Austin or San Francisco?
Mar 7th 2015, 12:08 am
#46
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Posts: 1,157
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
I was actually thinking more about grad students. I mainly consider undergrads foes...
Mar 7th 2015, 12:09 am
#47
Democracy advocate
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 12,460
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Help!
We've been in Sydney for nearly three years. Hubby's work have suggested we move to San Francisco. I just got my head around the possibility of this (by reading lots of helpful posts on here) and then he phoned yesterday and said, 'Would you consider Austin, Texas?'
My head is all over the place. We have three kids, ages 11, 10 and 7. High school applications are pressing.
I have no great desire to stay in Australia. I have applied for hundreds of high school teaching jobs, but the huge glut of teachers in Sydney means that along with Visa restrictions, I'm bottom of a very large pile. So while we're here in Aus, my career is super-stalled.
How have people found getting work in the US? I believe the hubster will be on an L1 Visa (which makes me an L2?) so the state of the job market really just applies to me. Any high school teachers out there?
I'm trying to figure out if Austin or SF are a better bet for me and jobs, or whether indeed, neither...
Anyone any experience of schools in either SF or Austin? I don't know where to even start looking in Austin, but around SF the areas we have been looking at are Pacifica, San Mateo, Redwood City, Almeda and Oakland. We don't fancy living in SF City proper (and I believe schools are on a lottery system for kids).
Ooh, and are the Great Schools grading of 1-10 a pretty robust guide for selecting/looking at schools, or should we be taking it with a pinch of salt?
Living costs look a lot cheaper in Austin - but not sure about the heat. SF is surrounded by mountains and ocean. We like an outdoor lifestyle - what do people get up to in Austin, if that's not a leading question.
Just help. If anyone has any advice or experiences of either place, please send it my way.
Not even sure where to start...
We've been in Sydney for nearly three years. Hubby's work have suggested we move to San Francisco. I just got my head around the possibility of this (by reading lots of helpful posts on here) and then he phoned yesterday and said, 'Would you consider Austin, Texas?'
My head is all over the place. We have three kids, ages 11, 10 and 7. High school applications are pressing.
I have no great desire to stay in Australia. I have applied for hundreds of high school teaching jobs, but the huge glut of teachers in Sydney means that along with Visa restrictions, I'm bottom of a very large pile. So while we're here in Aus, my career is super-stalled.
How have people found getting work in the US? I believe the hubster will be on an L1 Visa (which makes me an L2?) so the state of the job market really just applies to me. Any high school teachers out there?
I'm trying to figure out if Austin or SF are a better bet for me and jobs, or whether indeed, neither...
Anyone any experience of schools in either SF or Austin? I don't know where to even start looking in Austin, but around SF the areas we have been looking at are Pacifica, San Mateo, Redwood City, Almeda and Oakland. We don't fancy living in SF City proper (and I believe schools are on a lottery system for kids).
Ooh, and are the Great Schools grading of 1-10 a pretty robust guide for selecting/looking at schools, or should we be taking it with a pinch of salt?
Living costs look a lot cheaper in Austin - but not sure about the heat. SF is surrounded by mountains and ocean. We like an outdoor lifestyle - what do people get up to in Austin, if that's not a leading question.
Just help. If anyone has any advice or experiences of either place, please send it my way.
Not even sure where to start...
) - Austin is a nice place but Texas cannot remotely compete with Northern California in terms of amenities.$180K - I suggest you spend some time on craigslist and look at Bay Area accomo and then decide if you can afford it.
Mar 7th 2015, 4:27 am
#49
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 429
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Help!
We've been in Sydney for nearly three years. Hubby's work have suggested we move to San Francisco. I just got my head around the possibility of this (by reading lots of helpful posts on here) and then he phoned yesterday and said, 'Would you consider Austin, Texas?'
My head is all over the place. We have three kids, ages 11, 10 and 7. High school applications are pressing.
I have no great desire to stay in Australia. I have applied for hundreds of high school teaching jobs, but the huge glut of teachers in Sydney means that along with Visa restrictions, I'm bottom of a very large pile. So while we're here in Aus, my career is super-stalled.
How have people found getting work in the US? I believe the hubster will be on an L1 Visa (which makes me an L2?) so the state of the job market really just applies to me. Any high school teachers out there?
I'm trying to figure out if Austin or SF are a better bet for me and jobs, or whether indeed, neither...
Anyone any experience of schools in either SF or Austin? I don't know where to even start looking in Austin, but around SF the areas we have been looking at are Pacifica, San Mateo, Redwood City, Almeda and Oakland. We don't fancy living in SF City proper (and I believe schools are on a lottery system for kids).
Ooh, and are the Great Schools grading of 1-10 a pretty robust guide for selecting/looking at schools, or should we be taking it with a pinch of salt?
Living costs look a lot cheaper in Austin - but not sure about the heat. SF is surrounded by mountains and ocean. We like an outdoor lifestyle - what do people get up to in Austin, if that's not a leading question.
Just help. If anyone has any advice or experiences of either place, please send it my way.
Not even sure where to start...
