Anyone here ever move for a job to a place with no family/friends?

[Scouzer]

i am in the midst of it right now. i am 19

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: KarmaPolice
I am only 22 and still in college..and going to college doesnt really count. Still I would do it...I love just going...I am really trying to figure out a career where I get a chance to travel and meet new people all the time.

For instance this summer I went to 7 concerts so far.....All but one by myself. Granted I only had to travle 9 hours at most..but still its a lot of fun going someplace..having a lot of fun meeting cool people, and just being yourself. Its very cool thing how if you go off by yourself you can totally be who you are. You realize that none of these people have any judgements against you...

interesting, cause i was considering going to this concert by myself if this girl I called doesn't get back to me/want to go..i guess it would be fun

i'm doing the same thing as the OP, moving from Texas to go to grad school in Atlanta in August - i only know one person there, that I just met this summer..i've kinda been on my own the last few weeks in Phoenix but I have a few friends here--mostly from the intern program at my company..but its still kinda lonely being away from all of my college friends and family

 

[beer]

I'm moving to SF in two months to do just this.
I'll be working in south bay, sunnyvale, but living in SF because of what you mentioned - it will be easier to meet people and the overall preception, of how much they enjoy their lives, seems to be higher in san francisco than in san jose. Commute be damned! (at least I have caltrain).

 

[The Batt?sai]

Originally posted by: Buck Armstrong
No, but I've dreamed about doing it for years.

:thumbsup:

 

[sygyzy]

I say do it. I personally have no problem being away from family. Friends are a little tougher, but you just make new ones. I mean really, as a grown up, how long can you stay close to the roost?

 

[E equals MC2]

advise me.

 

[paulw86]

No, and I don't think I'll do it either. Unless the wage is like 2x of my former, then I may think about it.

 

[akodi]

10 months ago moved from Berkeley to Irvine for Grad school, can't say I regret it but I definitely miss my family.

 

[Yossarian]

Yeah I did that twice. Once to move from Massachusetts to Los Angeles, second time to Dallas. Then I moved back to L.A. a couple years later because I fvcking hated Dallas.

 

[saymyname]

I've done it a few times. It's pretty tough in the begining. Some cities are harder than others.

 

[Svnla]

OP, let me put it this way. You can come back and visit your friends/family because they will be there but you can't come back and get this job if you don't take it now <the job will be taken by someone else>.

I will move anywhere if the pay and benefits are good. Heck, I almost move to Iraq to work for KBR last year but didn't because of all the IEDs and killings overthere.

 

[Nebor]

I've never done it (always lived in Dallas except for college,) but I would if I got a great offer elsewhere.

Dallas is a great town if you get out and live it. If you're going to stay inside and keep to yourself, you're just going to think the weather sucks.

 

[DefDC]

I did this when I graduated college. It was scary and lonely at 1st, but I tend to meet lots of people and make friends easily. I'd say, go for it. If you can afford a much nicer house, throw a couple of parties for your co-workers, and have them bring some friends...

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: AaronB
I may have the opportunity to move to Dallas TX for work. Doing so would be the next step along my career path but other than a few people that work for our Dallas office, I don't know anyone there.

Have any of you ever moved to a place where you knew no one and ended up being glad you did? How many of you hated it?

This would likely be permanent btw.

A friend from California moved to Dallas to work with Neiman Marcus. He was back in California within 2 1/2 years.

I left California in 2003 to work in Central Texas...and they couldn't pay me enough to stay past my contract to Jun 07

Neither of us had any friends/family in the area....well, except each other of course

But the two hour drive and each of our workloads meant that it was practical to hang out only every months...

 

[pontifex]

sometimes i think its the only way i'd ever get a decent job but i don't know if i could do it.

i think if the company paid for me to move out there and paid for my living arrangements until i got totally settled, it might make the move easier. i don't really make friends that easily, or at least ones that i do stuff with. like i'm sort of friends with some people at my job here, but i don't hang out with them and they usually don't invite me to anything.

 

[pclstyle]

lonely for the first 6 months to a year. that period is longer, much longer if you make no effort to acquaint youselves with new friends, or find a way to occupy/entertain yourself after work, etc. exponentially worse if you are leaving behind a significant other.


otherwise, if you're relatively independent, outgoing enough to at least find a hobby or something worth being passionate about, and with no significant ties, you could have the greatest experience of your life

 

[EngenZerO]

yep. still don't really have any new real good friends here (just people i hang out with)... and i have lost ties with most of my old friends (which is what really sucks)... oh well,

 

[TXHokie]

Moved to Dallas 8 yrs ago and made friends thru work thru various jobs. My wife made friends thru her workout gym and church also. I found the friends I made in Dallas are much more genuinely friendly and nicer that the people back in the northeast where I used to live. Maybe it's because you don't have to chase dollars as hard here as you would in the more expensive area? I don't know. Something to be said about southern hospitality.

 

[Platypus]

Yeah, though I took a friend with me to the job so I dunno if that counts.

 

[andyfasthands]

..poll?? I vote: move to Dallas. A lot of things to do, fine women. You could also learn to appreciate all that you have w/ your family and your family will probably return the support and build confidence in you taking care of yourself. They want what's best for YOU. If you've got an opportunity... I say go for it. Otherwise you may regret it and then it would be your family who pays because they have to look at your sorry butt. Just kidding. All joking aside, you've already said the New Orleans market is screwed.

You said that this is most likely permanent? What makes it permanent?

::edit:: btw, I've moved like this twice. Once to San Jose, CA... and once to Washington DC. I grew up in Dallas and visit often. Lots of friendly, down to earth people... and you're right--you can buy a spacious house in Dallas at a bargain. In any case, I've learned a lot and had fun making friends that I now couldn't imagine my life w/out.

 

[elektrolokomotive]

Originally posted by: Ameesh
i moved to seattle like that

Me too. 2 years now, and still no real friends outside of work.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Many years ago I moved from DFW to Washington D.C. under the same circumstances and it was rough for the first few months, but it got alot better once I made some friends.

I love the DFW area, I've lived here most of my life and the diversity here is like no where else in the country. Jobs are plentiful, and things to do in your off time are even more plentiful. For the most part the people are great and you should have no problem making friends. And there are alot of people here from the NOLA area, and if you get too homesick is only about a 10hr drive. I say go for it

 

[Dracos]

Yes I have moved for a job to a place with no family or friends. In fact thats how I ended up in Iowa coming from Chicago. At least you have a chance to move to a big city like Dallas.

My new job put me in Iowa's version of South Park...

 

[CrackRabbit]

I have done it twice now, once from Austin to Houston and recently from Houston to Portland.
I miss my family, and I'm not much of a social person so making new friends isn't a big deal to me.
The scenerey here is so much nicer though.

 

[jmdeathsquad]

yeah man, I've moved a bunch of times to places where I don't have any family/friends... its tough at first but you'll meet some new people... its especially easy if you can find people with similar hobbies/interests (as I think someone mentioned)

 

[Babbles]

I moved from DFW to central PA about a year ago for work. Due to the job I accepted, it was totally worth it and I am glad I did it. There are times I miss "home" but also so many of my friends have either moved or gotten so caught up with their professional life, in a way I don't see them any less now that I live 1400 miles further away.

I wouldn't recommend living in the city of Dallas itself, but there are plenty of other towns in the Metroplex that are great places to live. Additionally there is just so much you can do, you would have to be a major wallflower not to be able to make friends. Also as stereotypical as it may seem, I really do think that people are a bit more friendly and open in the south as opposed to the north - well at least the northeast.