Move to Chicago: thread 2, sorry, more help please..!

[shaktar]

Thank you so much to everyone who gave advice on my last thread, it's been an amazing help. We visited for a week, back yesterday, and I've more questions if you don't mind helping..

So, we had a tour with a relocation agent and saw all the areas we asked about: Oak Park (thinking this would be a comparison for N Shore), Evanston and a few places on the North Shore (bits of Wilmette, Highland Park, Lake Forest).

We ended up waiting 90 mins for a delayed train at Lake Forest which may have unfairly biased against the area but have essentially decided it's too far out (husband will be commuting to the Loop every day). I think we had some dream of stretches of beaches and lakeshore accessibility on the North Shore and have realised that is not the case. So: although it will ultimately depend on what houses are available close to a decent elementary school when we arrive we have loosely decided on Oak Park, Evanston, south North Shore.

Here is my question (sorry for epic post) - how safe is Oak Park? I feel ok about Evanston and North Shore but liked OP and we are concerned about availability of rental houses in Ev and NS after hearing horror stories from realtors. But, for every 3 online love ins for Oak Park there is a warning about safety regarding surrounding areas. Any experience or anecdotal evidence of how safe it is - particularly the commute into downtown - would be incredibly helpful.

Please chuck any advice you have at me anyway - offer letter will be signed next week to move in early Jan and then there's no going back (visa issue permitting) so I will be haunting this board regularly.

Morning commute was ‘feels like’ -21 Celsius here this morning and everything was very icy because Monday’s snow hasn’t melted. I hope you’re excited OP!!

We're a sunny feels like -10C here today! Weirdly tho this never feels as cold to me as the UK, as its not as damp here all year round(the rain finally stopped last week)

I sent DS off to school sweating in the appropriate many layers

This is ridiculously cold for November!

OP - I remember when we moved I spent so much time getting rid of stuff. Charity shop, Freecycle, and eBay were my best friends for a while, then the removals people came and took everything we were shipping, then we just hired a skip for a few days and filled it. We left our house completely empty ready to be sold.

I also remember digging out unbelievable amounts of paperwork when we were trying to register our first child as an American while living in the UK. DH had to prove he'd lived in the US for at least 5 years, so he pulled out everything he could find - credit card receipts, college transcripts, passport stamps, dated photos... He ended up with a thick binder that he'd take to the US Embassy with him. It was worth it in the end. I still have my USCIS folder in the basement just in case they ever ask for anything.

Charity shop & the tip today

I am excited though also about to spend a small fortune on thermals. American Embassy interview tomorrow and, fingers crossed, then onto booking shipping, petair etc. Advice always v welcome on what to bring/bin/store - I fluctuate between wanting to take a flamethrower to all our possessions and refusing to discard 15 year old caketins

Good luck on the embassy ! best advice I ever got was to 'only answer the question they ask' - i.e. don't offer anything else, or do nervous chat (I still employ this tactic coming back to the US through immigration )

Re the flamethrower; I'd divide it into piles:

1. absolutely need (paperwork etc)
2. family essentials (clothes, toys etc including stuff that's a comfort from home)
3. not sure - I always revisit the not sure pile and decide from there!

Random shit I shipped (I was single at this point...) beanbag, clothes airer, clothes, my good cookware and kitchen stuff. I figured the basics of everything as I didn't want to buy it again (but I was lucky as I had a furnished rental til my stuff arrived from shipping)

No point bringing electronic stuff (unless you have good power / voltage adaptors) or cheaper furniture (ikea etc) as the cost of shipping and waiting for it outweighs buying it again

I find good quality leather goods (bag, shoes etc) really expensive here so often buy in the UK and bring over

Everything else, you can get on a same or 2 day delivery from amazon prime or Target!

Embassy interview was very low key.
Sadly no little round chocolates!
It was very like any council paperwork collection.

I spoke to soon - last time I posted the embassy interview was the next day and our application was rejected.. Utter shock as nobody had foreseen it, 2 weeks of insanity and an appeal later, they approved it..

So here I still am, speaking to shipping companies/storage etc and car permanently full of things en route to the charity shop.

One thing I wanted to ask was about mobile phones: I was naively thinking of buying new-ish iphone and getting a PAYG sim on arrival. Is this realistic/where on earth do you buy sims from when you are reeling from moving/the cold?

I think you'd need to check whether the handset would work here if you buy in UK. I mean it should, but they used to be on different network bands so they wouldn't work (I think its defunct now tho with more modern technology?) not sure how it works with unlocked ones

Network / provider will depend on where you are in the US - these guys are pretty much through the country (I think..) they currently look like they offer as PAYG sim with 16GN data for $45 a month if you have own handset www.verizonwireless.com/od/prepaid/bring-your-own-device/#/checkDevice

A UK iphone will work here as long as it is unlocked

They don't really do PAYG here, but you can have prepay accounts, they are about $45 a month as @LittleMy77 says - there are no cheap options

Phones are a real pita. You'll struggle to get a contract as you have no credit history. A UK phone should work and you'll need to sign a prepay contract.
Credit cards also difficult. We got a prepay score card for $1000. Then DH got a credit card once we'd been here 6 months.

