Ahh… L.A. What a city. Pulsating, all kinds of cultures mixed together. Traffic, the landscape, beaches, people, celebrities, artists, parties, music, and art. Where should I start?
I am contemplating which part is more relevant to share with you as there are so many memories since I got back from California last year. The memories are still fresh. Let’s start with a little guide and then move on to specific articles later.
I will tell you more in the next articles why I moved to Los Angeles, the visa process, how it was really living there, and more. The United States is great, but there is something special about going back home each time. A sense of calmness with familiarity is needed every now and then for all, right?
This post is about what you need to know about Los Angeles if you are looking to go on vacation or relocate for school or work purposes.
Cultural Adjustments
L.A. Blues
L.A. blues to me meant that I didn’t feel like I belonged in Oslo anymore. I felt like I had outgrown the city in a complex way I didn’t know how to fully handle at the time.
I got so used to the American culture. Their way of living became mine too. In America, people mistook me for being American. They couldn’t believe I wasn’t African American. As soon as I spoke Norwegian with fellow Norwegians outside, all eyes and ears were watching and listening.
How could a person who looks like her speak a language so foreign so well? And then it clicked for them that I was from Europe. Quite interesting and fun to say the least to see their shocking faces.
American Celebrations
I used to think it was fun. Talking a language no one could understand. I was surrounded by Americans. They’re lively and embody hard work ethics. Americans are into holidays: Saint Patrick’s Day, 4th of July, Halloween, Christmas Eve (on the 25th instead of the 24th).
I don’t celebrate Christmas, but I saw how much Americans love to decorate for Christmas. Just like any other holiday, they took it seriously with lots of effort put into it.
Shopping and Convenience
The shopping in Los Angeles was quite the opposite of what I got used to in Norway. There wasn’t a single thing that I couldn’t get my hands on. Everything was available.
Everything I ordered online came to my door that same day or the following day with less than 24 hours waiting time. Constantly, every day there were new packages scheduled. I am sure the concierge at the building I lived in was a little bit tired of all my orders.
Grocery Shopping
Let’s not talk about grocery shopping. My ultimate thought was: don’t these products and raw food get bad? How can a nation eat all this? So many grocery stores, too many options, but yet so convenient.
I made a TikTok video displaying how large grocery stores were compared to the once in Scandinavia, and it went viral. Tells you how uncommon the variety in Norwegian stores are.
I remember how they used to pack everything for me. Part of me didn’t like it. Imagine having an elderly man or woman pack your groceries as a 22-year-old. I felt icky about it because I am not used to it from Norway.
I didn’t feel well knowing that they had to pack my stuff after paying. I was told that it’s their job, but my initial thought was: I could never let my grandparents pack my groceries for a living. I would want them to relax and not be at the store, looking tired, late at night, working.
It kept me thinking about them a lot during my stay. I also started to pack my own groceries if I saw elderly individuals at work. I would smile, ask them about their day, even start a little conversation, and wish them a great night while packing.
Work Culture and Tipping
Elderly Workers
I don’t like that elderly people work. Perhaps a cultural thing? A part of me cannot comprehend it. But then I don’t know their background.
Why are they working minimum wage jobs and not retired yet? Are they enjoying work as it gives them purpose? Maybe even to meet or see new faces because they have lost so many.
I could swear that if I stumbled across anything like it in Norway, I’d be rolling on the floor confused and in awe. It’s not normal in Norway at all.
Elderly people have jobs within the country, even if they are retired, they like to stay active. Which is understandable. It’s just that in America, it was a little bit dark.
Tipping Culture
The tipping culture is not common in Norway whatsoever. It’s not a country where you should tip as sometimes it can be rude. However, this isn’t always the case anymore. Nowadays, brands, restaurants, cafes, bars, etc. really ask for tips through bank terminals while you’re paying.
Unlike Americans, it is a choice to tip, and no one gets offended if you decide not to tip. Americans tip all the time. In my opinion, it’s so polite. You’re really showing appreciation for someone else’s hard work in a minimum wage position.
I love how Americans have a social understanding about it. However, I find it sad that the minimum wage is a thing considering the tipping norms. Why haven’t they implemented laws that dismisses minimum wage?
There are more hard-working people in America than I have ever seen before. Is the minimum wage a by-product of this? Can there ever be a change where people who work in the service industry can earn enough so that they don’t have to rely on tipping? It’s interesting to reflect on. I have not had a conversation about this topic with an American yet. I’d love to sit down one day and have a chat about this with an American, listening to their opinions, views and how to defeat the minimum wage.
Safety and Security
Amber Alerts
Security in the states is high, but criminal activities occur so much it can get quite unsafe. Take, for example, an “Amber alert.”
For anyone who’s not familiar with an “Amber alert,” it’s an alert that every citizen receives about missing people around their neighborhood. Scary right? I remember a few times these alerts would go off around American citizens.
