So here's the deal:
I was talking with my dad a couple of nights ago about finances and such, and without going into too much detail, I have just above/under 20,000 dollars saved for college. The way prices are always keeping going up, this leaves me about enough for a year, maybe a year and a half at an away school, when I will need at LEAST two years, probably closer to three for undergrad, and then possibly grad school as well. And I don't want to take out loans, really, unless I absolutely have to, because I decided to not go back to Israel until I finished all my school, because I don't want to move back and forth, ad nauseam, so I just want to finish school and be able to hop on a plane bound for the homeland and not have to worry about paying back loans first.
My dad suggested working full time for a year or two first, especially in this field that my cousin got involved in a year or two ago that he makes some pretty decent scrap: Import/export. Like, what he does is the documentation and research for customs/customs clearance. It seems kinda boring, but when he explained it a little bit more, it seemed kinda interesting, and supposedly you can make a pretty decent living on it (my cousin supporst himself and his disabled wife doing just this) and so my dad thinks I could probably make the equivalent of like between 15 and 18 dollars an hour, 40 hours a week, with maybe a little (but not a lot of overtime) which, with my crude mathematical figures, that means approximately 22000 a year or so. Of course minus taxes and living expenses, but I should be able to put at least 1/3 of that away for school per year. Which would be cool.
Another cool thing about this is that it is a growing field that can easily get employment in any major market/port/shipping town. So I can really move pretty much anywhere in the country and have the ability to get a decent job, which would be cool. Because 1. I could move out of my mom's house, and 2. get some "living" experience before going back to dorms or whatever, and 3. I could then move to another state that has better weather, and whose universities I would like to attend, and get myself residency, as well as declare myself as independent and be eligible for much more financial aid, then.
The only downside is that this industry requires studying/passing a test to get into, kinda like the bar for lawyer, just not as hyped-up, important, and requiring a lot less time and money. So I probably wouldn't get going right away after Harper, I would probably have to take a short term (like 6 month, maybe) full time gig (maybe at like Comcast, or somewhere else that pays halfway decently) and then move/get new job.
Now, you might be wondering why I'm even telling all of you guys this: its simple really, and the reason is two-fold:
1. I really don't want to move to a completely diffferent city or state totally alone, without knowing ANYONE because I get homesick/lonely easily if I don't know ANYONE. I'm not trying to find a roommate or anything like that here--I have many other places to turn for that: but if you know any of the below areas, really in any sort of depth at all, and can give recommendations about the cities/areas themselves, costs of living, etc, THAT would be greatly appreciated.
Yeah, this post is more intended for the older crowd here.
For your information, here's about 3/4 major areas which I'm considering, IF I decide to do this, as this isn't a done deal yet, at all. And yes, there all much farther south, in the warm weather.
Arizona:
Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale area
Tucson area
This will be nice because it will be nice warm and deserty. I have to still check on how much shipping they do from here, as Arizona is landlocked, and im not sure how much airfreight they will do. But it will also enable me to get residency for arizona, and so I can go to ASU or UA for in-state fees.
Texas:
Houston/Galveston area
or maybe the San Antonio area
Southern Texas, like Galveston area is supposed to be pretty nice and relatively liberal as well. And major shipping area as well. And, it will enable me to get residencey in Texas and go to UT Austin for in-state fees, which is good, obviously.
Florida:
Tampa Bay area
Miami area
maybe the Orlando area
Again, its nice and warm (its florida, for petesake) and major shipping area, plus a lot of really nice universities I can then later get in-state rates for.
So please, if you know the area relatively well and can lend your expertise in terms of knowing cost of living, wheres good areas/whats a good price for apartments, etc. please, let me know.
Thanks a lot guys.
Dan
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