We've been in Sydney for nearly three years. Hubby's work have suggested we move to San Francisco. I just got my head around the possibility of this (by reading lots of helpful posts on here) and then he phoned yesterday and said, 'Would you consider Austin, Texas?'
My head is all over the place. We have three kids, ages 11, 10 and 7. High school applications are pressing.
I have no great desire to stay in Australia. I have applied for hundreds of high school teaching jobs, but the huge glut of teachers in Sydney means that along with Visa restrictions, I'm bottom of a very large pile. So while we're here in Aus, my career is super-stalled.
How have people found getting work in the US? I believe the hubster will be on an L1 Visa (which makes me an L2?) so the state of the job market really just applies to me. Any high school teachers out there?
I'm trying to figure out if Austin or SF are a better bet for me and jobs, or whether indeed, neither...
Anyone any experience of schools in either SF or Austin? I don't know where to even start looking in Austin, but around SF the areas we have been looking at are Pacifica, San Mateo, Redwood City, Almeda and Oakland. We don't fancy living in SF City proper (and I believe schools are on a lottery system for kids).
Ooh, and are the Great Schools grading of 1-10 a pretty robust guide for selecting/looking at schools, or should we be taking it with a pinch of salt?
Living costs look a lot cheaper in Austin - but not sure about the heat. SF is surrounded by mountains and ocean. We like an outdoor lifestyle - what do people get up to in Austin, if that's not a leading question.
Just help. If anyone has any advice or experiences of either place, please send it my way.
Not even sure where to start...
Where Can I Teach? | Teacher Employment | Teach.com
Mar 7th 2015, 11:46 am
#50
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 17
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Thanks for the information. How bad is the commute? I believe the office is somewhere on N Congress Ave, Austin, that looks pretty central, but what do I know
. Google suggests about 22 minutes to there from Westwood High School, which I think you live near. That doesn't sound too bad, but Google can be way off.Other places like Lakeway look very nice and appear to only be 35 minutes commute, is that way off?
If you don't mind another question, on first glance schools like very promising, lots of green 7+ entries on greatschools.org, would you agree?
Thanks again.
Mar 7th 2015, 11:52 am
#51
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Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 17
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the information, lots to take in. My impression from all the replies is that $180k for a family income in San Francisco is borderline at best, that although there might be more variation and more to do, we might not be in a position to do afford to do it all.
Schools also seem much more variable in San Francisco compared to Austin, although that is just going by greatschools.org.
Please shout out if you think I've got anything very wrong.
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks. It really is appreciated.
Thanks for all the information, lots to take in. My impression from all the replies is that $180k for a family income in San Francisco is borderline at best, that although there might be more variation and more to do, we might not be in a position to do afford to do it all.
Schools also seem much more variable in San Francisco compared to Austin, although that is just going by greatschools.org.
Please shout out if you think I've got anything very wrong.
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks. It really is appreciated.
Mar 7th 2015, 2:35 pm
#52
Austin. TX.
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,930
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Hiya Headspin!
4o mins to an hour to downtown Austin from where we live in rush hour.
Considering it's size, Austin does have a lot of really good schools. We chose Westwood because of it's IB program and the results. Loads of really clever Asian kids here thanks to Dell and Samsung.
Lakeway is nice, we have friends there and the HS is really good too. Horrible commute though. Try to look at google maps when it is rush hour in Austin because I find the travelling times to be pretty accurate and it shows in red where it's not moving well.
The only other thing I would mention are the flight connections. Austin isn't great for international flights, one a day to London (BA) and I think another one to a Mexican holiday place that I can't remember the name of . So, for most international flights (certainly east) you will go to DFW or Houston and that's going to add another 3 hours travelling time minimum with a good connection.
Your money will definitely go further here and it is a nice place to live. My kids are happy here, it was a relatively easy adjustment for them, my hubby likes his work here and there are other companies around if he feels the need to get a new job. The other thing I like about the area in which we live is that it is fairly unpretentious - the kids tell me that there isn't too much pressure at school to conform and buy expensive things.
HTH
4o mins to an hour to downtown Austin from where we live in rush hour.
Considering it's size, Austin does have a lot of really good schools. We chose Westwood because of it's IB program and the results. Loads of really clever Asian kids here thanks to Dell and Samsung.
Lakeway is nice, we have friends there and the HS is really good too. Horrible commute though. Try to look at google maps when it is rush hour in Austin because I find the travelling times to be pretty accurate and it shows in red where it's not moving well.
The only other thing I would mention are the flight connections. Austin isn't great for international flights, one a day to London (BA) and I think another one to a Mexican holiday place that I can't remember the name of . So, for most international flights (certainly east) you will go to DFW or Houston and that's going to add another 3 hours travelling time minimum with a good connection.
Your money will definitely go further here and it is a nice place to live. My kids are happy here, it was a relatively easy adjustment for them, my hubby likes his work here and there are other companies around if he feels the need to get a new job. The other thing I like about the area in which we live is that it is fairly unpretentious - the kids tell me that there isn't too much pressure at school to conform and buy expensive things.
