Help me, I'm moving to the US of A

[fable]

If you're going to live in LA and its environs, stock up on hepa filters. The pollution is truly nasty in that area, and you don't want a little one especially to suffer as a result.

And I don't mean Silur, of course.

[Vicsun]

I missed you last time you were in Denmark, so I guess my advice is ditch the moving-to-LA idea and come visit me instead. I'm a pretty bad cook, but I've been told I'm an excellent conversationalist.

[Craig]

Originally Posted by C Elegans

Actually, I should have moved 2 weeks ago, but things got a bit delayed so I still have another month or two to ponder my fate.

I am moving to California. Do you Big Brothers And Sisters From The West have any advice for a poor Scandinavian?

Stay clear of crabs. Crabs be evil.

[C Elegans]

Originally Posted by Tricky

What's the occasion? Having more political freedom than you can handle?

Yes, I feel I need a dose of religious oppression and imperialism. Been too long.

Originally Posted by Fable

What sort of other information are you looking for?

Social, cultural, political and some practical information mainly.

Originally Posted by Claudius

My advice would be to give it a chance and to smile. You might have some interesting experiences! And meet some new people.

I always smile, unless I have specific reasons not to. I know I will have very interesting experiences since the projects I'm going to work with are absolutely, overwhelmingly fantastic and I already know some people I will work with are really brilliant. That's why I'm moving there. It is however difficult to live at a place if you abhor the political and social climate.
I'm a Swedish sensitive soul, I moved from the UK because I couldn't stand the class segregation.

Originally Posted by VonDondu

I think the weather in southern California is very nice, but it is probably much warmer than you are used to. You won't see much snow at all, so you might miss it.

Climate does not matter to me at all, I am happy in the Arctics as well as the tropical rain forest, I am comfortable in -20C - 45C (-4F - 113F). I love snow and ice, but thanks to global warming, there is no snow in Stockholm either. I will only live in LA for about 1,5-2 years, so I won't have time to miss the type of biotopes and climates I like the most.

People are very "body conscious" in California, at least compared to people in Texas. That's what people who move to Texas from California say, anyway, and they are relieved that they can finally relax about their appearance, so I suppose the opposite holds true for California. I don't know how much effect that will have on you, but you might think that the people around you in California are a bit obsessive and/or superficial.

Could you elaborate on this? If "body conscious" equal "bodily health conscious", then I think it's a good thing for everybody, and for society in general. However, if "body conscious" equals "good looks" and even "fashion", then I may find it annoyingly superficial.

Something I actually like about Sweden, is the complete lack of dress code at work. Even as a doctor or professor, it's completely acceptable to walk around in worn jeans, t-shirt and sneakers here. From what I've heard, the dress code at work is more leisure at the West coast than the East, but I'm not sure how leisure. I hope I am not expected to walk around with make-up and nice clothes at the lab!

Politics in California is a strange subject. California has the image of a very liberal state, yet half of the population votes for conservative candidates, and even some of the more famous "liberals" are more like puppets of the defense/aerospace industry, which makes them conservative by nature if not by name.

This is actually something I have been wondering about. From what I've understand from some of my colleagues who have lived in California, the old "commie pinko hippie" image it completely untrue nowadays and it's a very commercial and full of rich business people.

America is supposed to be "consumer heaven", but you might feel it is more like "consumer hell". You shouldn't have any problems finding products that will meet your basic needs (clothing, shelter, furniture, food, etc.), but you might not find everything to your taste. I wish I could offer you some advice about groceries, but I don't know all that much about your native diet. You'll probably have to get used to "white bread" ("real bread" is difficult to find) and frozen fish (as opposed to fresh or pickled), but the produce and the wine in California are pretty good.

I find all consumer paradises hell, since I generally find consumerism hell. However, one needs to eat and I and also need to buy clothes (according to the above) and some cheap (the daughter is a destruction unit) furniture since I prefer to rent unfurbished. I am not picky with food at all, but I have problems with very "artificial" food. The previous 5-6 times when I've been to the US, I've found much of the food to taste very strange, like soap or some other synthetic perfumed compound. However, like DW said, I've heard from my colleagues that the food in LA is excellent, and it's probably for the same reasons - they've been there for the same reason as I, do research at university labs, so they probably associated most with people they met in that environment.

When it comes to things like health care for you and your children and education, I'm afraid you'll be taking a step backward. Connections, diligence, and ingenuity will help.

My connections in health care couldn't be better, luckily, and the universe pays health and dental insurance for the entire family, so that'll be fine. The daughter will only be 2.5 years when I leave, so education is no problem either, thankfully.

Originally Posted by Siberys

Don't move to California. The smugness of people is unbearable, and even if you could deal with it, the governator is just icing on the conformity of smug cake.

