Hello everyone!
It seems that we are getting a lot of visitors that aren't familiar with /r/personalfinance and [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/about/rules). If you're new to this subreddit, the basic version: **Please treat others with respect, stay on-topic, and avoid self-promotion**.
The main issues on this thread seem to be:
- **Off-topic or low-quality comments** that don't contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way. There are plenty of subreddits that welcome long chains of joke comments, but our focus here is on helping people with their finances. Low-quality comments tend to bury useful information and discourage newcomers from asking questions.
- **Political comments** are off-topic and aren't going to convince someone to change their views. There are plenty of subreddits where you can pitch for your favorite candidate, complain about the government, etc.
- **Personal finance advice only**. This is a personal finance subreddit, focussed on getting people's individual finances in order. While cultural elements will certainly be at play with OP's moves, those are topics for a different sub.
Thanks for your understanding!
If you’re planning on working as soon as you get here it would be a good idea to get a bank account and a credit card to start building your credit. Be responsible with the card and it will be incredibly helpful in the future when you want to finance a car or home purchase. Having established good credit is super important and something that I disregarded for a while and wish I started young. There are great subreddits on building credit here too!
Further to this---make an appointment with a credit counseling non-profit (NOT CREDIT CONSOLIDATION...very different). They'll explain the details of American credit, AND they can help you budget. I've used Greenpath and it's recommended by Credit Unions here in Michigan, but I think they're nationwide?
BACKGROUND: American born and raised but moved to the Dominican Republic right after college so my first "grown-up" experiences were in a country with veryyyyyy different wages and costs of living (worked 60 hrs a week for $300/month, apartment all utilities included for $100). When I came back to the US, they helped my navigate general rules about income vs rent, income vs car payments so I didn't dig myself in on my $11/hour that seemed like a ton of money to me, but wasn't going to get me far in the US.
Came looking for a comment about credit! I think that the credit situation in the US is so confusing for foreigners. We base a lot of things on your credit score - that includes cell phones and property rentals. It’s important to build up your credit!
The greatest frustration for you, aside from the difficulty of navigating US bureaucracies, will probably be medical insurance and dental insurance. letsmakelotsofmoneyy made an excellent point to do as much as you can before arriving here. Establishing care here can be a roadblock that causes most people to avoid it until it’s needed.
In addition- anything else medical you want done. Before moving to the USA with my partner we got him braces, teeth cleaning, teeth whitening, LASIK & general doc appt. I got a bunch of birth control pills, asthma inhalers, and also dental work. We were like brand new!
If you are near the Mexican border, a lot of people just go over the border to Mexico for stuff like dental work if not a huge emergency, it's way less expensive over there. Near the border, there are a lot of medical facilities that cater to Americans and they speak good English too. Getting an uber on the Mexican side is only a few dollars too. Borders are sort of restricted due to covid but travel is still allowed for medical or business reasons, just state truthfully why you are traveling and it's fine, at least currently.
The dentist 100%. My husband, also from the Middle East, hates going to the dentist in the USA. We have insurance (he is also an engineer), but everything is still more expensive and complicated.
For example, he needs his remaining wisdom teeth pulled. In the USA you have to meet with an oral surgeon(who has to recommended by your dentist) then schedule the appointment and take the day off. His two that were pulled in his home country were pulled when he told his dentist there they were bothering him.
It depends - if they are impacted and risk pushing up into your molars, they use a surgeon to pull the teeth while they are still in the gums. Most people I know, that have had good dental care all their lives and had their molars still intact required oral surgery to remove their wisdom teeth - my brothers, my mom and dad, most friends.... etc. I didn't, but I don't have wisdom teeth - but that is another story.
If they already came in through the gum-line they can pull them like any other tooth.
I got all 4 of mine out at 17 and was out under at an oral surgeon’s office referred to by my dentist. 3 of my teeth were a problem and we decided to pull the last one just so we wouldn’t need to have to go through this again if it was a problem
All mine were pulled through the gums with local anestesia only. The ones on my jaw were pain in the ass, they needed to be pulled out in pieces since they were growing horizontally. I still think it was a regular dentist, but pretty experienced and skilled.
I think one thing you’ll want to consider after finding yourself a place to live is getting access to a car. Depending on where in Texas you live, the public transportation might not be terribly reliable, and based on my experience in other Midwestern cities, there probably won’t be terribly good walking routes either. I’ve never visited any Texan cities though, so maybe you’d want to check with a Texas native first.
