Location Transport

Moving to LA, need advice. HELP!?

Hi guys, I'm an Australian moving to California at the end of the year for 13 months. I have a J-1 visa which allows me to work and live in the US. 1) Suggestions on where I should live? General neighborhoods would be great. I won't have a car while I am there and I've read that it is important to live closely to where you work. How much am I looking to pay a month? I am looking to rent a furnished room. About me: I'm 24 years old. I am looking for a safe neighborhood. I'm outgoing and like to party on occasion but also like to lay back and relax. I would like a place that is close to the "action", restaurants, shopping center, and because I won't have a car near public transport. 2) I am a fully qualified Forensic Scientist, unfortunately without any real experience as I am a recent graduate. I know this type of work is extremely competitive here in Australia and in the US so I was wondering if anyone knows if I can volunteer at crime labs or other similar agencies? 3) What are my chances of gaining employment in LA and surrounds? I'm not too fussed on the type of work. I was thinking administration/office as I have experience, or hospitality, or, sales etc. 4) Am I able to gain a Californian driver's license? I have read that I can get an International Driver's License but the jobs that I have been researching state that you MUST have a Californian Driver's license. I have read that I will need to do a written and driven test to gain a Californian Driver's license. Is this correct? Is the test hard? 5) And I will be landing in California just before New Years Eve, any suggestions on what I can do? I know nightclubs are popular and you have to buy tickets. Is there anything else that is different to the club seen but still fun and exciting? 6) Is it easy to make friends in LA? 7) How reliable is craigslist? Ok, that is my novel. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Thanks for the advice. I've been looking at Hollywood or Downtown LA - West LA area? Any info on these areas? My J-1visa is sponsored by an American student exchange program. My requirements for the visa are to find work - casual, part time or full time - I just need to work and report to them where I am working.

Public Comments

1. Greater LA is as big as some small European countries, so it is hard to get specific about the many, many neighborhoods. Everything is very spread out, so there are restaurants, shops, and everything else just about everywhere. Finding a job can be tough, or you can "be in the right place at the right time" and get lucky. Again, too much variability across all the various fields to speculate here. In a "community" of several million people, there will always be openings, but the economy is not very robust right now, and there are lots of people available, too. Your chances of finding something in your field of Forensic Science would be pretty low, I would guess, for a couple of reasons. One, entry level positions are always hard to get, and two, your short stay would put off many employers knowing that you will be gone in just over a year, meaning they would know they'd have to find someone else relatively soon. But, that's just my guess. The way people get around in LA is by car. End of story. It is *possible* to get by without a car, but it is very difficult. Either you have to live very close to your work, or have the two be very close to the same bus or subway line, and the subways are not very extensive, and the buses are very slow. It is not difficult at all to get a driver's license. You study a booklet about the laws for the written test and use some common sense. The driving test is not terribly rigorous, so if you have even a few years' experience driving, it should not pose any problem either. Just try to remember all the things you were taught by your driving instructor. And do stay to the right. A small studio apartment (meaning everything in basically one large room) on your own will run you a minimum of $600-700/month, with no upper limit. "Renting a room" is not as common here as it is in some other places. But it might be possible to find someone who is renting out an extra bedroom for less money than that.
2. I think your novel is missing a few things like: A J1 Visa comes with an employer (private or government) - so why are you looking for employment if you have to have employment to get the visa?!?