Where should I move to?

Question

I live in Los Angeles. Needless to say, things are not good right now. I'm in the middle of finishing up a Single Subject teaching credential, and my experiences in LAUSD are leaving me feeling pretty pessimistic. Although I was born and raised in the south bay, I feel it's time to move. Things just suck here. I would really like to stay in CA b/c I love the beach, but I don't know where would be a good place to go. The desert is out of the question, and I don't want more than 4 months of ice, so where can I go that is somewhat less expensive, allows me some warm months, and will make me feel safe and comfortable in my work environment (in a school)? Anything will help. Thanks.

Answer 1

San Luis Obispo. Small town and close to beach. Still in Cali :)

Answer 2

Are you sure that leaving Los Angeles is the answer. If you are from the South Bay area and enjoy the weather, moving north of there would probably not be satisfying.

I have a few friends who have moved north (Santa Barbara, San Francisco, etc.) and they really miss the beaches here. Although it is not freezing cold in the winter, the summers are not as nice as they are here in southern CA. They have found that there are few days that they can actually just go out and hang at the beach.

Friends who live south of here have been much happier with the weather (Huntington Beach, San Diego). They can actually enjoy the beach.

However, I have been a teacher for nearly 20 years. It was a goal of mine to avoid LAUSD, and I'm quite glad that I did. If your frustrations are with the school district, but you love the area, try finding a smaller district with less bureaucracy. There are a number of smaller districts in the South Bay (Torrance, Redondo Union, Hermosa Beach, Wiseburn.....)

If you choose to remain in the south bay to teach, look for a district where you will have the parent support without the parent interference. That is one variable that you can look for easily. It's hard to get a pulse on the staff and/or administrator. Staff turnover can be an indicator of lack of support, so be aware of that.

Good luck in your search!

Answer 3

Ventura, Thousand Oaks, and if you can afford it, Moorpark.
Great areas and very safe.

You might consider taking some time off and just traveling. Alot of places can use good teachers and the further north you go, the friendlier people become.

BTW, my wife is a teacher and had the same experience with LAUSD that you did. We both decided that we could do with less money if we had to but she had to get out of there. Best decision we ever made. She now subs for private schools in the Pasadena area and she and I are a thousand percent happier. All her friends that stayed in the LAUSD system look as if the life was just sucked out of them. Perk up. There is a MUCH BRIGHTER world waiting for you outside of the LAUSD system.

Answer 4

How about Ventura County?; It isn't as expensive or crowded as LA. San Luis Obispo County is great, too, and much cheaper than Ventura County.
Northern Santa Barbara County is OK, but not as nice as VC or SLO.
A heads up; DO NOT work for the Fillmore school district. The way they treat Hispanics there is a travesty, and it is also a political nightmare.

Answer 5

Have you considered the Ventura County area? Close enough to L.A. to have the big city ammenities, but still small town in many ways. There are several school districts, and depending on where you choose to live, less expensive than L.A.

Great weather, nice people and fun things to do!

Answer 6

Orange County. I used to live there and I miss it every day. You are surrounded by beaches and no worries about ice. I don't know that the cost of living is going to be less than L.A., but the school system is probably better.
Whatever you choose, best of luck to you!

Answer 7

San Francisco, no question about it. Gay friendly, diverse, nice weather, and voted the best city in the US.

Answer 8

((this is not sarcasm))
i think you should move to Australia.
its amazing there.
and they have beaches lol.