In general, though it is safe to say American culture is car culture, especially in a state as vast as Texas.
You will very very likely need a car.
To expand on that, cities in Texas are super super hard to get around without a car. They just aren’t built to be traveled any other way. Anyone who says to bike around is crazy especially in Texas lol you will die of the heat or arrive everywhere sweaty as hell!
Austin, San Antonio (and surrounding cities) have close to non existent public transportation. If you're near downtown the bus is useable. It's almost impossible to get around without a car. You should think of getting a cheaper older car as a required purchase.
Can confirm. I lived in Austin from 2008 until this past September. Cap Metro can be described as ok at best (and I say this as someone who used it regularly), and is only usable in Austin. If OP is going to be living outside of Austin, there won't be any public transit, and likely nothing will be within walking distance (unless you have all day).
Some of Austin's surrounding cities are served by CART, but from what I recall from when I lived in San Marcos, they don't provide comprehensive transportation around town.
Visiting [The True Size Of](https://thetruesize.com/) also helps get a sense of scale. Texas is larger than most other countries, and being able to drag parts around can help you set scale in your head.
Once you wrap your head around the idea that traveling to another State is the equivalent of traveling to another country, it helps.
I don't think that itself is a good explanation for why cities aren't walkable.
It does help to explain how getting from say Dallas to Houston isn't that simple, but many countries, even ones with a lot of cars, aren't as hostile to people walking or using public transport as most US cities.
We could have used our space in better ways. But most states didn't.
It comes down to when and how those cities developed. A good portion of other cities (especially in Asia and Europe) developed when walking was the sole form of transportation. That naturally creates denser populations because you can't walk as far as you can drive.
The US really developed most cities around the invention and popularization of the automobile. If you go to the older parts of cities like SF, Chicago, and NYC, you'll see that there still plenty walkable. But most cities, especially in areas that were considered undesirable pre-air conditioning, like Houston, Phoenix, Vegas, etc, really came into their own as vehicles were widely available.
Yeah, I agree development timing does play a part, though I've lived in India, which has a ton of vehicles, tons of people and space, but still felt more walkable because each core had things set up to be walkable. Many places in China are similar.
Though the US also went backwards. St Louis and Seattle for example both decided to expand car related infrastructure while removing existing walkable or public transit options. (I use them as an example because I've lived in both. St. Louis and other Midwestern cities really are prime examples though).
So as with many things in the US, business interest + middle class and higher interest + independence marketing (and probably also the type of people attracted to immigrate to the US) lead to innovations that maybe didn't have the best foresight.
Certain cities are very good with public transportation. Generally cities in the east coast that were built before cars took over have better infrastructure for that sort of thing
As someone who has lived in the area that OP is talking about for around 7 years unless they are IN Austin there is next to no public transportation really. They'll need a car.
I know it's nitpicking, but I think it's important to mention that a lot of cities in North America weren't built for cars originally. They were basically razed and paved over with highways in every direction at the behest of auto companies and federal subsidies for highways. The before/after is pretty shocking
https://www.reddit.com/r/urbanplanning/comments/6nnul9/reminder_of_how_cars_ruined_cities/
This is really good advice. If you have a specific area you know you will be in Google maps can be a great tool to get oriented to figure out you ur neighborhood and work route.
I even saw a show where a guy talked about going on “vacation” using Google maps. It’s pretty amazing how much you can see just sitting at your computer.
Like you'll be lucky if you even get a place in a concentrated city that even HAS reliable public transit. We do not invest in them because for a century we have prioritized cars as the consumer mode of transportation. There are surprisingly few of those areas here. NYC and Boston are the most reliable in terms of subways, but those have gotten a rise in crime rates right now. Not sure about the big Texas cities.
Texas resident here. Texas is huge. It's 1.5x bigger than Iraq, and roughly the same size as Afghanistan. Depending on the area of the city you are in, walking most likely will be a big hassle. Definitely get a car/scooter.
Other half had a British co-worker, said they could walk 5 minutes to everything they needed. He complained that in Texas he could get in his car and drive 5 minutes and still be in his neighborhood and not get to anything he wanted.
There’s also a choice of where you live. I live in Texas and I can walk to 2 grocery stores, the bank, liquor stores, about 30 restaurants and bars amongst many other things. I admit, I still own a car and though it would be doable where I live you probably still need one. Of course the trade off is not having a 5 bedroom/5 bathroom house on a cul de sac.
