J1 San Francisco 2014

Anyone still looking people to live with in San Fran? I'm going for two months from 10th June to August 21st. Would like to live with as many people as possible for the cost and the craic. A friend and I are going out together were both 21 and hope to get jobs in a bar or restaurant. Pretty flexible on area etc.

we've booked ours, €500 security deposit which we should get back and then €500 a month. That seems to be the going rate really! although the rooms are unfurnished which is a bit of a pain so no beds or anything

As somebody living in the states for nearly three years now let me put a point across or possibly have some of my own questions answered by J1'ers or would be J1'ers.

I've seen quite a few people I know and other friends of friends travel to California on a J1. Usually LA, San Diego or San Francisco. Even know some that went to Huntington Beach and Santa Barbara. California is one of the most expensive states in terms of cost of living. The pay is relatively crap for non-skilled work there, most people who work non-skilled jobs there work multiple jobs. My question is, do people who go on J1's have the luxury of just going for the experience rather than to save money to put toward their next college year?

I've seen pictures from J1 trips where they go to music festivals, Disney Land etc. Disney Land is stupid expensive. I can't understand how somebody who works in Popeyes chicken can afford Disney Land, rent and have money towards the next college years rent. What's really the deal?

Also, as somebody who has been all over California. LA is a dump. San Diego is ok but it's not quite what you'd expect, there's a lot of poverty and crime there. San Francisco has a huge homeless population and a really strange uppity hipster vibe. The nicest place I've been to in California so far was Monterey.

Cathyokw wrote: »

we've booked ours, €500 security deposit which we should get back and then €500 a month. That seems to be the going rate really! although the rooms are unfurnished which is a bit of a pain so no beds or anything

What kind of accommodation did ye get through a frat house or an apartment?

Wompa1 wrote: »

As somebody living in the states for nearly three years now let me put a point across or possibly have some of my own questions answered by J1'ers or would be J1'ers.

I've seen quite a few people I know and other friends of friends travel to California on a J1. Usually LA, San Diego or San Francisco. Even know some that went to Huntington Beach and Santa Barbara. California is one of the most expensive states in terms of cost of living. The pay is relatively crap for non-skilled work there, most people who work non-skilled jobs there work multiple jobs. My question is, do people who go on J1's have the luxury of just going for the experience rather than to save money to put toward their next college year?

I've seen pictures from J1 trips where they go to music festivals, Disney Land etc. Disney Land is stupid expensive. I can't understand how somebody who works in Popeyes chicken can afford Disney Land, rent and have money towards the next college years rent. What's really the deal?

Also, as somebody who has been all over California. LA is a dump. San Diego is ok but it's not quite what you'd expect, there's a lot of poverty and crime there. San Francisco has a huge homeless population and a really strange uppity hipster vibe. The nicest place I've been to in California so far was Monterey.

I did 2 J1s so I think I'm placed to answer your questions; majority of people save up or get some sort of assistance from the parents to fund this. Program cost to get over there will be ~€1000 plus another ~€1000 ($1400) to get set up over there with deposits/rents etc. So you're probably looking @ €2k ($2.75k) to get set up and in the market for a job over there. You can generally then break it down into 4 categories of J1ers;

[A] Get a job; support themeselves for the summer after the initial capital. You'll have quite a comfortable life but you'll come home with nothing; an end of J1 trip and Abercrombie & Hollister will eat up everything you've left over

Don't get job; live off the initial capital and maybe a bailout out or two from relatives but eventually run out of money towards the end of July and head home.

[C] Don't get a job; don't need to get a job. Either have funded it themselves entirely (minority) or are from sufficient means (read; high income family) not to need to. Can do virtually everything.

[D] Do/Don't get a job, but are looked after by the local GAA club. Some of the players will get set up, some won't, some won't need to.

I worked a tipping job in Chicago and made a fortune; went to Lolla, Vegas, Six Flags, out 5 nights a week, cooked for myself (outside of BBQs) once the whole summer. Covered it easily. If you rent a two bedder you can easily squeeze 7/8 into it which will drive your rent down to maybe $200 a month. You can eat for $10 a day, 3 cans of Natty Ice or some other such piss costs ~$17. You really can live cheaply there.

cson wrote: »

I did 2 J1s so I think I'm placed to answer your questions; majority of people save up or get some sort of assistance from the parents to fund this. Program cost to get over there will be ~€1000 plus another ~€1000 ($1400) to get set up over there with deposits/rents etc. So you're probably looking @ €2k ($2.75k) to get set up and in the market for a job over there. You can generally then break it down into 4 categories of J1ers;

[A] Get a job; support themeselves for the summer after the initial capital. You'll have quite a comfortable life but you'll come home with nothing; an end of J1 trip and Abercrombie & Hollister will eat up everything you've left over

Don't get job; live off the initial capital and maybe a bailout out or two from relatives but eventually run out of money towards the end of July and head home.

[C] Don't get a job; don't need to get a job. Either have funded it themselves entirely (minority) or are from sufficient means (read; high income family) not to need to. Can do virtually everything.

[D] Do/Don't get a job, but are looked after by the local GAA club. Some of the players will get set up, some won't, some won't need to.

I worked a tipping job in Chicago and made a fortune; went to Lolla, Vegas, Six Flags, out 5 nights a week, cooked for myself (outside of BBQs) once the whole summer. Covered it easily. If you rent a two bedder you can easily squeeze 7/8 into it which will drive your rent down to maybe $200 a month. You can eat for $10 a day, 3 cans of Natty Ice or some other such piss costs ~$17. You really can live cheaply there.

Thanks for that. I would suspect that you were one of the fortunate people to get a high tipping job. But I also guess that since you come over for the summer, you don't need to declare your tips for taxes like somebody in the US would.

It's funny you say the 8 people to a two bedroom apartment. When I was in San Diego, I had a Taxi Driver from Somalia who told me he thought the Irish were very poor people, they have to come to America during the summer to make money to go to school back home and live in small apartment with little furniture and 8 people in each.

finnci wrote: »

Hey, can I ask where you got those quotes?
Also is that frat or apartment?

Hey Finnci, I got them off the frat house Alpha Epilson, I haven't heard back from them in a few days though!

Getting close now gang! Just over 3 weeks for me!

Any tips? What are people doing money wise, they going to transfer it all to dollars before they go or what? I'd be afraid of having tons of cash on me especially with staying in hostel for the first few days!

It seems like everyone here is in the same boat with regards to not really having the accommodation sorted?

I am really hoping that the Frat houses do not fill up because I have had to delay my flights by a week because of Exams and frat houses seem like the best craic and cheapest means to survive haha

KeaneyD wrote: »

It seems like everyone here is in the same boat with regards to not really having the accommodation sorted?

I am really hoping that the Frat houses do not fill up because I have had to delay my flights by a week because of Exams and frat houses seem like the best craic and cheapest means to survive haha

Have you tried contact any frat houses? I'm hoping to try sort something soon but havent really look into it. Have you any contact numbers?

Hi guys
Me and a pal are heading to San Fran on June 2nd and looking for a place to stay and work
Im 23 and he's 21
Seanie wants the chance in staying with yous? We're both doing social care so you can probably guess were not arseholes haha!
Were just keeping our options open and would even head to San Diego if we knew we had something lined up
Anyways get back on to me, cheers!

So I've been talking to a few other people staying in frats and the rooms don't actually have beds... Like we've to sort out our own sleeping stuff. Anyone have any ideas as to where/what to get? If we bought a bed what would we even do with it after 3 months?