me, do you mind if i ask where do you think it's the right place to me?

Best Regards,
Greencard winner 2009
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Old 08-21-2009, 07:39 AM
 
3,674 posts, read 8,658,751 times
Reputation: 3086
This needs to be moved to the Chicago board.
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Old 08-21-2009, 08:23 AM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 103,138,905 times
Reputation: 29983
Try these folks: MCC Index Page
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Old 08-21-2009, 08:46 AM
 
2 posts, read 3,912 times
Reputation: 10
Thank you for the message. Erm, I'd prefer to know to hear about Chicago. Is there anything special about Chicago, someone told me Chicagoans are more friendly than NewYorkers, and was told by someone that Chicago has the highest criminal rate in the country. I do not know the answer I need someone to explain that to me if that is a good place to stay. I do welcome many people join and provide me your opinion.

Will be appreciated for honest opinions.
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Old 08-21-2009, 09:06 AM
 
Location: Chicago
1,953 posts, read 4,959,191 times
Reputation: 919
I assume you are not going to visit before you move, correct? You would obviously need to find a place to live before hand then unless you have the loot to stay at a hotel for a while. Might want to look at some building associations that offer a month lease or so to get your feet wet and figure out where you want to 'offically' live. This will probaly be over priced but better overpaying a month of rent then renting a place you hate for a year.

If you plan to live with among other Chinese people our chinatown neighborhood is fairly large and all around pretty decent (at least I like it). Job market sucks everywhere, but Chicago does have a large array of all industries. For the most part people from Chicago are pretty friendly for a big city.

Most of Chicago is safe but there are a lot of neighborhoods you wont want to spend most (or any) of your time in. Generally the south and the west side has the worst areas - this doenst mean that there are not nice places on the s&w side.
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Old 08-21-2009, 01:01 PM
 
7 posts, read 13,859 times
Reputation: 10
Hi Long101, I do really appreciate for the opinion. Mind if i ask are you a Chinese? Yeah I'd visit to the Chicago in early of 2010, then come back to my country because I'm currently work for HP and I've signed a permanent contract which I can't leave within a year if not I have to pay them back, after i come back, I'll stay for about a year, before I leave for Chicago, then I'll go back to Chicago in about late 2010 or early of 2011. One thing for sure that I'll definitely pay a visit, I know it sounds like i do not have a plan or I'm stupid because I still do not know about the Chicago but i wanna stay long term in the Chicago, but being able to live and work in USA is one of the goal that I wanna achieve and I'll accept the risk that I will not be able to get the same good job as what I have now.

It was so hard to be a winner of green card, the odds is so small, it is even smaller than to win in other lottery. There were 9.1 million people who participated in 2008 and only 50,000 won it, and only 87 people were selected in my country, so i can consider lucky to have it. However, I'd take the chance because it's what i wanna do, and i will not blame anyone or myself if anything goes wrong. Because i do not know what to do in my country for the next five years, besides, it wasn't easy for me to won in the lottery, so I'd appreciate the gift.

I do not know what its like in Chicago but I do want to live in the downtown, but i do not know where's the good place to start, can you give me the name of the places that you would recommend me? Yeah I'm looking for friendly people (majority), low crime rate, etc. Can you be more specific where do you recommend me to go (as you mentioned North and East).

I've been doing alot of research of Chicago, because it is always on my mind, however i do not mind if anyone else wants to recommend me to go other place in US. I hope you can give me some ideas of why you think it's a place that probably fit me the most.

I think I'm speaking too much here I'll have to stop or you guys might get bored reading because it's too much of words. Please write me a PM (anyone) if you think you want to tell me something but you don't want to post it on this thread.

Thank you very much,
Greencard winner 2009
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Old 08-21-2009, 01:35 PM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 103,138,905 times
Reputation: 29983
Quote:
Originally Posted by Greencardwinner84 View Post
Thank you for the message. Erm, I'd prefer to know to hear about Chicago. Is there anything special about Chicago, someone told me Chicagoans are more friendly than NewYorkers, and was told by someone that Chicago has the highest criminal rate in the country. I do not know the answer I need someone to explain that to me if that is a good place to stay. I do welcome many people join and provide me your opinion.

Will be appreciated for honest opinions.
I was under the apparently mistaken impression that you were looking for information on where to settle in and where to make contacts so I thought giving you a whole organization full of contacts would be useful. Maybe you're more of an independent "work it out for myself" type, but many immigrants to the U.S. find it easiest to contact ex-pats from their home country when they first get settled in. They can often help you find jobs, recommend the best neighborhoods for new arrivals from their home country, and sometimes even hook you up with a place to stay for a little bit until you find your own place. That's half the reason why groups like MCC exist in large American cities.
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Old 08-21-2009, 09:43 PM
 
3,674 posts, read 8,658,751 times
Reputation: 3086
First of all, congratulations! I hope that you find happiness and success here in the United States

You should really visit Chicago first, but assuming that you do not have that luxury, if you have your heart set on Chicago... move to an area that is known for being safe. Lincoln Park, Lakeview, areas like that. There's been endless discussion on this site about areas and safety, so you can find that info.

It's worthwhile to note that although the safer areas are more expensive, it's what you should do before you know the city. Afterwards you can take a chance and move wherever you like, but you'll never regret moving to yuppie-ville where the streets are safe and clean.
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Old 08-22-2009, 02:43 AM
 
7 posts, read 13,859 times
Reputation: 10
Thank you very much I hope i can find my happiness and success too in the United States.

Yeah I'll visit to the Chicago in early of 2010, which I'll take a week leave from my company and I'll travel to Texas, Arizona, North Carolina to meet my friends, and since i do not have friends in the Chicago, I'll probably stop by for a day or two in the Chicago.

What I really need is someone who can provide me the guidance such as, what to do, what not to do, where is the Red Zone and where is the safe zone and so on. Are you guys from the Chicago? I hope you're being honest to me, does Chicago fit into this categories? - City, friendly people, good school, low criminal rate, etc? I'm not asking for 100% for those like friendly peple, good school, low criminal rate, but atleast not 1% or something, or you guys personally think everywhere would be the same no matter where i go? So you think it's just fine to pick somewhere that i wanna go?

Hi Drover, thank you for the information, I'd love to know more people from Malaysian who's currently in the Chicago, but would you mind if i ask, how does the site provide me such information? Where to find those information in the site? I did not find anything in the site besides of the Malaysian banner/US banner with the Olympics.

I know this question might bored you guys, but I'd like to know why do you think Chicago is special and what kind of special does it has in the Chicago? If you guys are from Chicago and if you love Chicago more than any other place you would definitely able to give me an answer. I don't need 100% sure thing, what I need is just the opinions from you guys.

You might ask, why I don't just go to somewhere to stay with my friends, my response would be, I'm not very close with them, but I'd still pay them a visit. I'm looking for someone who can provide me the guidance when I'm landed in the Chicago in early of 2010. Does anyone able to? Will be appreciated.

Thanks for the opinions. Very much appreciated.

Best Regards,
Greencard winner 2009
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