What places are people thinking of going to on the j1?

Mysteriouschic

I'm thinking of going to either New York , Boston , San Francisco , San Diego, Chicago or another city somewhere where it's easy to get around without a car . Which of these cities would be best ?

Or I have other thoughts about maybe going east coast finding jobs in resort areas.

I'm going alone if people want to tag along or something that'd be good too would be easier with rent I don't mind either way .

What part of America are other people planning to go to?
Has anyone been to those places?

WoollyRedHat

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

I'm thinking of going to either New York , Boston , San Francisco , San Diego, Chicago or another city somewhere where it's easy to get around without a car . Which of these cities would be best ?

Or I have other thoughts about maybe going east coast finding jobs in resort areas.

I'm going alone if people want to tag along or something that'd be good too would be easier with rent I don't mind either way .

What part of America are other people planning to go to?
Has anyone been to those places?

Been to New York before, which was great but very expensive and accomadation is very tricky. Have heard Chicago is great but accom and jobs has been difficutl in the last while. Looking at San Francisco atm, going over with one other, the college dorms on Berkley are supposed to be handy rent wise. NYC is the best out of all the cities you've mentioned to not have a car, public transportation there is great. What J1 provider have you looked at?

OT: I saw your signature and read it as George Lucas for some reason and was going to say it reminded me of this

" As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment.” which is of course from OTH. Hah... aweome show.

Mysteriouschic

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Been to New York before, which was great but very expensive and accomadation is very tricky. Have heard Chicago is great but accom and jobs has been difficutl in the last while. Looking at San Francisco atm, going over with one other, the college dorms on Berkley are supposed to be handy rent wise. NYC is the best out of all the cities you've mentioned to not have a car, public transportation there is great. What J1 provider have you looked at?

OT: I saw your signature and read it as George Lucas for some reason and was going to say it reminded me of this

" As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment. And sound stopped and movement stopped for much, much more than a moment.” which is of course from OTH. Hah... aweome show.

I've been looking at usit or sayit haven't booked yet not sure which is best just had a look doing a search go4less doesn't seem too good.I like San Francisco too and New York I'm not too bothered about where I go just somewhere easy to get around , an I can still visit the other cities after not making any major decisions yet about the city gonna give it a few weeks I'm a bit indecisive.

Which provider have you looked at?

That's a nice quote too I love all the quotes in OTH the best thing about the show lol .

WoollyRedHat

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

I've been looking at usit or sayit haven't booked yet not sure which is best just had a look doing a search go4less doesn't seem too good.I like San Francisco too and New York I'm not too bothered about where I go just somewhere easy to get around , an I can still visit the other cities after not making any major decisions yet about the city gonna give it a few weeks I'm a bit indecisive.

Which provider have you looked at?

That's a nice quote too I love all the quotes in OTH the best thing about the show lol .

Well the East Coast is cheaper than West Coast for flights, for the most part, and in New York everything is real expensiv.. if you're looking at other destinations check out j1.ie( sayits) which lists a few good destinations including resorts. Yeah you're better off thinking about it throghuoughly, thats what me and my friend are doing, booking around Christmas, to early New Year...
I'm looking at Sayit or Go4less, went with USIT before and wouldn't go again, plus they're too expensive.

Mysteriouschic

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Well the East Coast is cheaper than West Coast for flights, for the most part, and in New York everything is real expensiv.. if you're looking at other destinations check out j1.ie( sayits) which lists a few good destinations including resorts. Yeah you're better off thinking about it throghuoughly, thats what me and my friend are doing, booking around Christmas, to early New Year...
I'm looking at Sayit or Go4less, went with USIT before and wouldn't go again, plus they're too expensive.

I've been looking at the site it's really hard to decide. I've looked into some of the beach cities too even if it may not have the best transport maybe you'd meet people there but it'd be good that they're near the beach and you get the weather. I've looked Miami or Huntington Beach an they'd have the amusement parks an tourist shops .
What other places are you looking at?

Kazzers

Went to Chicago last year and New York the year before, would love to go West Coast but New York is handier for me. But in my experience Chicago was unreal because its both city and beach and it's a lot cleaner than New York. If you want to visit a city, definitely either of these two, but Chicago has the beach advantage and the beaches are AMAZING. Chicago was so so tricky for accommodation and surprisingly tricky for jobs but probably because I was only 20 at the time.. New York is HUGE and so easy to get around so getting a job is no problem as long as youre willing to really look. I went to one of the Irish areas of New York (Woodlawn) and it was like being in a small Irish Village instead of being in America. Be prepared for the first week to be the worst of your life, and really want to go home, but the rest of the summer is so worth it, no matter where you go.