Just accept today you are beautiful having to start every adult thing from new. It took about 6 months before we were functioning smoothly. I've been here 11 years and we're fine now but it took a while.

I bought a phone here outright and set up an unlimited 50 dollars a months prepaid account, without a ssn I couldn't set up anything else.
DC now have phones on contracts, it becomes possible.

HSBC let us set up US bank accounts and credit cards before we left the UK which was helpful.

I did the mobile with T Mobile, they have shops here.

I have a decent phone with Republic Wireless. They use the Sprint network. There is no contract, just a monthly direct debit of under $25. If I paid more I would get more data but I don't need it.

Sorry your Embassy interview was a shock.

Are you in Chicago yet? Or waiting until after Christmas to travel?

The plan is to move the final week in February. Idiotic, weatherwise, but am trying to remain zen. When I say trying to remain zen I really mean self medicating with Baileys.

You might be in luck - we had a high of 56F on Boxing Day and 60ish today. (13.3 and 15.5C). It's freakishly warm.

...And expecting 2 inches of snow tonight, of course.

i am beginning to get very excited in amongst the lists & stress & incessant googling & kids deciding they don't want to move etc

This week's major stress: we are bringing a cat and a dog and were told the day before christmas eve that BA have stopped flying dogs into chicago. No idea why & now desperately trying to find someone who will.

Ah that's not good. I've never transported a pet internationally but it doesn't sound easy.

Can you fly the dog into another airport and drive to Chicago? One-way car rentals are easily available and not too crazily priced. There are lots of hotels that allow dogs that you could stop at to break up the journey.

Chicago is a hub for American and United - maybe see if either of those transports pets internationally? Look at who they codeshare with?

www.aerlingus.com/travel-information/baggage-information/travelling-with-pets/#/tab-1-transatlantic-flights

Maybe Aer Lingus could be the answer to your problem?

Thank you. I'm trying a couple of other options and vainly hoping that BA might finish their investigation and start flying dogs into the states again soon.

Next question of randomness: is there is anything you took with you to the States that was completely redundant when you arrived? Anything you couldn't use or realise were ten a penny/better/cheaper over there? Any random things you didn't take but wish you had?

I'm in the trenches of staring at each possession and deciding whether to rehome/store/ship so desperate for distraction/inspiration!

The dog thing is weird! In fairness we did have to pick the cat up from some bizarre industrial estate office that seemed to be processing air mail- I’m not sure how they would have handled a dog! You could try United, an Irish colleague of mine used them for her dog and she was absolutely fine.

I don’t think there’s anything I regret taking/not taking. Sorry, not massively helpful but the whole thing was such a blur that I honestly don’t remember it that well!

We brought beds, mattresses and bedding with us. That was fine until we started replacing them. It turns out UK and US bed/bedding/mattress sizes are quite different. We've kept a few sheets, duvets and covers, but mostly replaced everything else. If I did it again I'd just buy beds and bedding out here.

I'm sure you know most electrics won't work so I just wouldn't bring them. I brought laptops but not much else. When we got here we bought things like washing machine and tumble dryer - we got floor damaged models from Best Buy. My dryer is still going strong 12+ years later.

Other than that we brought pretty much everything as the company was paying for our move. We have gradually replaced a lot of stuff with time but I can't think of anything else I regret bringing.

I find clothes and shoes fairly cheap in the US but if there's a UK brand like Clarks that you like, they'll probably be cheaper in the UK.

I love M&S pyjamas - I often bring those back after a UK visit.

Chocolate you should bring, obviously...

BTW did you get a printout of your kids' vaccinations from your GP? You'll need that.

Girls both finally back to school today so the moving madness is taking over again.

Still no decision from BA on the pets which is driving me insane so have decided to focus on actual human children instead. Today's question (if i ever make it to the states then I will buy a vat of wine for anyone local) - did you have to get an official list of immunisations etc.from your GP i.e. headed paper and signed. Or will I be ok with their red books? The GP receptionist looked like she wanted to smack me when i asked her about hep b jabs so I dread to think what rage paperwork would invoke..

My DD was only a baby when we moved but I just took the Red Book- the US paediatrician was a bit baffled by it and took some time to figure out what immunisations had been missed/were on a different schedule but was absolutely fine with it. Then after a check up and some extra shots, plus the lead blood test the paediatrician gave the standard form which is needed for school/daycare enrolment in Chicago. I think CPS (Chicago public schools) also need a dental and eye doctor check but my DD is still in daycare where that isn’t a requirement.