Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
I recruited a couple from Kent a few years back, he loved it but she never settled. They went back to England and then split up.
Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
I recruited a couple from Kent a few years back, he loved it but she never settled. They went back to England and then split up.
Ha ha I'll recount that to the missus...will probably incentivise her to make the move!
Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
One of the major issues I’ve seen is that while your company may move you both out here, only you will be able to work. So your wife end up stuck with no friends and family and nothing to do. I’ve seen a few people head back to Europe because of that.
The East Coast sounds nice with the culture and all that. But, you can't beat the weather in California. I think I'll stay where I am . Yesterday I was out and about with the top down on my car. Not doing that in DC.
Wildfires, mud slides, droughts, earthquakes. But at least it’s warm.
The earthquake is the dodgy one. Could hit at any time with any strength. Got rattled 3 weeks ago at 3 in the morning with a 4.2 around the Berkeley area. Dread to think what a 7.2 would be like. We just get on with life but that always lurks in the deepest recesses of the brain.
Psh you move around for a while, your things move around for a while, your dog doesn't even wake up, you're fine .
Was it a case of transferring with current employers or anyone just apply direct/ get recruited?
I’m a teacher and there are British schools all over the world, so it’s quite a good route in. Not so sure about everyone else.
Do you know where in the DC area you'll be working?
It’s the British International School, Wisconsin Avenue. Georgetown area, I think.
Easiest to get to from Northern Virginia than Maryland, and not well served by transit. A lot of people catch the Metro to Rosslyn area (I think) and walk over the bridge into Georgetown. Maybe look for a place to live in Springfield, Falls Church or Arlington areas. Unless of course money is no object? Georgetown is an extremely wealthy area. Upper Georgetown can be accessed more easily from Maryland. Just looked it up, too far to walk from Rosslyn.
The East Coast sounds nice with the culture and all that. But, you can't beat the weather in California. I think I'll stay where I am . Yesterday I was out and about with the top down on my car. Not doing that in DC.
Wildfires, mud slides, droughts, earthquakes. But at least it’s warm.
The earthquake is the dodgy one. Could hit at any time with any strength. Got rattled 3 weeks ago at 3 in the morning with a 4.2 around the Berkeley area. Dread to think what a 7.2 would be like. We just get on with life but that always lurks in the deepest recesses of the brain.
Psh you move around for a while, your things move around for a while, your dog doesn't even wake up, you're fine .
The wild fires are shit though.
We’ve got an office in Hayward, almost on the fault line, on reclaimed land. They’re going to need lifeboats if they have a big quake.
Was it a case of transferring with current employers or anyone just apply direct/ get recruited?
I’m a teacher and there are British schools all over the world, so it’s quite a good route in. Not so sure about everyone else.
Do you know where in the DC area you'll be working?
It’s the British International School, Wisconsin Avenue. Georgetown area, I think.
Easiest to get to from Northern Virginia than Maryland, and not well served by transit. A lot of people catch the Metro to Rosslyn area (I think) and walk over the bridge into Georgetown. Maybe look for a place to live in Springfield, Falls Church or Arlington areas. Unless of course money is no object? Georgetown is an extremely wealthy area.
This is great info Limey. Cheers. Money definitely IS an object! I think I knew Georgetown was wealthy, but unfortunately I’ll only be working there, not living there!
The East Coast sounds nice with the culture and all that. But, you can't beat the weather in California. I think I'll stay where I am . Yesterday I was out and about with the top down on my car. Not doing that in DC.
Wildfires, mud slides, droughts, earthquakes. But at least it’s warm.
The earthquake is the dodgy one. Could hit at any time with any strength. Got rattled 3 weeks ago at 3 in the morning with a 4.2 around the Berkeley area. Dread to think what a 7.2 would be like. We just get on with life but that always lurks in the deepest recesses of the brain.
Psh you move around for a while, your things move around for a while, your dog doesn't even wake up, you're fine .
The wild fires are shit though.
We’ve got an office in Hayward, almost on the fault line, on reclaimed land. They’re going to need lifeboats if they have a big quake.
Yeah...
Joking aside the Bay Area can be very scary for earthquakes. When I was at Berkeley it was discovered that the BART (Bay Area public transport) tunnel that went under the bay was not super earthquake proof. That made the journey from the East Bay into the city...more interesting.
Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
One of the major issues I’ve seen is that while your company may move you both out here, only you will be able to work. So your wife end up stuck with no friends and family and nothing to do. I’ve seen a few people head back to Europe because of that.
I think intercompany transfers would be an L1 visa which allows a spouse to apply for an L2 which permits any employment.