HTH
Mar 7th 2015, 4:59 pm
#53
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 6,148
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
We have a decent combined income for San Francisco which I'm sure in other parts of the US would make us feel really wealthy! We managed to buy a 2-bed flat. The mortgage is cheaper than the $3,400 per month we were paying for a 1 bed flat here. Housing is a serious consideration here. I can't even imagine the cost if you had kids. Ok, so today the weather is 70F ish today and I can see the humming birds feeding off some flowers in the garden but I would not relocate to San Francisco if I had the option again. I'd have stayed in NYC. Someone can chip in on the SF teacher salary but my electrician's wife is a teacher and he said her salary was in the $40K's. And from what I hear, a lot of the public schools in SF are not great so if you have kids, you leave SF. That's why there are more dogs than children in SF!
. San Francisco can be a great place but I couldn't imagine moving there these days. We have offices in Palo Alto, but it's just not worth it, especially if you like living space + garden. My partner and I have an average wage and what we're paying off for a 4 bed house with over half acre in Ireland and a holiday home in Spain, wouldn't even pay the rent for a shitty 1 bed apartment in San Francisco.
Mar 8th 2015, 3:17 am
#54
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 238
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Austin is expensive for Texas but nothing like SF. And if you live outside Austin loads of those school districts are looking for teachers.
I love SF, one of my favourite places but honestly- the cost of living and restrictive lifestyle- not for me.
Austin has changed a lot in the years I've been in texas, and I wasn't impressed at first when my son moved there. However- it is a lot of very nice people in the mix.
And even though I've spent a lot of time in Sf- not everyone was all that....
I love SF, one of my favourite places but honestly- the cost of living and restrictive lifestyle- not for me.
Austin has changed a lot in the years I've been in texas, and I wasn't impressed at first when my son moved there. However- it is a lot of very nice people in the mix.
And even though I've spent a lot of time in Sf- not everyone was all that....
Mar 8th 2015, 5:41 am
#55
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 17
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
[QUOTE=OnwardandUpward;11585932] And if you live outside Austin loads of those school districts are looking for teachers.
Hi OnwardsandUpwards,
That's really interesting. Is the 'looking for teachers' an anecdotal thing or is this based on an article somewhere (if it is could post me a link?).
What did you feel had changed about Austin for better/worse?
Was the lifestyle in SF restrictive because of cost?
Thanks for posting.
Hi OnwardsandUpwards,
That's really interesting. Is the 'looking for teachers' an anecdotal thing or is this based on an article somewhere (if it is could post me a link?).
What did you feel had changed about Austin for better/worse?
Was the lifestyle in SF restrictive because of cost?
Thanks for posting.
Mar 8th 2015, 12:09 pm
#56
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 238
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
[QUOTE=headspin;11585961]
When I've been in SF I was with a friend and literally had to share a parking space with the people downstairs, one behind the other so we were always moving cars for each other...then the traffic was pretty bad! If I lived there I'd try not to have a car, there is public transport. Yes cost is a restricting factor, it's a very expensive city and never seems to get any cheaper. It's a great place though, I'd live there if I were wealthier!
Re teaching in TX I've been going to Austin every week and I see signs for the new areas being developed for hiring teachers, I'll make a note of exactly where next time. Manor TX just outside Austin was one place.
TEA Statewide Job Search is Texas Educators website.
Good luck!
And if you live outside Austin loads of those school districts are looking for teachers.
Hi OnwardsandUpwards,
That's really interesting. Is the 'looking for teachers' an anecdotal thing or is this based on an article somewhere (if it is could post me a link?).
What did you feel had changed about Austin for better/worse?
Was the lifestyle in SF restrictive because of cost?
Thanks for posting.
Hi OnwardsandUpwards,
That's really interesting. Is the 'looking for teachers' an anecdotal thing or is this based on an article somewhere (if it is could post me a link?).
What did you feel had changed about Austin for better/worse?
Was the lifestyle in SF restrictive because of cost?
Thanks for posting.
Re teaching in TX I've been going to Austin every week and I see signs for the new areas being developed for hiring teachers, I'll make a note of exactly where next time. Manor TX just outside Austin was one place.
TEA Statewide Job Search is Texas Educators website.
Good luck!
Mar 8th 2015, 3:23 pm
#58
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,157
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
Mar 8th 2015, 7:19 pm
#59
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Joined: Feb 2015
Location: Little Elm, Tx
Posts: 156
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
I was given four choices. San Fran, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta. San Fran too expensive was an easy mark off. Quality of life does mean disposable dollar spend, not just a nice beach on a weekend.
Mar 8th 2015, 8:01 pm
#60
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 238
Re: Austin or San Francisco?
since I've not been in great health I have only worked part-time, that's doable here and has really improved my quality of life. There's a lot of free stuff here too- concerts, museums, parks, zoo days etc.
I'd love to live in SF because it is one of the unique places in the US and the architecture is interesting and it's a lovely climate etc but for me now quality of life= debt free/ not worrying about money/ making sure I can buy healthcare, and that's much more possible in Houston.