En septembre j'envisage de partir un an (9 mois) aux Etats-Unis avec le programme EF.
Seulement, j'hésite encore entre plusieurs destinations : Santa Barbara, Honolulu, San Diego, Los Angeles.
Après de multiples recherches je ne sais toujours pas quelle ville choisir.
J'aimerais savoir laquelle offre les meilleures possibilités de profiter à fond de cette année (activités, ambiance, climat) tout en apprenant bien l'anglais. Sachant que je n'aurai pas de voiture sur place.
Si quelqu'un pouvait m'exposer les avantages et inconvénients de chaque ville…
J'étais parti pour choisir Santa Barbara, mais j'ai peur de me tromper. Etant donné qu'il s'agit d'une "petite" ville et que le climat n'y est pas extraordinaire apparemment. Je ne voudrais pas regretter mon choix. Peut-être y êtes-vous déjà allés ?
Enfin, j'ajoute qu'il me sera possible de changer de destination en cours d'année. Donc à la limite il m'est possible de choisir 2 villes parmi celles précitées !
Il y a un mois et demi, je me suis aussi inscrite pour un séjour linguistique aux Etats Unis pour 6 mois, je commence les cours mi juin à San Francisco. Je suis entrain de faire tout les papiers pour obtenir mon visa étudiant, et tu as intérêt à t'accrocher car il y a énormément de papiers à fournir.
Bref, j'ai beaucoup comparer les prix sur les différents organismes, et EF était toujours en tête pour être le plus cher, pour ma part j'ai choisi Boa Lingua, moins chère et très bonne réputation.
Vu que tu n'auras pas de moyen de transport évite L.A, car il n'y a que très peu de transport en commun et sans voiture c'est quasi impossible.
Santa Barbara, je pense que tu as raison, c'est une petite ville donc peu de choix d'activités (ou très limité), par contre il y fait beau quasi toute l'année.
Honolulu, je ne connais pas, mais c'est Hawaii ^^.
San Diego, est un ville à taille humaine, et beaucoup de choix d'activités. Tu pourras faire des virées à L.A ou Las Vegas ou même dans les parcs nationaux
Donc, j'hésiterai entre San Diego et Honolulu, même si j'opterai pour San Diego car plus de possibilité d'activités.
Ce n'est qu'un avis, mais j'espère qu'il t'aura aider (je suis dispo si tu veux d'autres conseils, j'ai fais l'ouest américain y'a 3 ans)
Ouest Américain septembre 2011 ==> https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=3694350;page=unread#unread
Moi aussi je te recommande San Diego: d'abord il y a un métro très pratique, ensuite tu peux t'y baigner (à LA l'eau est trop polluée tu peux juste rester sur le sable), il ya quantités d'activités à faire, et il y a deux grosses universités (UC San Diego qui est l'une des prestigieuses "UC", Université de Californie, dont en France on connait surtout Berkeley et UCLA: San Diego se classe numéro 3 dans le système qui comprend 9 UCs et 27 CSUs et c'est parmi les meilleures universités des US, il faut avoir de sacrées moyennes, faire des activités extrascolaires qui montrent qu'on n'est pas qu'un robot, et écrire d'excellents essais pour y être admis; plus SDSU, l'université surtout connue pour ses fêtes mais qui grâce à l'attrait de la ville de San Diego qui se classe 2e dans le système CSU après Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; plus une plus petite université catholique, University of San Diego. Inutile de te dire que ça fait des étudiants :p) De là tu peux remonter la côte et aller jusqu'à LA.
Sinon, EF est quand même un peu chère, vois ce que ça comprend; comme la personne au-dessus j'ai pu en faisant les comparaisons voir que Boalingua avait de meilleurs prix mais peut-être que les prestations EF sont meilleures, à toi de voir. Autre possibilité: cours de langues pour étrangers sur campus notamment de type "CSU" - tu es avec des étudiants étrangers, mais tu es sur un campus où étudient des étudiants américains, tu peux souvent même suivre 1 ou 2 cours avec eux... Voilà 4 possibilités en Californie, tu peux comparer les prix avec EF.
En septembre j'envisage de partir un an (9 mois) aux Etats-Unis avec le programme EF.
Seulement, j'hésite encore entre plusieurs destinations : Santa Barbara, Honolulu, San Diego, Los Angeles.
Après de multiples recherches je ne sais toujours pas quelle ville choisir.
J'aimerais savoir laquelle offre les meilleures possibilités de profiter à fond de cette année (activités, ambiance, climat) tout en apprenant bien l'anglais. Sachant que je n'aurai pas de voiture sur place.
Si tu n'as pas de voiture, Honolulu est un bon choix. Le service de bus est très développé sur l'île d'Ohau (du moins le sud de l'île). Le climat est super et la culture extraordinaire!
