Natalya, Pasadena, California, USA

Natalya, 34, is loving life in sunny California and has been living there for more than 3 Years. Aside from being a housewife and caring for her two kids, she works part time in sales technology.

Natalya in her favorite surf spot, El Porto beach

What do you enjoy best in the country you're in? Any recommendations for travelers going to your new country?

"I live in Pasadena California. It's 15 min away from downtown LA and not so far from LAX. I love it here especially since most of our family (my husband and I) live in the South Pasadena area. It has that suburb feel but it's not too far from everything and it's a safe neighborhood to walk around in.

I've always loved Los Angeles, always sunny and no blizzards. I've been coming here since I was 4 years old, going to Disneyland and driving to Las Vegas and San Francisco. My family never ran out of things to do in California- as this was my memory every summer growing up.

If you want great deals on shopping I always go to fashion district in Downtown LA. Downtown LA has so much to offer- free museums, amazing street food, new restaurants, also better deals with anything and everything you could possibly imagine. Even on my wedding I bought flowers at the flower district which saved me tons of money. I'm a practical mom of 2 kids so I always want good deals.

My family and I love going to the beach the most and one of our favorite beaches is Hermosa beach. It’s a local spot and it's a nice little town. We also love going to parks and having picnic barbecues at Doheny beach park in Dana point. It has bbq grills, and you can rent bikes and also beach gear (I.e. Paddle board, kayak etc).

We love the hike at Eaton Canyon, you can take the kids with you as it’s a mild hike and a waterfall at the end is a treat for everyone to see.

I have also camped at Joshua tree, it's a beautiful place to camp - no cell signal so if going with a group, best to have radios to keep in touch. It's nice to be in touch with nature and see all the stars at night. Spring is the best time to go as it’s not too hot and not too cold.

It's nice to raise children in Pasadena especially since I am a parent of an 11-year old autistic boy. We get free services from the government that I would never have gotten in the Philippines. Public schools are great here and I'm blessed to be able to live here."

Photos submitted by contributor