Moving to Atlanta
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
Moving to Atlanta
Hi
We have been asked to move to Atlanta from the UK on initially a 3 year contact. I have two sons aged 9 & 11 and the office where I will be based will be in Dunwoody and then Sterling Point.
I was told that Alpharetta would be a good place however the main driver will be schools for the boys. Work have advised that I need to find a school that offers an international curriculum.
I have also been advised that the Buckhead area is a good location and also good for schools.
soccer is also a major consideration as they are both obsessed.
Any advice would be appreciated.
We have been asked to move to Atlanta from the UK on initially a 3 year contact. I have two sons aged 9 & 11 and the office where I will be based will be in Dunwoody and then Sterling Point.
I was told that Alpharetta would be a good place however the main driver will be schools for the boys. Work have advised that I need to find a school that offers an international curriculum.
I have also been advised that the Buckhead area is a good location and also good for schools.
soccer is also a major consideration as they are both obsessed.
Any advice would be appreciated.
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 76
Re: Moving to Atlanta
I've just moved to Suwanee (near Alpharetta) have a boy who is 8 and 12 year old daughter. Cant really comment about Buckhead but Alpharetta and the surrounding areas cater well for families. Loads to do some great school districts, and great schools, and plenty of soccer clubs. Not sure you need an international curriculum, my kids have been at school for about 4 weeks and have settled really well. I moved on an internal transfer visa, your situation sounds similar. Traffic is a big issue in and around Atlanta so when you start narrowing the search you'll want to consider the commute. PM me if you have any questions.
#3
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Buckhead is very expensive and the good schooling there is generally $$$$. Why do you need an international curriculum? We used http://www.greatschools.org/georgia/...?gradeLevels=e when we were looking to buy our house to check school districts
Last edited by BubbleChog; Sep 29th 2015 at 3:41 am.
#4
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 8
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Don't want to hijack your thread but we are also looking to move to Atlanta with two daughters who are 6 and 4. My husband will be working in decatur and we are looking at East Cobb due to commute times.
Interested to why you have been advised to look at international schools, have you found many? Looked at ais but not sure about the teaching in Spanish. Would like to look at private due to smaller pupil numbers as we are currently in a very small infant school (180 pupils). Is this necessary do you think?
Interested to why you have been advised to look at international schools, have you found many? Looked at ais but not sure about the teaching in Spanish. Would like to look at private due to smaller pupil numbers as we are currently in a very small infant school (180 pupils). Is this necessary do you think?
#5
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 3
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Thanks Daccs. Really helpful. Having spoken to colleagues at work, they have all advised that we do not go down the route of the international school route mainly due to friendship reasons for the boys. The reason why we were asked to consider was due to me initially coming to Atlanta on a 3 year contract.
#6
Re: Moving to Atlanta
I think (am fairly certain) you'll find the only "international schools" are private ones. You may find some state-funded schools that offer the international baccalaureate program, so I think that is what you should be looking for, though I think if you're only here for three years then the international baccalaureate program won't have started even for the (currently) eleven year old, but you may have made his transition back to a GCSE program in the UK more challenging if you go back when he is 14.
Last edited by Pulaski; Sep 29th 2015 at 12:17 pm.
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 147
Re: Moving to Atlanta
I've been in Norcross (just north of Atlanta) since June 2014. Do also think about your commute to work if you will be office based.If you can fit all the things you have highlighted as priorities AND a good "home > work > home" journey then you will be happy here.Driving in the direction OUT of Atlanta in the morning and towards it for a home journey in an evening is better than the other way around. They call it a "reverse-commute". Traffic can be REALLY bad sometimes.I make the journey from North to South Atlanta (to get to the airport) regularly. I gotta tell yer... You can see bad driving in the UK at times, but here you see it every day. There are regular bumps and car write-offs on the interstate/highways. Lots of texting and driving, careless lane changes etc. When they happen it backs traffic up big time. I can get into Atlanta in 30 minutes, but it has taken me 1.5 hours a couple of times. If you go for a place that gives you an East-West commute, consider which direction. It doesn't seem a big thing at first but having the sun in your eyes both in the morning and at night can be a small irritation, every day LOL. Public transport is minimal. There's the MARTA which is ok for a trip to the airport actually (it goes right into it) but it's not really a nice way to travel. Like any big city there's real poverty and it's not hard to find/see.This is a great place though (really!) and if you have any questions about what there is to do, the cool places to go as a tourist or resident, where there is a British Goods Shop (for Yorkshire Tea, Mushy Peas, proper mustard like Colemans etc)... Well I'm very happy to help another ex-pat in the area. Buckhead is very nice, but $$$ pricey.Good luck with the big move!
Last edited by Hanco; Sep 30th 2015 at 6:31 am. Reason: Adding info. Trying to put carriage returns in (and failing!)
#8
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Don't forget you will need to obtain a GA drivers license a few weeks after you arrive, which will include the requirement to take a road test. Your UK licence will not be valid after you become "resident" in GA, as defined by the GA DMV. Note this definition of "resident" is inconsistent with the federal government's definition of "resident".
Last edited by Pulaski; Sep 30th 2015 at 6:48 am.
#9
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 8
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Hanco, could I ask you a couple of things? How did you find the pollen season? I hear it is pretty full on and my 6 year old has food allergies, hay fever and asthma. Am concerned that it will be so bad she won't be able to venture outside! Do people cope ok?
We would be coming from a small village in Hampshire where the kids bike to school - are there no pavements at all?
We are looking at East Cobb, is it a massive sprawl of housing, could we walk to school?
Is the driving very different to the UK? (I have only driven on the right once on a very straight highway, am I going to find it impossible.?!?!)
We're hopefully coming out to have a look soon, google maps only tell so much!
Thank you and again sorry for the thread hijack!
We would be coming from a small village in Hampshire where the kids bike to school - are there no pavements at all?
We are looking at East Cobb, is it a massive sprawl of housing, could we walk to school?
Is the driving very different to the UK? (I have only driven on the right once on a very straight highway, am I going to find it impossible.?!?!)
We're hopefully coming out to have a look soon, google maps only tell so much!
Thank you and again sorry for the thread hijack!
#10
Re: Moving to Atlanta
The pollen season here is vile, Atlanta is sometimes called the 'City in the forest' for good reason. March-April everything is covered in a thick greenish yellow layer of pollen. I don't suffer from allergies but SmallChog does. We dose her up on childrens claritin March -Mid June and then again for most of september. Most of Atlanta has no pavements, even residential streets the front yard goes straight to the kerb, unless your potential home is right on top of the school I wouldn't trust the dipshit drivers here to not mow down pedestrians
#11
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 76
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Regarding that license. You can lease a car without it, as it may take a few weeks to get your SSN so within a month is almost impossible.
#12
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 8
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Cool, thanks bubble, this is what we do in the UK re hay fever so hopefully this will be enough In Atlanta too.
Sad to hear about the pavements, in a swim/tennis community do people drive to the pool?
We are excited about the move as my husband currently has a 1.40 each way commute so we are hoping for some more family time as the commute from East Cobb to the perimeter mall looks like about 30 mins. Do you know if this is realistic?
Do you have any elementary school experience? Or pre k? My small is in yr currently so if she joins this year she won't be old enough for kindergarten, do you have any experiences?
Thank you!
Sad to hear about the pavements, in a swim/tennis community do people drive to the pool?
We are excited about the move as my husband currently has a 1.40 each way commute so we are hoping for some more family time as the commute from East Cobb to the perimeter mall looks like about 30 mins. Do you know if this is realistic?
Do you have any elementary school experience? Or pre k? My small is in yr currently so if she joins this year she won't be old enough for kindergarten, do you have any experiences?
Thank you!
#13
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Personally I would not recommend walking anywhere as a means of getting from A to B, except in the city centre.
#14
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 147
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Don't forget you will need to obtain a GA drivers license a few weeks after you arrive, which will include the requirement to take a road test. Your UK licence will not be valid after you become "resident" in GA, as defined by the GA DMV. Note this definition of "resident" is inconsistent with the federal government's definition of "resident".
#15
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 147
Re: Moving to Atlanta
Hanco, could I ask you a couple of things? How did you find the pollen season? I hear it is pretty full on and my 6 year old has food allergies, hay fever and asthma. Am concerned that it will be so bad she won't be able to venture outside! Do people cope ok?We would be coming from a small village in Hampshire where the kids bike to school - are there no pavements at all?We are looking at East Cobb, is it a massive sprawl of housing, could we walk to school?Is the driving very different to the UK? (I have only driven on the right once on a very straight highway, am I going to find it impossible.?!?!)We're hopefully coming out to have a look soon, google maps only tell so much!Thank you and again sorry for the thread hijack!