Moving to the USA

Good Morning Guys,

Recently, my wife has proposed the idea that we move to the U.S, specifically Seattle.

Visa's aren't a problem as my father was born in the U.S.

I would ultimately be able to continue my current career (with the benefit of RPL), and my wife would be able to teach.

We are currently residents of Australia.

I was just wondering if anyone else here has immigrated to the U.S, and for the permanent residents, what are some of the things I should be looking out for?

Thanks for your time,

-g.

Although my data on the United States is dated, at best, I do know this: if you want to fit in, eat things that will kill you horribly. That much seems to have held up. Also, something about bimackerel governments?

Well Seattle is a great place to live (it's no portland but that's just my bias showing :P), very beautiful, nice people. Can't help you with immigration but yah.

Also try not to be offended by people telling you things about shrimps on the barbie and shit

@c0kemusheen said:

@Video_Game_King said:

Although my data on the United States is dated, at best, I do know this: if you want to fit in, eat things that will kill you horribly. That much seems to have held up. Also, something about bimackerel governments?

Step 1: Don't be an ignorant xenophobic prick like this guy ^^

Step 2: Treat people nicely and you yourself will be treated as such :) It's a good place to live, especially Seattle. You'll love it

Yeah americans are totally not xenophobic at all

americans LOVE immigrants!

unless you're from a third world nation

Seattle is pretty cool except the weather is kind of a drag. At least to me it was, I lived there for a couple years with my wife (she's from Kitsap Co.). I'm from Texas and am used to it being crazy hot in the summer and things like sunshine. My first winter was fine but the second kinda got to me, it's just so dark all the time. Most of the people are fine if not as friendly as Texans though. The food, scenery, and maritime culture, as well as some awesome people are the only things I really miss. Oh yeah, Americans are all right folks mostly, we tend to be a little ignorant but that doesn't mean we're terribly bad people. Cheers, and give us an update!

Oh man you'll go from the dryest place on earth to the wettest. Hope you like rain buddy.

Oh and make some contacts in America before moving there it will be easier in the long run. Also I'm not sure what the process will be for your wife to immigrate....

@Animasta said:

Yeah americans are totally not xenophobic at all

americans LOVE immigrants!

unless you're from a third world nation

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but wasn't the concept of the third world invented to show how awesome America is and how everybody should be like it?

Isn't getting a teaching job in America right now like really, really hard.

If you're not sure what to eat at a restaurant, chances are they'll have chicken fingers and fries. Every restaurant I've ever been to has that on the menu. And sometimes they have it, but it's not listed.

@Vinny_Says said:

Oh man you'll go from the dryest place on earth to the wettest.

Just look at this guy's username and tell me that it doesn't demand a Photoshop.

I'm also an Aussie living in the 'States,

1. Buy anything that would be expensive in Australia. Especially cars. But don't go overboard.

2. If you permanently immigrate here, make sure you REMAIN as an Aussie, even if you apply for American citizenship (read: dual citizenship).

@LordXavierBritish said:

Isn't getting a teaching job in America right now like really, really hard.

you'd think so but in some areas it's very hard to find teachers at all. Course that all depends on the place, but if you're a science teacher it's pretty easy usually.

also all you people saying the rain is a drag are fucking crazy

you know what is a drag? 110 degree weather (43 c for the europeans out there)

Seattle's not bad. I prefer Portland, but anywhere on the West Coast should be a relatively easy transition. People from the more densely populated Eastern parts of the country have a reputation for being rude, but of course there are exceptions to every generalization. I'm not sure how much luck you'll have finding a teaching job, at least immediately, so don't be afraid to take whatever job you can get that pays well enough.

A friend of mine immigrated from New Zealand within the last few years and he had quite an ordeal trying to gain citizenship, even with his wife being American. Of course he was moving to Pennsylvania and the woman in charge of his paperwork was incompetent, so you may not have the same issues as him, but don't except it to be a simple process.

I've actually just moved from Ireland to Seattle in the last 4 months. People say it rains here a lot, but having just come through a winter here, I think they're crazy now.
 
I'm not sure what to tell you, since I didn't come from Australia. I have noticed that the people here are a lot less reserved than elsewhere. You'll meet a lot of really nice people, but it also means you'll meet a lot of crazy people. Their whole credit rating system is asinine, though, and with no credit history (which is the same as bad credit history), you might find it hard to integrate financially. Your stability is extremely dependent on your job here, since you've no right to a home, and standard healthcare is fairly absent.
 
And be careful of what you eat. A lot of food over here is made in ways other countries have made illegal, (for health reasons).
 
I could say nice things too, but you've no use for them.

I hope she's teaching at a private school. Public school kids are becoming bigger dicks by the year.

Hey, I live about an hour and a half away from Seattle. We can be best friends together.

Seattle is actually a pretty awesome place to live. People aren't as big of ass holes as you might expect based on the general idea of Americans.

@WilltheMagicAsian said:

I hope she's teaching at a private school. Public school kids are becoming bigger dicks by the year.

I dont think they can get any worse?

Isn't getting a teaching job in America right now like really, really hard.

We put cheese on everything.

And bacon.

If this idea doesn't immediately excite you, the you should stay the fuck out of our country. We don't cotton to your kind round here.

@Animasta said:

Yeah americans are totally not xenophobic at all

americans LOVE immigrants!

unless you're from a third world nation

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but wasn't the concept of the third world invented to show how awesome America is and how everybody should be like it?

@Meowshi said:

We put cheese on everything.

And bacon.

If this idea doesn't immediately excite you, the you should stay the fuck out of our country. We don't cotton to your kind round here.