Hawaii est multiethnique (beaucoup d'Asiatiques en autre) et les locaux parlent anglais en utilisant des termes hawaiiens mais ces derniers sont très faciles à apprendre.
Le principal désavantage sera le coût du logement, exorbitant mais il l'est aussi en Californie...
"Aloha!Guide sur Hawaii.
Nouveau! Visitez notre blogue "Vivre au Mexique". Aventures et conseils sur la région de Riviera Maya
J'ai finalement opté pour Santa Barbara, notamment car avec EF le prix du logement est compris dans le prix initial pour cette destination tandis qu'avec les autres villes il fallait encore payer en plus, et parce que je pense que c'est la Californie sans les inconvénients des grandes villes (transports etc). De plus je serai à proximité de Los Angeles… Quant à l'organisme BoaLingua je ne connaissais pas, j'ai opté pour EF dont j'avais entendu beaucoup de bien de la part d'une connaissance… J'espère que je ne serai pas déçu vu le prix…
En tout cas, si je change de destination en cours d'année, au vu des arguments de la ville et de vos conseils, je pense que je choisirais San Diego !
Savez-vous par hasard si la vie est chère à Santa Barbara comparé à la France ?
Celine : Merci pour ton aide, je n'hésiterai pas à te poser des questions dans ce cas, et bon voyage à San Francisco ! :)
Oui, la vie à Santa Barbara est très chère. C'est aussi une ville étudiante, avec l'une des universités majeures de Californie (UCSB) et un "community college" (sorte de campus ouvert à tous les adultes, ça fait CFA, GRETA, BTS, cours de remédiation pour ceux qui n'ont pas suivi dans le secondaire...) très réputé. UCSB est surtout connu pour ses fêtes.
Travailler, étudier et vivre à l'étranger › États-Unis · 1 reply
J’aimerais savoir si vous connaissez des organismes pour pourvoir partir au usa pour une année scolaire au lycée sauf EF, ispa, Wep, sts, ails, kaplan, esl,…
Travailler, étudier et vivre à l'étranger › États-Unis · 1 reply
J'ai envie de passer une année scolaire aux états-unis. Pour cela, j'ai fais des recherches mais je ne sais pas si les compagnies que jai trouver sont fiables.…
Travailler, étudier et vivre à l'étranger › États-Unis · 1 reply
Je souhaite partir faire une année d'échange aux Etats-Unis (le rêve américain). Cela me permettrait d'approfondir mon anglais. L'idéal serait que je parte un…
Travailler, étudier et vivre à l'étranger › États-Unis · 1 reply
Ma fille est partie à Los angeles en séjour linguistique pour 6 mois a Selma avenue, Hollywood. La residence où elle était sensée habiter est une vaste…
Travailler, étudier et vivre à l'étranger › États-Unis · 3 replies
Je suis nouveau sur le forum et je suis venu pour demander à propos d'une année de césure au lycée. Je prévois d'en faire une en première, j'en ai vraiment…
My name is Deborah, I’m French. I’m married and have two children. I’m a clinical psychologist specializing in psychotraumatology, and I’m also pursuing medical studies.
For some time now, I’ve been seriously considering moving to the United States. My long-term goal is to practice medicine in the U.S., with a particular interest in forensic pathology. I know the journey is demanding (USMLE, residency, fellowship, etc.), but I’m ready to commit to several years of hard work.
For now, I’m focused on building this project thoughtfully. I want to improve my English, better understand the American system, and connect with people who’ve already gone through this process or are living in the U.S.
I have a few questions:
- Are there any doctors or international students here who’ve successfully matched into a U.S. residency?
- When did you start preparing for the USMLE?
- What advice would you give to someone still in medical school?
- Which states would you recommend for a future career in forensic pathology, with a good quality of life and good schools for kids?
- Is it better to do an observership or a research fellowship before applying for residency?
- What are, in your opinion, the pitfalls to avoid when planning such a project?
Thank you so much to everyone who takes the time to respond. I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences you can share!
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Hi there!
I’m a young Malian looking to work in Morocco. Besides a passport, what other documents are required at the **Moroccan** border?
Thanks for your help!
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Thanks in advance for your advice.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences about marrying a Cuban and moving to Cuba (not the other way around!). Yes, some of us actually *want* to stay on the island! Is it possible to work there without too much hassle, or is it really complicated?
I’m heading to Bangkok for a 5-month internship, and I’m wondering about the budget because I’ve read all sorts of things—so I decided to post here to get answers tailored to my situation! :D
I found housing that costs me 7,000 baht (I know it’s a bit pricey, but it’s super convenient...), which works out to about 160 € all-inclusive. So, I was wondering if it’s realistic to live on 500 or 600 € per month, and if so, under what conditions? Is that enough, considering I’ll be working 40 hours a week?
