San Ramon, CA?
Feb 28th 2015, 5:40 am
#16
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
I've just seen another internal and better suited job in Irvine, just wondered how that stacks up compared to San Ramon? Is it a nice place?
Mar 1st 2015, 4:45 am
#17
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Think long and hard about coming here for 2-3 years. We did that - 12 years ago! You will have no credit history here so renting and buying can be tough without it. I advise keeping a bank account and credi cards in the UK, because the longer you are here the more you will disappear back in the UK.
San Ramon is close to San Fran and rents and purchase are higher as a result. I live in Sacramento about 95 miles from San Fran and things are a bit more reasonable up here. You can get a 3bed rental for about 1750dollars per month, but depends on location. Make sure you research and dont end up in a bad area. Gas is about 2.45 a gallon, groceries we pay about 300 a month, utlities about 400 peak time. Car insurance is more expensive. Healthcare is always a big shock. If you have company insurance with no deductibles or copays then you will be sitting pretty. If you need to get it yourself then it can be very expensive. The best advice I can give you is to make sure you keep links to the UK if you intend to return. We are not going back and I am ok with that especially when I see all the issues in the UK. The weather here is much better BUT it does get up into the 100 degrees range for a good part of the summer and that can be as wearing as too much rain. Also you will have culture shock, Americans don't socialize or party like us Brits, it can be hard for OH's to carve out a life if they have to stay at home all day. Good luck!
San Ramon is close to San Fran and rents and purchase are higher as a result. I live in Sacramento about 95 miles from San Fran and things are a bit more reasonable up here. You can get a 3bed rental for about 1750dollars per month, but depends on location. Make sure you research and dont end up in a bad area. Gas is about 2.45 a gallon, groceries we pay about 300 a month, utlities about 400 peak time. Car insurance is more expensive. Healthcare is always a big shock. If you have company insurance with no deductibles or copays then you will be sitting pretty. If you need to get it yourself then it can be very expensive. The best advice I can give you is to make sure you keep links to the UK if you intend to return. We are not going back and I am ok with that especially when I see all the issues in the UK. The weather here is much better BUT it does get up into the 100 degrees range for a good part of the summer and that can be as wearing as too much rain. Also you will have culture shock, Americans don't socialize or party like us Brits, it can be hard for OH's to carve out a life if they have to stay at home all day. Good luck!
Mar 1st 2015, 4:49 am
#18
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Irvine is southern CA - I really like that area - better than San Ramon! But Southern CA has horrendous traffic - Bay area too, but So Cal is in another league. It is close to some very wealthy areas - Newport Beach, Laguna Niguel etc...prices are much higher there. But you do have access to great beaches, more temperate climate than up here. It will cost you more to live in Irvine for sure!
Mar 1st 2015, 9:29 pm
#22
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Yes, all my 'friends' are foreigners. And I did notice that my neighbours are ALWAYS home, just watching TV, smoking weed and drinking (by the sounds of the bottles going in our shared recycling bin). I do suppose though, that if you want to go out and get hammered with your mates you have to decide whether it's worth the price of a taxi/uber to get home, especially in the more spread out towns/cities...
Mar 1st 2015, 9:54 pm
#23
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Yes, all my 'friends' are foreigners. And I did notice that my neighbours are ALWAYS home, just watching TV, smoking weed and drinking (by the sounds of the bottles going in our shared recycling bin). I do suppose though, that if you want to go out and get hammered with your mates you have to decide whether it's worth the price of a taxi/uber to get home, especially in the more spread out towns/cities...
Mar 1st 2015, 10:18 pm
#24
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
...explain the not letting your guard down bit? Do you mean because you have to be vary wary about who is going to screw you over all the time?
I went out of my way to be friendly to my two neighbours, even sent an intro email and made sure I understood the rubbish collection process (we share the bins). One of them actively goes out of her way to avoid me (I've literally seen her cross the street or hang back behind a car so we don't have to meet on the shared driveway).
I went out of my way to be friendly to my two neighbours, even sent an intro email and made sure I understood the rubbish collection process (we share the bins). One of them actively goes out of her way to avoid me (I've literally seen her cross the street or hang back behind a car so we don't have to meet on the shared driveway).
Mar 1st 2015, 11:24 pm
#25
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
...explain the not letting your guard down bit? Do you mean because you have to be vary wary about who is going to screw you over all the time?
I went out of my way to be friendly to my two neighbours, even sent an intro email and made sure I understood the rubbish collection process (we share the bins). One of them actively goes out of her way to avoid me (I've literally seen her cross the street or hang back behind a car so we don't have to meet on the shared driveway).
I went out of my way to be friendly to my two neighbours, even sent an intro email and made sure I understood the rubbish collection process (we share the bins). One of them actively goes out of her way to avoid me (I've literally seen her cross the street or hang back behind a car so we don't have to meet on the shared driveway).
Mar 2nd 2015, 12:52 am
#26
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
No it is not just you... my wife bemoans it all the time. Nowhere to go, nothing to do that we haven't already done and no one to do it with...
