dunroving

And heaven forbid that all those PhD students planning to go on to be academics get experience of teaching a class first.

pipsi

One thing I'ver certainly benefited from is having a UK postgrad degree and some teaching expereince means that I've been given a GTA that is usually only open to second year PhD students in the US. When the department found out about how specialised my UK degrees were they were begging me to take up the post. The GTa I have will also allow me to become an instructor of record in a number of months which wouldn't happen in the UK so I'll end up with a lot more teaching experience than i would do if I stayed in the UK. Considering I want to become an academic this is obviously crucial to me.

Pulaski

Agreed, .... but I had quoted the post I was answering which said "most", and I was agreeing with that. Your "fixed" version is clearer though.

andrewlohnes

Your version was clear enough! I thought I read somewhere that, for example, all Samsung TVs are made exactly the same but just supplied with the power cable required for the county it is to be sold in.

I didn't realise kitchen appliances etc, were not like this.

Not that it matters, when I make the move I am just going to sell everything and start again, seems to make more sense to me (unless you already own top quality electricals).

pipsi

I have a 52 inch 3D Samsung TV, I bought it about 12 months ago and really wanted to ship it out but having checked it, unfortunately it won't work out there

Bob

Most things that are high wattage like kettles, microwaves and high voltage stuff like cookers aren't worth the hassle.

Things with motors and rely on the frequency where 50 v 60hz is important are usually also not a goer.

Pulaski

Certainly not great; they will either not run at the right speed, or they can run the risk of overheating, which makes them a fire hazard. Also it is likely that it is not going to last as long as if it was running on the frequency of mains that it was designed for.

dunroving

That's great to hear. Too many academics these days look at teaching as an inconvenient chore that keeeps them from what they think is their number one job, i.e., research.

And too many of them can't teach to save their lives.

pipsi

I know what you mean; one of the downsides of studying at a top UK uni for my last degree was that my supervisor spent more time galavanting around the world being the key note speaker at conferences than actually teaching the classes assigned to him. It became particularly annoying when trying to arrange meetings with him to look at drafts of my thesis. I'd receive a reply along the lines of, 'can't meet this week, at a conference in Boston/Rome/Paris/Leven, let's do two weeks on Thursday.' Not what one wants to hear close to deadlines.

Danoz

Based on recent experience, dont bother with any electrical items, other than mobile phones and computers (unless they specifically state 220/240/110 and 50/60mhz). A lot of European items will be 220/110 but the mhz doesnt match up. TV's, food processors, microwaves, vacuums cleaners etc... are all very well priced here. Try places like best buy... just shop around there are specials everywhere.

Furniture... well i am undecided about this. You can definitely buy furniture cheaper in the UK and Europe, but having just bought some here that cost more, the quality is very good. so i am not sure at this stage whether quality here is better.

Pulaski

MHz? ...... Are those FM appliances?

Hz = /second. "M" = mega (million). 50MHz mains would oscillate (alternate) back and forth 50 million times/ second, and would imply a generator armature spinning that fast!

Mains AC power oscillates at 50 or 60 times/ sec, thing more dramatic than that.

Danoz

DOH!!

MCDesi

Just wanted to give an update on my part of this thread. I've been advised by an Accountant that I should not use the relocation allowance to buy things and just use it for moving things from the UK to US. For the stuff I buy in the US for this relocation I should keep the receipts and use them for deductibles for tax for moving expenses. So that's what I will do. Thanks everyone for your advice.

audio

I have a whole bunch of high quality UK power tools and also a portable 220/240v gas generator. I’m thinking about bringing these over, does anyone know what customs are likely to charge?

Bob

You won't be able to claim most of those things as a tax deductible. The list of things is pretty limited.

Tax the cash, set aside the tax and spend it either way.