for Visiting Scholars

This is a short guide written to help Japanese and foreign visiting scholars. Upon arriving in LA, I found it inconvenient to live and do research at first. Although there was a Japanese Visiting Scholar who is a senior doctor from my department and who was my predecessor, there were many things I had to do myself. After living in LA for 1 or 2 months, everything became easier compared to the first few weeks. I think it usually takes a long time for a newly arrived person to find and understand how to live in UCLA. So I wrote this guide to help new Visiting Scholars. I hope this brochure will help you in your first few weeks. Necessary topics immediately after arriving.

1. Social Security Number There are several important things that you have to do immediately after arriving in LA. A social security number is one of them, and another thing is getting a driver's license. You cannot do anything without a social security number because many official documents require it. For example, you cannot apply for a driver's license without this number. Besides it will take almost 2 weeks to receive the number after applying. You should apply for this as soon as possible. The steps for applying for a social security number are as follows: The closest office is located on the 10th floor of the Westwood Federal Building at the corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Veteran Ave. You get the form in the office. All you have to do is fill out the form and apply at the office window. Please note the following things: 1)You should bring your passport and IAP-66. 2)You should remember your mother's maiden name. 3) You should prepare a phone number and a mailing address where you would like the number mailed. There is no need to have your own apartment before applying for this number. This address is only for sending the number and you can use your colleague's address.

2. Apartment The first thing that you have to do is to look for your apartment. You will be able to find the apartment that will suit you in a few days. The point is to decide rather than how to find. There are many apartments in Westwood. You can find bulletin boards in front of apartments and they post a notice of "vacancy". In some cases, you will be able to move into the apartment immediately after signing the contract. All you have to do is to look around Westwood. Do not hesitate to contact the apartment manager and to ask him/her to show you the room. In addition, you should seek advise from your colleagues. If you are Korean, you could have two options. First you could have an apartment near UCLA and have one car. Secondly, you could have an apartment near Korea town and two cars (if you are married and have children). But, Korea town is not a safe area. It would be best to live around the Hancock Park area. There is huge complex around La Brea and 6th street (13 story-buildings) (Youn Kim, 1992-1995)

3. Telephone / Gas / Electricity / Water / CATV The next thing you have to do after moving into your apartment is to contact the telephone company. Although there are several local telephone companies in LA, there is usually no choice for you. One telephone company for one apartment is common. The manager or owner of the apartment will help you. You have 3 choice in choosing a long distance telephone company, AT&T, MCI, and Sprint. Since they usually offer discount programs and have a Japanese section that you can contact in Japanese, you should consider current discount programs. But AT&T is the most popular long distance company and most of Japanese Visiting Scholars choose it. Though there are several Cable Television companies in LA, the situation is the same as the telephone company. The manager/owner will give you information. You can watch the Japanese news show every morning on 2 CATV channel (18,29), and they broadcast special programs (in Japanese) every evening on weekend. In addition to these things, the manager/owner of the apartment will help you about gas, electricity, and water. You should ask him/her about details.

4. Bank Sanwa, Sumitomo , Tokai etc. There are many Japanese bank which have branches in LA. The nearest Bank is Sanwa Bank (4 minute drive from UCLA, at the corner of Westwood Blvd. and Wilsher Blvd), the next is Sumitomo Bank (15 minutes drive from UCLA, on the north side of Orimpic Blvd, near Sawtelle Blvd.) Whichever you chose, there is no deference between these two and usually no problem about transferring the money from Japan. You can withdraw from your account at any ATM by using a cash card, even though they will charge you $1 for each transaction as a transfer fee. Off course, they do not charge any fee when you use their own ATM. In addition to Japanese banks, you can also choose American banks, for example the Bank of America, their ATM is located everywhere. Basically its depends on you. You should consider your situation. If you choose your apartment in Westwood, I think the Sanwa bank is a smart choice. It is sometimes difficult for a newly arriving person like you to make a credit card in USA, but if you wish, Sanwa Bank has a special program about that.

