I R_N to: El Ayeee, LA Guide

Blue jean baby, LA lady

Hospital: Cedar Sinai Medical Center, Beverly Hills, California

Neighborhood I lived in: Beverly Hills and West Hollywood

Transportation: You hands down, absolutely must have a car......it's LA, you won't have any street cred if you don't spend more than half your day in traffic! There are rumors of a subway downtown but it seems like some sort of mythical creature....I haven't met anyone that uses it. You could always chose to live somewhere close to the hospital and walk or ride a bike....again, I'm sure people do this but I have yet to meet them.

Compensation: You make a very good chunk of change here. California is general compensates nurses very well but Cedars usually has one of the best pay packages throughout the U.S....it's why I stay of long periods of time! Hourly rate compares to what I made in North Carolina but I bring home the most of my money in tax free moolah.

Cost of living: The cost of living in West Hollywood is 182% higher than the national average. Again, 182%.............I just need to take a second to let that sink in. It's absolutely ridiculous how much rent is out here but you will get compensated to live comfortably. My rent alone would cover the cost of a mortgage back home which is sickening but you're paying to live the "LA life". 

My two cents: Saying living in Los Angeles has been an experience in itself is putting it lightly. Stereotypes constantly surround me from overly done filler addicted women to actors/writers filling sidewalk cafes M-F thinking they are the hottest thing under the sun. But the thing that draws me to Los Angeles is how large and diverse it actually is, you can go 5 miles down the road and be immersed in a completely different atmosphere and vibe. There's an awesome art scene taking over downtown, incredible designers pumping out of Venice, the best coffee I have ever had in Silver Lake and the fiercest queens I've ever seen in West Hollywood. It's a melting pot and at times it's hard to find your place but it's a learning experience I would recommend. Cedars is a great hospital to work for, patients travel worldwide to seek help and it's incredible to be a small portion of their journey.

“To live and die in LA, it’s the place to be”

— Tupac Shakur

I R_N to: Bright lights, big city, NYC Guide

New York, New York

Just saying "New York City" evokes an emotion inside all of us, either from a personal trip to the Big Apple or something you've seen on TV or social media. They say somethings aren't for everybody but I absolutely disagree when it comes to NYC. Being immersed in the hectic, smelly, sexy, suave depths of New York opens your eyes to possibilities you didn't even know you wanted. With that said, it isn't for the faint of heart!

I didn't love NYC the first couple months I lived there, in fact the list of cons outweighed the pros, and at the end of my first 13 week contract I was hesitant to extend. I LOVED the hospital I was working at but my life was less Gossip Girl and more Broad City than I was expecting. I decided to take a trip home to decide where I would take my next assignment. I remember sitting in JFK talking to a woman who was an immigrant from the Ukraine, hearing her story of coming to the U.S from her native country and having such a true love for this city put everything in perspective. I decided I wasn't going to leave NYC hating it, I wanted to give it a second chance and that was the turning point. It was the beginning of my love affair with New York.

What I learned from working and living in The City is do not try to make it something it isn't, if you don't like a certain aspect of it there will be something else that will bombard you and make you fall head over heels in love. In the south we often times say "bless your heart" which is a very passive aggressive insult we've developed into an art of shit talking. Working in NYC you'll learn quick that nothing is sugar coated and for the most part they will tell you like it is whether you like it or not. 

                                                                                        The view from my apartment window, probably taken on an iphone 4

Hospital: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Neighborhood I lived in: Upper East Side and West Village

Transportation: Walk or Metro Pass, 30 days unlimited $116.50; don't even consider bringing a car up here--it's not needed and would be a dumb idea/expense

Compensation: I am putting this lightly, my hourly wage was absolute shit. The recruiting agencies can get away with a low pay package because NYC is a destination city and easy to fill. You'll make your money in tax free housing. You don't take an assignment in NYC to become rich, you take it for the experience of working and living in the center of the universe.

Cost of living: HIGH! You'll live in a shoebox for the same amount some people are paying for a mortgage. You could chose to live outside of Manhattan and commute in if you're working int the city but a lot of places in Brooklyn will cost you the same as living in the city. As a young single person living in NYC you're bound to spend a good chunk of your income eating out and partying but there are a ton of affordable places to eat. Click here to check out how NYC measure up number wise.

My advice: If you have the opportunity to work at MSKCC do it, hearing the patients stories and working with the doctors there is one of the most humbling things I have ever experienced. I learned so much about myself and the power of listening. Also, living in NYC is unlike anything I have experienced. I was surrounded by such genuine, driven, successful people who found the key to the work/play balance and I am forever grateful for that time in my life.

“The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and beauty in the world”

— F. Scott Fitzgerald

I R_N to: Golden Gate, Golden State, SF Guide

Hey Bay Bae

Hospital: UCSF Medical Center, San Francisco, California

Neighbourhood I resided: Lower Pacific Heights found via Craigslist

Transportation: I brought my car up to SF with me only because I couldn't find anywhere to store it. Most people who live in the city can get away with using public transportation (Muni/BART) or ride sharing (Lyft, Uber, etc). Also, it's super easy to catch a flight to anywhere in the world via SFO or Oakland International.

Compensation: If you are money hungry NorCal is the spot to make good money, their pay packages are incredible but you bet your bottom dollar you will be paying a shit ton in rent...

Cost of living:  It's the most expensive city in the United States, rent prices are completely unreasonable within The City limits. The tech industry has come in and jacked up the prices making $5500/month rent the new norm. Here's a breakdown of the liveability of SF. There are options to live outside of the city (Marin, Oakland, Richmond, etc)....but you'll need to factor in the cost of commuting, parking, gas and car maintenance. 

My two cents: Comparing NorCal to SoCal is like apple and oranges....it's impossible. SF was very different than what I had imagined and at the same time it wasn't. I realize that statement probably only makes sense in my head but I went there with high expectations thinking it was a city I could live a make roots and I just didn't get that head over heels type of feel. From talking with patients that were born and raised in the Bay area it seems as though the tech industry has come in and taken the city by storm. I think 10 years ago with the hippie culture and psychedelic vibes it would've been a different story but for me it just seemed like much of the same. The food scene is absolutely incredible and I had some of the best meals I've ever had in my life while living in SF. A huge draw to living in SF is that it's very accessible, you have everything you need within the city limits and it is seated in the perfect location allowing you to pop to Napa for Sunday Funday's or Tahoe for a weekend of skiing in the winter or hiking in the summer. I was very fortunate to meet really good, genuine people while I was there and love to visit for a weekend but for now I'm over hearing, "yeah I work for a tech startup"......

“It’s an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco”

— Oscar Wilde