christmasoompa

Thanks for all that. Most of it I've already looked at (I've been Googling like mad!!) such as climate, cost of living, etc, etc, and that's why we've decided New England is for us. We are only planning on spending 2 years over there at the moment (obviously it may be extended if necessary but we're hoping to come back to the UK after that) so we'll just rent and rent our house out here while we're gone.

But what I'm really after is advice from anyone that's done the move and any little things that they think might help i.e. things they wish they had thought of or been told to do? All the big stuff i.e. housing, schooling, etc, I can (hopefully!) figure out with the help of the wonderful www, but are there any little things that you wish you'd known before you moved?

Thanks all.

christmasoompa

Thanks so much, that's really helpful. Glad to know you've managed it and are still sane! How long have you been in the US now?

jumping doris

2 years but sane...theres a question.
Seriously the most stressful part was arriving because you are suddenly out of your comfort zone and you realise that the USA is a very foreign country.
After all the preparation we felt shattered when we arrived and in need of a good holiday but we had to hit the ground running.

If you can fit it into the container then bring it except for electrical goods. I know you can get transformers and if you have state of the art electronic stuff that might be worth bringing but general electrics...buy new here.

I'm just about to go and pick up my eldest from uni but if you want to know anything specific ask, either here or PM me.
Good Luck

Elvira

Deja vu...

christmasoompa

Thanks very much, might well be pm'ing you with daft questions now!

anotherlimey

Get an Amex card if you don't currently have one, they will then issue you a US one when you're here even though you have no credit history in the US.

christmasoompa

Oooh, great tip, thanks so much for that. That's exactly the kind of thing I would never have thought of!

Bob

There's been a couple of good threads recently about Boston and a thread about Maine that you could search up on for these areas of NE....but NE is pretty large, so a lot of it will probably depend on what sort of things your interested in and where you want to set up for work.

penguinsix

Hi,

Where to begin. It does seem like a monster of an effort, especially if you haven't done this sort of thing before.

First, while I understand your husband is handling the visa, you might want to press him for the exact specifics. Is it an H1-B? Or an employer transfer, or what. The reason being is that once you know what kind of visa he will get, then folks can give you a better idea of exactly how long it will take to get those visas sorted. Two months-six, longer? When you have that information the folks on this board can help you with some estimates.

Second, when it comes on where to live, there is really a ton of data online you should go through. New England means quite a big area, and there are sorts of considerations from taxes to traffic. If you can narrow it down a bit more you'll be able to get into some specifics here:

http://www.realtor.com (houses for sale by zip code)
http://www.city-data.com/forums (discussion of nearly every city in the US)
http://www.greatschools.net/ (school information by zip code)

Third I'd go through the WIKI section of this message board and probably read every post on every subject, from schools to English sports in the UK. You'll find a wealth of 'routine questions' answered there. You might also want to pay attention to those sections on negotiating an expat package (I think it is in the emergency travel wiki) so your husband can get the best support possible.

Fourth, if you really want to just get packing, I'd recommend a paperwork pull first. You will need to get together:

* Childrens immunization records (VERY IMPORTANT)
* Childrens class transcripts, and possibly copy of curriculum guide (so US teachers can compare and see what is needed)
* Medical records for you.
* Bank and Financial information. Copies of documents you will need when in the US, such as addresses or any info needed to file your 'last' tax form in the UK next year.
* Identification documents, like a birth certifcate or passport copies.

Basically any piece of paper you might need over the next two years. Get it together, copy it, and put one in a briefcase to bring over.

But really, the key is the visa. I know you have it, but if you can figure out which one then you can figure out how long it will take and then you can start to put things into a calendar rather than jumble them all around in your head.

Good luck. The regulars on this board are here when you have questions.

p.s. I would also recommend reading this message board: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?board=68.0 This is a messageboard for American expats living in the UK. Why should you read it? Because it will help you understand how little things that you take for granted can frustrate someone who is not used to that lifestyle, and how things that affect them (homesickness, apart from family) will also be issues you will have to deal with when you are over here.

p.p.s. I also strongly concur with the advice given--the US is a FOREIGN country for an expat from the UK. Plan for the trip as if you were planning a trip to China. Yea, as vast and as different as somewhere the other side of the planet. Just because they speak English here doesn't mean it is similar at all... The sooner you realize that the easier the move will become.

kins

I'm in Portland Maine, and it's a great place to raise kids. Mine are 6, 4 and 2. Lots to do, beaches, skiing, hiking, sailing, a big enough city for me, reasonable cost of living (but ridiculous property taxes), 110 miles from Boston. Hot summers but long cold winters - I haven't done a winter yet...

kins

Also...

Have your mail from the UK forwarded, so you can keep your UK address for a while. Give this address to your GP, dentist etc in the UK so you stay on their books.

Set up an account with someone like InterchangeFX for transferring money - do it while you're still in the UK and can prove your identity and address easily.

Schools work like this (where I live at least). If you live in the area, your kids go to that school. They don't get to go to out-of-area schools. So when you are thinking about where to live, get a real estate agent to show you around the areas with good schools, and remember they will cost more. (This may be different elsewhere.)

When you buy a house it's common to be represented by a real estate agent, not an attorney, but the seller pays your agent's fees.

Don't under-estimate how difficult having no credit rating can make your life. Be ready to put down deposits on everything - cellphone, dish TV, utilities...

Plan wayyyy ahead. I sent my husband to the US early May, and was left in the UK with three small children, a house to sell, and everything else to organise on my own, in two months. It can be done! I had two days a week of childcare during which I did all the stuff I had to do and recovered a bit.

Get some help from family for your last week in the UK, even if they just take your kids off your hands.

Can't think of any more for now...

jumping doris

You say you run your own business. Depending on your visa you may be able to work here, you may not.
If you can work you may want to look at areas which will suit both your jobs.

lansbury

If you are thinking of buying new cars in the US have a look at this company. International Autosource. They have an office in the UK and basically if they sell the vehicle you want you can order it before you leave and it is delivered to a dealer local to where you will be living.

I purchased a Jeep from them at 20% off the sticker price and well below the dealer invoice price. The dealer who delivered it and where I have it serviced was amazed at the deal I got and said the nearest he could have done was $3500 more than I paid.

Bob

Portlands pretty warm in the winter so your all set, plus they do a good job of ploughing the roads, only problem is the zoned parking which can be a mare to figure out....but that's less of a pig than in Boston

BritGuyTN

Bob, is this entirely accurate?

Its already got down below freezing at night - not exactly balmy!