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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

Living in America....... summer 2010!

999 replies

redflipflops · 24/05/2010 16:47

So.... new thread.... please join me

introductions:

redflipflops - California (central Coast)

OP posts:
TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/02/2011 23:03

Hi there - new to this thread...

Are any LA mumsnetters out there? DH is going there for a short period (3 months) soon and it may (long-shot) turn into a longer one for us all. Any hints, tips, handy pointers and friendly waves? Particularly relating to any social life out there for ex-pats.

PenguinArmy · 20/02/2011 23:13

Hello

Sorry no real help as I'm 90 mins up the coast. I have visited as day trips and can only say that a car (of course) is a must but it can be hellish to get around. There is public transport but it can be complicated. Like a lot of America, everything is quite spaced out. Have you tried some of the more specialist websites.

However, I love the weather over here Grin

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 20/02/2011 23:22

Yeah, we know the car thing. We live in central London so culture will be a shock!

Have not checked out anywhere else yet online. He's got lots of contacts there - it was only this morning he floated the idea of making it more long term.

Thanks anyway Penguin.

PenguinArmy · 20/02/2011 23:30

I was surprised at just how culturally different it was actually. I naively though we spoke it same language and we watch US telly, it would be fine (which it was, but was different).

jabberwocky · 21/02/2011 02:12

I'm assuming you mean Los Angeles and not Louisiana (LA)?

kickassangel · 21/02/2011 02:22

we've just had a week of warmth, and now there's about 4 inches of snow out there - due to turn to freezing rain before morning, so fun for dh to get to work! (he doesn't get long weekends either)

jabbers, most uk people think LA = Los Angeles, not many of us (including me) know all the state abbreviations.

Earlybird · 21/02/2011 04:32

In my part of the country, some people (truly!) think LA refers to Lower Alabama (ie, the gulf coast). Wink

TondelayoSchwarzkopf · 21/02/2011 15:17

yes, Los Angeles. Sorry Louisiana-people.

kickassangel · 22/02/2011 03:47

AARgh.

i have a job interview tomorrow (not a very long or important one) and have JUST got the call that schools are shut due to snow.
Arses.

i do have various back-ups, but can't ring any of them this late at night. i shall be phoning round frantically in the morning.
so much for time to do my hair & leave with plenty of time to get there!!
again i say, arses.
(tis 10.40 pm here btw)

anonymosity · 22/02/2011 03:48

Tondelay we are near LA - you should look at the coast for family places to live, Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, etc. There is nothing like having a free beach to visit. Other areas which are family / child friendly and have good preschools etc are Pasadena, Studio City, Los Feliz and Silver Lake. It depends on your priorities and budget. We have been in the LA area a few months now and we love it.

Earlybird · 22/02/2011 03:56

kickass - maybe your interview will be rescheduled due to the snow day too?

jabberwocky · 22/02/2011 04:25

Was pretty sure you didn't mean Louisiana Wink but just couldn't help myself.

Earlybird, LA can also be interpreted as Lower Arkansas but I ruled that one out Grin

kickassangel · 23/02/2011 03:47

did the interview - it's for a company that does marking, and is my 'back up' if i don't get anything better by sep. i sincerely hope i find another job - it's a 40 min. drive away, and about 100 people sit in a room, not allowed to speak, reading exam. papers off a screen & just marking for 8 hours a day!!

basically, my idea of hell.

however, it may be that or unemployment.

the snow day was ridiculous - there was only an inch or so, then really sunny all day & roads clear. it's cos lots of the back roads weren't cleared after the foot or more on sun, cos of presidents' day.

oh well, it all worked out in the end.

actually, on my way there i saw TWO cars spin out in front of me & end up off the road, facing the wrong way. the first one didn't hit anything, came to a stop, then the second one spun off, and went straight into the first. the first driver must have had just enough time to think 'thank goodness, car will be ok' before the second one bounced right into them! left me a bit shaken, but car doors were opening & people getting out so not nasty, just worrying.