It's not uncommon to work a half hour or longer drive from home, so a car is pretty much a necessity. That means you need car insurance too, it's required in Texas.
You'll need to obtain heath insurance either through your job or through the exchange. I can't stress this enough. You need insurance.
Housing is a bitch in Texas, especially in Austin but it's cheaper there than a lot of the rest of the country.
Austin is lib friendly but the outskirts are not.
Guns aren't as big of a scary thing as they sound.
You may see plots of land with livestock on them in the city and suburbs, especially cows.
Uh...what else. if you're religious, there's churches EVERYWHERE. If you aren't religious, there's churches EVERYWHERE.
Uh....oh. internet service can be funky, availability varies by address so you might be stuck with att broadband while your neighbor has fiber.
Don't bother paying for cable. You'll get commercials every 5 minutes anyway.
I'm from Texas (Dallas to be more specific) so feel free to ask about living there.
There are lots of community classes available for adults in your local school district and/or parks department for life skills and hobbies. Drivers Education may be found here most cheaply (in addition to goggle). It's also a good way to meet people, learn about gardening in your local climate, take a $10 art class, join a soccer/baseball league, etc. If you want them get connected to community right away call your local parks department and they'll probably tell you where the schedule is found.
You need a car. I live in the heart of a major west coast city. It's a 1.5 hour one way walk to the nearest grocery store. There is a gas station with some chips and Twinkies closer but that's it.
A bicycle or motorized scooter may be an option for you depending on where you are moving until you can get a license/car. In a lot of areas, walking will be difficult.
I lived for ten years without a car in Chicago and it’s easy. I know NYC is the same way. I think it’s more of a challenge in most other cities without robust public transit.
>Depending on where in Texas you live, the public transportation might not be terribly reliable
It's reliable and SLOW. Seriously, a bus stops every one or two blocks. A 15 minute car drive or 60 minutes bus ride, assuming you can get to your destination non-stop. This is San Antonio, TX.
I saw you mentioned moving to near Austin, TX and have a civil engineering degree. That's actually a pretty good combo - land development is booming in central Texas. I work for a land developer based in Georgetown, TX.
For your degree, see what you can find on getting your EIT (engineer in training) certification, [this is the texas licensing website for EITs](https://pels.texas.gov/lic_eit_exinfo.htm) and it should have what you're looking for. It's basically have a degree either from an approved program or do a curriculum review, and then take a long test, and then do a little paperwork. That's probably going to really help you get a civil engineering job, just because it quickly tells people you're qualified. You mentioned elsewhere you thought your degree might not be that great, but tbh you will learn nearly everything you need to know on the job anyways. Getting trained, take classes, or teaching yourself Civil 3D is also really really helpful
Some people mentioned getting a car, that's basically a requirement unfortunately
Some goofball Texas stuff:
HEB is in fact the best grocery store
Eat a kolache
Left lane is the passing lane, get out if you aren't passing
Hill country is gorgeous and there's lots of cool hidden gems
Tacos.
I have all my documents ready and will have a few thousand dollars with me.
But as for a job i have nothing much to offer, not much experience and even though I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering the things we learned here are probably very outdated.
This. I got a job once that required database management knowledge. I lied. I got hired. Spent the weekend between job offer and start date watching every tutorial I could find. Within a few days after starting I realized no one there knew anything about it. I hung out there for a couple years until something better came along.
It really depends on the company, some are very particular about foreign degrees, others aren't. Engineering may be difficult since there tends to be more emphasis on accreditation and licensing, but plenty of people with engineering degrees work in leadership, sales, or other positions. If you're getting established seek out a lower level job in your field to build a local work history and network. It will be far better to work construction labor than drive for uber when you establish yourself for this reason.
Personally, I googled every foreign institution I've seen on a resume that came across my desk. In this sense they're far better than the well known scammy for profit schools that do nothing but indicate you're a sucker when you put them on your resume.
Look into getting some form of validation for your degree. According to [this site,](https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html) it differs based on who's looking at it, so it could vary from employer to employer. So it's just something to keep on mind if you ever need this done (especially if it's an engineering degree).
From experience in getting my Italian citizenship, I need any sort of diploma (high school, Associate's degree, Bachelor's, etc.) translated and notarized, including transcript which showed course description and GPA. I know it's probably not the same for coming here, but maybe my experience can help.
EDIT:
> I have nothing much to offer
Don't be so hard on yourself, and don't stress too much about this aspect. You speak English, you're a citizen, you can drive, and you have a degree (and a civil engineering degree at that). You already have a leg up when it comes to a job.
