Thoughts for a European moving to the burgh (Pittsburgh, West View: apartment, rentals)

[sweem]

Hi guys,

Alright, as the title says, I'm from Europe, been living here all my life. I am 20 years old, however I've been living on my own right after graduating. A few months after I graduated, I decided to move abroad and leave my home country (Sweden) where I have been born, raised & educated - Not at university level though. I graduated upper secondary school, so If I were in the states, I'd be in College.

However, I moved to Malta, which is where I am right now. I've been living and working here for a year now on my own. Life is good here too, great climate, easy lifestyle without stress, but it's very small with only 400k ppl in the country. I like the life, but I am also looking for a new challenge in life.

As of late, I've been having thoughts on going to Pittsburgh, which I am about to do in August, three weeks from now, so I am really excited about that. I am thinking though, what it would be like to live there. I have done some slight research on the net about it but again, it doesn't give the most accurate picture on how it is to live and work there. This is something I will partially experience myself while being in town for 2 weeks.

Now to the important part. I have gotten an interesting opportunity in Pittsburgh, well basically it's slightly outsite Pittsburgh...in Cheswick (spelling?) and it'll be completely up to me now. Am I tempted - yes. It's just, some things that worries me such as, what area is the best to settle down if working in Cheswick? How easy it is with apartment rentals? What else do I need to think about? I mean I am quite independent but it's always a little nerve wracking to leave the "comfort zone" for something bigger.

Anyone whos got any useful inputs? What can you give for advice for a twenty year old European with thoughts of relocating?

[bradjl2009]

Hey there. Could you tell us a little about the opportunity you have in Cheswick? I am not too far from your age so if you want to know anything specific about Pittsburgh in relation to what you want I could help you. Cheswick is a little further out from the city, but nothing too far out if you have access to a car to get around. In that area renting a place to live should be rather cheap.

[eschaton]

Cheswick is a pretty small, isolated place at some remove from Pittsburgh. It's only 1 square kilometer, and has 1,700 people. Your chance of finding housing there is about nil, and as a young person, I wouldn't suggest living there, as there's nothing to do. I believe two buses go through Cheswick though (the 1 and P10), so you wouldn't absolutely need a car to be there, although those aren't the most traveled routes, so it cuts down on options a good deal.

If you want to get a car when you move here, I'd suggest Lawrenceville, as it would be a quick driving commute (around 15-20 minutes). It would perfectly suit someone from your age coming from Europe. However, it's not good for a bus commute to Cheswick, since you'd need to transfer from the 91 to the 1 in Sharpsburg, which might be more of a pain than you'd want to deal with.

Alternately, you could consider living across the river in Millvale (an independent small city just outside of Pittsburgh). It's much cheaper than Lawrenceville, the 1 stops there. The neighborhood does not have as much interesting stuff going on, but it does have one of the most notable music venues in the region, and if you enjoy cycling, there's easy access to a riverfront trail which can get you into downtown Pittsburgh in like twenty minutes.

[I_Like_Spam]

You're definitely going to need a good car to work out in Cheswick every day, but the trip shouldn't be that bad if you choose to live in one of the communities along Rt 28- Blawnox, Sharpsburg, Lawrenceville, Etna.


Pittsburgh has connections to both Sweden and Malta, BTW.

The Amvets post over here on 45th Street was originally built as a Swedish church. And a Maltese Baron, Mikel Scicluna lived over in West View, Scicluna passed on a few years ago.

[sweem]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Hey there. Could you tell us a little about the opportunity you have in Cheswick? I am not too far from your age so if you want to know anything specific about Pittsburgh in relation to what you want I could help you. Cheswick is a little further out from the city, but nothing too far out if you have access to a car to get around. In that area renting a place to live should be rather cheap.

Hey mate, sure. The opportunity in Cheswick is basically to be a group leader at the Pisa indoor soccer facility, they have a program for children and a childrens team in which they have asked me whether I want to be a part of developing that and coach sessions & organizing events and so forth.