SatinandTat · 23/02/2011 20:23

I do not post here very often but I need some advice and am certain that I have seen the topic discussed at some point. I need to have US equivalency done on my UK degree. I have read on various expat forums that there is a bias against degrees from the UK. Is there anyone around that has experience of this and has a recommendation for a company that would be able to provide the equivalency. I have a very mediocre degree from many, many years ago (good university though) and need it to look as good as I can if I am to ever have a career again.

tadjennyp · 23/02/2011 22:30

Sorry, can't help you at all. The local college seemed to accept all my English qualifications when I wanted to be a community learning instructor. Maybe they're not that fussy though? You would need a sealed transcript from your university, I'm sure. Good luck!

tadjennyp · 23/02/2011 22:50

Glad the interview went well kickass but hope you find something more to your liking soon.

kickassangel · 24/02/2011 00:22

satin i've just had this done, so know a little.

depends where you want to work - if it's something like nursing or teaching you'll need to find out which agencies they like (there are some specific ones for certain jobs).

otherwise, there's a myriad of agencies out there who charge anything between $80 and $400 to get equivalency.

not all employers want it either.

the way to go about it is to approach your UK uni, and ask them for your academic transcripts. you will prob. also need your 'a' level cert.s (they count as credit towards a degree here).

then you send them off to an agency. the one i used (approved by mi board of ed.) simply added up how many courses/hours i'd done, counted it all as undergrad (from a level to pgce) & said it was equivalent to 2 and a bit degrees here.

i used this group

SatinandTat · 24/02/2011 02:33

Thank-you so much. I would never have thought of including my a-levels. I have been accepted onto a course but only if my degree has US equivalency.

To the people thinking about where to live my only advice is find somewhere warm! We have only had a few days above freezing since November!

lalamom · 24/02/2011 05:48

Tondelay

we moved here from london. It is fantastic quality of life- similar cost to london....but ahhhh the sun- it is as great as you think it will be.
Message me if you want any advice. Loads of great areas to live depending on what you want.

We cry almost at the thought of returning to the uk.
The locals we have met have been so friendly and welcoming and i have made some really good friends quickly.

PenguinArmy · 24/02/2011 20:25

I love the sun too, though there's rain predicted on the central coast tomorrow. How rude!!

nicobean · 24/02/2011 20:33

Hi all. I recently posted a thread about how I was feeling pretty unsure about a move to the US (thanks to all that posted). I still am, tbh, but DH is desperate to go. So I'd love to hear anyone's positive stories (glad to hear it's going so well, lalamom!).

Also I'm a bit worried about my eldest DD who is 4 and starting school here this year (Sept birthday so she's very ready). If we do return (to Maryland) she'd be starting kindergarten in Sept '12, thus "starting school" twice. Anyone else's DC do this? How did it go??

anonymosity · 24/02/2011 22:06

I have a DS with an early Sept birthday. Its actually possible to "petition" the local education authority if your child has a birthday up to 12 weeks after the cut-off date, to have them assessed for early entry. However I think that you need to have resided for sometime in order to qualify for free state education - and / or the child has attended a preschool locally. If you are considering private schools it might be worth contacting them now by email or phone to find out what their policy is for date of entry. You could then have her attend Kindergarten in a private school and join the local state elementary at grade 1 level (this is quite popular, not an uncommon time to start - so she likely won't be the only one).

anonymosity · 24/02/2011 22:07

Sorry - should have said, its possible in MD - where we have also lived.

tadjennyp · 24/02/2011 22:09

I feel my dd is very ready for school and she's 5 now, so I know how you feel nico. Is it a permanent move to Maryland? We said we'd look at it as a three to five year move and take it from there. It doesn't feel quite so permanent but you could make it that way if you love it. Plus you would be on the East coast and could get direct flights to the UK very easily and more affordable than from somewhere else.

tadjennyp · 24/02/2011 22:15

I didn't know that anonymosity. My ds also has a September birthday and I'm worried that he will go off the boil if he waits another 2 1/2 years to go to school. He'd be almost 6 and he's almost as big as his elder sister anyway!

I also need some advice. Our L1 visa runs out at the end of March and the company's lawyer has not let us know whether she has applied for an extension or not (also applying for a green card at the same time). We had a baby just under 3 weeks ago who is obviously a US citizen. I have read somewhere that it is federal law to leave the country on a US passport, which would apply to ds2, not that he would have to leave, but I'm not leaving him behind. Does anyone know how long it takes to get a US passport? Is there any way of expediting it, specifically if there's a place in Portland I could do this (bucket you might know???) I am slowly winding myself up into a tizzy that we will have to leave the country due to an almighty cock-up, but ds2 won't have a passport by then and I don't know whether they would let me stay with him. Panic is setting in, please help?