Topic: Cities to live in? (USA)

Hello guys!

This is crazy how cold it is in the US!?

I'm Belgian American, waiting my visa to live in the USA, I have a list of cities in mind, all of them are located in the South, according to sites the average temperatures are warmer than Belgium but actually it's colder than here, though it's really warm for the season 55° F in my city, but sometimes it snows in April  ahahah!
But the weather can change drastically, it can be 55° F today, and tomorrow 32° F lol

So what do you think about these cities to live in? Normally I'll receive my visa in 2020-2021.
Here's my top 3
1 Virginia Beach, VA (Reading the local news, etc, since 3-4 years to know the city)
2 Charleston, SC
3 Myrtle Beach, NC

I speak English, French, Spanish fluently and a little bit Dutch but I won't need it anymore. I worked in an administration (searching for a new job right now). There's few job offers in Belgium and there's a big competition because there's a high unemployment rate here.
I learned Spanish to have better chance getting a job, as you can see, I'm more looking into southern coastal cities. I've seen nice houses around 250k. And according to sites like job indeed, there's a lot of jobs that would suit me.

Sometimes I'm worry, but I guess it's normal, it's gonna be a change! I want it because I get enough of e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g here :
1 No jobs

2 No security/Justice is lax and really slow

3 I don't feel Belgian... I always felt American, even if I never been outside Europe... Each time I talked with Americans it was different... Better!

4 Culture : I'm really American, well maybe has-been lol because I love the 70's
When people ask me what's your favorite band/actor/etc. they never know who/what I'm talking about and that's insane because they're really famous (Will Ferrell, nobody knows him even if i'm pretty sure they already saw one of his movies).
Musically it seems there's still a lot of country/folk/rock bands in the USA, from 7 to 77. Here  rock is almost dead, except maybe in Brussels and in the Flanders. But generally you'll hear Stromae, or DJ music... (things like Tomorrowland)

5 People from here use to tell me "yeah they have guns, it's violent, blablabla" but there's no real figures about crime in belgium compare to the USA. In Belgium they don't always classify the crimes in the same category so it's difficult to compare them years after years... In the US, the FBI is clear and there's also a lot of other sites like neighborhoodscout.

6 I really get enough of people saying things about the US without knowing a single thing about the US except California, New York, Washington, Las Vegas and Texas...

7 I know the US National Anthem while I don't know the Belgian one, but there's no patriotic feeling here and almost no idendity, everything is goin' on all directions.

8 I read (on a blog) that Americans are bad at driving, but here it's the jungle... I'm in the french speaking part of Belgium (Wallonia), roads are a disaster here (while it's pretty good in the dutch part, the Flanders).
There's a lot of potholes, even on highways and most drivers aren't polite...

9 The density... It's huge in Belgium. There's only 11 millions resident but for a tiny 11,787 sq mi. 370 people by sq mi.

10 The politics... There's always someone I like in the US, while here... We're not reaching the same goals.

11 When I was a kid Belgium wasn't bad... In the early 90's, but everything is different now.

Well well well, that's it. I'm not saying everything is better in the US, healthcare insurance are way higher than Belgium for example, but It's not enough for me to stay here.

I hope I didn't miss a particular law, or something that could disadvantage me, so far, USA seems better. (Tax, jobs, laws, justice, ...).
If you know something you think better in Europe tell me ^^
I hope I'm not just fooled by my American roots.

[url]https://soundcloud.com/curtis-k-music[/url]

