Berkeley CA on the J1 2014

lisa_celtic

Well..

I'm heading off to San Fran for the summer but planning on living in Berkeley as the rent is cheaper and we have heard the atmophere is good with everyone round the student accomadations..

Has any1 any advice.. I have been reading all the forums and that but not really come up with info only its a good place..

any advice on jobs?? I think we are going to sublet an apartment for the three months as we need to work and all night frat partys are ok.. wenits not your house :L

There are 6 of us going! Any1 else headin over?:P

farva

I did a j1 last summer in Santa Barbara up till the end of July, went to Vegas for a few days and then to Berkeley for about 2 weeks. We only got to Berkeley at the start of August so it was bound to not be as good as if you we're there earlier on but to be honest I didn't think that it was a patch on Santa Barbara. Santa Barbara is a beach town with everything very spread out, while Berkeley is way more urban. I know people who loved Berkeley but if I could do it again I'd go back to Santa Barbara before Berkeley.

We stayed in a frat which was novel at first but it was an ABSOLUTE KIP (sh1t everywhere, sink full of brown stagnent water, flies swarming the bin...) and only we were staying there for free there is not a chance that I would have stayed! I'm not fussy but that was taking the p1ss!

Go over as early as you can as people start going home at the start of August and its easier to get your social security documents processed. Don't bother getting a J1 visa if you think you may not be working ( I wasted €475 on a visa when I had no intention of working - I was starting my real job here in September)

Its an unbelievable summer, I'd sell my soul to go back!!!!

rolypolymoly

I went on a j1 to Berkeley this summer and had the time of my life! San Fran is an amazing city..We did a roadtrip through cali and visited SB,LA and San Diego! They were all great but Berkeley was still my favorite(people who visited us who were doing their J1s in those areas preferrred where they were though, so i think people just seem to love where they do their j1 because in a way it becomes your home!)

We stayed in Frat House where none of the people seemed to have problems getting up for work! The parties wont always be in your house and they are usually started by the irish students that live there and not the americans(since they're in summer college)!
I'd deffo recommend staying in a frat. true ours was a kip but we made friends with some lovely americans and had cheaper rent!

You could stay somewhere like telegrah commons either-it had college type accomodation(with single,double and triple rooms) with communal bathrooms and kitchens. Not the most exciting place but cleaner and quieter than a fraternity!

lisa_celtic

rolypolymoly wrote: »

I went on a j1 to Berkeley this summer and had the time of my life! San Fran is an amazing city..We did a roadtrip through cali and visited SB,LA and San Diego! They were all great but Berkeley was still my favorite(people who visited us who were doing their J1s in those areas preferrred where they were though, so i think people just seem to love where they do their j1 because in a way it becomes your home!)

We stayed in Frat House where none of the people seemed to have problems getting up for work! The parties wont always be in your house and they are usually started by the irish students that live there and not the americans(since they're in summer college)!
I'd deffo recommend staying in a frat. true ours was a kip but we made friends with some lovely americans and had cheaper rent!

You could stay somewhere like telegrah commons either-it had college type accomodation(with single,double and triple rooms) with communal bathrooms and kitchens. Not the most exciting place but cleaner and quieter than a fraternity!

What Frat House did you stay in had you it booked or did ye arrive at the door??

Also any advice on jobs.. were havin no luck at all like.. wats the night life like? Tnx

rolypolymoly

We had the accomodation booked before hand and it was hard to find so we were lucky to get it. I finished my exams later, so I didn't get out there until mid June by that stage all the frats were full but before that I think people were doing the whole knocking on doors thing.

Some people got jobs with Abercrombie and Fitch, some with a bike shop ('bay city bikes' and 'blazing saddles'),others in restaurants on pier 39(big toursity place in san fran), 3people i know got a job in a smoothie bar, and others in Aldo in a place called emryville which is about an hours bus journey away. One girl I know worked in a clothes shop in Berkeley but she was very lucky to get that and the chances of getting a job in Berkely and very small. A+F and Aldo give very little hours so working in a restaurant would be better if you want something more full time. I didnt get a job in the end but that was prob a combo arriving late and not trying very hard to get one! One company 'Enviroment California' gave jobs to literally everyone who applied but that job invovles calling to peoples doors and trying to get them to set up direct debits to save the environment, and you have to meet targets so most lasted about two days!

I think it would be hard to get a job before going out there unless you had contacts out there, because most of those jobs were given on the basis of fillling out application forms(they tend not to bother looking at CVs)

I stayed in a house called Acacia ($900 dollars from mid may-mid august) The guys were really sound but pretty into their drugaí so if if that offends ya,you might wanna steer clear!
As far as i can recall some of the houses taking on Irish(lots of them don't) were:
Sigma Nu (big party house)
Kappa Delta Rho (KDp)
Pi Lamba(or something like that)
and there was a few more which i cannot recall!

If you google something like cal frat houses berkely or summer accomodation you might getta link to some of their websites and e-mail the housing manager.

There was another student accomdation place called Rochdale that had student apartments(dirty but not as bad as our frat) It had really good parties on Friday nights!

If you non'frat/dorm accomodation a website called craiglist is the way foward, just go to the Berkeley area on it and look for summer acc-summer sublet. I know some people who got a lovely apartment on that.

The nightlife is amazing!! Houseparties galore! and the drink is disgracefully cheap! If youre under 21 id recommend gettin some sort of drivers licence becuse there are some really fun bars that have karoke etc.. They accept the drivers licence everywhre no prob!

I know its disheartening when you cant find anywhere i e-mailed around 50 people last year before getting this place because a friend of a friend found it. But ya'll get something since the pop of Berkeley literally halves during the summer when the majority of students head home for the holidays.
My advise is definitely go to Berkeley, you'll have the time of your life!
I had the best summer ever and met some truly amazing prople! The hardest bit was coming home..I'm getting all nostalgic thinking about it!!!

Popa_irl

rolypolymoly wrote: »

We had the accomodation booked before hand and it was hard to find so we were lucky to get it. I finished my exams later, so I didn't get out there until mid June by that stage all the frats were full but before that I think people were doing the whole knocking on doors thing.

Some people got jobs with Abercrombie and Fitch, some with a bike shop ('bay city bikes' and 'blazing saddles'),others in restaurants on pier 39(big toursity place in san fran), 3people i know got a job in a smoothie bar, and others in Aldo in a place called emryville which is about an hours bus journey away. One girl I know worked in a clothes shop in Berkeley but she was very lucky to get that and the chances of getting a job in Berkely and very small. A+F and Aldo give very little hours so working in a restaurant would be better if you want something more full time. I didnt get a job in the end but that was prob a combo arriving late and not trying very hard to get one! One company 'Enviroment California' gave jobs to literally everyone who applied but that job invovles calling to peoples doors and trying to get them to set up direct debits to save the environment, and you have to meet targets so most lasted about two days!

I think it would be hard to get a job before going out there unless you had contacts out there, because most of those jobs were given on the basis of fillling out application forms(they tend not to bother looking at CVs)

I stayed in a house called Acacia ($900 dollars from mid may-mid august) The guys were really sound but pretty into their drugaí so if if that offends ya,you might wanna steer clear!
As far as i can recall some of the houses taking on Irish(lots of them don't) were:
Sigma Nu (big party house)
Kappa Delta Rho (KDp)
Pi Lamba(or something like that)
and there was a few more which i cannot recall!

If you google something like cal frat houses berkely or summer accomodation you might getta link to some of their websites and e-mail the housing manager.

There was another student accomdation place called Rochdale that had student apartments(dirty but not as bad as our frat) It had really good parties on Friday nights!

If you non'frat/dorm accomodation a website called craiglist is the way foward, just go to the Berkeley area on it and look for summer acc-summer sublet. I know some people who got a lovely apartment on that.

The nightlife is amazing!! Houseparties galore! and the drink is disgracefully cheap! If youre under 21 id recommend gettin some sort of drivers licence becuse there are some really fun bars that have karoke etc.. They accept the drivers licence everywhre no prob!

I know its disheartening when you cant find anywhere i e-mailed around 50 people last year before getting this place because a friend of a friend found it. But ya'll get something since the pop of Berkeley literally halves during the summer when the majority of students head home for the holidays.
My advise is definitely go to Berkeley, you'll have the time of your life!
I had the best summer ever and met some truly amazing prople! The hardest bit was coming home..I'm getting all nostalgic thinking about it!!!

Hey moy, truly the best summer ever!

"That girls got a big 'ol butt"

rolypolymoly

Popa! Feckin hell you actually disappeared after Berkeley!!
Ya Cldn't have any annonimity in this world Culd ya!!?!

Have ya nothing of use to add to the thread to help this girl find acom?!
What house did you stay in again??

Popa_irl

Oh ya i got loads of good advice.

Accom:
I stayed in the student CO-OPERATIVE houses which are kind of like frat/sorority houses but less rich, lol. They are huge houses with many different communal rooms, joint bathrooms and large bedrooms. The houses are cool, they are decorated to they style of a hippie comune. Actually the people in the houses are very hippieish and really relaxed. I got on with a good few of them but you always have better crack with irish people. The houses have a very large range of different cultures/personalities, its not just the same bonehead dumbass americas shouting "YEAH, LETS GET ****ING WASTED MAN!! WOOO, IM GONNA **** ALL YOU CHICKS".

The CO-OP apartments were ok. Well i really only went to, **** i forget the name but moy you remember. The one with all the wood walls and parties. Where that fat mexican lived. Anyway, the apartments were small but ok.

I liked the house and some of the people in there but it was hard for me at first cause i went over on me own. Into a new house not knowing anyone.

My advise, secure a frat house. Good crack and theres always someone different to talk to and hang out with.

Jobs:
You're biggest problem is jobs what with the recession and all. Check craigslist.com for jobs DAILY. I worked for a company 'I-Candy Canvas Cooperation'. Best job i ever had. I sold drinks and sweets to people at music concerts. You just walkin around talking to loads of people and they love you cause your irish and buy loads of **** off you. I remember i was working at a rock concert at night and there was a stink of weed everywhere. So i started walkin around shout "Munchies, stoners get your munchies!" everyone started laughin and i made a tonne of money. "Hey, munchies guy. Over here" Long way to travel but worth a few days work with them.

Ya work with Enviornment California too. You might last a few weeks but if you dont they still have to pay you for the 2 day evaluation period they have. So you can make 200 dollars easy.

BUSK. Sing some irish songs and see how you do. I was gonna do this but the other lad never got a tin whistle.

Hows that Moy?

Blackthorn1011

lisa_celtic wrote: »

Well..

I'm heading off to San Fran for the summer but planning on living in Berkeley as the rent is cheaper and we have heard the atmophere is good with everyone round the student accomadations..

Has any1 any advice.. I have been reading all the forums and that but not really come up with info only its a good place..

any advice on jobs?? I think we are going to sublet an apartment for the three months as we need to work and all night frat partys are ok.. wenits not your house :L

There are 6 of us going! Any1 else headin over?:P

Jobs in Berkeley are hard to find, but it's still a great place to live for the summer, the BART is great and gets you around pretty easily.

If ye can swim, try the water parks around the place, they always take on a load of people, also try places with walnut creek and others along the pittsburg BART line. People I was with last year got jobs there.

In the city definately try Blazing Saddles, its up past pier 39, they pay well and its great craic. Although the days can be long and you have to be really out-going and full of energy the whole time. Also Ben & Jerry's hired a couple of the lads plus you get as much free ice cream as you want!

There's a few houses and flats around the frat houses and the college which are perfect so make sure you head to berkeley early and have a gander about!

lisa_celtic

Popa_irl wrote: »

Oh ya i got loads of good advice.

Accom:
I stayed in the student CO-OPERATIVE houses which are kind of like frat/sorority houses but less rich, lol. They are huge houses with many different communal rooms, joint bathrooms and large bedrooms. The houses are cool, they are decorated to they style of a hippie comune. Actually the people in the houses are very hippieish and really relaxed. I got on with a good few of them but you always have better crack with irish people. The houses have a very large range of different cultures/personalities, its not just the same bonehead dumbass americas shouting "YEAH, LETS GET ****ING WASTED MAN!! WOOO, IM GONNA **** ALL YOU CHICKS".

The CO-OP apartments were ok. Well i really only went to, **** i forget the name but moy you remember. The one with all the wood walls and parties. Where that fat mexican lived. Anyway, the apartments were small but ok.

I liked the house and some of the people in there but it was hard for me at first cause i went over on me own. Into a new house not knowing anyone.

My advise, secure a frat house. Good crack and theres always someone different to talk to and hang out with.

Jobs:
You're biggest problem is jobs what with the recession and all. Check craigslist.com for jobs DAILY. I worked for a company 'I-Candy Canvas Cooperation'. Best job i ever had. I sold drinks and sweets to people at music concerts. You just walkin around talking to loads of people and they love you cause your irish and buy loads of **** off you. I remember i was working at a rock concert at night and there was a stink of weed everywhere. So i started walkin around shout "Munchies, stoners get your munchies!" everyone started laughin and i made a tonne of money. "Hey, munchies guy. Over here" Long way to travel but worth a few days work with them.

Ya work with Enviornment California too. You might last a few weeks but if you dont they still have to pay you for the 2 day evaluation period they have. So you can make 200 dollars easy.

BUSK. Sing some irish songs and see how you do. I was gonna do this but the other lad never got a tin whistle.

Hows that Moy?

Thanks

I was looking at the co-ops alright are they expensive? like the four bed would we get away with five in them or do they check it out? coz we have one couple?

once i have a gaff sorted i dnt mind work im sure we will get some somewhere..

Popa_irl

lisa_celtic wrote: »

Thanks

I was looking at the co-ops alright are they expensive? like the four bed would we get away with five in them or do they check it out? coz we have one couple?

once i have a gaff sorted i dnt mind work im sure we will get some somewhere..

Nah seriously, get a job sorted before you go out. It will be really hard to find a job this year because of the recession, i found it hard and it was just starting. If you have a job before you go out, your J1 visa is cheaper.

The co-ops aren't expenseive. About 1200 dollars for the 3 months. You have to do chores like sweeping and cleaning stuff. If you dont you will get fined, serious ammounts.

I'd say you'd get 5 in there, they aren't too strict. If you need another bed they will give you one from another empty room.

Honestly, i would say try and get into the frat's or sorerity's.

Turnip2000

Great posts. Don't suppose anybody has as much to say about santa barbara. Few of us going for 2 months from june 3rd.

keltoms

lisa_celtic wrote: »

Well..

I'm heading off to San Fran for the summer but planning on living in Berkeley as the rent is cheaper and we have heard the atmophere is good with everyone round the student accomadations..

Has any1 any advice.. I have been reading all the forums and that but not really come up with info only its a good place..

any advice on jobs?? I think we are going to sublet an apartment for the three months as we need to work and all night frat partys are ok.. wenits not your house :L

There are 6 of us going! Any1 else headin over?:P

stayed in berkeley last summer for about 10 weeks was unreal!

6 of us rented a 2 bed appartment about 5 mins walk from the university, loads of frat houses around and parties nearly every night! drink was dirt cheap too. u can get about a 2 litre bottle of popov vodka for about 13 dollars! :eek:

as regards jobs, not many going in berkeley itself. if ur heading over there early check out the cinemas on shattuck street (about 10-15 min walk) - theres 2 of them and there was about 5-8 irish working there and it was a dead handy job! if u dont get one there then head into A+F or american eagle they take on a good few too.

as for accomodation be careful where u rent ur appt - our appt was grand but the only was that 2 mins away was a park called peoples park where there was about 100 or more homeless people just living in bushes and trees - bit dodgey at night time. one night i was walking up to a frat house and one of them fell out of the tree right in front of me!:eek:

other dan dat just be carefull jay walking (40 dollar on the spot fine - not really enforced though) and always cover ur alcohol in public (40 dollar fine)


anyway u'll have the summer of ur life its amazing over there! make sure u go to lake tahoe and vegas!!!

vinylbomb

Just my two cents, but why live in Berkeley? I was over in SF on a J1 in 2003, lived in Mission and loved every minute of it, stayed in a gorgeous colonial house with a bunch of other long term travelers, rent was only a ton a week (the frats work out not too disimilar). Some of my mates stayed in Berkeley, they couldn't get jobs and every time I went out there it was just gangs of Irish on the p*ss, most of them ran out of cash and went home after 6-7 weeks.

I guess its what you make of it. I wanted to live in San Francisco, and get the vibe of the city. If you live in Berkeley you wont get that, you'll have a different experience.

And IMHO you'd be missing a very special thing indeed, SF is a gem.

lisa_celtic

vinylbomb wrote: »

Just my two cents, but why live in Berkeley? I was over in SF on a J1 in 2003, lived in Mission and loved every minute of it, stayed in a gorgeous colonial house with a bunch of other long term travelers, rent was only a ton a week (the frats work out not too disimilar). Some of my mates stayed in Berkeley, they couldn't get jobs and every time I went out there it was just gangs of Irish on the p*ss, most of them ran out of cash and went home after 6-7 weeks.

I guess its what you make of it. I wanted to live in San Francisco, and get the vibe of the city. If you live in Berkeley you wont get that, you'll have a different experience.

And IMHO you'd be missing a very special thing indeed, SF is a gem.

We were going for Berkeley as we had heard cheeper ret ad the weather is better there! Id like the city as I want to be able to work in a bar or something and late ight travel to berkeley is ot great. Ay advice on city accomadation?

whitey21

San Fran is a great city, but very difficult to get accomodation in the city! The people i knew who had accomodation in the city knew a friend of a friend etc or were in a house belonging to one of the GAA clubs or just got extremely lucky! Hostels like St Pauls (full of irish people) on columbus street, do deals were you can become a resident in them, you must book in on a temp basis first! Rent becomes very reasonable then and you are well close to union square and well close to pier39 and north beach (where loads a good pubs and clubs are). There are other hostel places that do similar deals!
Berkley seems to me to be an easier place to find accomodation than SF! but its about 40-45mins on the BART into SF! You are doing your j1 in berkley, near SF but nearer to oakland! Its like saying your going to dublin but staying in mullingar kinda situation, if you catch my drift!
Jobs are mostly seem to be gotten in removals/moving companies, irish bars, aldo, bike rental shops (huge business in SF) Abercrombie, Ruehl, (other A&F like shops, but cant think of the names), HMV, the Aqaurium, lots of places on pier 39! The best thing to do is to just go into places and ask for the manager! dont just let anybody give you a application form(you'll fill out hundreds of these application forms...load of crap, so they are. Real stereotypical american). The problem though with these jobs is that they dont give much hours, most less than 20hours a week!!! You have to be really cheesey happy in the jobs too :rolleyes:
Anyways, good luck in SF, huge thumbs up!!:D Great city, great J1! Cant wait to go back some day!

lisa_celtic

Hey thanks to all u guys that replyed.. we got sorted with a Frat House at a very good price today.. Happy days roll on the summer!!

Now..

Dear Mr. President.. Make some one give me a job in berkeley.. Im Irish

Katie Clerkin

Hey,

Just lookin up frat houses ere at da mo, sigma nu is poppin up everywer, seems like a good party hse! how did u go about gettin ur frat hse booked & sorted out?? I wanna get ous sorted b4 we land out ther?!

Thanks

jonsnow

I stayed in San Francisco for a summer on the J1 in 2003.I lived in several different areas with a group of lads.Accomodation is not difficult to get in the city provided you arrive reasonably early in the summer and we found it reasonably priced if you looked around.As long as you use your head and if people are prepared to you can cram a load of friends into your apartment/house and cut down on the rent without tipping off the rental agency/landlord.

Although we lived in the city we regularly commuted out to Berkely to visit friends,workmates and to go to frathouse parties.If your looking for barwork in the city you,ll probably have to live in San Fran.The BART(subway) stops at midnight and only starts up again at 6 if memory serves me correctly.

Lots of people I talked to living in Berkely loved the buzz of living in a Frat and you get to meet more americans.But I personally thought they were disgusting dumps (of an ocean s***y or wildwood standard) and was glad to visit for class parties but gladder to return to my clean modern apartment.

We all got jobs but I,d imagine the market is a lot tighter now.I have been to a number of american cities but San Fran is definetly my favourite.Good luck

Blackthorn1011

Katie Clerkin wrote: »

Hey,

Just lookin up frat houses ere at da mo, sigma nu is poppin up everywer, seems like a good party hse! how did u go about gettin ur frat hse booked & sorted out?? I wanna get ous sorted b4 we land out ther?!

Thanks

You'll have to email the house summer manager.

Try one of these:

taylor.smith@fmgtucson.com
calsigmanu@calsigmanu.com

lisa_celtic

Any one want to rent a room in a berkeley frat contact me <snip>

It will be yere own room so ye can share with friends its 850 deposit and 850 rent per month hot tub roof dec bar etc

iammakc

Hi guys,
Were heading over to an Fransisco this summer just wondering if anyone that was there before has the contact details of the Frat house you stayed in?
They're impossible to get in contact with! Would love to have it sorted before getting there.

Also does everyone have their own bed in the frat houses?