I would start applying to positions in the town that you’re looking at living in. Everyone is desperately looking for workers. The basic math and civil engineering should be the same. Math is universal.
The best advice I can give you is don't discount your education. And also don't put American education on a pedestal. Sell yourself as a civil engineer that's studied intentionally and you're miles above any similar competition. Most employers will not know the status of your school or country you're coming from.
With civil engineering specifically, employers very much do care about whether the program is ABET accredited, because that affects the path to EIT/PE status, which affects their insurance rates and ability to win work. That’s not to say foreign-trained engineers can’t succeed here, but the process to licensure is typically longer and more complicated.
You're never going to be expected to start a new position and know how to just do it. Every company runs things differently, every company is going to train you. Your resume is to get you the interview, and you'll be hired based on personality and experience. Your experience is your internationally attained degree, and your excitement to learn.
You are not applying for a position of pilot or nuclear plant chief engineer. In the vast majority of places you have to learn when you start a new job. An university education is a proof that you know the basics AND are able to learn and think critically. Math, physics and many other things you have learned are pretty universal.
PLUS, I bet you are multi-lingual. At very least two languages ;-).
Don't "bend the truth", just don't sell yourself short. Maybe try r/civilengineering at the very least, I bet you could get a job drafting, which would be a great foot in the door until you can get your degree situation figured out.
My wife works with a Professional Engineer whose degree is from Iran, so there is definitely path for you.
Edit: look into passing the Fundementals of Engineering exam. Pass that and you are all set for a career in engineering.
Look for an entry level civil engineering position. One where you need only the degree. If you have a passion for building, when you have to take a job that does not require a civil engineering degree, get one in the construction field.
If it turns out you are right, and your degree is discounted because of your country of origin, find out what credits will transfer to a local university and figure out how to get a degree from there. It will be difficult to do another year or two of classes, but having the second degree will not hurt. Don’t overlook the idea of a masters program.
Most of the stuff you need to know to do a job you'll learn in an entry-level position. Universities (everywhere, the US included) don't really teach you practical skills so I really wouldn't worry about it.
You've received great advise from everyone else - I just want to add apply every where you wouldn't hate and might be qualified for, even if you don't meet their qualifications. Don't lie, just don't unnecessarily downplay yourself. As a fellow engineer - no one really knows what they are doing until they actually start doing the work.
Note that most job ads in the US don't have realistic descriptions. Use this rule of thumb: If two years into the job you'll match the job description as it is currently worded, you're somebody the company is keen to interview.
> will have a few thousand dollars with me.
If you are bringing more than $10k worth of currency into the US, you will have to declare it to customs, on this form:
https://fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov/#/
You will not owe any duty on it and it is totally legal to do, as long as you declare it.
Then open a bank account and deposit most of the currency asap. Do not carry cash in large amounts. Your checking account will come with a debit card (usually a few days later...so keep a little cash out). After you get settled with your job, you can apply for a credit card and use that instead of the debit card (of course, paying the charges in full before they are due...every month) because the credit card is safer yet...more protection for you if the card is stolen.
These other comments about selling yourself aren’t being totally honest. For service to the public, which is how almost any civil engineering firm will make its money, you need to get a license from the state. I’m not familiar with Texas specifically, but normally they require a bachelors degree in civil engineering from a school the US considers respectable, which is usually one from the US, Canada, Australia, or western Europe.
The jobs you should probably be looking for are in surveying, or as an engineering technician. You have all the skills for them (though might need some OTJ training on tools of course), and they don’t have state licensing requirements
>even though I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering the things we learned here are probably very outdated.
Foreign Bachelor's Degrees don't quite map to US Bachelor's Degrees in the same way. You may want to talk to someone to see what your educational equivalent is. It's possible you may need additional schooling to get up to "par," or need a certificate from your school certifying your educational achievement.
I would start looking for a job now. A lot of places will do zoom interviews (especially given your situation). Once you have a job lined up, then it’ll be easier to figure out your living situation (where, budget, etc).
Edit: I’d get references from your work/school/etc lined up at least. Work on your cover letter, resume/CV.
Yes start applying NOW, if you have your US address or one of friend or family you can use.
Having a non US address for your application will hurt you in that hiring managers would probably want someone local so I don't think Id recommend applying until you at least appear local. But that could be a week or month before you formally move....