I have to, I'm a crucial link in a huge international epidemiologics and genome project. I have to do some stuff that can't be done in Sweden. But if it is unbearable, I'll do like some other people I know have done - isolate myself within the Ivory Tower. One of my best friends did that in Chicago - he almost never left campus for 5 years.

@Thantor: Thanks, I will!

[fable]

Social, cultural, political and some practical information mainly.

With the exception of a very few cities, such as NYC and Boston, most of the US has terrible main transportation facilities. LA is one large traffic snarl. Unless you expect to live within walking distance of work, learn to love your car, and all the time you will spend in it.

Politically, southern California (as distinct from the less heavily populated, more conservative north) is in the main Democratic and somewhat liberal for the US. Of course, it can also be said with a moderate degree of truth that the Most Serene Republic of Venice under its geriatric doges was a socialist utopia compared to the US as it is at this moment. Expect laws in local communities that either flout or embrace the self-centered, rich-get-richer attitude:Marin County is not East LA. Demographics and psychographics vary dramatically from community to community in the US, in ways that most Europeans have never seen outside of cultural enclaves. But in the US, you can find two very large groups of people living 15 miles down the road from one another who are in all physical respects identical, yet behave completely differently.

This will also be reflected in lifestyle basics, such as housing and food. Very healthy and extremely unhealthy can be found in the same places. There are also nuts at both extremes, and they live happily in your area, in great numbers, too. The waif at the local supermarket checkout counter who only eats tofu and dates boys according to the predictions of the I Ching has a father who spends 3 hours a day trolling science websites dedicated to explaining manmade climatological changes.

The area you are moving to is obssessed with surface. I know this will amuse rather than interest both Silur and you, just as it has done me, in my various moves, but it's worth keeping in mind. At least you won't seriously annoy anybody by your lack of a church. You're in Urban USia, not Rural, and though you might get visits from odd types, your lack of interest won't bother anyone. Most urbanites in the US have a very take-it-or-leave-it attitude towards religion, a lot more like their urban European counterparts.

Tipping is 15% in restaurants. Most store services aren't tipped. You'll probably find that eye contact is more common in the US than in Sweden, and body space is somewhat smaller (though not as small as in the Central/South American cultures). Smoking is far less common in California than in Sweden, especially in public areas.

Hope that helps.

[C Elegans]

Originally Posted by sparky_kat

*sunscreen, sunscreen , sunscreen!!
*try to learn a little spanish (if you dont know any already) (it helps!)
*make sure the house/apt you move into has a GOOD cooling system (not just a a/c box hanging off the bedroom window)\
*ignore the self obsessed idoits

1) Sure, I hate but I'm used to using it.
2) Good idea, I don't speak Spanish. The hubby speaks a little.
3) Ok, I'll ask the uni to help me with that, they need to organise my housing before I arrive there.
4) I do that all the time here, hope it's not more difficult there.

Originally Posted by Moonbiter

Be prepared to discuss your annual income and that of your neighbours absolutely all the time. Use the words "dude" and "like" at least three times in every sentence. Go blond, it helps. Forget the fine arts. Most people who attend classical concerts in California are insufferable snobs who feed their cats Beluga caviar.

ROFL, I have to practise the blond think I think. What you say about fine arts is sad, though. I was hoping there might be some nice symphony orchestras.

Doctors don't come from Sweden, porn stars come from Sweden.

Well I can do both, but I am primarily in CA for medical stuff, not anatomical

Start jogging, or you'll be a social outcast. Get botoxed, even if you don't need it. Spas are a way of life. You can have skin like Helen of Troy, but you must spend at least 5 hours a week with mud in your face and cucumber on your eyes. These people bring their own vitaminized bottled water to restaurants so the chef can cook their broccoli according to their dietary plan.

I'll rather be the leprosy of the whole society that do these things! I can't do jogging, I have no menisci left after all those years of climbing and ballet, but honestly I hated it before, too. I've never been to a spa and I'd rather be in a 1x1x1m locked cubicle full of cockroaches. I have a skin that make people ask me what "products" I use (the answer is none) and I am not going to put mud and cucumber on my face since I am pretty convinced not seeing anything will severely decrease my ability to analyse brain images. If needs be and the start stoning me, I can bring my own broccoli - guess you can just buy it somewhere before entering the restaurant?

Get used to earthquakes. They're so common people hardly notice them, which is pretty bizarre for a Scandinavian.

That's ok, I've experienced a few earthquakes in geothermal areas.

I think the thing that really got to me was that to a Californian, to a larger extent than anywhere else in the USA, life is a constant competition.
...
You try to lead a non-materialistic life? I'll show you non-materialistic. Me'n my wife recycle condoms, I've used the same one since -87. What's you're golfing par at the moment? Really? Well I bench pressed 200 kilos at the gym this morning. Is that the new Mercedes? What'll that set you back? I'm thinking of getting the new BMW. Blah..blah..blah IT JUST WON'T STOP!

