Hey everyone! My name is Ashley. Haven't been on here for a while but here we go!! So basically I am a soon to be 22 year old transgender woman who is from Winnipeg Manitoba currently.. Which is in Western Canada. I have been thinking of applying to go to school down Southwest after my gender reassignment surgery. Obviously Arizona or Colorado. California is a close third choice too. Basically I want to network and find new friends here to anyone of those states . Although I have never been to the United States, or left Canada for that matter I know quite about the American Southwest and I love it. It has been a dream to go learn, or even work in that region for a few years before I move back to the great north again!! and perhaps be able to start my professional life. If you are interested in talking please do it be nice to meet ya xox- Ashley

I am from Arizona and we have three Universities to chose from NAU wouldn't be that much different from where you are as it's in snow country - yes, arizona has a bunch of snow in parts of the state. ASU is my school and you may not see any snow but it is a bit warmer than where you are from. U of A is about 1500 feet higher and while still hot, the climate is a bit milder. If you want to be near a big city, ASU would be your school. For the smaller population center, consider the other two schools.
Outdoor activities vary between snow skiing, water skiing, hiking in the desert or tree filled mountains, fishing, floating down the river on a raft or inter tube or exploring the country away from the city. We have several native american indian tribes with a culture and history you may find interesting and a tourist industry the provides many interesting places to visit. If you want a state that offers pretty much everything within a few hours drive, you would have to look hard to find a state other than arizona.

I'm not in Colorado, Arizona, or California, but I am in the Southwest. I'm here in Albuquerque, New Mexico if you need to hear about this part of the American Southwest. The big school here is UNM, which is just a short walk from my house. I don't go there, but I know a bit about it. I know this isn't on your list, but I thought I'd offer anyway if you had any questions.

Thanks girls . Truth is Colorado is so far the state I am leaning towards. Thag said i am open to knowing more about the others ! I am more then open about New Mexico too and if you wana tell me anything of the state I am all ears . I really wana be around deserts, mountains, canyons, ect. Although Colorado maybe cool in the winter I understand it isn't unbearable most of the time. I have tried looking online but which place has the lowest tuition ? That is if you know either lol

Colorado is nice but it isn't desert. It gets much more rainfall so it's mountains and grass land.

Really? I thought Grand Junction and area was desert land

There is desert and there is desert. The states with the most extreme desert are California, Arizona and New Mexico. After living in the area for a long time you can often tell where a picture was taken because of the differences in the plants and landscape. Colorado is a bit greener because of the higher rain fall. The lower 3 states have more exposed rocky ground because of the lower rain fall. Really it will come down to the school you want, what the city will provide and the out door life you want to live. Just as a little added benefit, we have a monthly magazine that shows locations from all over the state. You can view some of it at  https://www.arizonahighways.com

Corrado has dry areas,  but not a desert.

  Eastern third of Colorado is called a high semi-arid desert and a short-grass prairie. Denver is a part of that and the western border of Denver is 10 miles from the eastern slope of the Rockies. It is brown most of the year here, but greener in the mountains. The communities immediately east of the Rockies are called the Front Range that extends in a strip from the Fort Collins area south to Trinidad. The Eastern Slope strip is milder in the winters than the rest of the state. I was born in the LA basin but lived here since I was 8 in 1960. My grandmother, a native Coloradoan, taught me how to do a high country garden I do to this day. I have planted the cool weather greens for this season already.
  Grand Junction is in what we call the Western Slope. It is also semi-arid but becomes a real desert as you head west along the Colorado River towards Fruita or north. This area gets hot in the summer in the 100's F. The locals call this desert the "Stinking Desert" from the limestone smell off of the palisade mesas north of town. Grand Mesa to the east overlooks a mile above Grand Junction and is a source of local pride. Olathe, up the Gunnison valley from GJ is a state pride from the special sweet corn that area produces. Palisade up the Colorado from GJ has apple and peach orchards with a few craft wineries.
  The central wide strip of Colorado is the Rocky Mountains. A lot of ski areas in the winter, but they offer summer hiking, rafting and other things. Good trail and park systems, some of which are used year around. I often go up to the cabin just to get out of town. Portions of southern Colorado is desert with Mesa Verde N.P. a good visit in the southwest.

Joelene

Omg that sounds beautiful . With that said, once I decide on one of the four states I have this question that I hope you or anyone else can help me with. How do I apply to get like a visa or what not for the America? Weather that be from a school or a job and what jobs are known for being good with that? Thanks !

https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/study-exchange/student.html

Thanks! I hope however the process goes it isn't too long lol

I was stationed in Colorado Springs. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! Pike's Peak out your window every day and wondrous sunrises and sunsets. Loved it there!

How long ago was this??