Thinking about Travelling to the US Solo for Zen Reasons, Tips?

• 

  RockyRaccoon on 11/09/2016 - 00:01

  +1

  Google Gap Year work in USA.

  More info on many sites than can be covered here.

• 

  spackbace on 11/09/2016 - 01:40

  +1

  You're talking about getting a job there, but we don't know your experience

  I would imagine bar work would be easy-ish for an aussie to get into and get tips

• 

  toniyellow on 11/09/2016 - 11:43

  +1

  If you are a recent graduate there is the 12-month Student Work and Travel Pilot Program. Its a form of J visa.
  http://www.ustraveldocs.com/au/au-niv-typej.asp

  You have to use a sponsoring organisation, but don't need to line up a job beforehand or didn't back then.It looks like some details of the visa may have changed since I did it back in 2008. I used ICEO as the sponsor because they were the cheapest at that time, then realised the medical insurance they provided was not that great (e.g. didn't cover ski injuries - and I planned to work in a ski resort for the first four months), they didn't allow an upgrade to the insurance coverage and I had to top up with additional travel insurance - result being I could have gone with a bigger sponsor that had more connections, for less money. Good life lesson to read the fine print.I just googled and am disappointed to see they are still in business. I made a complaint back then, the 'pilot' program was really a pilot then

  The economic climate there at the time likely had a big input but it was really hard to get any kind of non-seasonal work on a short term visa. Most Americans are not used to the idea of a gap year, and could not figure out what I was doing there. Unskilled jobs were hard to come by as there are many people willing to work cash in had for incredibly low wages. I lived in some incredibly dodgy apartments, and got a good insight into how bad social equality is there, spent ALL my savings - had hoped to cover my cost of living when I was there and use my savings for travel afterwards, but I came home broke. I don't regret it, lots of great life experience, but a lot tougher than I expected and not really 'pad the resume' type experience. Lots of short term random jobs.After the ski resort, I did office temping mostly, hostel work, and volunteering for room/board on short term projects like building a trail in a national park.

• 

  Sunshines bright on 11/09/2016 - 20:10

  +3

  As an American, I can say that the jobs are few and far between, especially if you don't want to stay long term. Most employers frown on training someone knowing they will be going in a short time. Even in the fast-food and retail industry your best not to suggest it is short term employment. Also the wages will be very disappointing compared to here, and if you do get a job it most like will not cover your costs to live there. It is not expensive but the wages are so bad compared to the cost of living.

  I do not know about getting Visa's so can't help there. But I do expect that work visa are impossible to come by. And it is not legal to hire you (not that all employers follow the law) without a work visa.

  Your link above for the pacific Northwest is this: [PC/PS4/PS3/Xbox One/Xbox 360] Life Is Strange Episode 1 FREE, so you might want to edit it.

  MY son lives in Washington State and he says it is beautiful there. He has very little skills, no technical training or university degree but manages to find work??? So maybe work does exist, though he has needed roommates to afford to live. He has worked retail and in petrol shops like coles express or 7/11 here. Matter of fact you can find 7/11's all over I do believe.

  I would plan to have to cover all your costs up front, with your savings to be honest… The USA does not think like most other countries when it comes to seasonal, or temp work for migrants. They think all jobs should be only for Americans no matter what the job is. They really have a bad attitude towards outsiders taking their jobs. And the concept of working to pay for a holiday is very foreign to them.

  Best of luck.

  • 

    zappy32 on 13/09/2016 - 00:30

    +2

    This seems to be a lot of what I hear too. I'd suggest looking to get a working holiday visa in Canada if you're under 30 and working that side of the border and you can do plenty of road trips in the US. For instance, a lot of Aussies work the snowfield during the season in places like Whistler and then you can buy a cheapish car and drive it around the Pacific NW and then head somewhere else and find work.

    I've only lived in Canada but know a few people who have worked in USA and nearly all had a professional job lined up before they went and the only ones who didn't, one was working for $6 an hour at a laundromat and they other for about $8 and hour after tips in a bar in NYC which doesn't leave a lot/any after paying rent.

    I wouldn't expect the wages to be much better in Canada but if you do seasonal work you can certainly save money.

  • 

    InfraRed on 15/09/2016 - 22:17

    Thanks for the advice, My Possum (or is it Your Possum…?). It's great to get your American point of view. BTW, the game Life is Strange is set in Oregon that's why I mentioned it, but I can understand why it makes no sense out of context. 😋

• 

  InfraRed on 15/09/2016 - 20:26

  Thanks for the replies guys! You have definitely given me a lot to think about.