DexterBerkeley

Hello everyone.

Just got my petition approved last week and so it looks like my wife and I will be moving to Boston, MA in August. found loads of useful information so far over the the USA forum so thought I would say hello.

Quite frankly I'm not sure if I'm more excited or nervous, but it's going to be a great adventure!

Dexter

Sue

Congrats on your upcoming move and welcome to BE.

You've certainly come to the right place, I know we have a few members in the Boston area and I'm sure they will be happy to share a few tips.

Pop over to the USA forum and dive in and get to know everyone.

dreadsoc

Hi Dexter

I see Suer has given you a direct link to our USA forum where you can get chatting to lots of other expats already living and working in the states. That just leaves me to say welcome to BE and all the very best with this great exciting (and nervewracking..) adventure.

Dread - x

Bob

Welcome to BE and good luck!

There seems to be quite a few folks moving to Boston and the burbs over the last week or so, so you've probably seen a few threads with info.

Any where in particular you guys thinking of moving to, or to Boston proper, itself?

And what brings you guys to the area?

DexterBerkeley

Thank you Sue, Dread and Bob for your warm welcome.

We're planning to live in Boston proper, still relatively young and no kids so might as well focus on enjoying ourselves. My job is being moved to Framingham, 20 miles west of downtown Boston and that's caused the move, and the visa .

Dexter

Sue

Sounds like a good plan to me

Bob

Definitely enjoy Boston then if you don't have kids! It's a fantastic opportunity

Framingham is a shitter though and it's a good hours commute in the morning and possibly longer in the evening if there's a Redsox/Celtics/Patriots game going, especially by car but if you're heading out bound you don't have the option because the commuter rail in Framingham dumps you in the middle of no where and what constitutes a bus service isn't.

Might not be so bad if you get the EZ Pass and don't mind the tolls racking up and taking the Pike out, I-90 as that'll be against the flow of traffic in the morning but it'll be a nightmare in the evening regardless. Rt 9/20 and 30 the other common routes in/out of Boston are carparks. Rt 9 all the way in/out, Rt 20 pretty much the same and it's one lane road and then 30 is only really bad outwards to Weston/Wayland and then it's not that bad.

IndianFriend

Hello and welcome to BE from me too

This forum is amazing. You already have so much info on the welcome page Now just make yourself at home on the USA forum and then relax. Best wishes on your adventure, I'm sure its going to be exciting!

Cheers

MostlyYank

Have you been stateside before? The book 'Brit-think / Ameri-think' is excellent.

Pete

Bob

Oh and forgot to mention, there's a really good Boston Brits Facebook group that organise monthly and all kind of drink/food events as well as footie/cricket/rugby/netball matches.

There's also a fairly new off shoot group, MetroWest Boston, which is where Framingham is and they organise monthly drinks too, and footie matches against the other off shoot groups, Northshore, Southshore groups.

One plus to Framingham, John Havards is a superb pub with their own brewed beers, The Bollywood Grill, is a great Indian and there are a few other decent ones and Indian grocery stores to get Brit goods on the cheap (Though Burlington is the best town to get Brit gear) and then a couple towns over, Stones Pub in Ashland is amazingly good, great curry sauce and chips too

There's also the most amazing Brazilian bakery just off the round-about in downtown Framingham, though the Irish pub almost next door is shit. But just up the road, there is the best Chicken Wing joint, go on Thursdays! Eat as many wings as you want for $6...though the music can be a bit iffy and it can be a bit rough over the weekend.

Oh and talking of car parks, the Mass Pike is the best ploughed road in the state, so least likely to double your winter drive. Rt 30 is really nicely done too, Rt 20 is shit and Rt9 is mostly bad, with a few towns doing a good job, but it's fairly hilly in places so least fun to drive over and that's the case at the best of times.