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

Howdy Curt,  At least you are doing your "homework" and checking things out before you arrive wondering what's next?  You have time it seems, and that is good too.  Where you wind up settling is going to have more to do with what kind of employment you seek and are qualified for than your preferences.  Americans tend to be a little bit "nomadic" that way.... moving around from job to job until all the pieces fit and we are comfortable staying for awhile.  There is a lot of country, and a huge number of fine communities to call "home". 
I could make some suggestions, but being one of the "western bred" species, I'd likely point you towards something out on the Pacific side where the climate is a little more moderate (few floods, rare Tornadoes, shorter Winters, less snow, and a chance of having dry cooler Summers). I tend not to wander too far from Salt Water, but think it is just a hang over from when my ancestors crawled out of the surf and said "dude, where's my surfboard?  The Paisley Weber...". smile
Having Language skill is outstanding !!  Fluency in English is a requirement for Citizenship, and really helps when reading road signs (which may be why some drivers seem so bad).... mine is a University town, and we have students from all over the world here which makes getting around "interesting" for a couple of weeks at the start of each school year, while our newcomers figure out the traffic grids and how to get from point to point.  In most places the diversity is appreciated, and welcome.

I could go on and on, but am interested in reading what others might add to the conversation.  big_smile

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

One suggestion.  Check the demographics, crime rate. Living somewhere isn`t very good if you feel like a prisoner in your own area.

Enjoy Every Sandwich
Nothing In Moderation  -- Live Fast. Love Hard. Die Young And Leave A Beautiful Corpse. -- Buy It Today. Cry About It Tomorrow.

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

Hi Curt - My suggestion is that you come to Choridestock in March. You will meet folks from all over this great country of ours and get to learn all about them while enjoying good music and adult beverages! Of course, I am somewhat biased in my opinion because I love living in Florida, but paradise isn't for everyone smile

Rule No. 1 - If it sounds good - it is good!

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

I agree with everything said. 

Look around some more. Lots of nice cities here in grest climates.

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

I'll plan to visit some cities in 2018 or 2019. As I said, I think about this for a while, I really decided to move in 2013. (The visa waiting officialy started in 2014, I'm in the F1 category visa, "Unmarried son of US citizen over 21")

There's other countries, I once thought about Spain, but generally living in Europe isn't that good, it's not what I expect. I'm not surprised about the Brexit for example, by the way British use to think differently than Europeans. (which is a good thing in my opinion).

The US, and most of the American continents are Christians. While in Europe... No comment.

Actually 1Euro = 1.20USD, and it's almost never below 1, it can easily reach 1.40, so if you're moving you have x time more money.
Gazoline is minimum twice cheaper in USA, so driving a lot is less problematic.

When I worked, I met a guy, he asked me if I spoke English, after I answer all of his questions (I worked in a sport facilities) I asked him where he was from, I was maybe awkward because he told me "Ethiopia", so I told him, yeah but you sound American, and he told me "yeah I live there since I'm 18" (he's now 28), so after 15-20 minutes of discusions I invited him at my first gig and he came! (He's a US soldier, I add him on Facebook)
After that, I saw him several times, and I saw his wife.

I don't have this social things with belgians...

[url]https://soundcloud.com/curtis-k-music[/url]

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

CurtRHCP wrote:

I'll plan to visit some cities in 2018 or 2019.

...I'm not surprised about the Brexit for example, by the way British use to think differently than Europeans. (which is a good thing in my opinion)...

...The US, and most of the American continents are Christians. While in Europe... No comment.

If you have the time when you come for a visit, don't restrict yourself to looking at only the cities. This is a BIG country. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is slightly smaller than all of Belgium and Massachusetts is one of the smallest states in the country. You will find that the crime rate is usually much higher in the cities.

From the comments you make here about Brexit and Christians, you would probably find more people that think like you in a rural area. And there is a LOT of rural area. But there are disadvantages to rural living. For example, it takes me nearly an hour to make a trip to the grocery store and back home. You learn to do as much as you can when you go into town; like buying non-perishable food in bulk. I do it once a month. On the other hand, when you live in or near a city, everything you need is only minutes away. I prefer rural living.

Guns? Yes. There are many. The U.S. is known around the world for it's love of guns. I live in rural Pennsylvania and private citizens probably have more guns than the entire Belgian army. lol But we do not go out shooting everyone and everything in sight the way some of the media attempt to portray it. Good, law abiding citizens far outweigh the criminal element.