Do you put cotton on your food? I remember something about a King Cotton; is he like the Burger King, but with cotton?

@Turambar:

Maybe I'm just confusing political theories or something. Do you at least have some idea as to what I'm referring to? Or did I just pull that out of my ass entirely?

@LordXavierBritish said:

Isn't getting a teaching job in America right now like really, really hard.

you'd think so but in some areas it's very hard to find teachers at all. Course that all depends on the place, but if you're a science teacher it's pretty easy usually.

@g6065: I live in America, but on the East Coast (specifically New York). There isn't much to look out for, just be prepared for people (especially women) being fascinated with you're accent. Women here love foreign accents from other English speaking countries. As an American man I find it kind of annoying.

@Turambar:

Maybe I'm just confusing political theories or something. Do you at least have some idea as to what I'm referring to? Or did I just pull that out of my ass entirely?

@Turambar:

I think I just confused political theories or something. However, I wouldn't be surprised if I pulled it out of my ass, for my ass is an unexplored frontier :P.

@Video_Game_King

Everything you've said thus far in this thread makes you look like you an asshole. Why? There's no fucking call for it, and nobody was out to offend you.

OP: Our game costs are still in the double digits. Awesome, huh? Anyway, almost all Americans have a fascination with other English-speaking people's accents and dialogues. Mass generalization, yes, but a lot of people just find them funny or interesting. They don't mean any insult if they smile at it or attempt (miserably) to copy it or something, just that they think it's cool or pleasant to hear.

@believer258:

My bad, then. The first post was meant more as a light joke, if anything else.

@Turambar:

I think I just confused political theories or something. However, I wouldn't be surprised if I pulled it out of my ass, for my ass is an unexplored frontier :P.

@g6065: Ha ha, how did I know you were going to say Seattle? A lot of people want to live here. I live about 25 minutes away from downtown, though now closer to Bellevue. What do you mean by "looking out for"? What do you want to know? I may be able to help.

@g6065:

Pacific Northwest. Be ready for rain/"rain"/water particles in the air. Pretty much constantly except for the one month of summer every year. Having said that, I dreaded moving here for that reason, but it really isn't that bad; it rarely truly rains, but the streets seem to be constantly wet.

Jesus.... H.... Christ.......

And no one was going to warn you about all the gay men who will hit on you. Its not really a problem if your okay knowing that that those guys looking at you funny REALLY DO want to put their penises inside your anus.

Out of curiosity, why leave Australia? Its pretty awesome here (as a student in Melbourne anyway)

Also if you're going to move anywhere, why the states?

I'm sure it would be easier (same language, the aforementioned family connection) than going for an expat job somewhere else, but going somewhere in Asia or even Africa for a stint would be way more interesting (teachers for international schools are often in high demand)

None of my business of course either way, all the best duder!

@Animasta said:

also all you people saying the rain is a drag are fucking crazy

you know what is a drag? 110 degree weather (43 c for the europeans out there)

Agreed! Fuck the heat, summer is overrated

@WilltheMagicAsian said:

I hope she's teaching at a private school. Public school kids are becoming bigger dicks by the year.

Private school kids can be incredibly boring in comparison.

Canada > USA

Also, they are slowly introducing polymer banknotes in Canada. So as an Australian, you should feel right at home.

@BigChickenDinner said:

Jesus.... H.... Christ.......

And no one was going to warn you about all the gay men who will hit on you. Its not really a problem if your okay knowing that that those guys looking at you funny REALLY DO want to put their penises inside your anus.

there are no such thing as predatory gays and that is perpetuating a stereotype that really doesn't exist

All the best with your move. I've spent a lot of time in both America and Australia, you sir have has the luck to live in two awesome countries. Though obviously aus isn't terribly videogame friendly.

@Video_Game_King said:

@Turambar:

Maybe I'm just confusing political theories or something. Do you at least have some idea as to what I'm referring to? Or did I just pull that out of my ass entirely?

I think you were just being an ignorant fuck.

Edit: Also, xenocentrism might be what you are looking for.

Don't forget, in the US - the football is only occasionally 'kicked' and that can actually result in a penalty! Lots of "Oy!" , "Foster's", "AC/DC" ,"Men at Work" jokes to endure , I'm sure.

Im in Cleveland, and we hired Mike Holmgren - Seattle's football coach, so it depends on your priorities!

Oh yeah, we call 'chips' - 'french fries' here.They are not an invention of France. "Chips" are fried crispy cross-sliced potatoes in a bag."iowastate" is a Bomber who was a US MIL stationed in Australia, but you are more likely to reach him at Twitter these days.He lives in CA.

1-Houses are really cheap right now in the States. (big plus)

2-There is an insane amount of guns in the States. (Big minus, unless you really like guns)

3- If for some reason you find out that the U.S. is not your thing, just move north to Canada.

Good luck.

Hope you like it in America if you move.

@Video_Game_King said:

@Animasta said:

Yeah americans are totally not xenophobic at all

americans LOVE immigrants!

unless you're from a third world nation

I'm not sure if this is relevant, but wasn't the concept of the third world invented to show how awesome America is and how everybody should be like it?

No, the third world was a term denoting countries that didn't take a side in the cold war.

@LordXavierBritish said:

Isn't getting a teaching job in America right now like really, really hard.

Especially in Seattle?

@scarace360 said:

@WilltheMagicAsian said:

I hope she's teaching at a private school. Public school kids are becoming bigger dicks by the year.

I dont think they can get any worse?

Somehow they can. And they do. Fucking monsters.