Moving to the US - more specifically, NYC!

But you're right, it'd be a laugh. I just don't want to even consider it until I know its feasible - which is where the knowledge of the ILX massive comes in.

But there are beautiful women everywhere, you can get beer at most any hour of the day, there's plentiful pizza & burritos, and there are some good record shops.

"you are the Mayor of the most important city in the free world! Chicks dig that!"

New York, just like I pictured it!

Are you a drug addict?

Do you wish to overthrow the government of the US through an act of violence?

Were you involved in the atrocities committed by Nazi germany and her allies 1939-45?

I'm not a heavy smoker, so if they have banned fags within 100 miles I can live with that. The thing that bowled me over was the quality of pizza in NYC compared with dodgy old Oxford - good cheap pizza is a major plus point.

yes, but remember to take student loans, jobs (requiring legal status), and parental subsidies into account.

One piece of advice: never, under any circumstances, get sick in the US.

I moved from the UK to the USA earlier this year. My advice to you would be to find a girl you love more than life itself and marry her. That's what I did. Otherwise, you're shit out of luck unless you have a company that will sponsor you or a skill (like Momus', I guess!) that transcends nationality and borders.

With the new laws passed last week, you now stand very little chance of illegally outstaying the length of your visa/visa waiver, as I did in order to see my then girlfriend on a few occasions, and may well never be let into the US again for 10-15 years.

Also-dealing with the American Embassy just after 9/11 was a total nightmare, and it's unlikely to be any easier right now.

Also-I lived in New York for 6 months. What a great city, but if you have no way of getting paid, it will eat you alive within weeks.

Correction. With the new laws, I don't think there are even visa waivers anymore.

And I meant last year, obviously.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3378717.stm

Trust me on this...

I know what mean, Momus, but isn't it overstating the case just a bit for the sake of the neat NYC/Berlin parallel?

(xpost)

Momus in failing to understand how America works shocker (not that $5.15/hour isn't ridiculous)

Contrary to popular rumor, the streets are not paved with gold.

But sounds like expensive fun to me. Hmm, better get an international trade first. Where did that C++ traning manual go . . .

God, what is wrong with the immigration people these days? I thought they couldn't get any worse than they used to be pre-9/11 but mein gott! I was nearly refused entry and I *have* a green card! At least I didn't have to put my finger on the little pad thing and stare at the light. ::shudders:: But the second INS guy did actually apologise for what a twunt the first INS guy was.

Uh, yeah. Living in NYC is great. Believe the hype. You can do everything, but you just have to give up sleep.

I realised today that this is what I want to do. Not joking.

We welcome you with open arms.

wkiw

you can go to see soccer (we call it soccer) games with laurel!

I just think the place would suit me down to the ground. All I have to do now is throw out some feelers, get some sort of employment lined up, get a visa, finish my MA, find some accommodation, and let 'er rip!

This was spurred by a conversation with a 27 year-old dude cut from similar cloth to me. When discussing my life-directions and how I don't want to be routed just yet but wouldn't mind something invigorating to keep me ticking over, he said 'this may sound weird but have you considered moving abroad' and I said 'yes, to America' and he said 'I thought you'd say that, from what I've seen of your personality NY is your city' and I was all 'whoa! otm' and then we talked for ages as the seed sprouted

I knew someone from uni who was from the UK who you remind me of (like your cadence and speech patterns online match his to a tee) and NY suited him very much

also you and sarahel would be that much nearer each other

Do it while you're young! Getting employment & visa lined up will be the most time-consuming on your 'things to do'. I mean, depends where you want to work. But allow a lot of time... (I speak as someone who's just moved to the US from a nice settled down life in the UK)

So you're saying, if I aim to move next year, I should start preparing around now?

Haven't felt this excited about anything for weeks tbh. The dream's gotta happen. I'll do any decent work that pays tbh. Apparently the US has a slightly kinder jobs market for hyperliterate arts graduates. I could finally be that copywriter I've always dreamed of becoming! Ha! Either that or I could do some media work...

lj my old agency was owned by a british conglomerate and we had a fair # of british ppl working in the nyc office ~ its a longer time horizon but mb consider brit companies w/ny offices? iirc having a co sponsoring your visa makes the process much much easier

hmm - it's a possibility, although i'm not so keen on following that path - if i have to, i will, but i'm not sure i have to

*awaits harsh reality*

haa yah i know you sd you wanted to move next year just no the ny office is hiring and they love brits so

im just p risk averse - never wouldve moved to nyc w/o a job already lined up - but its def doable

surely it's possible to get employment by sending out feelers like 'i am brit MA student with A++++ grasp of the englishes language and i want to move over AS SOON AS i graduate because i am IMPULSIVE and HEADSTRONG' to decent NYC companies and provided i show a little experience they may be all 'holy mackerel all we needed was a wordy brit how has it taken us this long to realise!!?' and hurrah i can get schmoozing the immigration bureau

On the Dole Again: A thread for out-of-work/unemployed/laid-off Ilxors in 2009

fine. i'm staying here. and rotting.

You kind of blew a good chance by going to grad school in the UK. Immigration options are not great, you probably won't qualify for H1-B although now is a really good time to try. Best bet is working for somewhere in the uK can that can H-11 you over but you have to work for them in blighty for a year before that kicks in. You are probably not diverse enough for the diversity lottery (british citizens are almost always excluded). YOu might be able to cook something up on J-1 or one of the training/exchange/ internship visas. Anyone you know you can hit up for an entourage visa?

hay man have u ever been to ny before jus askin

ed: bah, fair enough. jho: no, amazingly enough, the money's all been on my worthless piece-of-shit education

yeah i mean, a transition to ny is extremely hard even for someone who doesn't have all the immigration issues to worry about. i just thought you should read that thread bc there are tons of out of work people with tons of experience in the liberal arts/english/writing/editing world. not to discourage your dream and all but...

Actually, Ed, if I research what you're talking about, I'll be doing my damnedest. Cheers for letting me know those things! :)

i knew why you posted that thread tehresa. i think i'll be able to find work somehow. maybe.

well ny is awesome and i totally endorse it - might be worth a visit before u take the plunge - of course yr visit will be nothing like living there

anyway ill take u to a subterranean sake bar if im around

yh nice but the thing is a glimpse that is subsequently whisked away wd actually hurt more. i always was delusional. if i hadn't listened to boring british people telling me to take boring shitty career-paths i'd already be there. maybe.

im enjoying yr enthusiasm it def has its merits if youre willing to roll w/the punches once reality descends - def if u have any connections at all that could arrange work/visa pursue them completely

Justin3 originally came over on some kind of exchange thing and may well have some advice, I can't remember the category.

i am under no illusions that things cd be tough, and as for arranging a visa, i will let my course directors know. there is a chance they could help me quite a lot. it's an internationally-renowned course with a huge international student faction. ok i withdraw the 'piece of shit education' line, i was being emotional

also welcome to the world of USCIS, SEVIS, CBP, DHS and the like. I kind of wished I had followed through on this kind of idea straight out of school, so I wish you luck in this.

Foreign correspondents visa could be a way to hook this up, but I have no idea what the terms are and whether you'd be able to pick up work in the US or have to be entirely reliant on money shipped in. Of course you probably need at least a nominal organisation to sponsor you. Another option is checking with the fulbright folks and seeing if there isn;t some kind of grant or award relating to the journalism field that would be able to get you over there with your foot in the door. (also check out any kind of exchange scheme your uni may have).

why cant we jus let people into our country and then get let into their countries already

i mean start w/canada see how it goes

i will teach u how to blog