Hi Quack and welcome.
With $500 - $800 to spend you will be able to get yourself a good quality Dobsonian Reflector (Dob).
The bigger the better, but beware, the bigger they get (10" +) the harder they are to transport if you want to get to dark sky sites.
Delivery to the west isn't too bad, but there may be a dealer over there.
Anyway, welcome, have fun and learn lots from the intelligent knowledgable folk in here (I ain't one of them
).