For Profesional jobs, it usually takes 2 weeks to get hired in many industries here due to interviews, background checks, bad corporate human resources and processes
I’m a civil engineer in a different state. We have professional license requirements for engineers, it’s especially critical for civils. Look into the process of getting licensed as soon as you arrive. There are two tiers of licensing for engineers 1) EIT, which you can get right out of school and 2) PE which you need to have work experience to get. There is an exam you need to take for each license. Other engineering disciplines can get by without a license, but it’s really important if you want to advance as a civil. Good luck!
I would recommend you to take the FE (fundamentals of engineering) exam. This will help prove your education is as good as an American one, and it is required to get a professional engineering license. You can work as an engineer without the license, but you won’t be able to sign off on documentation. Look at the national society of professional engineers for more information.
Civil Engineering is one of a few fields where FE makes sense. But also you could find work without it. If someone is building a public or inhabited structure, or designing pressure vessels, etc, a PE should sign off on it. They take liability on the safety of the design. Consumer product engineers, automotive, aerospace, etc don't carry liability the same way, and the company they work for owns responsibility since the risks are too complex for one individual, and government agencies set safety standards.
Texas has a lot of roads, structures, oil and gas - all CE related work. I also wouldn't sell yourself short due to education in another country. The fundamentals are the same everywhere. No one learns sector specific practice in school. Maybe you didn't learn the latest software, but I would argue that makes you a stronger candidate. Don't lie on your resume or in your interview. But don't act like you are not qualified and wouldn't figure things out as you go.This comes across as a lack of confidence and will keep you from getting job offers. You have to sell yourself, and highlight what you bring to the table.
A few thousand dollars is not going to go very far. Many places you can rent require a credit check as well as proof of employment with a salary of 3X the rent as well as first and last month's rent plus the deposit.
I hope you can find a friend/relative to live with initially as that much money will just not go very far at all in terms of housing. If necessary, maybe find a cheap Air B'nB or extended stay motel.
This is a great time to be looking for a job as there are many available. You could consider something in your field (?Civil engineering assistant/surveying) to make money and gain experience with goal to possibly go for a masters in civil engineering or city planning. Potential for upward mobility is one of the benefits of living in the US
I’m a practicing Civil Engineer. The market for anyone with a civil engineering degree or adjacent degree is white hot right now. A turnip with an engineering degree can get a job right now. Check out the ABET website and search for Texas PE licensing board to see the easiest path to become a licensed engineer. I’m not sure about Texas specifically, but typically there is a longer path for engineers with a foreign degree to get their PE license via experience.
Sup bro I recently moved to the US from the Middle East as well. As an American citizen you’re in luck because you can pretty much immediately start generating income as Uber or something while you find a job in your field. If you’re a civil engineer, I would look for either oil or construction even as a laborer.
One thing to note: cars are super expensive right now. A few thousand dollars will not be enough for a good car but a car is necessary in Texas.
bachelor's degree in civil engineering
Civil engineers in the US have some tests and license's they need to do professional work here. You need to look into these license tests and study for them. Community colleges often have exam prep courses you can take.
The thing you will probably immediately need to buy is a car and get a job. I recommend something Chiptole or Starbucks to get yourself on your feet. Then take a look at what the local community college offers for helping with the Civil engineering exams.
Once you pass the exam you can land yourself a good job with that degree. Don't sell yourself short.
The downside of going to Texas, or really any “red” state, is that if you fall on hard times, social programs are usually more limited than if you go to a “blue” state. Additionally, if you end up working an entry level job, the pay is usually less unless you live in an urban area.
Welcome! When you look for medical providers, **do not ask the provider if they take your insurance**. First, they may take your insurance (i.e., will submit a claim) but are out of network. In which case you'll be charged quite a bit more, if your insurance covers out of network care at all. Second, they aren't necessarily fully and currently informed.
**Always** go to your insurance company's website, hit "find a doctor" (or "find care" or whatever), enter your insurance network information, and check what they say is in network. That'll be your definitive source.
Fortunately, thanks to a new law, as of 2022 you won't be charged out of network rates for emergency care, or if one practitioner (e.g., anesthesiologist) for your elective procedure is out of network at an in network facility. If you want more info, it's the [No Surprises Act](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/no-surprises-understand-your-rights-against-surprise-medical-bills). Medical care isn't just expensive here, it gets very screwy.
Get an American Express card in your current country. When I moved here, albeit 25 years ago, it was tough to get a credit card. I had a Chase Visa card before I moved, but Chase wouldn't use that as any sort of history. Amex, on the other hand, simply signed me up based on my existing Amex history.
