To live like a bum in the US

My buddys son was turning 21 years yesterday and I had the kid over for some playstation 3 and a beer and we were talking about him wanting to go to Cali and get a job as a dishwasher, a cheap room and a chance to get something to regret when you turn 40 up the road.
Anyways, how would that work? In Sweden you could just show up in any bar and explain your situation and you could be working in the joint the same day, I got the feeling that the restaurant/bar/hotel business was pretty full of kids like that last time I was to LA to stay, like 3-4 years ago.
I told him bum-life in Australia seems more appealing to me, but that's just from seeing it on the TV. And I don't mean "Mad Max".
Sweden as a whole however would be good, but it's too cold in the winters and the police are turning more and more towards trying to keep the streets as tidy looking as possible so even if you were only out in the summers you could get in trouble for stuff you would never beleive and crime-rates are at scary levels with street gangs becoming a serious threat.

If you were 21 and was looking for a city to be a bum in for a couple of years, wich would it be?

 

San Fransisco. I hear that the bums there pretty much run the place.

Unless by "being a bum" you mean "going into politics", in which case just about any city would do...

 

Yes, by all means, come to America to be a bum. Due to the Idiot in Chief in the Whitehouse, our borders are wide open for all comers. We will give you free healthcare, food stamps, tuition assistance to college at instate rates, housing, child care, and much much more. What was once a chicken in every pot has become an economy bleeding life sucking toilet flush of all healthy ethical moral values. Once we are completely busted broke as Obozo and the NWO demands, and the welfare tap runs dry, Bums and other drains on society will be fighting for their lives just to stay alive. Actually at that point everyone will be to some degree or another. However those of us prepared and tribed up will be better off than most, and DONE doling out a free lunch to the non-producers.
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Now, I know this wasn't the answer you were looking for, and I apologize for pissing on your shoes. It is still fairly early in the morning and I have only had a couple of sips of coffee. I was young once along time ago. I couldn't afford to go to college, and it wasn't going to just be given to me. (I didn't expect it or think it was). I actually did go to the south of France to find myself on a big yacht (DLG-14), as I had signed a contract with my Uncle at 17 rather than be drafted into the Army or marines in 1968.
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My advice, which I realize was not asked for or exactly on track with this thread, would be to relocate if desired with a relative or friend in an area of the country (so you can get away from home and see something new), Bust your ass so as not be a burden on your host, and get a job to cover your room and board. By all means give more than you seem to get in return (give till it hurts). You are not the offspring of your host, and they owe you nothing! If and when you decide to leave, try to do so on friendly terms and with plenty of notice so you don't leave them on bad terms and in doing so close that door forever. Do this as often and as long as necessary until you tire of it or find yourself. Then get your ass productive, don't be a freakin Leech on society.

 

Colorado. Colorado has so many jobs. It is a booming area. If he can do construction then there are so many jobs. The only issue is the pay. He will be starting for under $12 with anything he does. Anywhere I go that I see a help wanted sign I ask about the position and the starting pay. Retail is starting at $8 so are the fast food jobs. Now Denver has many up-scale places where the tips would be good, real good. Also, we have the mountains that have amazing summers and busy winters. Colorado is basically CA, many transplants without the cost of living in CA. Personally I don't really care for it here but the young seem to love it. Schools, professional sports, plus you can ski or enjoy the city. The Swede that is down the road from me seems to love it here.

 

@tacmotusn many do this. I took a year off between high school and college. I was a bum in the Cape for a summer and worked a ski area for the winter. I worked and earned my keep but wasn't focused on a career. That year really drove home that I needed further schooling and helped me chose what I wanted to do.

 

As I just said in the shoutbox, I really shouldn't post this early in the morning. I have just started my coffee and I haven't done my crossword puzzle yet. I tend to be a morning grump. My response to Wastelander started out as more of a rant than anything else. That's why it ran on to 3 paragraphs before I sent it.

 

Now tell us how you really feel!

 

IF you can get a green card, the law here BTW, rural Nevada offers a chance to work and see something of the world. Not as exciting an Cali, but what you are looking for in that (the California Experience) ceased to exist years ago.

Jobs are hard to come by and the cost of living isn't exactly going down. But if the kid want to live out of the back of his car, work pick up jobs for the next tank of gas - good luck...it's possible, just hard to say how it would work out for him. Maybe staying in his home country and swamping out bars might work as well.

I'll second BT post, don't come to Alaska, the soup kitchens are just about overwhelmed now....

 

Don't come anywhere near Ohio. Nothing to see here. No jobs. Just keep walking. Don't even stop here for gas.....we got enough bums already. No need to apply.[sarca]

 

By all means, join up and bum around the world. With our CIC he would be sure to see a lot of places. Of course the hours are a bit "off" for some and I doubt he would find many dumpsters to raid but he would be living the life of a bum by sleeping outside in all kinds of weather and he would meet all sorts of strange people. Then, if he lived, he would have memories for life and maybe even a few add ons for the missing body parts.

What in the Hell is a Playstation 3?

 

A pick and shovel builds more muscles if not a bit of charcter, it also suggest, to the user of such tools, in the hot sun or cold snow to "get an education".

 

In SoCal it would be difficult to find "grunt jobs" unless one is fluent in Spanish and cheap rooms are non existent. I understand that San Fran is much the same...both are destinations of choice for both illegals (excuse me...I meant to say "the undocumented") and homeless due to the lack of a winter.

I understand that the northern west coast liberal enclaves (Portland and Seattle) are somewhat easier to establish oneself (too far from the border to walk and too wet half the year for those seeking an easy life living on the street). If the delights of the major cities are not as important as availability of jobs, I would recommend Salt Lake City where there always seems to be work available and the street gangs are kept pretty well in check.

 

No. You had it right the first time. Illegal. Outlaw. Invader. Pest.

 

One of the reason I keeep my gate locked.

 

Get a job, save some money, buy a car, pull a "route 66" with your bestest buddy. A great education would be a better start. Plenty of bums in the world--be a winner instead of a leach.

 

Did I miss read @wastelander 's post? The kid wants to travel and see some of the US before getting serious and having to work for the rest of his life. I was a bum also. I graduated HS worked a summer job being a chambermaid all the while enjoying Cape Cod (which is full of Irish kids all summer) then was a ski bum for the winter. I skied and I worked. Why not take a year to do a non-professional job? I worked in HS, I worked through college and I have been working ever sense, oh wait I got 8 weeks off maternity leave. How fun work from 16 to 72, why not take a year?

The best memories I have is that year off. I enjoyed myself.

Whoops I forgot, I also took a month off to travel across country.