Pippins

Hi! All,

We wife and I would be soon moving to FL with our three children and I would like to know how the health and aducation systems work... What good/bad surprises can we expect???

ian-mstm

You question is far too general for any reasonable response! For education: http://www.fldoe.org/. Basically, where you live determines what school the kids go to. For health... either your employer provides full or partial coverage and you pick up the slack, or you pay it all yourself. There are myriad nuances to health care, and many threads devoted to it. All you need do is search.

Has anything changed in the year+ since we last heard from you?

Ian

dbj1000

...not very well, but you'll get used to it.

Ray

just bang your shoes every morning
I get fed up with being Scorpion bit everytime I forget

Pippins

Hello! Ian,

Thank you very much for you prompt answer... Yes, my question is a bit general and I'm trying to get feedback from different forums...

Our situation stays pretty much the same, except for the fact that we are now almost certain we would like to settle down in FL, maybe around Tampa or in Fort Lauderdale...

But we still need to prepare the move and get our house rented here...

Thanks again,

pippins...

Pippins

Hi! Ray,

I was born and raised in Cuba, so I'm pretty much used the the climate and the local fauna... Nothing I would worry about...

Pippins

Our girl, the oldest, would be starting reception next September, and I've read that in Florida she would normally start Kindergarten when she would reach the age of 5... So I think once she finishes reception we'll be ready to make our move... That way, she would find it easier to adapt maybe!!!

We would have our third child soon, so that's why we have stayed put... And we really need to prepare averything carefully as moving with children is not easy at all, specially when most of our belongings would stay in the UK. We are not planning to ship anything during the 1st year, as that would be our kind of testing period...

airways

Where are you headed? We are off to Miami area shortly.

We have the same plan, just shut the house up and go and see how the first year goes. After that buy somewhere and move our stuff over that we want.

Pippins

Hi! Airways,



We would try to stick to downtown Miami for a year as we have to get all the paperwork done and it's a lot easier for Cubans if we do it all in Miami. So we might be looking to rent in Doral... The, once we inspect the area, we would consider either Tampa or Fort Lauderdale to buy a place, but it would be better to take a year and have a feel so we don't mess up... We hope we would like it on Florida as I want to stay close to the Cuban community. Have lots of family members and friends down there... Otherwise we might consider Northern California...

When are you OFF to the sunny state??? I have seen houses in the Tampa area and it is incredible what you get for your money...

Thydney

Not a lot of difference is there?

penguinsix

Check our wiki for some basics on schools and health care.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Health_Insurance

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/What_d...kids_in_school

Pippins

Hi! Penguinsix...

Thanks for taking the time to foward the links... Will have a read thru it this evening. U in the US by now???

Cheers,

Pippins

airways

We ae just waiting on visas and will be in Miami hopefully by the spring. Look forward to the diversity of Miami and of course the sunshine!

Pippins

Lucky you!!! We would need to wait until next summer (2012) since the girl would be doing reception here... Can't wait!!!

Bob

Can't be arsed to read over your past threads.

What visa? Or are you USC's? Makes some what of a difference of what to expect, certainly for the family.

Expect schools to be rubbish, expect property taxes to not be great, expect insurance on housing to be poo.

If it turns out to not be the case in the location you end up in, then you're quids in.