# Making a Move on Your Own



## Veggie (May 22, 2011)

Codger said:


> *Personal:*
> 4. Stating the obvious here, but if you're moving where you don't know anyone - you have to build your own network. If you plan to stay a while, give it 9-18 months to build your network. If it's not working by then, I'd bail out.


So you're telling me that I'm not going to march into a café upon arrival and meet the love of my life or my soul sister? Thanks for the hit to my optimism 

You're right though, that does seem about the mark when people I've known who have headed elsewhere have packed it back up (being able to say good game...some don't last that long and probably called it quits too soon) or started to settle.

How have you gone about building said network?

Also - living situation. Have you always had this secured in advance?

Lots of good advice, thanks  Who knows, maybe I will venture out of the country at some point.



PowerShell said:


> Just stay away from the south side. Downtown is nice but some areas get very bad very fast. Also, the traffic sucks.


I used to live right outside of DC so I can do sucky traffic, haha.


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## xisnotx (Mar 20, 2014)

Here's a little "life device"...in case you need the money. Register at a comm college, take the monies. You can go anywhere in the u.s. with this.

...you might as well take the classes..(but people just withdraw a lot..). Plus your savings, with the educational aid, plus all the connections you make (ie, network to get a job!)...all it is, is one quarter, and you've already established yourself there. plus, you added on to your education...

It's not too difficult, to be honest. Especially if you don't mind school...

You only need enough for room rent, (like $400, depending), transport (to get you there +..), plus food money. Then wait for fin aid money...move to a real place with it, take your 3 classes, but most importantly...find the job asap. It's all about getting the job, but the education gives you 3 months...which is plenty.

If you know what you're doing, you can get a job in a week. Just have to be relentless about it.


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## Veggie (May 22, 2011)

xisnotx said:


> Here's a little "life device"...in case you need the money. Register at a comm college, take the monies. You can go anywhere in the u.s. with this.
> 
> ...you might as well take the classes..(but people just withdraw a lot..). Plus your savings, with the educational aid, plus all the connections you make (ie, network to get a job!)...all it is, is one quarter, and you've already established yourself there. plus, you added on to your education...
> 
> ...


I actually did something like this with financial aid when I was going to massage school and savings from my last career were diminishing. It was full-time Monday-Thursday and some Fridays and I didn't feel like doing a part-time job on top of it. I worked out something with my parents and an advance on a loan. I don't remember exactly. I presented a sound case though at the time, haha. I've been working for over a year now without having to worry about rent and stuff though so I should be okay money wise.

I'm kind of a nerd and I love school. Community college, for the fun of it, is a good idea. I took a fiction writing class earlier this year, but it was all online. It really wasn't that expensive. Getting on campus would probably be beneficial though. I like college campuses anyway.

I'm not too worried about a job. I used to conduct interviews, so I know the tricks and what not  I've always been able to get one fairly quickly. I think I'm mostly just worried about my living situation as I really start to explore this. $400 a month would be heaven. Where I am now, it can be upwards of $1800/mo for, like, a studio...if you want to go anywhere metropolitan or safe.


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## Codger (Aug 7, 2010)

Veggie said:


> So you're telling me that I'm not going to march into a café upon arrival and meet the love of my life or my soul sister? Thanks for the hit to my optimism
> 
> You're right though, that does seem about the mark when people I've known who have headed elsewhere have packed it back up (being able to say good game...some don't last that long and probably called it quits too soon) or started to settle.
> 
> ...


Well now that you've met me, it's probably all downhill from here.

In my case you could say I've "cheated" a bit. I currently live in Dubai, but I went to school in Abu Dhabi for 8 years before I left for university. When I returned to the UAE I already knew a lot people that either stayed here, or returned like I did. So I had a moderately strong social network when I got back. I've just built it out further in the 9 odd years since I returned. 

For those that haven't had this luxury it's generally through work colleagues, such as colleagues like me who then introduce you to other friends. In a country where 90% of the population are expats, people are fairly open to meeting new people as it's essentially a requirement. Bonds can therefore be a bit fleeting as people come and go, in some ways it's a look like university; you spend 3/4 weeks getting to know people and then 3/4 years dumping the ones you don't like. All the while people are coming and going, so it's a bit of a merry-go-round.

For living, I also 'cheated' a bit as my father was still here for the first 2 years when I came back. For those that came out with nothing, your employer provides some temporary accommodation before you have to shift out. 

Here in the UAE accommodation is shockingly expensive. When I moved to Dubai I did so at the bottom of a market just starting to pick up, and I currently pay about $14k per year for a 2-bedroom flat. This is considered excellent, but will go up to nearer $17k in August. Most others would pay around $20-25k for a 2-bedroom these days, and that's in a "cheap(er)" part of town. 

Right now the US is one of the few places I'd consider, as I'm a US national as well as British. So relocating and getting a job would be easy.


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## Veggie (May 22, 2011)

Codger said:


> Right now the US is one of the few places I'd consider, as I'm a US national as well as British. So relocating and getting a job would be easy.


Well there just may be a PerC club soon if you've been following. You're welcome to join...bring those gold stars and handcuffs though ;P


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## Codger (Aug 7, 2010)

Veggie said:


> Well there just may be a PerC club soon if you've been following. You're welcome to join...bring those gold stars and handcuffs though ;P


Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me.


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## Veggie (May 22, 2011)

Codger said:


> Sticks and stones may break my bones, but whips and chains excite me.


Haha! Okay, you're in


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## Codger (Aug 7, 2010)

Veggie said:


> Haha! Okay, you're in


That's what sh ... I spent years saying that when it wasn't cool, now my thunder has been stolen.

Instead, step into my orifice.


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## Veggie (May 22, 2011)

Codger said:


> That's what sh ... I spent years saying that when it wasn't cool, now my thunder has been stolen.
> 
> Instead, step into my orifice.


Step into _your_ orifice? You are kinky aren't you? 






...God damn it. I'm derailing my own thread again. I always do this.


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