Houston Bound

My husband has just been offered a job in Houston, Texas. I am keen on the idea but just wanted to get some views on what it is like to move from the UK to America. We have 2 kids as well and I am concerned about the American School System. I have been told it is better than what we have in the uk!! This is my first ever post so any advice is greatly accepted.

SDDep

Hello...it completely depends on where you are and what school district you will live in...thoroughly research it before you move...

Also pop in here:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=145

Hope a texan brit is along soon there are a few around...

Each state is different and operates under state aswell as federal guidelines..

dbj1000

Before you find out about anything else, find out what visa you, your husband and your children will be on.

Is this a new job, or a transfer within a company that he already works for? Is he a senior manager or executive? If it's a new job with a new company, does your husband have an advanced degree (PhD or Master's)? An offer of a job is no guarantee of a visa...

Really everything else will fall into place, but you can end up with real problems if you don't learn everything you can about your immigration status and your rights under your visa... or even if you can get a visa at all.

Houston Bound

Thanks for the link I will have a look.

Houston Bound

This is a transfer within his company and it is a senior management position. It is a Scottish company with a large presence in Houston and they have a great deal of experience in transfering staff from the UK to the US. I think it is a L1 Visa which means (I think) that I am a L2. But you are correct I will need to research this. Thanks for your response any further advise is greatly appreciated.

dbj1000

That's good news, and good that you already know that you'll be on L1/L2 visas. Given that the L1 can't be extended beyond 5 years (L1B) or 7 years (L1A) you should consider asking the company to sponsor your husband (and the family) for Permanent Residency (Green Card). If he is senior enough for an L1A then this is relatively straightforward and relatively quick (<2 years?), but if he's on an L1B it can be difficult to get and take years longer.

Believe me, you may not see yourself living long-term in Houston right now, but if you change your mind down the road, it can be very difficult to approach the company about Green Card sponsorship after the initial international transfer negotiations.

tigerbaywarrior

How old are you kids?

Please bring ice.... Houston is hot.

Houston Bound

From what we know he will be a L1A and the company will sponser us for a permanent residency. It is just such a huge thing. Going to America is great for a holiday just not sure about living there.

Houston Bound

Kids are 10 and 7. From what I have read my 7 year old will go to middle school and my 10 year old may be in middle school for a short time as she turns 11 in November. My husband has told me how hot it can get, quite a difference from Scotland!!

ChocolateBabz

Hi Houston Bound, we moved from Aberdeen to Houston in June 08 and yes it is a big adjustment but we have been quite happy so far and DH's work have just begun the GC process. Hubby is on an L1A at the moment.

School districts do vary but my son was 9 when we arrived and went into Elementary School (4th Grade) in the August although he had completed Primary 5 back home (this kept him with his age group) He turned 10 in the October.

In our school district 5th & 6th Grade are Middle School, 7th & 8th are Junior High and 9th> is High School.

On a positive note he has settled very well into the American system and is getting fantastic grades. The school hours were a shock to begin with - elementary was 8.00am to 2.45pm with no break and 30min for lunch. So much for the Recess cartoons they show at home - no such thing!! and also the schools have very few windows to keep out the heat. The dude often says he feels like he is in a prison - haha!

Any questions just ask.

dbj1000

Just got back from watching my daughter play a soccer match in 100deg heat... and it felt nice. Oh, how my body thermometer has changed!

bevinva

I'm in Virginia, been in the US since 1981 and still hate anything over 75 degrees.

polar_bear

It's often 100+ degrees down here but I really don't find it a problem. Everywhere has AC and you just learn not to do anything too strenuous outdoors in the afternoon. The warm evenings are lovely though, can't beat a barbecue at 11pm in the 80s.

In fact I found it far worse last time I went back home. It's not hot very often but when it is, the heat can be unbearable. We stayed in a hotel in York that didn't have AC and we really struggled to sleep, even with the windows open and 2 fans on the go. And it's not much fun being jammed on a rush-hour commuter train in the summer either.

We're 6 hours South of Houston so I can't really give any area-specific advice, but Texas is really nice and there are some great places to visit like San Antonio, Austin and the Hill Country. Good luck with the move if you decide to go head.

Bomjeito

We are Aberdeen to Houston - leaving next week in fact.

Will your husband be transferring for how many years?

Any questions you may have, feel free to contact me.

We just finished selling our Aberdeen house and our pack out is on Wednesday.

Already bought a new home in Houston.

Check into Katy for top notch schools (Cinco Ranch or Seven Hills). We didn't move to Katy as we don't have children. There are of course private schools but there are a lot of great public schools in the Houston area.

Have you been there yet? So much to do, very laid back, and didn't have too much a problem with the recession the past few years because they have their hands in many different industries there besides oil.

As I sit for the last week in our North Sea-view home, I won't miss the fleeces, winds, har and...rain. Oh, Houston has rain!

Houston Bound

Thanks so much for getting in touch. When an offer like this comes to you for some reason you think that you are the only person in the world that this is happening to!!

We have been looking at houses on HAR.com and mainly looking in the Tomball area as this is where most of the expats in my Husbands company seem to stay.

I haven't been to Houston as yet however Husbands company have said that they will send me over for 1 week before we go. My Husband has been a number of times and as does like it there. I think we probably will go as it seems like too good an opportunity to turn down. What helped you to decide to go? We were in Florida last week and I really loved the fact that at 11 o'clock at night you could still be out beside the pool. We then came home to the wind and rain, nice!!

How did you find buying a house?

Thanks again.

Elaine