Best advice for moving to the US

[Sarah456 0]

Hi!

What's everyone's best advice for adjusting to life in the US? What do you wish you had known before you moved?

[Hypnos 6,576]

Guns suck, and so does the healthcare system (although it's apparently "the best in the world").

To be fair, I knew this before arriving.

[YecaCruz 379]

Be prepared for sticker shock. Not only does a regular doctor visit an arm-an-leg cost ($30 Nicaragua, $150+ here...barf), the food is way more too...and if you want to be a healthy person with fruits and veggies wheeeeeeeeeeew, good luck lol! For example, I can get a bag of chips for $2.50 yet a bag of oranges is like $5 something (no wonder N. Americans are a generally unhealthy bunch lol. Not-so-good-for-you-food is cheaper). Depending on where you live and are coming from, you may even have to change your definition of "fresh" as well. Someday I'll be able to grow my own food when I am not limited to an apt.

Get yourself a bike - so you can get out and petal around (even if you are in the middle of nowhere).

Edited April 21, 2016 by JJGussiaas (Gush)

[TBoneTX 45,304]

Relevant answers strongly depend on where you're coming from, whether you've ever been to the U.S. before, etc. Let us know, and we can be of more help.

*** Thread is moved from Introducing Our Members forum to the Moving to the US & Your New Life forum. ***

Edited April 22, 2016 by TBoneTX

[JFH 12,190]

Visit as many times as possible before you move so that you can begin to adjust. I know that's not always possible and there are lots of members here whose first trip to the USA is when they move. But if you can, visit, visit, visit.

And make sure the trips are not mini-honeymoons. Do day to day things. Usually when I go my husband doesn't have time off work so he goes to work each day and I stay home alone. That helps me in preparing for when I move and won't have a job right away. I'm a regular ar the local library when I'm there. I've driven all over the place and know my way around. I've made friends with the neighbours, met his co-workers, met his extended family, done the grocery shopping by myself, used the post office, tried out salons to find one that I like, all sorts of things.

[Unidentified 2,930]

Have you visited before?

When I first came here about 5 years ago I was shocked/surprised about this:

Portion sizes at restaurants are huge

Someone else puts your groceries in bags (unless you do self checkout)

The US has drive-thru anything, post-office, pharmacy, banks...

If you're a healthy eater be prepared to pay up...

There's barely any sidewalks though they're getting better at making cities pedestrian friendly (at least where I live)

If you like candy, be prepared to be disappointed...

So yeah, depending on where you're now and how much you've visited before, there might be a lot of changes and weird stuff you will come across. But generally this country is pretty nice.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

and groceries trolley stealer lol, you got an empty trolley at groceries, you look at an item on shelf and turned back, the trolley's gone LOL. This happens to me often haha!

If you like starbucks, be prepared to be disappointed! Starbucks are quite diluted here

Edited April 24, 2016 by Roy&Chanel