Adjusting to the USA

Recently, my partner and I relocated to the US, on May 5th, 2022. We escaped from Shanghai’s covid lockdown, and got on a plane to San Francisco after 35 days of being stuck in our apartment under government lockdown. For more info about our “escape” from lockdown, see exiting china.

This document, however, is about adjusting to the USA, and journaling the places we stay. Currently we’re traveling and checking out different places in the US, trying to find a place that we like but is not insanely over-expensive.

Places

• May 5th-8th - San Francisco, California - Omni Hotel in the Financial District downtown.
• May 8th-16th - Hudson, Wisconsin - in my parent’s new addition, the “hummingbird” room.
• May 16th - 18th - Los Angeles, California - Westin Bonaventure in downtown LA. Lots of sketchy stuff in the area.
• May 18th - 23rd - Desert Hot Springs, California - Chez Soleil apartments Airbnb. Boring af there.
• May 23rd - 26th - Joshua Tree, California - Little Red Tonto House Airbnb. I love it here.
• May 26th - June 4th - Los Angeles, California - Hans & Pinar’s apartment in Los Feliz. Cooo neighborhood.
• June 4th - 11th - Las Vegas, Nevada - We rented an airbnb here for 1 week, in the western part of the city, away from the strip.
• June 11th - 24th - Portland, Oregon - Duncan & Katie’s house in southwest, right on the Willamette River.
• June 24th - 26th - Government Camp, Oregon - Duncan & Katie’s Cabin on Mt. Hood.
• June 24th - July 6th - Portland, Oregon - Duncan & Katie’s house again, on Fielding Rd. We got covid here.
• July 6th - July 10th - Seattle, Washington - Airbnb in Ballard-ish neighborhood. Mary Ave.
• July 10th - July 12th - Bellingham, Washington - Airbnb on Garden. st., our LAST airbnb.

Observations

What has been difficult to adjust to?

Homelessness

There are definitely, DEFINITELY a lot more homeless people than I remember there being. In Downtown LA it was particularly noticeable, for me.

Inflation

Everything is insanely way more expensive than I remember.

Taxes and Insurance

Taxes and insurance are a huge part of life all the sudden.