Mysteriouschic

Kazzers wrote: »

Went to Chicago last year and New York the year before, would love to go West Coast but New York is handier for me. But in my experience Chicago was unreal because its both city and beach and it's a lot cleaner than New York. If you want to visit a city, definitely either of these two, but Chicago has the beach advantage and the beaches are AMAZING. Chicago was so so tricky for accommodation and surprisingly tricky for jobs but probably because I was only 20 at the time.. New York is HUGE and so easy to get around so getting a job is no problem as long as youre willing to really look. I went to one of the Irish areas of New York (Woodlawn) and it was like being in a small Irish Village instead of being in America. Be prepared for the first week to be the worst of your life, and really want to go home, but the rest of the summer is so worth it, no matter where you go.

Is the first week really that bad? Do you just spend time walking around handing out resumé's waiting for a call? or being told there are no jobs? Did you arrange accommodation before you arrived?
I'm still torn between places New York does sound really good an since if I'm going alone it'd be easier to meet up with fellow j1ers but I'm not sure yet. Chicago, San Francisco and New York are probably the ones I'm torn between,

Kazzers

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

Is the first week really that bad? Do you just spend time walking around handing out resumé's waiting for a call? or being told there are no jobs? Did you arrange accommodation before you arrived?
I'm still torn between places New York does sound really good an since if I'm going alone it'd be easier to meet up with fellow j1ers but I'm not sure yet. Chicago, San Francisco and New York are probably the ones I'm torn between,

Things like this and facebook are good for meeting people, we had a house sorted and we needed extra people to make it more affordable and we just got on to the facebook group and found 6 others to share our house within like 10 minutes. So join all the facebook groups and post up regularly and you're sure to find someone to live with no bother.
The first week was just terrible for us, but for accommodation, not jobs. There were some places that we really wanted to live in Chicago, and we werent going to chance living on the southside of the city because its said to be fairly rough. But couldnt really afford to be fussy so we ended up up north, not what we had in mind, but everyone ended up up there so it turned out great! We were so desperate for accommodation we ended up renting off this "middle man" Vincent (absolute cowboy, dodgy af, beware of this name if you go to Chicago) If you do end up in Chicago, keep the name DAN O'DONNELL in mind, he is an absolute saint, owns a hardware store in Chicago and in the basement he has everything set up for phones, jobs, accommodation and social security.. Sounds dodgy but once you get there theres about 50 J1's in his basement, he's so nice and helping J1's out of the good of his heart. New York is so big and J1's tend to gather in different parts so accommodation is still tough but not as tough. My advice is get there early, like early May, as soon as you can. Sometimes you laugh at the situations you find yourself in, but they are the best memories.

Finding a job was a bit ****ty as well though, not as bad, but still pretty bad.. Have plenty of resumes with ya going over and give them out EVERYWHERE. You'll be suprised. MILK THE IRISH THING FOR ALL ITS WORTH. It also depends on what the J1's were like the year before, the Chicago J1's the year before were hooligans and everyone hated the Irish.. but dunno what they thought of us, we'll just have to see. Pretty sure our landlord hated us

So ya, the first week is pretty ****ty and youre sure that youll never talk to your friends ever again but the end of the summer you totally forget about the first week, which is probably why I'm about to do it for the 3rd time :eek:

Mysteriouschic

Kazzers wrote: »

Things like this and facebook are good for meeting people, we had a house sorted and we needed extra people to make it more affordable and we just got on to the facebook group and found 6 others to share our house within like 10 minutes. So join all the facebook groups and post up regularly and you're sure to find someone to live with no bother.
The first week was just terrible for us, but for accommodation, not jobs. There were some places that we really wanted to live in Chicago, and we werent going to chance living on the southside of the city because its said to be fairly rough. But couldnt really afford to be fussy so we ended up up north, not what we had in mind, but everyone ended up up there so it turned out great! We were so desperate for accommodation we ended up renting off this "middle man" Vincent (absolute cowboy, dodgy af, beware of this name if you go to Chicago) If you do end up in Chicago, keep the name DAN O'DONNELL in mind, he is an absolute saint, owns a hardware store in Chicago and in the basement he has everything set up for phones, jobs, accommodation and social security.. Sounds dodgy but once you get there theres about 50 J1's in his basement, he's so nice and helping J1's out of the good of his heart. New York is so big and J1's tend to gather in different parts so accommodation is still tough but not as tough. My advice is get there early, like early May, as soon as you can. Sometimes you laugh at the situations you find yourself in, but they are the best memories.