Mar 2nd 2015, 9:04 am
#27
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Its a very valid point though, its relatively easy to go to another culture to work (as you have a fairly well defined role from the start), somewhat harder to go somewhere to live. When thinking about a work-based move its probably the feelings of the trailing spouse that need more consideration than those of the "worker".
edit: Just reading through what I wrote - it kind of comes across as me trying to sound superior. That wasn't the way I meant it - I'm not trying to have a go at anyone here or put people down who didn't have the same experience as me - just trying to point out to the OP that its not all doom and gloom, or sunshine and flowers either way.
Last edited by fozzyb; Mar 2nd 2015 at 9:10 am.
Mar 2nd 2015, 12:56 pm
#28
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Just for balance, we found the complete opposite. Moving to CA my wife very quickly fitted into a life over there, and things quickly became a blur of playdates, dinners out, trips to the zoo etc, but when we had to return to the UK, she found it very hard to adjust back, and was often complaining how over here "everyone" just wants to dump their kids on a childminder and go to work, nobody is interested in getting together to do things.
Its a very valid point though, its relatively easy to go to another culture to work (as you have a fairly well defined role from the start), somewhat harder to go somewhere to live. When thinking about a work-based move its probably the feelings of the trailing spouse that need more consideration than those of the "worker".
edit: Just reading through what I wrote - it kind of comes across as me trying to sound superior. That wasn't the way I meant it - I'm not trying to have a go at anyone here or put people down who didn't have the same experience as me - just trying to point out to the OP that its not all doom and gloom, or sunshine and flowers either way.
Its a very valid point though, its relatively easy to go to another culture to work (as you have a fairly well defined role from the start), somewhat harder to go somewhere to live. When thinking about a work-based move its probably the feelings of the trailing spouse that need more consideration than those of the "worker".
edit: Just reading through what I wrote - it kind of comes across as me trying to sound superior. That wasn't the way I meant it - I'm not trying to have a go at anyone here or put people down who didn't have the same experience as me - just trying to point out to the OP that its not all doom and gloom, or sunshine and flowers either way.
People on transfers with a defined end-date approach the whole thing differently as well.
Mar 2nd 2015, 1:30 pm
#29
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Hey guys,
I work for General Electric in the UK as a Senior Engineer/Project Manager in the Oil & Gas Industry. One of the major benefits of working for this company is the opportunity to travel to different businesses and countries if you so wish.
My wife and I have a one year old son, and we fancy moving somewhere for a 2 - 3 year secondment before he is due to start school. There are various options available around the world, but coming from cold and wet Scotland I quite fancy a bit of sun and outdoor life.
A suitable job has recently arisen in San Ramon in California, and I am looking a bit more into the area etc. My major concern is the potential expense of living in California and I am really looking for some information and real life experience.
At present I earn a good wage, £61k plus car allowance, bonus, private medical for family, pension etc, which is great when the average house price in my area is £130k. Realistically a nice 4 bed detached house with a big garden in an excellent area is £250k, so all in all pretty affordable.
I'm not quite sure what the equivalent wage would be for a staff member transferring to a different country, and I can only assume it will be increased in line with what other senior members of staff are paid. However I am keen to get a flavour for what sort of salary range is required to live an equivalent life in San Ramon or the great bay area? Also what a typical wage would be for a Senior Engineer/Project Manager in CA?
Thanks,
Kevin
I work for General Electric in the UK as a Senior Engineer/Project Manager in the Oil & Gas Industry. One of the major benefits of working for this company is the opportunity to travel to different businesses and countries if you so wish.
My wife and I have a one year old son, and we fancy moving somewhere for a 2 - 3 year secondment before he is due to start school. There are various options available around the world, but coming from cold and wet Scotland I quite fancy a bit of sun and outdoor life.
A suitable job has recently arisen in San Ramon in California, and I am looking a bit more into the area etc. My major concern is the potential expense of living in California and I am really looking for some information and real life experience.
At present I earn a good wage, £61k plus car allowance, bonus, private medical for family, pension etc, which is great when the average house price in my area is £130k. Realistically a nice 4 bed detached house with a big garden in an excellent area is £250k, so all in all pretty affordable.
I'm not quite sure what the equivalent wage would be for a staff member transferring to a different country, and I can only assume it will be increased in line with what other senior members of staff are paid. However I am keen to get a flavour for what sort of salary range is required to live an equivalent life in San Ramon or the great bay area? Also what a typical wage would be for a Senior Engineer/Project Manager in CA?
Thanks,
Kevin
Mar 2nd 2015, 6:24 pm
#30
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Re: San Ramon, CA?
Ach staying put in my comfortable life is the easy option. Yes I already have the nice house and go to Spain as often as possible but I want to get out and meet new people and have new experiences.
I like the saying... "Ships are safe in the harbour... But that's not what they are built for"
Yes there are some ships wrecks also but I could quite easily be knocked over a bus tomorrow and never fulfilled my dream of working abroad.
I like the saying... "Ships are safe in the harbour... But that's not what they are built for"
Yes there are some ships wrecks also but I could quite easily be knocked over a bus tomorrow and never fulfilled my dream of working abroad.