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Old 10-11-2016, 03:02 PM
 
2 posts, read 1,590 times
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Hey everybody, I am a 24 year old refugee planning to move to Boston, without a job (as of now).

I know that it is a huge leap of faith but I have always been extremely fascinated by the New England culture and have always wanted to live in a nice, classy, liberal city. I am a political refugee, so I currently do not have a university degree but plan to go to back to school soon. I have always wanted to live in a place with four seasons and a place with a rich and cultural history and Boston fits all of these categories.

I have around $2,000. Will that be quite enough to survive in Boston till I can get a decent job? I do not have a car so will public transportation help?

I am also gay and really want to live in a gay friendly neighborhood. Are there any good ones around Boston?

Thanks in advance; I would really appreciate a any advice as Boston is my dream city and now that I do have my political asylum, I can pretty much move anywhere in the USA.
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Old 10-11-2016, 03:13 PM
 
Location: New England
2,190 posts, read 2,216,494 times
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Boston is very expensive, 2000 won't last long. As far as gay friendliness, most of the Boston area is gay friendly. There really isn't a gay neighborhood like Castro in San Francisco or Chesla in NYC. Maybe this is because most areas are gay friendly. The gay population around Boston is very spread out. Most gay people do live near the city in places like Dorchester, Somerville, Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, etc. As far as gay nightlife goes the options in Boston are fairly weak for a city of it's size. Off the top of my head I can only think of 3 gay bars/clubs (Club Cafe, Machine, Paradise) however there may be more. The public transportation is pretty good (relative to the rest of the united States). You can certainly live without a car. However I doubt that the 2000 will last more than a month.

Providence would be a more affordable option. It has a better gay nightlife compared to Boston, even though it is smaller. However the public transportation is not as good.

I'd take a strong look at Philadelphia PA. It's similar to Boston with a lower cost of living and a similar transportation system.
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Old 10-11-2016, 04:29 PM
 
Location: East Coast
4,241 posts, read 3,687,093 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheExiledRefugee View Post
Hey everybody, I am a 24 year old refugee planning to move to Boston, without a job (as of now).

I know that it is a huge leap of faith but I have always been extremely fascinated by the New England culture and have always wanted to live in a nice, classy, liberal city. I am a political refugee, so I currently do not have a university degree but plan to go to back to school soon. I have always wanted to live in a place with four seasons and a place with a rich and cultural history and Boston fits all of these categories.

I have around $2,000. Will that be quite enough to survive in Boston till I can get a decent job? I do not have a car so will public transportation help?

I am also gay and really want to live in a gay friendly neighborhood. Are there any good ones around Boston?

Thanks in advance; I would really appreciate a any advice as Boston is my dream city and now that I do have my political asylum, I can pretty much move anywhere in the USA.
Do you mean this in a literal sense? Or are you coming from some small, intolerant, religious town somewhere in flyover country?

2K is not very much.

The suggestion above to check out Philly is a good one -- Philly is the best bargain on the East Coast. And it has a lot of gay-friendly areas. The weather is better, too, and it has lots of colleges.

But, I think Boston is a great place. There's a good chance you'll really like it. But I'm a little worried about your $2K starting funds, especially if you don't know anyone here.
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Old 10-11-2016, 05:47 PM
 
652 posts, read 744,756 times
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You're going to have a tough time financially. I wouldnt expect you to find a rent of less than 800-900 a month, even if splitting several ways. Most apartments will ask for the first month's rent and then either the last month and/or a one month security deposit. So. 2k MAAAAAY be enough to get you an apartment if you can split an apartment with one or more people.

But then you probably need to eat and to travel to a place of employment, so you're probably screwed.

Realistically, you should spend some more time in your current location working, building a resume and saving.
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Old 10-11-2016, 05:55 PM
 
572 posts, read 559,055 times
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Where are you coming from, what kind of job (and language) skills do you have, and what kind of living situation are you looking for?

Agreed Boston is really expensive. You might be able to pull it off if you can get some kind of job right away, and are pretty flexible about your living arrangements. $2000 is not much at all. You might be better off in some other cities, even smaller nearby ones, but then again being an immigrant and depending on what skills you have some might not offer you better changes. AS for the Gay friendly, most cities in the US, even most of the southern ones, aren't unfriendly. Some may not offer much gay life, but that might be something to compromise on in order to get yourself better situated.
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Old 10-11-2016, 06:23 PM
 
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$2000 will probably be gone in less then a month depending on how much it costs to get into a place to live
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Old 10-11-2016, 10:25 PM
 
2 posts, read 1,590 times
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Thank you everyone for your replies! Much appreciated

Chicagoliz, no I mean that in a literal sense. I am a political refugee from the Middle East

Cloudship, I have been living in Orlando but I really wish to move to somewhere that is not so hot and humid. I know a few Middle Eastern languages and I am perfectly fluent in English. As for the living situation, I don't really have a preference as long as its quite comfortable.

In terms of moving to Boston - realistically - how much do you guys think I should have in savings so I can survive for at least a month? What is the job market like? I am not too picky in terms of jobs as long as I am paid!
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Old 10-12-2016, 06:15 AM
 
513 posts, read 641,726 times
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You should be able to get a job, but the job market in Boston is very competitive. Without a college degree, your options will be limited to service/retail. You may be able to get an apprentice type position in a skilled trade, which will probably pay the best. It can also be difficult to get a decent job here without any connections.
It's hard to say how much you will need to live, but without a job lined up, I would have at least 6 months of expenses saved up (much of that will depend on rent). If you live outside of Boston, you may be able to find a roommate situation for 500-600 per month. Craigslist will be a good resource for availability and cost. Just be aware of transportation options to Boston or other cities. Owning a car around here is very expensive and not something I would recommend on limited savings.
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Old 10-12-2016, 06:56 AM
 
572 posts, read 559,055 times
Reputation: 485
You will find a big sticker shock coming from Orlando. You should be able to find a retail or service job fairly easily; however, that may not be enough to pay for all your expenses up here. And before you say you want to give up the heat, make sure you spend at least a few days experiencing the bitter cold and dreariness of a New England winter. There is a reason why all those tourists from Mass come down to Orlando.

You might be able to parlay your multiple language skills into something up here. That might give you a leg up. A few other words of warning - you are not going to find the social life you had down in Orlando - many of the people here have families and such around, and so not everyone is looking to go out and make new friends. At the same time you will probably also find people a lot less judgemental, at least that is what I see between the two.
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Old 10-12-2016, 06:57 AM
 
15,731 posts, read 20,264,133 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheExiledRefugee View Post
In terms of moving to Boston - realistically - how much do you guys think I should have in savings so I can survive for at least a month? What is the job market like? I am not too picky in terms of jobs as long as I am paid!

Are you talking about living IN boston, or just in the area?


Honestly, I'd be worried about the 2nd month more than the first one. Rents are expensive around here, and finding a good job without a formal college education will pretty much limit you to min wage type jobs around the city. 4 weeks at 40 hrs at min wage would prob just give you enough to cover your rent in the city for a month...nevermind actally being able to eat, or pay the electric and such.


You'll need roommates at a bare min
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