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Moving to Boston

Moving to Boston

Old Aug 3rd 2007, 8:28 pm
  #1  
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Talking Moving to Boston

Hello All,

Crikey, where do I start ! We are in the final decision making process of a move to Boston. It has all been a bit quick really. I have so many questions to ask really that so I'll just ask a few and hope that you kind people can give me any other advice too. I am 36 and my hubby has been given the opportunity of a job (promotion) for his company in Boston. We have 2 1/2 year old twins. Please can anyone give me advice on moving to the Boston area with children, life as an expat wife etc.

Can I do any work at all ?

Can I join any college courses ?

Where are the best places to live ? The work will be in Newton. I have heard that Lexington and Natick are good places - is this true. We also thought me might like to try living on the coast. We currently live in a tiny village but are open to living somewhere a bit more near to stuff going on etc.

I consider myself good at making friends but am concerned that Americans might not be that accepting - is this true.

How can I best make sure that my wonderful children take to this change better than they could do ? I would esp love to hear from anyone who made the move with toddlers - is this the best age to move ?

What is the weather like in Boston - my hubby said I need to be prepared for snow-ins - is this true ?

Any advice would be wonderful ! Thanks v v much.

Kind regards to all.

Deborah Leach
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Old Aug 3rd 2007, 8:41 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Everyone is going to want to know which work visa your husband will hold (unless he happens to be a US citizen) in order to answer your questions better -- the main reason being whether or not you are allowed to work here yourself. Even if your current plans are to be at home with your twins, it can be years for some to get permission to work and this can be hard on the spouse.

All that said, Boston is a fairly Brit-friendly city and close to the other northeastern cities.... easy and quick flights back to the UK etc.
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Old Aug 3rd 2007, 8:43 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

hiya and welcome to BE...good luck getting everything sorted
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Old Aug 3rd 2007, 9:09 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Thanks for your replies.

I am not sure what my husbands visa would be but I imagine it will be an L-1 visa (intra-company).

I keep reading bad things about spouses taking to life abroad (please tell me it is not all that bad !) and I am keen to do anything like voluntary work, college courses (art) or I will spend my time (when I am not with my children !) painting and drawing. Is voluntary work an option ?

Many thanks.

Deborah Leach
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Old Aug 3rd 2007, 9:13 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

If your husband is on an L-1, you can apply for permission to work.

Volunteering and taking courses at university are fine -- and Boston has a wealth of opportunities in both categories. There's an active MOMs club (mothers of multiples) there, and many of the most intelligent folks I know live in the Boston area.
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Old Aug 3rd 2007, 9:47 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Welcome to BE, dmleach, and congrats on the move to Boston.

The Boston area contains many colleges and universities, as a result, there are a lot of immigrants there as well. You should be able to fit in there, as long as you don't mention the Tea Party...

As for living on the coast, check out house prices before you buy your beach chairs, you might be in for a shock.

A word of caution - don't put too much trust in broad generalities like "Americans might not be accepting". The USA is a big country. A VERY big country. Europeans sometimes underestimate the vast scope of the place, and forget that the different regions are very different in culture. Boston is completely different from Los Angeles, which is completely different from Detroit, which is completely different from Houston, etc...

You will doubtless find many differences between Boston and England. The shops will be different, products different, food different, school system different, work culture different, etc. If you can bend like a reed in the current and not fret that nothing is the same as "back home", you will do fine.
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Old Aug 3rd 2007, 10:45 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Hello there and welcome.

Don't worry about your children...kids are extremely adaptable especially when they are so young. My daughter was 11 when we moved here...she adapted with no probs.

If your husband is coming on a L1 you will be able to apply for a work visa. You can also attend college.

There are a few people on here who live in the Boston area...I'm sure they will be able to advise you regarding areas to live.

Good luck with the move.
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Old Aug 4th 2007, 9:21 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

I work in Boston but live in New Hampshire. I've lived in a few places - Salem Ma, Watertown Ma, Salem NH & now Derry NH.

Really depends on what you're looking for and how much you can afford to spend on rent as to where to live. Newton is nice but you'll probably end up in an apartment. Natick is also nice and if you're willing to spend over $2k a month on rent you'd probably get a house there.

As far as living on the coast I wouldn't live anywhere further south than Swampscott which means your husband would have to commute I-95 which is a nightmare at peak times, or Route 1 onto I-90, which means tolls and another bad commute.

You will get snowed in, during my first winter here had a storm which dumped 38 inches on us. Last winter wasn't too bad, I only missed two days of work.
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Old Aug 5th 2007, 12:30 am
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

I love Boston...we live about 70 miles away on the Cape...which is a bit like living in Cornwall...but in garden sheds not really houses...LOL!

Its a lovely part of the USA.... parts of MA reminds me of England....I feel like I've never left to be honest...

We have good and bad winters...but most of the time the roads are clear by morning....and you get used to driving in the snow...
Its not a cheap area to live....we live by the coast and Ins is getting hard to find...not sure if that is only the Cape mind you.....

We have only been snowed in once in 8 years....that was a blizzard...we had about 4 ft of snow 8 around the house...had to dig open the screen door with a spoon from the inside..........took them 2 days to get to our house....but we were back to normal in 4....never lost power...in 70 /90 mile an hour winds thats not bad...

All in all I'd say it a good place to live...glad I came here for all my moaning....
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Old Aug 6th 2007, 4:48 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Welcome to the Boston area

Lets see - in 4 some years here, I've lived in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston itself, Lynn on the coast (North Shore) and just moved way out west to a town just West of Gardner. In all that time I've take only a couple of snow days, and usually due to fear of the conditions of my commute. One heavy snowfall in my first year meant my commute from JP to my office in Lynnfield (about 35 minutes normally) took 5.5 hours.

If you're planning on buying, and have any length of driveway, get a snowblower - best purchase I made last winter, and saved my back so many times! It can SNOW, but it's usually only a few days at a time. I wouldn't worry too hard about it.

Can't comment on the rest - I came over as a single male.
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Old Aug 6th 2007, 5:45 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Originally Posted by Bill_S
A word of caution - don't put too much trust in broad generalities like "Americans might not be accepting". The USA is a big country. A VERY big country. Europeans sometimes underestimate the vast scope of the place, and forget that the different regions are very different in culture. Boston is completely different from Los Angeles, which is completely different from Detroit, which is completely different from Houston, etc...
Can't be said enough. The US is huge. You can fit all of the UK in one state the size of Oregon (look at a map to get an idea).

Anyway, welcome to BE. Be sure to click on 'WIKI' at the top of the page as there are answer to many of your questions (what kind of visa, how do I make friends, etc).
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Old Aug 7th 2007, 2:18 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Originally Posted by dmleach
Hello All,

Crikey, where do I start ! We are in the final decision making process of a move to Boston. It has all been a bit quick really. I have so many questions to ask really that so I'll just ask a few and hope that you kind people can give me any other advice too. I am 36 and my hubby has been given the opportunity of a job (promotion) for his company in Boston. We have 2 1/2 year old twins. Please can anyone give me advice on moving to the Boston area with children, life as an expat wife etc.

Can I do any work at all ?

Can I join any college courses ?

Where are the best places to live ? The work will be in Newton. I have heard that Lexington and Natick are good places - is this true. We also thought me might like to try living on the coast. We currently live in a tiny village but are open to living somewhere a bit more near to stuff going on etc.

I consider myself good at making friends but am concerned that Americans might not be that accepting - is this true.

How can I best make sure that my wonderful children take to this change better than they could do ? I would esp love to hear from anyone who made the move with toddlers - is this the best age to move ?

What is the weather like in Boston - my hubby said I need to be prepared for snow-ins - is this true ?

Any advice would be wonderful ! Thanks v v much.

Kind regards to all.

Deborah Leach
When we made the move, our twins were four years old. They settled in without any problems, in fact, being energetic and athletic, they love the fact that we spend most days outdoors climbing trees and riding our bikes, something more difficult in UK owing to weather and also lack of nice bike paths (at least where we were). We are in sunny Texas.

I also have found Elementary schools to be very good so far, but again I'm thousands of miles away from Boston! In Texas, there's still a healthy population of not-working-out-the-home mums, so there's plenty of circles to socialise in, if that kind of thing rings your bell.

When finding out about America, you really need to find out about your particular neighbourhood, and your closest town/city.

It varies incredibly widely -- from schools, to 'acceptance' of foreigners, to food, to religion, to housing, weather ... you name it, it's different from place to place.

Boston sounds lovely to me, historic, beautiful, interesting .... enjoy!!
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Old Aug 7th 2007, 2:47 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

Hi! Welcome!

I am very much in the midst of doing this very move (cheshire to Boston with Hus's Job), just about to book my flights for September. I totally agree with everything here (can't advise on kids tho) you will need big bucks to live in places like Natick - but it is lovely, so depends on how much you are willing to spend on your lifestyle. The not being able to work thing freaked me out big time, but the more I've looked into it, I can't wait to get started on voluntary work - there is tons to do, and plenty in arty fields - you could be busier than in blighty if you wanted. Just on my last visit a coupla weeks ago, I got loads of info and offers. I've PM'd you with a bit more info.
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Old Aug 7th 2007, 4:28 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

They drink squash there. Or so I've heard...
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Old Aug 7th 2007, 4:58 pm
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Default Re: Moving to Boston

I live 1 hour 30 minutes west of Boston but go there a lot. I think it's a fantastic city and I hope to live there at some point. There is a large British Expat population in Boston. Check out bostonbrits.net.
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