Your choice of cities to explore have one issue to consider. Being on the Atlantic Coast puts them in line for a direct hit from hurricanes. It doesn't happen every day but the potential is there for catastrophic weather events. All 3 of the cities you mentioned were hit hard in 2017. If you should choose one of them, you should educate yourself on how to be prepared for a hurricane and be ready to evacuate when the call comes to get out.

As you move away from the coast and towards the mountains the risk of a large snowstorm comes into the picture. In North West Pennsylvania and Western New York State near the Great Lakes,  the snow is being measured in feet right now. Buffalo NY and Erie Pa. have had close to 10' of snow this winter. Being on the East side of the mountains we have only had about 5 inches. Cold? Yeah. It's brutal out there. High today will be around 20°F and it's going down near 0°F tonight.

Like Doug said, the Pacific NW has a very moderate climate. There is also the potential for major earthquakes on the Pacific Coast. But that risk is much higher along the southern coast than it is on the northern coast.

No matter where you go there will be positives and negatives. You will have to weigh each side and decide what you are comfortable with and what you aren't.

And like Topdown said, if you can arrange your visit to coincide with Chordiestock or one of the other Chordie events, you could talk to people from all over the country.

Good luck in your search. smile

__________________________________
[b]Today Is Only Yesterdays Tomorrow[/b]

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

Crime rate in Virginia Beach is kind of high, but very localized. Stay out of those areas, and the whole of Tidewater Virginia area can be very nice. A visit to the Police or a check of police blotters in the papers will let you know the areas to avoid.  One thing to know about Virginia Beach is that it isn't just Virginia Beach. You go seemlessly across borders into other towns with only a sign to mark them. Virginia Beach, Hampton Roads, Chesapeake, etc.  It's generally thought of as "The Tidewater Region" in Virginia, with Virginia Beach referring literally to the beach and not usually the town.  It can be a bit confusing.

I've not been to Charleston, SC yet, but my company has an office there. The people who live there absolutely love it and wouldn't want to move elsewhere. I'm eager to visit the location.

I know nothing about Myrtle Beach.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

I live in The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts. The winters are rough. The big cities have a lot of crime. We do have the best accents in the whole U.S.  Ask anyone that has spoken to me.

Enjoy Every Sandwich
Nothing In Moderation  -- Live Fast. Love Hard. Die Young And Leave A Beautiful Corpse. -- Buy It Today. Cry About It Tomorrow.

10 (edited by Tenement Funster 2018-01-01 01:43:51)

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

Although not a direct answer, I hope I never have to live in any city in any country ... much prefer the rural lifestyle.

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

Thanks everybody!

I know about Chesapeake, Norfolk, etc. I use to read the local news (eg : virginian pilot), I started my researches in 2013. ^^
I also pay attention about US politics and everything related to the USA. By the way, you can hear the same fact in Europe but completely transformed so it's completely different from the US medias.
So far, Va Beach is the location I like the most. I heard about flood in 2017, but it was locally and this kind of thing can happen everywhere.

I'm still in contact with my US family, most of them live in Columbus, OH. But it's obviously not a coastal city tongue
None of them visited VA beach.

[url]https://soundcloud.com/curtis-k-music[/url]

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

CurtRHCP wrote:

Thanks everybody

I'm still in contact with my US family, most of them live in Columbus, OH. But it's obviously not a coastal city tongue
None of them visited VA beach.

I live about 50 miles south of Columbus, near Chillicothe ,OH, part of the Appalachian foothills with its forests and rolling hills.  It has always suited my lifestyle,  as there is a lot of access to hiking and biking trails as well as many canoeing and kayaking streams in southern OH as well as nearby KY and WV.  At one time I considered moving to the Knoxville, TN area as there are even more outdoor activities available.

