J1 Travel Destinations???

I spent the past summer in the Twin-Cities in Minnesota. I had some friends there so I guess that helped a bit. I lived mostly in St. Paul and a little outside it on the Minnesota Wisconsin border. I had a great time, the area around there is really nice. The area in St. Paul where I was had lot's of Universities nearby, so getting a house with some students over the summer would help you settle in I'm sure.

I thought the city of St. Paul was really nice, and if you had a car the countryside isn't that far away and it's beautiful too, I've been told Minneapolis is a little more culturally diverse and definitely more lively, I was only there a handful of times though.

I couldn't find work unfortunately, but it might just have been the summer that was in it, apparently it wasn't great for work. If you had some experience in the restaurant trade I don't think there would be a real problem getting work, just get in there early and apply everywhere and if you're interested in working in Irish pubs there is loads of them, about 5 in the metropolitan area !!

It's only a 1 hour flight from Chicago though so maybe you want to go further afield having been to Chicago, I'd thoroughly recommend going somewhere less common though.

i spent the past summer in maine working at a dropzone i visited boston and new york and would recommend both for different reasons

if you are looking for something different to the usual work a **** job get pissed every night j1 experience then there are options like rafting companies in colorado who will train you up to be a rafting guide for the summer, there are other things along those lines too that i cant remember now.

i cant express how glad i am that i didnt just go to huntington with my mates and do a ****ty job for the summer(they had a great time too no denying it its just not what i wanted)

if i didnt know what i wanted to do now id go to hawaii with a stopover in cali or vegas or both

Penguinssmell wrote: »

ah ok cool, and did they reccomend it or say they'd ever go back? I'm really having a tough time choosing cause i'd like to find somewhere where being irish actually stills matters over there! That list of city popularity wud be a great help thanks

from 2006 http://www.j1online.ie/j12006feedback.asp

i'll try find later ones...

k-k-k-katie wrote: »

...Despite loving it so very much, im in search of a new adventure this summer. San diago takes my fancy cause of the beach thing, the idea of a busy city doesnt do it for me much. Any one have any suggestions??

berkeley is a very relaxed place and you have the option to work in berkeley or take the bart into san fransisco. you can rent a room in a frat house for the whole summer at about $600 a month that will fit 3 people with some room or 6 people in hawaii/san diego-esq squash! jobs are easy enough to get and SF has one of the highest minimum wages in the US. the twon is full of american students and irsh so you really get the best of both worlds and due to the fact there are americans staying in the frat houses too you really integrate with them all, and you get to catch the start of rush week which is awesome!!

phew....

There is plenty of americans around Huntington you can see as much or as little as you want of them. Make sure you have proper ID to get into the real american bars though. You'll find the bars that dont take ID as seriously have alot more Irish. Plus every bar started getting very strict towards the end of this summer.

The places you said you were staying clear of, good choice! you can get big cities anywhere. They are good for a visit but to live I think its better to try somewhere else.

In answer to the Jobs/Accomadation question: HARD. Definatly try get that organised before you go. Most apartments/houses want year long contracts or else rent week by week as a holiday rental and charge a fortune(though I do know one group who contacted the Landlord and negotiated a holiday home down from $8000 to $5000 per month by saying they would take it for the entire summer - still expensive though). We went out there without accomadation and were seriously considering moving down the coast to San Diego because we couldnt find anywhere to live. It worked out very well in the end though we got an apartment right by the beach and main street. Another advantage to organising before you go is you can get an apartment central, near the beach and main street. You dont want to be doing like alot of the J1ers and having to get the bus to go out at night or get to the beach. SOOOO much better to just walk a few blocks:D

There are jobs available but you have to be on the ball and get out there straight away to find them. Again emailing before you go is best. All of the west coast is hard for jobs and accommodation though.

I might see if I can find you some names of apartment complexes etc that took people this year.

Everyone was a J1 virgin once any more questions just ask:D

Hey Oriana, bad news for you im afraid. It can take alot longer than 5 weeks to arrive. I know people who were waiting twice that for it this year. They went home about 2 weeks after they got it! Not everyone had to wait that long though.

Basically you have to wait till you have been in the country 10 days and then go to the local social security office. Remember ALL your forms! They post out your card and number then when it has been processed. It depends on the company whether you can work without it or not. For example the Hyatt in Huntington beach will let you work as they have some form of tax agreement with the IRS however most companies wont leave you work without it. As far as I know it doesnt matter where you are the wait is the same.

Kazkiely, the apartment we managed to get was pure luck by the time we got it we were homeless and desperate for anywhere and that day 2 different Landlords rang us offering us a place and the place we actually got was the best we looked at by far (who can complain about a pool and hottub by the beach:D)!! It was a case of covering loads of ground and ringing everybody we could (spent a fortune in credit it ridiculously expensive to call over there, all the networks even charge you to recieve calls!). You should do some of it by email before you go (craigslist.com is a godsend and I think it where we found the apartment we actually rented). I think I still have my landlords number I could PM it to you, though I think she was selling it after we moved out. And its probably a bit too early to be ringing her yet!

Oh and the Hyatt I mentioned above has a good few jobs going every year. Its GIGANTIC but they go quickly email them before you go over.

Penguinssmell wrote:

And the amount of unreal cars is crazy. By the end of it you've seen so many they dont even impress u anymore!

So true. Cars I was amazed by at the start of the summer were normal by the end of it!

J1 summer is starting tonight, I must watch it see if it brings back any memories:D

Hey Xavi,

I'm thinking of heading to Chicago next summer, a friend of mine has already booked flights for there so he's putting pressure on me to do the same!
How tricky was it to find accomodation/jobs? I'm a bit apprehensive about the whole thing.

trailerparkboy wrote: »

I done my j1 in alaska loved it to bits, lived in Fairbanks just 90 miles south of the artic circle, loved alaska so much ive been back there 3 times since.

you git. i've done a fair bit of travelling but my dream dest as always been Alaska. and i've never heard of anyone going there for a J1. deadly!

gavfly wrote: »

I was wondering if people could give me some feedback on J1 Destinations? I went to Chicago 2 years ago and really enjoyed it, but would like to do something a bit different if possible next Summer. Have got feedback on the usuals of New York, Boston and San Fran but was hoping some people out there have gone somewhere original. Thanks

I spent the summer in the Alaska interior beside Denali national park. I shot lots and lots of guns, rode around in the back of a pickup, had numerous exciting backpacking trips in the wilderness. I lived in a little four man cabin in the woods near the town of Healy, it backed right onto the national park. One trip, I was dozens of miles from the nearest town and I was very lucky to see gray wolf about 80yards away for 3 minutes. I even bumped into a grizzly bear (well 15 feet away) on my last trip, he just snorted and I walked away slowly. As far as unusual holidays go, this one took the biscuit. I even spent two days getting to the famous Fairbanks 142 bus from Into the Wild fame. Jobs are very easy to get up there as well. I'm going back summer 09'.

What year did you go trailerpark boy?How did you go moose hunting? I spent a good few night up in Fairbanks myself.

I stayed with a friend the times I was there, he had a dry cabin out near the university. I was only out in the bars once, can't remember the name for the life of me. I enjoyed beer and campfires a lot more when I was there, there's enough bars at home here.

I was wondering how managed to get moose hunting considering the license itself is 500 dollars for a non-resident alien, you need a signed affidavit proving that you have someone to guide you and I think you need a big game tag aswell. That and moose season usually begins in September when all the j1'ers are going or gone... and if you broke the law...shame on you:D

Great place for J1 though, I'm going back summer 2009.