Meet Tyler Galt from Boston Massachusetts who moved to LA 13 years ago ‘to pursue a whim…’
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
I had a friend who moved here for acting; we were pretty close so I decided to come visit. My most telling moment was at our first stop after leaving LAX. I looked up, accidentally making instant eye contact with a beautiful person, they smiled brightly at me, and I was just stunned. In Boston eye contact is considered aggressive, you never say hi to strangers and even friends don’t hug. Even the driving is aggressive there, so aggressive that drivers from Massachusetts are called mAss-holes. LA was warm and enchanting, the polar opposite of where I came from. When I came here I had to re-learn social norms and I was happy to.
What do you miss most from home?
The warm Atlantic Ocean! I’m glad no one told me the Pacific Ocean is always freezing cold or I might not have moved here! I may have moved away once or twice and come straight back to LA. This last time is the final one. If I need to get out of LA I don’t move, I take a vacation.
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since?
That it was beautiful and inspiring. I feel like those words can really describe the zeitgeist of the city
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus the Boston area?
Boston is more like a larger downtown LA, with a much larger dose of skid row, humid summers and nasty winters. So its majorly different but the culture is an entirely different dimension. People are so much nicer here.
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
Topanga Beach is the least crowded I’ve been to, the cleanest, and the water is warmer there. If you go I recommend grabbing lunch at the Inn of the 7th Ray and checking out their gift shop. It’s worth the drive!
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
Be ready financially. Be flexible about what kind of jobs you take and the neighborhoods you’ll live in. Los Angeles is hard but worth it.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
I’ve always loved the phrase leap of faith. It’s what brought me here. So trust yourself, take the leap and remember that as long as you fight for it you will always land on your feet.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you? Are you working on anything at the moment?
Currently I’m not essential so I’m home 24/7. Unfortunately California is trying to deny my unemployment so I haven’t gotten a dime and won’t till they reopen the phone lines. Since there’s nothing I can do about that I’m now one of the many women sewing masks and hawking them on my handmade brand Teekco on instagram. I wish I was in a position to be able to give them away so instead I am donating 15% of the proceeds to the Pasadena SPCA to help care for animals abandoned and displaced because of the coronavirus. But aside from all this, what I really want to do is go back to school for veterinary medicine. I’m slowly hacking away at my next and most meaningful leap of faith. So if anyone here works for a shelter that is looking for volunteers, or a vet looking for a receptionist that can also help build mobility devices for our handicapped furry friends (because I also have a BFA in product design), I’m your girl.
