scrubbedexpat097

Houston is not a dump. There are lots of great areas and plenty of places to visit and things to do!

Welcome and good luck!


(Sugarmooma, who has actually lived here for the last 20 years)

Lazzza

How long have you been over there?

Lazzza

I agree, Houston is not a dump. Come on. I loved it and the people I met in the short time I spent there were lovely. Houston is an amazing place, full of things to see and do. The wider area is huge and also crammed packed full of places to visit. I know this. If you live over there and don't then you are (a) stupid or (b) stupid. My concern is whether I will 'fit in'. I am a Scottish quine wi bairns. i have a realisitc view of what to expect. For heavens sake my ancestors left for the USA during the Highland Clearances (without choice). Please let's get things into perspective.

Bob

Welcome to BE

so what visa are you guys getting? L1 would mean you would be able to work, but your kids couldn't so that might be a concern to the 16 year old. If your on H1 you won't be working and that might be a concern, saying that, you won't be working as a lawyer without starting from scratch pretty much.

Depending on where the 16 yr old wants to go to uni and depending on visa, could be very expensive...might be better off staying with family in the UK if the a UK uni is in mind as you've got to have 3 years residence to get UK rates other wise it'll be pricey....and it'll be well pricey in the US.

Houston doesn't get the best press here and there are nicer cities to live in, Austin, San Antonio would be high on the Texas list, Houston/Dallas scraping the bottom, smoggy sweat pit being my issue, but anyway, you'll be racking up a lot of driving time as you can't rely on being able to use public transport or to walk anywhere.

Also when on holiday your view of a place is quite skewed to the realities of living in a place because, well it's a holiday and you don't have to deal with the hassles nor seen any of the shite the place has to offer.

Lazzza

I like your style! the 16 year old likely to stay here and go to Uni in Scotland. Husband has worked here on and off for last 2 years (spending 4 months over there last year which included hurricane Ike) [which was NOT GOOD]. Anyway I have no idea about the visa thing. The company is oil based and with HQ in Aberdeen and Houston. Hubby is based in Aberdeen. They want him to move to Houston. It is more that the company want this to happen than we want it to happen, if you understand. I have no diea about visa et all!!!! And I would expect this to be sorted out for us along with a suitable place to live, relocation costs, health insurance, school fees etc..................

scrubbedexpat097

Sorry.....did I say something to upset you?

I know all the good places, I know how to avoid the bad places. I have worked, volunteered, spent hours at theatres, museums and art galleries.As I said I have lived here for 20 years now. I was pretty green when I first arrived but it passes

I came here with pre teen kids. I learned how to fit in....it's easy, just be yourself

Bob

Find out for yourself because the lawyer they use will have their benefits in mind and not yours, you aren't the clients. So know the limitations on the visas, and there's plenty of info on this site.

You'll probably have to sort out your own place to live, perhaps they'll get temp stuff sorted, medical insurance should be sorted but again learn what it is all about so you know what to expect regarding co-pay, deductions, levels of cover etc so you don't get caught out and find out how much you pay per month for it. School fees probably won't happen, this isn't the far east or ME.

Plenty of threads and wiki stuff on relocation too. Whatever happens, get everything in writing about what they will offer, and repatriation costs and time lines to get greencard applications through if you decide to stay, actually it's worth getting anyway so you don't time out or get stuck dependent on the employer.

caleyjag

Yes, I do indeed support the mighty ICT. Had a very nice day last Saturday watching them pump St Mirren. Bovril and pie and a nice wee breeze off the Moray Firth. Perfect. You don't get that at the basketball.

Sounds like your two younger kids are young enough that they will adapt. They also sound young enough that if you wait for them to grow up, you may have missed the boat on the Texas adventure. In fact your main challenge is to make sure they grow up into little Scottish people instead of little Texans!


Make sure the company sorts out health insurance for all of you (very important) and the lawyers do everything right. As I have found out this week, corporate HR can drop the ball, as can the lawyers, so make sure to keep an eye on what they are doing.

Finally, while life can certainly throw you a few curveballs, most people that end up packing up prematurely and returning to the UK - their dreams in tatters - usually seem to me to have an attitude problem. A combination of unrealistic expectations (lack of research) and then the wrong attitude when they get to the promised land.

You gotta grab it by the balls and make it work. Americans are by and large decent people and if you do it right pretty soon you'll be in the swing of things.

Sounds like you are quite positive about your new adventure. I think you'll be fine.

Elvira

WTF......... how can you simply discount other people's experiences and insist that it is *easy*??

scrubbedexpat097

Same way you can tell people not to ruin their kids lives by moving here...

Elvira

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

You really do not have a clue.

Redwing

Agree with you on that Sugarmooma. I came here in 1978 with 4 kids ages
15, 9, 7 and 3, and the 3 older ones fitted right in with the school system, and graduated when they were 17.

scrubbedexpat097

Why? Just because it didn't work out for your family doesn't mean it will be the same for everyone else. I'm very sorry your kids didn't settle here but there are plenty of families that do.

As for not having a clue.....well lets just say you have no idea, no idea at all

Elvira

You are just so clueless, it is quite unreal...

Sally Redux

The older they are, the harder it is. I would never discount children's experience of moving as being 'easy', because even if they love it here, they do miss things and miss out on things. They may or may not adapt and love it here. That is the gamble you are taking on.