radion

Ok,
So, as most of you know, I am lucky enough to be picked for the DV lottery for 2010.
Now once again the brain is away thinking (never good) about the time I have right now waiting for the second pack to arrive, I check the visa bulletin, thanks starky...
I have printed off the Police cert forms as advised by welshgirl1...
so now what, just wait, I have copied our passports, marriage cert etc etc.

Going over the jobs section and housing section....aarrr!!!! just thought, if successful and we move, what would you guys recommend regarding setting up time when we move over first off, fortnight, month, to get settled and check out buying a house, car and stuff. this is a side order question..

So what should I be doing, I feel I am wasting time just waiting
Thank you to all as always, your all hairy but you are my new distance friends and I like you all for who you are

meauxna

This is the sort of question people here love: What Should I Be Doing?

I've moved you over to the USA forum where other folks who've made the move can advise you best.
Happy Shopping!

Jerseygirl

Congratulations. I don't mean to be a party pooper but TBH the way the economy is at the moment...if your working I'd stay where you are for as long as possible.

Sorry.

Rete

I would not buy a house first off. I would suggest rental for a while to see what area you like before plucking down a down payment and taking on a mortgage. Finding employment might be the hardest thing you will have to do so I would suggest you start looking NOW and not later. You won't have any credit and it is going to cost big to set up your utilities because they will need a security deposit. You won't be able to get a car loan without credit. So you have loads of digging through the forum and WIKI for information on credit, car buying, etc. to keep you busy.

The Horticulturalist

What kind of work do you hope to be doing?

Mummy in the foothills

Do you even know what part of the US you'll be moving too?
If you have a job don't quit.
If it's a possibility when you do move, take a leave of absence for a year or so (do they even do that in UK?) that way if you absolutely hate it all and miss home/family, you can go back eventually. (it happens to best at times)
We have money to move the family and some belongings set aside in long term CD's that roll over.
Rent in the area you want for at least a year so you can see the seasons (or lack thereof) before buying. Plus a chance to check out school districts, etc, if you have kids.
Make sure you have plenty of money coming over, you'll need a car (cash)
Utilities/telephone/internet (cash or cc if you get a prepaid for deposits) You won't have US credit cards yet.
Also hard to rent without credit history.
Your main job now? Pick the brains of the US section of britishexpats.com till you know it all

chartreuse

I'd say that Rete is right about buying a house. That's what everybody here told us, before we moved, but oh no, we knew better and bought one. We're now struggling to find work locally, but are tied to the area.

Not so sure about utilities though. Our deposits came to about $200 in total, which isn't rally that much. Perhaps it depends on the area.

Bob

Best advice would be reading the wiki's and networking, depending on what you do for work, get linkedin and tap your connections.

Join any work groups in the area you are interested in.

Go and do all the touristy naff stuff you've never done because you live where you live and take lots of photo's of home, friends and family.

Plan a big going away piss up party for a few days before you bugger off.

Get a certified copy of your birthcert and parents.

Vaccination history, get that and any jabs you might need.

Sort out a proxy vote with someone you trust, a mate or parent etc before you leave, it's a bugger other wise.

If you've only got a year or so on your passport, get a new one because getting one in the US doesn't come with a free jar of vaseline like it should.

cluedweasel

Yep. We did the same thing. Now we have a nice little collection of houses spread across the west coast! When we move to Snottsdale next month, we're definitely renting!

radion

Thanks for that Rete,
I dont have any main stream job in mind, I have experience all most manual fields like warehouse, forklift, facility management, health and safety officer, property manager, stuff like that..
As for credit, yes will research that...

radion

Anything really mate, nothing specialized, warehouse, forklift, supervisor stuff.

Got to be better than cleaning up after 1500 pupils, litter picking, drains, and blood spills, oh the joys of caretaking

radion

Mummy,
thanks for that, yeh I know its the old favourite...Florida.
cant take a year off, but nice idea, teachers can here but not non teaching staff, cause we are the guys that keep the college running.
No kids at all to worry about, thank god.
My main job right now...Caretaker.
thanks for your advice

radion

Thanks BOB,
I am currently waiting in the UK, as for touristy stuff, wont have time for that until I get a job and money coming in, dont like being out of work, checking the local paper for vacancies in warehouse, forklift, sort of stuff.
On average about 150-200 jobs I can do no probs, and experience in another 70-90, also watching trends in areas advertising for location of house stuff

Get a certified copy of your birthcert and parents....why??

Vaccination history, get that and any jabs you might need....what do you need to get living in the UK to the US mate, any ideas??

If you've only got a year or so on your passport, get a new one because getting one in the US doesn't come with a free jar of vaseline like it should.
Had to copy this as I wet myself reading it, point taken...

radion

Thanks for that...

chartreuse

You might also want to check whether Florida requires a special license or certificate to operate a forklift. One of the things that I still find strange about the US is that lots of jobs which we could just do if we were capable (or not, judging by some of the people I've worked with) back in the UK require a license over here. And every state is different.

TBH, I'm kind of surprised that I'm allowed to go to the bog in my own home without being licensed to wipe arses!