Now that I'm older, if I was to move to a different area it would be Pensacola, FL where my oldest daughter and her family have lived for 20 years.  The weather is a little more moderate and not as hot as south FL (it sometimes gets a little chilly in the winter months), there is access to the gulf, bay and streams for water-related sports, bike trails and beautiful beaches along the Gulf Islands National Seashore.  The down-town area has a lot of small shops and restaurants and there is a real appreciation of art, music, and theater with performances all year long at local venues.  In October the Pensacola Beach songwriter's event attracts songwriters from all over the country.  Its just a 3-hour drive to get to New Orleans if you want to hear some Dixieland or Jazz, 6 hours to Nashville or Muscle Shoals and 7 hours to get to Topdown's annual Chordiestock event.  Its another area you might want to check out.

DE

I want to read my own water, choose my own path, write my own songs

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

CurtRHCP wrote:

Thanks everybody!


I'm still in contact with my US family, most of them live in Columbus, OH. But it's obviously not a coastal city tongue
None of them visited VA beach.

My oldest brother lives in Columbus.  It is a great place.  Ohio State University, A diverse ethnic scattering, pretty good job outlook from what I can tell.   
You have not mentioned your skills aside from your many languages.  That in its self will be impressive. you might want to look into jobs with companies that are multinational and promote your linguistic skills.  Hire on as a Translator maybe.

Cities as you have heard, are vast, and well honestly most of the EU can fit inside Texas alone LOLOL!  Now, I will give you a rundown on the states I have lived in as being military I have moved around a few times.  West Virginia (from birth till 15yrs old), Wild and wonderful it is.  Dense forest and beautiful land.  Draw back, not a lot of employment and Opioids are a large problem, as they are in many states these days.  North Carolina (16 -21), another huge state going east to west.  Divided into 3 regions. Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, and the Mountains.  I grew up the second half of my life in the mountains of NC.  Much like West Virginia, Asheville is the main attraction, lots of great schools for university level, Asheville has become very expensive to live in as has much of the mountains. 
The Piedmont includes Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham (also known as the medical triangle), and Winston Salem.  It has been too long to give you any good job outlooks but primary industry is banking and medical, and manufacturing.  There are many more however I don’t have any info on them.
Coastal:  I can not tell you a lot, but I did live in a big area called Wilmington NC.  I went to school there a bit for university, but I cannot give you much in the way of better information.
Florida.  So many options but south FL is very different lifestyle wise than North Florida, then you have ocean side and bay side.  N. Florida is pretty much Orlando to the GA border. Jacksonville is very military oriented as there are 3 bases there, there is industry but it’s also been a while since I lived there.  Jax (as it’s referred to) sorta is more like very south GA.  It’s very hard to explain, you kinda just have to be there and travel around to understand it.  South FL is very laid back usually conservative politically, Miami (never been there and a world unto its self LOL)
Now to Texas: it’s almost 50 / 50 politically, I advise staying away from Huston, just don’t like that area.  The San Antonio to Austin area is amazing. Full of rich history, German decent people (your Dutch may still come in handy) in the Hill country area. Lots of diversity everywhere.  You have the coast to the northern panhandle.
From there we go to the Pacific North West.  You can read about Seattle and the industry around there and Portland Oregon.  Lots of Tech, Aviation, and commerce.
So for a fairly  half descent skimming off the top of my head there you are, I hope this helps smile

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)

Re: Cities to live in? (USA)

There are some great conversations going on here !!  I don't know if this is wandering onto a "touchy" area, but as a Proud American I am appalled that you applied for your visa in 2014 and got an entry date in 2020-2021..... no wonder the "Coyotes" are doing a booming business on the Southern boarder.  Especially as you should have been granted Dual Citizenship at the time of birth, providing there had been a Consular Notice of Birth filed with the US Embassy at that time.

Like Beamer, I've moved around a bit and seen a fair bit of the Country.  Personally although I like the cities for all the services and entertainment they provide, living in smaller more rural settings is a bit more secure with lower crime rates, social issues, and lower cost of living (along with lower diversity in Employment options).  One thing that surprises folks from Europe is just how BIG the country is, which is why everyone has cars (despite not all being good drivers, but there are "idiots" everywhere). smile  Most of the roads are good and wide, generally maintained for safe and rapid transit between cities, so if I want to spend a day at the beach, or go to a major city, it's only a couple hours of drive time away.

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare