Pulaski

Please excuse him, he is a man of few words. Occasionally they make sense.

jeepster

Actually, I'd prefer Mississippi. Charleston would be too snooty for me.

Steve_I

I haven't found Charleston snooty at all.... and I'm from rough and ready NE England! Genteel maybe...... I've found people here to be some of the nicest people I've ever met...... A lot more manners than Geordies!

I have to ask..... Did your user name come from the Marc Bolan song, or is it just because you like Jeeps?.... I'm from that era and still riding a white swan decades later!

SarahG

Some school districts are better than others CCSD (Charleston County School District) and DD2 (Dorchester District) are supposedly the better ones. My 2 kids are in CCSD in Mount Pleasant, just over the Cooper River from Charleston itself. I have friends who have kids in the Montessori schools and they seem happy enough with it. My son is in 6th grade in middle school and is doing fine. My daughter is in 5th grade and she is in the gifted and talented program and really enjoys school. There are lovely beaches near us. I am rather fond of Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island as they are closest to us. I have been to Folly Beach a couple times but parking can be a nightmare, as can sitting in traffic waiting to get there. There are a few expats in Mt P/Charleston/Summerville areas. Boeing are a big employer so they have a few expats working for them, as does my husbands employer Blackbaud. Charleston is in a little bit of a bubble and not quite like the rest of the state. If you have any questions about the area I'd be happy to help. We moved here from Indiana in February 2012.

Sheepdip

Not in Charleston, but Lexington SC. We did a lot of research online regarding the schools and then came out for a trip just to visit the ones we had shortlisted. Very beneficial as even the ones that appeared great on paper didn't 'feel' like a good fit for our daughter (entering middle at that time). Our school district is great and my daughter did extremely well. Our older son wished we had moved sooner so that he could have had the US school experience rather than the UK one he had. That was seven years ago and she's graduated high school with flying colours but different districts can have very differing experiences. Our time here has been great overall, but 'think' we would have preferred being closer to Charleston than as we are to Columbia.

jeepster

https://www.google.com/search?q=1948...CRv-rwzGKxM%3A

Steve_I

Man, I'm disappointed now..... I was expecting a rendition of "Bang a gong (get it on)!"

Steve

Missducky

Thanks Sarah, were you from the UK originally before you moved to Indiana? Do you think it's a better lifestyle over there for families?

I've looked at MP and it looks great as well, the only problem is my husband and his best friend who will be moving from Kansas to be with us, want to be downtown, which is fair enough, but a bit (lot) more pricey, does anyone know if the Eastside is ok? I've heard it's not the best but is up and coming? Obviously I'm coming to visit to check it all out soon, but it would be good to know where to start first. Thanks your reply x

newadventure

Hey Missducky,
We moved to Charleston from the UK in 2012 with 3 kids aged 5,8,10. Education was our biggest concern (shortly followed by healthcare) and although we both work downtown, we based where we lived on the (public) schools and went for Mt Pleasant. We are very impressed with MPA in the Old Village, where my son is now, Moultrie Middle School is ok, and Wando High School is HUGE (nearly 4,000 students) but my eldest daughter is happy there. Mt Pleasant is a big area (and becoming bigger) but living near the old village means it is quick to get downtown.


I don't know much about schools downtown, but Buist has got a good reputation. Again, don't know your circumstances, but there may be private schools you can look at.


Beaches round here are great, it does get hot in the summer but if you are used to Indonesia you will be fine. Everyone's situation is different - we were meant to head back after 3 yrs, but enjoyed it so much that we are planning on staying and are applying for a green card. That was a unanimous decision and we have not regretted it. Shout if you have specific questions and good luck

newadventure

PS we have found people to be very friendly, although my wife has missed her best friends back in the UK with whom she could talk about anything. Here we have not been blatant about our (non) religious views but have not been hassled. Politically, we are not a great fit, and have had to bite our lips a few times. We have made some good American friends, but there are also plenty of expats when you need a beer and some UK conversation

SarahG

Yes, I am from Edinburgh and my husband is from Northampton. Our kids were born in Northampton and were 4 and 6 when we moved to Indiana. My daughter is 11 in a few days and her brother is becoming a teenager in the summer. (Fun times ahead for me).
I am not too familiar with properties in Charleston itself. The only friends we have who live there are in a $1.8 million house. Our other friends who lived just off King St moved last year to a house in Francis Marion forest. Quite a change. Although they still have their house downtown and rent it out. Our other friends not in Mt P are in Ladson, Summerville, West Ashley and Johns Island. I can drive to downtown Charleston in about 10-15 minutes depending on traffic. I do spend most of my time looking for parking when I get there though.
How old are your kids? I will soon have 2 at middle school (Moultrie) and by the time the youngest is ready for high school the new one should be built. (Of course it may go off plan but it is due to be finished 2019/20. Mt P does desperately need a new high school but Wando is good.)

Missducky

I only have one daughter and she'll be two in June... And yes the terrible twos are well and truly in full effect, I've heard it will fade by the time she's four, so only a couple more years to go :-/ The school thing is pretty stressful, but the MtP ones seem good, hopefully by the time she's high school age they will have another option, although Wando does quite well I think? It's just huge!

SarahG

My neighbor teaches at Wando and she loves it. Her daughter is currently in 3rd grade and by the time she goes to high school she won't go to the one her mum teaches at. (Probably a good thing!) Kids get bussed into Mt P from North Charleston to go to Wando because it's a better high school than some others. I think it's a remnant of the "No child left behind" program so they get to go to a school out with their normal school boundary. They do seem to enforce boundaries here, unless your kid goes to a charter/magnet school or Montessori.
My daughters elementary is a partial magnet school so kids out with the school boundary can go. The school you want your kids to go to is something to consider when moving and choosing where to rent/buy here.

andy1138

Personally, I've been here for 15 years, wife is American and kids are born here. With the exception of family, friends and some food items, I've loved moving here. It isn't always easy. Like anywhere you go in life, there are things you'll love and things you'll hate. I will say that if you're going to do it, do so while your kids are young, it's an easier transition for them than when they're older and have their own lives and friends etc. I personally prefer the weather in the US (I live in Arizona) and have found a great group of friends. Cost of living is somewhat favourable in the US depending where you live (San Francisco and New York are comparable to London prices). I very much prefer the larger houses and large open spaces. It depends on what you want and what you like. I have American friends who love the UK and can't imagine not living in there.

Definitely check out the school system in SC and see if you're comfortable with it, it varies considerably from state to state. One of the downsides is that your credit rating starts from scratch with obtaining a US social security number, there are ways you can bring your credit worthiness over but it's not simple (it wasn't at the time I moved). So you may be somewhat dependent on your husbands credit worthiness to get a mortgage when you first move out to SC.
I've found that some Brits (not all) who have moved to places that were very rural and disconnected have had a harder time adjusting, whereas those who moved to areas that had accessibility to major cities, food, restaurants, museums and social life had an easier time adjusting.

Charleston is beautiful, but has it's own culture. Is your husband from SC? Or is there a job opportunity there?