The first time I ever heard of it I thought it was just a warning the government sends out every now and then, like they do in Norway when they are testing the alarm systems for evacuations.
But boy, I was wrong. My eyes got wide in complete disbelief when I heard the true meaning behind an “Amber alert.”
Kidnapping is unfortunately normal near the borders of California and Mexico. I saw kids walking in the street ONCE, only once during my stay. There were many nearby schools, so it didn’t make sense to me how I never saw kids in my street or just in general (unless in shopping malls or restaurants).
Children’s Safety
Of course, the kids had their own school buses, but nonetheless, there should have been moments where I saw kids playing outside alone, with or without their parents.
Kids in Norway are so safe that they walk alone to kindergarten. I have seen multiple kids on trams, town buses, or in the city by themselves without a parent or a grown-up with them. Kids in this country (Norway) are free and can grow without fear of school shootings, kidnappings, etc.
There’s lots of room for them and people leave space for them to explore an area by themselves.
And the parents? They aren’t worried at all. Matter of fact, Scandinavians are the only nations in the west that leave their kids sleeping in their prams outside a cafe or a restaurant all by themselves.
During winter, you can find lots of baby prams hanging outside a cafe while the mothers/dads are inside enjoying coffee or a meal while their child is sleeping, safe and sound.
It’s very common to see this, a Scandinavian would not be shocked nor react in any way, as we are used to it. No fear of anyone snatching your sleeping baby infant.
Practical Tips
Navigation
Always download a good navigator while in L.A. Even if you don’t plan to rent a car to drive yourself, have it on your phone. I use Waze app while traveling. Highly recommend this app.
This is because it’s important to know where you are at and where you are headed at all times. I’d say this one is the most important part.
I had an unpleasant experience of this because someone was supposed to pick me up one time from the airport but didn’t. I couldn’t find the bus that takes you to the Uber section at LAX. Someone from the airport helped me out, but I believe I got into the wrong bus because we drove off the airport.
There were no stops, and the bus driver informed us during the ride that there will be no stops until the final destination.
I got stressed and didn’t know what else to do than to enjoy the ride and figure out another solution after I got to the final stop.
My only worry was that I didn’t have a charger with me with the right connector, I only had an EU adapter. And my bank card didn’t always work in the states because I knew I had to pay for that ride at the end stop.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed the ride and the sceneries. I even saw the beautiful L.A sunset while on the bus. It was amazing, honestly.
I had food and snacks from the flight with me and some water, so hunger was not about to take the best of me, luckily.
Even though I was trying to enjoy my ride, this person that was supposed to pick me up kept stressing me out. Telling me I should be worried since I was headed to the “Ghetto” area of the town after I pinned him my location 15-20 minutes into the ride. I assured him that I would be fine.
He kept sending me stressful messages that just made me angry and a little scared. I wasn’t stressed, but his text messages made me feel that way.
Anyway, after I paid for my ticket at the stop, I booked an Uber. But the Uber driver was not able to find me, so there were many rides ordered. Finally, we managed to find each other and I got safe to my destination.
Having a good navigator app on your phone is very helpful as anyone can get into these situations or worse. Knowing where you are at all times can save you stress and perhaps even your life.
Events
If you are looking to party with some class all night in L.A, you gotta have connections for that. In Los Angeles, all clubs close early. It’s not even comparable to Norway. I don’t really party like that, but I have stumbled into some. Nightclubs in Norway are up until 03:00 am, the ones in L.A close by 01:00 am or earlier.
Getting invited to home parties is easy if you’re a good talker and want to experience this part of life. As I already have mentioned, Americans are hard-working individuals. They wake up early and focus on work. The “what do you do for a living” is pretty much a product of it.
Therefore, they cannot party all night because they got to be up early to…work. I respect this culture a whole lot. You get what you look for if you prefer nightlife over there, but it’s not a city of endless nightclubs for partying like in Scandinavia.
If you are a practicing Muslim, like myself, this won’t be an issue for you. I am sure you’ll enjoy quiet nights. If you do prefer to party all night, you got to have some form of connections in the city to get into guest lists at certain types of events or home parties.
Food and Dining
Eating Out
Eating out is a norm in America. I remember growing up watching Hollywood TV where they never used to cook food. I noticed this a lot while watching and I always thought it was weird.
As a child, obviously I didn’t always understand that what I saw on TV wasn’t always the reality. However, with food, it seemed to be accurate from what I saw on TV growing up.
Conclusion
I have many more travel tips and guides for Los Angeles. This isn’t a travel blog, therefore I don’t know yet if this is of interest to all you my awesome and supportive readers!
You have received my articles so far very well. I am humbled and grateful for all the support! Thank thank you so much.
If it is interesting to you, of course, I will do more travel content and even include other countries I have been to. I can easily create a new page on this website dedicated to travel content.
I will do more parts in the future, In sha Allah, about my time in the states as there is so much more to unfold from the perspective of an introspective individual.