After 4 years in Dubai, my family and I are making our next move this summer. We’ll be joining the ranks of Addicks in the USA. I know there are quite a few of you on here who reside across the pond, but are any of you based in DC? We’ll start work in Washington in August, so any tips on life in the states (and particularly the capital) would be gratefully received!
Cheers all!
I am guessing you will need to take care of all the tax free money you have earned in Dubai so if you need a good accountant and someone who is good figures NappaAddick is your man.
Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
Charlotte, North Carolina might be the place for you. Lots of banking and not the same rat-race as New York. Much better climate too. A very dynamic and young city.
Banking compliance. My company has offices out there just need to convince the better half to give it a go as she has no desire to leave England which is a minor stumbling block to my plan :-)
Charlotte, North Carolina might be the place for you. Lots of banking and not the same rat-race as New York. Much better climate too. A very dynamic and young city.
My best mate from school lives in Charlotte, went on a football scholarship when he was 18 and has stayed. He works in banking and has a great lifestyle. Been there a few times over the years and has really grown as a city. Was a bit dull when he first moved there over 20 odd years ago though. I lived and worked in NY and Chicago in my 20's and we used to meet up regularly. I loved Chicago, really great city. Been to the Northwest a few times now and said earlier Seattle seemed like a really nice place to live although shocked to see so many homeless there. Was told that they are very tolerant as a city towards the homeless where as other cities aggressively move them out hence why there are so many there.
It’s the British International School, Wisconsin Avenue. Georgetown area, I think.
When I was a sports writer at the Providence Journal, the newspaper had a condo on Wisconsin Avenue that I'd stay at when covering a game in Washington, DC. Very nice area. Had a terrific Mexican restaurant on Wisconsin Ave. ... I wonder if it is still there?
Just thought I’d bump this... Been here 3 months now. Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland - takes about 25 mins to drive to work. All the warnings of DC life being expensive were spot on! Made more difficult by ladyromford lacking authorisation to work, so we’ve been living on one wage so far. Fortunately, her papers and Social Security card have come through now, so she can start earning soon!
Lots of culture shocks, even coming from a weird place like Dubai, but the biggest one is the crazy levels of red tape involved in everything from tax to Social Security to buying a car to getting a credit card to getting a drivers licence. (Maryland Vehicle Authority is possibly the most obstructive and least efficient organisation I’ve ever come across. I think their procedure for issuing licenses and registrations would be simpler, safer, more appropriate and more convenient if they dropped a bunch of them in a bear pit and made people fight for them.) We miss the silly things - Dairy Milk, proper back bacon, decent cheddar cheese, HP Sauce, English Mustard, all that kind of stuff. (They do have lots of decent little breweries here though, so beer isn’t bad!) You can get all this stuff, but you pay through the nose for it.
Having said all this, we’re actually really enjoying life here. Culturally, life here is different in so many surprising ways, but we appreciate and enjoy that! We like the people, the City, the sights, the surrounding areas. Haven’t travelled too far afield yet, but we’ve had a look around parts of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Off to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Until you come here, the size of the country doesn’t really register. It’s just so vast, it’ll take forever to explore everything! We’re off to the Blue Ridge mountains for thanksgiving and going to New York after Christmas and planning Canada and the lakes for next summer. Maybe the west coast next year! Looking forward to it all! We’re loving having four distinct seasons again - now enjoying the start of our first proper winter for 4 years!
Thanks to all my fellow expats and American Addicks for thoughts and advice. Suffice to say we’re glad we made the move, and if you’re passing by, give me a shout and we’ll have a beer!
Studied at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire! Absolutely loved DC though, you should try Cabot cheese if they sell it there, very similar to proper English Cheddar.
Just thought I’d bump this... Been here 3 months now. Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland - takes about 25 mins to drive to work. All the warnings of DC life being expensive were spot on! Made more difficult by ladyromford lacking authorisation to work, so we’ve been living on one wage so far. Fortunately, her papers and Social Security card have come through now, so she can start earning soon!
Lots of culture shocks, even coming from a weird place like Dubai, but the biggest one is the crazy levels of red tape involved in everything from tax to Social Security to buying a car to getting a credit card to getting a drivers licence. (Maryland Vehicle Authority is possibly the most obstructive and least efficient organisation I’ve ever come across. I think their procedure for issuing licenses and registrations would be simpler, safer, more appropriate and more convenient if they dropped a bunch of them in a bear pit and made people fight for them.) We miss the silly things - Dairy Milk, proper back bacon, decent cheddar cheese, HP Sauce, English Mustard, all that kind of stuff. (They do have lots of decent little breweries here though, so beer isn’t bad!) You can get all this stuff, but you pay through the nose for it.