I can tell that I would probably not have access to a car for the first couple of months. As I do not own a car here in Malta either (no one needs to, because it's so small here, everything is by walking distance). It'd take a while until I could afford a car in Pittsburgh, at first I need to make sure I'd be all settled down first. Would you say it's a massive disadvantage? or is it possible to manage anyway?

I appreciate your input. Thanks a lot for taking the time

[sweem]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Cheswick is a pretty small, isolated place at some remove from Pittsburgh. It's only 1 square kilometer, and has 1,700 people. Your chance of finding housing there is about nil, and as a young person, I wouldn't suggest living there, as there's nothing to do. I believe two buses go through Cheswick though (the 1 and P10), so you wouldn't absolutely need a car to be there, although those aren't the most traveled routes, so it cuts down on options a good deal.

If you want to get a car when you move here, I'd suggest Lawrenceville, as it would be a quick driving commute (around 15-20 minutes). It would perfectly suit someone from your age coming from Europe. However, it's not good for a bus commute to Cheswick, since you'd need to transfer from the 91 to the 1 in Sharpsburg, which might be more of a pain than you'd want to deal with.

Alternately, you could consider living across the river in Millvale (an independent small city just outside of Pittsburgh). It's much cheaper than Lawrenceville, the 1 stops there. The neighborhood does not have as much interesting stuff going on, but it does have one of the most notable music venues in the region, and if you enjoy cycling, there's easy access to a riverfront trail which can get you into downtown Pittsburgh in like twenty minutes.

That is what I was afraid of, in such a small community as Cheswick, the housing options are probably not the best. However, I'm thinking somewhere where it'd be fairly easy access, without a massively complicated route. I do not know much about the areas in Pittsburgh, but I'll stay in Harmarville during my two weeks in town, as far as I know, Harmarville is also a pretty small place, but is it liveable?

I kind of liked Millvale from how you are describing it. I'm from the biggest cycling city in Sweden, and probably in Europe, so It sounds good in that aspect ^^ In terms of bus commute, is Millvale a better option than Lawrenceville? If the aim is to get to Cheswick on a regular basis?

[sweem]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

You're definitely going to need a good car to work out in Cheswick every day, but the trip shouldn't be that bad if you choose to live in one of the communities along Rt 28- Blawnox, Sharpsburg, Lawrenceville, Etna.


Pittsburgh has connections to both Sweden and Malta, BTW.

The Amvets post over here on 45th Street was originally built as a Swedish church. And a Maltese Baron, Mikel Scicluna lived over in West View, Scicluna passed on a few years ago.

Unfortunately, I will likely not have car access for a few months or so, or well.. maximum the first year. Which brings me to the option of living as a commuter for the first period of time, which I don't personally mind. I'm used to it from my time in Sweden

Oh I did not know that, thanks for sharing. Oh, just a question out of randomness, are there sort of a small Swedish community in town? Like, does it happen that you come across any swedes?

[Stijl Council]

Originally Posted by sweem

Oh I did not know that, thanks for sharing. Oh, just a question out of randomness, are there sort of a small Swedish community in town? Like, does it happen that you come across any swedes?

I have a good friend here who's from Sweden and another friend whose parents are both from Sweden. As far as a substantial community goes, though, I don't think so; if there is, the people I know aren't involved with it.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by sweem

Hey mate, sure. The opportunity in Cheswick is basically to be a group leader at the Pisa indoor soccer facility, they have a program for children and a childrens team in which they have asked me whether I want to be a part of developing that and coach sessions & organizing events and so forth.

Your work location in Cheswick is 2 miles from the bus stop.


Harmarville is close to Cheswick. It really isn't much of a neighborhood- they have a Target Store, a small grocery, several restaurants, a car dealership, a hotel or two, an offtrack betting facility but very few homes or permanent residents.

[Katarina Witt]

It's interesting to me to read this stuff about Swedish community in Pittsburgh. My spouse is Swedish-American (grandparents born in Sweden on his father's side). Until I met him (in Illinois), and moved to Colorado, I did not know many people of Swedish ancestry. There just aren't a lot in Pittsburgh. There are lots of Swedish-Americans in the midwest and western US. As for native-born Swedes, I know a few out here.

The job sounds great. I'd say go for it. You can make it work out, OP.