Considering Moving From UK to LA (London: living in, restaurants, shop)

[Bigen]

Hi how you all doing?
Im 19 and considering moving to LA in about 2 years or so. If my business is still making what it is now in a few years i'll be able to sell if for a good chuck of money and i'll be able to get a EB-5 visa so money isn't really an issue
But iv got a few questions on what its really like over in LA if you dont mind.
I'm Scottish and come from Glasgow and i'll be moving over there by myself, I dont have any friends or know anyone living in the US at all. So do you think i'll find it hard to make "real" friends , will it be harder because i'm an "outsider"?Is there many British people staying in LA? One last question what are the woman like in LA do they like people from Scotland/UK, might sound a strange one but i know quite a few people over here that dont like people with different accent's etc i dont know why but was just wondering if it was the same over there

cheers for the help

feel free to add anything you think i should know or it will be useful thanks

[Alek]

Hi Bigen,

I'm gonna try to answer your last question.
I think women don't care about your accent as long they see a good and interesting person, some even think a different accent could be funny and enjoyable. So in my opinion that would not be a matter of worries.
Let's see what others says.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

If anything, people here will probably like you more because of your accent. Don't try to hide it at all.

I've even heard of British people saying that they felt like it was their accent that helped them get chosen for a job over Americans.

[edwardius]

My experience is that people in the UK were much more critical and judgemental of others whereas people in the US are much more critical of themselves. In the US people worry about when they go abroad that they will percieved as an "ugly American", they are self conscious about how they are percieved by others. In the UK, there wasn't the same concern about how UK soccer fans acted when they went on holiday even though their conduct was objectively probably much worse.

In the US the shopping clerks will exchange social pleasantries with you. They might greet you by asking "How are you?" and when they leave they will probably tell you to "Have a nice day!". In the US no one things anything of that and most people are appreciative that someone is making an effort to engage in social pleasantries. But in the UK, you are likely to have someone tell you or read in one of the tabloids some story implying that Americans are pretty vacant or somehow insincere because Americans like to engage in social pleasantries. In America, people know that the appropiate response to "How are you?" is "Fine, thank you! How are you?" There is no need to deconstruct some greater hidden meaning in social pleasantries. In the US people aren't so actively looking for reasons to put someone else down.

I think the change of pace from the UK will do you a world of good. My sister-in-law is from London and vows to never return. She says she misses the digestive biscuits and abundance of good Indian restaurants, but otherwise has no intention of ever going back. You will have fun in LA. 19 is a wonderful age to be exploring southern california.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by edwardius

You will have fun in LA. 19 is a wonderful age to be exploring southern california.

I would agree. As long as you have some social skills and a means to support yourself, I think you'll enjoy your time here.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

If anything, people here will probably like you more because of your accent. Don't try to hide it at all.

I've even heard of British people saying that they felt like it was their accent that helped them get chosen for a job over Americans.

Also, a Glasgow accent in the UK could be a detriment and result in one being tarred with all sorts of negative stereotypes, but in the US people will think you're more cultured, sophisticated and intellectual!

[Bigen]

Thanks for the comments guys.

Do you think it would be a good idea to go over for a holiday first. Or just dive into the deep end and start looking at getting a visa etc ?

One last question how long does it normally take to get a visa ?

thanks for the help

[impala666]

An EB-5 takes about a year if you have $500k to tie up for a few years,the $$ is quite strong now so your hard won ££ won`t go very far.
Much better ways to get over here exist so save your money to make a killing in the property market when it picks up again.

[Bigen]

Originally Posted by impala666

An EB-5 takes about a year if you have $500k to tie up for a few years,the $$ is quite strong now so your hard won ££ won`t go very far.
Much better ways to get over here exist so save your money to make a killing in the property market when it picks up again.

Thanks for your help. I know its alot of money to put down, but i just want a quick way to get in the the usa tbh and with a EB-5 it goes straight to a greencard(so I'm lead to believe).

So what other ways is there to get into usa that doesn't involve marring someone thats from usa because I'm to young for that no but seriously is there any other way to get in to usa if I'm from the uk because I have heard it is very hard to get into usa if your from the uk to become a permanent resident

thanks for your help

[CamaroGuy]

Originally Posted by Bigen

Thanks for your help. I know its alot of money to put down, but i just want a quick way to get in the the usa tbh and with a EB-5 it goes straight to a greencard(so I'm lead to believe).

So what other ways is there to get into usa that doesn't involve marring someone thats from usa because I'm to young for that no but seriously is there any other way to get in to usa if I'm from the uk because I have heard it is very hard to get into usa if your from the uk to become a permanent resident

thanks for your help

Go to Mexico and sneak over the border like everyone else.lol