Having said all this, we’re actually really enjoying life here. Culturally, life here is different in so many surprising ways, but we appreciate and enjoy that! We like the people, the City, the sights, the surrounding areas. Haven’t travelled too far afield yet, but we’ve had a look around parts of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Off to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Until you come here, the size of the country doesn’t really register. It’s just so vast, it’ll take forever to explore everything! We’re off to the Blue Ridge mountains for thanksgiving and going to New York after Christmas and planning Canada and the lakes for next summer. Maybe the west coast next year! Looking forward to it all! We’re loving having four distinct seasons again - now enjoying the start of our first proper winter for 4 years!
Thanks to all my fellow expats and American Addicks for thoughts and advice. Suffice to say we’re glad we made the move, and if you’re passing by, give me a shout and we’ll have a beer!
Completely missed this, but welcome!!!
I actually nearly got forced to go to DC next week, and just barely got out of it. But I'm sure I'll be there at some point in the not too distant future and I'll drop you a line.
Oh, and you've probably already discovered this, but don't buy the Dairy Milk you get in the groceries stores, it's made in Pennsylvania and it's bullshit. You *can* get Coleman's in a fair few grocery stores though, but it tends to be hit and miss.
Comments
The wild fires are shit though.
Just looked it up, too far to walk from Rosslyn.
Money definitely IS an object!
I think I knew Georgetown was wealthy, but unfortunately I’ll only be working there, not living there!
Joking aside the Bay Area can be very scary for earthquakes. When I was at Berkeley it was discovered that the BART (Bay Area public transport) tunnel that went under the bay was not super earthquake proof. That made the journey from the East Bay into the city...more interesting.
"does everyone in London sing like in Mary Poppins"
"Yes love"
I was in Chicago for 6 years up until 2008. Now in Bermuda, but spend a lot of time in the U.S.
Good luck.
It’s the British International School, Wisconsin Avenue. Georgetown area, I think.
When I was a sports writer at the Providence Journal, the newspaper had a condo on Wisconsin Avenue that I'd stay at when covering a game in Washington, DC. Very nice area.
Had a terrific Mexican restaurant on Wisconsin Ave. ... I wonder if it is still there?
Been here 3 months now. Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland - takes about 25 mins to drive to work. All the warnings of DC life being expensive were spot on! Made more difficult by ladyromford lacking authorisation to work, so we’ve been living on one wage so far.
Fortunately, her papers and Social Security card have come through now, so she can start earning soon!
Lots of culture shocks, even coming from a weird place like Dubai, but the biggest one is the crazy levels of red tape involved in everything from tax to Social Security to buying a car to getting a credit card to getting a drivers licence.
(Maryland Vehicle Authority is possibly the most obstructive and least efficient organisation I’ve ever come across. I think their procedure for issuing licenses and registrations would be simpler, safer, more appropriate and more convenient if they dropped a bunch of them in a bear pit and made people fight for them.)
We miss the silly things - Dairy Milk, proper back bacon, decent cheddar cheese, HP Sauce, English Mustard, all that kind of stuff. (They do have lots of decent little breweries here though, so beer isn’t bad!) You can get all this stuff, but you pay through the nose for it.
Having said all this, we’re actually really enjoying life here. Culturally, life here is different in so many surprising ways, but we appreciate and enjoy that! We like the people, the City, the sights, the surrounding areas. Haven’t travelled too far afield yet, but we’ve had a look around parts of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Off to Pennsylvania tomorrow. Until you come here, the size of the country doesn’t really register. It’s just so vast, it’ll take forever to explore everything!
We’re off to the Blue Ridge mountains for thanksgiving and going to New York after Christmas and planning Canada and the lakes for next summer. Maybe the west coast next year! Looking forward to it all!
We’re loving having four distinct seasons again - now enjoying the start of our first proper winter for 4 years!
Thanks to all my fellow expats and American Addicks for thoughts and advice. Suffice to say we’re glad we made the move, and if you’re passing by, give me a shout and we’ll have a beer!
Absolutely loved DC though, you should try Cabot cheese if they sell it there, very similar to proper English Cheddar.
I actually nearly got forced to go to DC next week, and just barely got out of it. But I'm sure I'll be there at some point in the not too distant future and I'll drop you a line.
Oh, and you've probably already discovered this, but don't buy the Dairy Milk you get in the groceries stores, it's made in Pennsylvania and it's bullshit. You *can* get Coleman's in a fair few grocery stores though, but it tends to be hit and miss.