ROFL, it's horrible! Is there nothing you can do to stop this? Can't you just pretent to be a real looser as to convince them from the beginning that there is no competition? Or will that end up in a "who's the worst failure"-competition?

If you're going to live in LA and its environs, stock up on hepa filters. The pollution is truly nasty in that area, and you don't want a little one especially to suffer as a result.

And I don't mean Silur, of course.

ROFLMAO! I hope he doesn't read that!

Originally Posted by Vicsun

I missed you last time you were in Denmark, so I guess my advice is ditch the moving-to-LA idea and come visit me instead. I'm a pretty bad cook, but I've been told I'm an excellent conversationalist.

Yes, that was a pity, but there will be other times, we will have this collaboration with the Copenhagen lab for many years to come and COP is the Scandinavian hub so I can't avoid it even if I wished to!

Bad cook? That is a serious issue, I'm afraid. I have an abundance of excellent conversationlists around me, so let's see, what else...do you have a pretty ass?

Originally Posted by Craig

Stay clear of crabs. Crabs be evil.

Can you eat them? The water-living, even larger, Kamchatka crab, is delicious.

[Moonbiter]

Originally Posted by C Elegans

1)
ROFL, I have to practise the blond think I think. What you say about fine arts is sad, though. I was hoping there might be some nice symphony orchestras.
::::::::::
Or will that end up in a "who's the worst failure"-competition?
::::::::::
Can you eat them? The water-living, even larger, Kamchatka crab, is delicious.

There are plenty of decent orchestras, it's the people who go to see them who are prats. Oh, and they have bouncers at the opera, that was a first for me. Then again, in LA they have bouncers absolutely everywhere.

No, the "worst failure competition" isn't on, unless your failure isn't your own fault. People in LA never fail, and if they do it's always someone else's fault. It would probably become a "who's your best friend who helps you the most" -competition. *She had a problem, but I gave her the number to my shrink... Well I put her in contact with my real estate broker AND loaned her the money...* and so on... As for the broccoli, you can't eat just any broccoli!

The coconut crab is quite delicious, but sadly can't be found around LA. You can get crabs quite easily in LA, though....

[C Elegans]

Originally Posted by Moonbiter

There are plenty of decent orchestras, it's the people who go to see them who are prats. Oh, and they have bouncers at the opera, that was a first for me. Then again, in LA they have bouncers absolutely everywhere.

That's what I thought, so it's a pity if the audience is unbearable.

Bouncers? To protect them from what? Is there a legal age for going to the opera, or are the opera houses full of crack-heads who come there to rob the Beluga-dog food people in the audience?

No, the "worst failure competition" isn't on, unless your failure isn't your own fault. People in LA never fail, and if they do it's always someone else's fault. It would probably become a "who's your best friend who helps you the most" -competition. *She had a problem, but I gave her the number to my shrink... Well I put her in contact with my real estate broker AND loaned her the money...* and so on... As for the broccoli, you can't eat just any broccoli!

Good, then I'll go with that. I can pretend to be a complete failure due to my own limitations. What is viewed as the worst possible failure? Being poor? Out of work? Stupid? Crazy? (Hi, I moved here just by chance because I couldn't get a job in Sweden, I'm mentally disabled, you see)?

The coconut crab is quite delicious, but sadly can't be found around LA. You can get crabs quite easily in LA, though....

Well, I wasn't planning to do the porn star stuff there, anyway.

[Craig]

I'd give eating it ago, unless I was warned not to. I don't think I could o such magnificent Crustaceans though.

Also, watch out for androids.

[Moonbiter]

Originally Posted by Craig

I'd give eating it ago, unless I was warned not to. I don't think I could o such magnificent Crustaceans though.

Also, watch out for androids.

Craig, LSD is bad for you.

[Craig]

You know there *are* androids in LA....At least one. They say he's form the future.

[C Elegans]

Hello again, dear fellow SYM:ians. Now I have moved to LA. It still feels weird that I now live in the US.

Since Moonbiter solved my major problem with moving here - not being able to watch football - I have no worries. Westwood, where I live, is actually a surprisingly nice area. The lab where I am working is only a 10 minute walk from where I live, and UCLA campus is nice and quite pretty. Now I only need to get used to the bloody Fahrenheit and get all my Kafkaesque immigration procedures done!

[fable]

Great. You're almost assimilated. So, when you are going to run out and buy your first gun?

[dragon wench]

Originally Posted by fable

Great. You're almost assimilated. So, when you are going to run out and buy your first gun?

Yeah..but she won't be truly assimilated unless she buys the gun at Walmart....

[fable]

Originally Posted by dragon wench

Yeah..but she won't be truly assimilated unless she buys the gun at Walmart....

Alas, Walmart's not very liked, these days. Sad, indeed!

CE, avoid traveling too far north, or you'll run into The Land of Bush II. Though if he keeps hiring people who are every bit as competent as Bush's pals, he may not last very long.