Finding a job was a bit ****ty as well though, not as bad, but still pretty bad.. Have plenty of resumes with ya going over and give them out EVERYWHERE. You'll be suprised. MILK THE IRISH THING FOR ALL ITS WORTH. It also depends on what the J1's were like the year before, the Chicago J1's the year before were hooligans and everyone hated the Irish.. but dunno what they thought of us, we'll just have to see. Pretty sure our landlord hated us

So ya, the first week is pretty ****ty and youre sure that youll never talk to your friends ever again but the end of the summer you totally forget about the first week, which is probably why I'm about to do it for the 3rd time :eek:

I'm more likely gonna do San Francisco or New York possibly more New York since more are going to New York will be easier to find people to share costs with etc. Did you do New York before?

Kazzers

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

I'm more likely gonna do San Francisco or New York possibly more New York since more are going to New York will be easier to find people to share costs with etc. Did you do New York before?

Yeh I did New York in 2012, think it all depends on what part you go to. I went to Woodlawn in the bronx which is a real Irish area and it was great craic, its like a 30 minute train ride to manhattan but youre likely to meet loads of J1s there.. Its cheaper than living in Manhattan as well. For jobs I thinkits all about luck and being there early. Transport system in New York is great so you could get a job almost anywhere and commute. . The subway goes EVERYWHERE you need to go in new york City, right up to Woodlawn

blue-army

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

Is the first week really that bad? Do you just spend time walking around handing out resumé's waiting for a call? or being told there are no jobs? Did you arrange accommodation before you arrived?
I'm still torn between places New York does sound really good an since if I'm going alone it'd be easier to meet up with fellow j1ers but I'm not sure yet. Chicago, San Francisco and New York are probably the ones I'm torn between,

Chicago is very hit and miss for accommodation alright.. pure luck how long it takes you to get somewhere, but everyone gets sorted in the end!!

It took us about 2 weeks to find somewhere last summer - we were only booked into the hostel for our first week.. but the manager from the local GAA club (a complete stranger) saw on fb that we were stuck, and drove us around helping us try find somewhere! (none of us know the first thing about GAA!)

Jobwise, there's plenty going. Took me about a week to find something, then I was offered 3 different jobs within the space of a week!

My main tip would be to get out there as early as possible, (Im heading on about May 20th this year!) and get straight into looking for accom/jobs ahead of the crowds. Base yourself in one of the hostels where you'll meet a load of J1's in the same boat and go from there!

Brilliant city, the ideal J1 spot. Has it all, beaches, brilliant nightlife, great transport system, music festivals, always something to do! Go for it!

Mysteriouschic

blue-army wrote: »

Chicago is very hit and miss for accommodation alright.. pure luck how long it takes you to get somewhere, but everyone gets sorted in the end!!

It took us about 2 weeks to find somewhere last summer - we were only booked into the hostel for our first week.. but the manager from the local GAA club (a complete stranger) saw on fb that we were stuck, and drove us around helping us try find somewhere! (none of us know the first thing about GAA!)

Jobwise, there's plenty going. Took me about a week to find something, then I was offered 3 different jobs within the space of a week!

My main tip would be to get out there as early as possible, (Im heading on about May 20th this year!) and get straight into looking for accom/jobs ahead of the crowds. Base yourself in one of the hostels where you'll meet a load of J1's in the same boat and go from there!

Brilliant city, the ideal J1 spot. Has it all, beaches, brilliant nightlife, great transport system, music festivals, always something to do! Go for it!

Chicago sounds great with the beaches .
Was it expensive to live there? Did you book the hostel before you went over?
I'm still pretty much undecided on the city, trying to maybe go to a place where I'm sure other j1ers are to not end up in a city where not many are going lol.

blue-army

Mysteriouschic wrote: »

Chicago sounds great with the beaches .
Was it expensive to live there? Did you book the hostel before you went over?
I'm still pretty much undecided on the city, trying to maybe go to a place where I'm sure other j1ers are to not end up in a city where not many are going lol.

Yeah the beaches are class, always events/gigs on the beaches too.

Not expensive at all to live there.
There was 6 of us, we paid 530$ each for 2 months staying in a class apartment near Loyola this year. The place had just been done up, brand new fridge/freezer, dishwasher, cooker etc.. Place had 2 bedrooms and 2 large living rooms so it wasn't cramped at all. The place was about 20mins from Wrigleyville!

We stayed in the Getaway Hostel in Lincoln Park when we arrived there. Book about a month beforehand because it sells out. Was literally FULL of J1's. Everyone helped eachother out finding accom/jobs etc since we were all in the same boat.