Thanks in advance for your replies—I hope they’ll reassure me!
WEP offers loads of different projects, including one I really like: helping and volunteering on a farm, particularly in South America (Peru or Argentina).
I’d love to know if anyone has tried this project or knows someone who has... or has done something similar? I’d like to get some feedback before diving into the adventure.
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Hi there,
Our departure time is getting closer (we have less than 2 years left—it’s both a long time and so short!). To start preparing seriously, we’ll need quite a bit of info. If anyone knows the rates charged by movers for a crate to French Polynesia, or what pitfalls to avoid (I know you can get quotes directly from movers, but I’d love insights from actual customers😉).
Are there any special requirements before leaving France (aside from taxes...)?
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Thanks again!
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Thanks for your replies.
PS: Same question for my wife, a nurse, regarding her integration.
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In the summer of 2026, my husband is being transferred to New Caledonia. We’ll be living near Nouméa. Do you know if the early childhood sector is a good field for jobs there?
Can’t wait to discover this island! Right now, we’re in the middle of all the administrative paperwork for our 3 kids, finding housing, bringing our cat to the territory, and so on!
Thanks for your feedback!!
Hi there,
I’ve been living in Bali for a month now, but unfortunately on a VOA visa. I’m looking for a European company that’s set up in Indonesia. I’m in electrotechnical maintenance—air conditioning, cold rooms, 220V/380V electricity. I’ve been a tradesperson for 3 months and can bring my full professional toolkit. If anyone’s interested, let me know!
You can send me a message.
Best regards,
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I’d like to get some information about my eligibility for the DV Lottery.
About my background:
• I earned a *Bac Pro* through VAE (*Validation des Acquis de l’Expérience*), issued by the *Éducation nationale*.
• I also have a professional certification as a *Conseiller en Insertion* (Employment Counselor), issued by the Ministry of Labor.
• Altogether, this adds up to a *Bac+2* level.
I’d like to know if this level qualifies me to apply for the DV Lottery.
Regarding my work experience:
• I work as an *Employment Counselor*.
• I checked on O*Net Online for the classification: Job Zone 4, SVP Range: 7.0 – <8.0.
• I only have one year of experience, but I handle similar tasks in business creation.
So my question is: can I apply for the DV Lottery despite my relatively short experience, given that my job falls under Job Zone 4?
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Starting this spring, we want to settle near Aix-en-Provence. We're tired of living in the mountains with all the snow—we really need some sunshine and a fresh start. Is it hard to find a house to rent there? What about prices? If you have any great tips or useful info about the area, we’d love to hear it. I work in education and want to do prevention work in Marseille or Aix—are there jobs in the social sector?
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I’m an osteopath and I’d like to set up and open an osteopathy practice in Thailand. I don’t have a precise location in mind yet, but I’m thinking maybe Hua Hin.
I saw there’s an osteopath based in Phuket, so I wrote to him for some info, but he still hasn’t replied🤪!
So I’m reaching out to people who live there or know the country well:
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Hello everyone,
We’re a small family from the south of France, with a 2-year-old little boy, and we’re dreaming of starting a new adventure abroad by opening our own business. For now, we haven’t chosen a specific destination yet.
We mainly speak French, with a basic level of Spanish and English, and we’re ready to improve these two languages if needed. We’re looking for a multicultural, safe country with quality healthcare and good schools accessible for our son. We’d also love a pleasant place with a mild climate where life is good.
Our idea is to travel to different countries to explore, compare, and refine our project. We’d be really happy to read your tips, experiences, or anecdotes if you’ve already undertaken a similar project or if you know key points to anticipate.
Thanks in advance for your shares and help—it would really help us move forward with our project! 😄
Hi everyone,
I’m heading to Dublin as an au pair in a few weeks.
I’m looking for a reputable language school. It’s so hard to choose! Has anyone already done a language stay in Dublin? Any tips? Thanks so much! :)
Hi everyone, so I’m planning to go study at a community college in the U.S., but the only snag is which one—there are so many options over there! I’ve heard about one in California, Diablo Valley College, and another in Florida, Valencia College. I know both states are super attractive for tourism, but my main criteria are teaching quality and price. I’m open to any advice, comments, or suggestions—thanks in advance! The start of the semester is coming up, and I’m a little nervous...
READY, SET...... GO...... TO YOUR KEYBOARDS!!!!!!!! lol
Hi! I’m looking for an apartment in Malaga from September (2025) until January for my Erasmus exchange, but I’m not finding much, and it seems like there are a lot of scams. Does anyone have any leads or tips? Thanks!^^