5. Car A car is necessity for life in Los Angeles. You can not buy food without a car. You should rent a car for 1 or 2 weeks after arriving. Then you have to decide whether to buy or to lease/rent the rented car. Each choice has merits and demerits. You can also find many advertisements on free Japanese news papers such as GATEWAY USA, Lighthouse, Study USA, and The Japanese Daily Sun or on The Japanese Directory & Guide. You can pick these up at Japanese shops.

6. AAA AAA(triple A) is almost the same organization as JAF. It is impossible to live in LA without a car, and the car sometimes has problems. I strongly recommend joining AAA. The benefits to become a member of AAA is a lot. You can get road maps, TourBooks and discount tickets for several amusement parks (Disney land, universal studio et al).

7. Driver's license You have to get a Driver's License. You need your driver's license because a photo ID is necessary when purchasing by personal check or credit card. Your daily life will be inconvenient without a driver's license. The way to apply for a driver's license is as follows: You should get the Japanese Directory & Guide or a copy of this book before applying. This book contains instructions for the test. Your colleagues will give you the test paper and advice. You should study the law and traffic system before going to the DMV ( the Department of Motor Vehicle). In addition to learning the law, you need to receive a Social Security Number Card. You should bring your passport and the Social Security Number Card when applying for the driver's license. You should begin from the start window at the DMV. An officer will show you the proper window to get an application form. After that, you should follow their instruction. You can take the written test whenever you want. There is no time limit to take the written test, but it usually takes less than half an hour. If you pass the written test, they give you a limited temporary license. Then you should call DMV to make an appointment for the driving test. It is difficult to pass the driving test the first time. Many people fail the first test. Relax and don't worry about that. Please note the following: you should prepare your car insurance. You can take the driving test by either renting a car or your using your car, but you can't take the test without insurance. It will take 2 or more months to receive the license after the driving test.

8. Furniture: There are several way to get furniture. You can buy, rent or to rent a furnished apartment. There are some considerations in purchasing furniture. At the end of your stay in USA, you will have to sell it or to bring back to Japan. The renting fee of furniture will be $100 to $200 per month, but you don't have to worry about it at the end of the period. Whatever you want, other doctors will help you. Do not hesitate to ask them. There are many furniture shops(sell or rent). For example Ikea is one of best.

9. Kitchen utensils & Tableware If you want Japanese kitchen utensils or tableware for example, a rice cooker, chawan etc., you can find them at YAOHAN (Santa Monica, Little Tokyo, Torrance) or NIJIYA market (Sawtelle, Torrance et al.). There is no difficulty in finding ordinary utensils or tableware. All local supermarket have kitchen utensils and tableware. If you want special things like Wedgwood et al, you should go to a Department Store or an Out let store.

10. Water The quality of tap water is not good in this area. It is better to buy water for drinking and cooking. Prices of water are $1 per gallon (bottled water), 25-35 cent per gallon (vending machine) or water filter($30-over$100).

11. Food There is no need to worry about getting Japanese food. There are several Japanese food markets and Japanese restaurants. One of the closest markets is NIJIYA market on the corner of Sawtelle Blvd. and Olympic Blvd. Another is Yaohan department store on the corner of Venice Blvd. and Centinera Ave. There is a Japanese book shop, too.

12. Shops (for daily life) market : "Westward Ho" on the corner of Westwood Blvd. and Ohio. mall : "Westwood Pavilion" on the corner of Westwood Blvd. and Pico Blvd. discount : "Target" on the Jefferson Blvd., turn to the east from Sepulveda Blvd. to Jefferson. ( Very good place to buy dish racks, plastic containers, plastic goods.) "Adray's" on the Pico Blvd. and between Sawtelle and Sepulveda. "COSTCO" on the Rosecrans blvd and west side of the 405 Fwy. Do it your self: "Home Depot" south side of Rosecran blvd. and east side of the 405 Fwy.

Author

Hisahiro TAKEUCHI DDS, PhD

Department of Fixed Prosthodontics School of Dentistry

The University of Tokushima (UCLA 1994-1996)

Collaborators

Youn Joong Kim DDS, MSD, PhD

Susan Nakamura

1st edition 1995

and Hiroshi Kobayashi