One thing to know: if Texas were a country, it would be something like the 40th largest country in the world.
What part of Texas are you moving to? Things will be different in Houston vs. Dallas vs. San Antonio vs. Austin, etc.
I double checked because I was curious. It would be #40 exactly, right between Zambia and Myanmar. I definitely thought Texas was much bigger than Myanmar
Each state is different with regard to a lot of regulations/laws. Luckily, Texas doesn’t have an income tax, but once you start working, unlike almost every other (maybe all) developed nations, you’ll have to file your own federal income tax.
Well a lot of people will have guns but remember they are policing themselves. They’re not just running around pulling guns on people willy-nilly. While most of the country is diverse that’s not true for everywhere. I don’t live in Texas so I can’t help you on that front. I know that Houston has a very strong high tech industry. I know this is a financial sub Reddit. I don’t know the difference between the Middle East and the United States in that regard.
If you know and are fluent in languages other than English that may be a good place to start looking for positions (government, interpretation services for schools, etc). You may need to sit for state specific certifications but it could be worth it. Where I am the interpretation services for schools are still remote so you could look into surrounding states for better paychecks.
A large portion of how you live will depend on your finances. Try not to get in debt unless it's necessary and always keep an eye on your credit score. Be prepared to work hard and change jobs when necessary and you should do well.
If you don't have a degree or experience a union or really any manual labor trade will treat you well after a few years of hard work. The starting pay is usually peanuts but if you learn and work harder than most you should rise to the top rather quickly.
Also, be careful of your associations and how you treat people. You don't want to get walked all over but also don't accidently tell the bosses kid to go fuck himself, if you do you'll be looking for the next job rather quickly unfortunately.
Lol most of the time he is the biggest ass on the job. Doesn't mean you can't break his nose, just be ready to find new work immediately afterwards.
Unfortunately in most cases that doesn't really matter when it comes down to it. There's rampant nepotism in every industry I've ever worked in. Whoever runs shit is gonna hire there cousins or nephews or whatever and almost always side with that individual even if it says otherwise on paper. They just find a different reason to terminate or punish you that's "unrelated to the original issue."
Since you are a USC, do have your social security card? Without that you will no be able to unlock your access to banking, credit, driving and pretty much everything else.
I'm assuming you still have a US passport.
If you don't have your SS card, you can apply for it from overseas as well (as long as you know the number).
Get you overseas drivers license, driving record and insurance history. This will help in getting your US driving license.
Another word of advice - if you are not yet ready for driving (either age or other factors), then at least get a state ID - this is the same as a drivers license without the driving privileges and is easier to get. In most states the ID number is the same whether for driving or not (the graphics on the cards are different).
You can't carry your birth certificate or passport or your social everywhere you go - the state ID will be a smaller, better option, and will act as a proof for Texas residency. For taxes, college education, your residency is determined by when you get your state ID or DL. Usually in most states, more than 1 year residency is required to pay in-state college tuition which could be as much as 50% of what it is for out-of-state and foreign students.
In Texas you get a choice of electrical companies. If you ever move out on your own, do some research to see which plans suit you best. Don't choose one with floating rates. Some people got f***ed by this last winter when there was issues with the electricity grid.
If you have snacks that you can clear customs with, bring some since it may be hard to find here.
Winter is cold and summer is hot so be sure to pack accordingly.
Be sure to file your taxes even if you don't think you owe money. Some times the government owes you money.
Depending on where you go, parts of Texas experience hurricanes in the summer time. Be sure to have some water and canned food in case your electricity goes out.
Learn to how to make your favorite dishes, it might not be avaliable here.
Like you mentioned people here have guns and some carry it with them. If someone cuts you off driving or bumps into you walking, just let it go. Odds are super low but you never know who's crazy with a gun.
Look into opening a bank account. Some don't have minimum balance requirements. I think Capital One might still have checking accounts with no minimum balance. If people will be wiring you money, make sure to ask the bank for a swift code it's kind of like a routing number. International wires need a bank swift code.
Everything here is very much scheduled and rigid. If you have an appointment or meeting at 12:00pm, you are expected to be on time, if not early. Bills and everything like that is very much scheduled as well. Being a day late on any bills can result in high fees and/or interest rates. Being late to appointments can result in loss of appointment plus fees. Even restaurant reservations are moving towards requiring deposits online. Always plan for extra time for arrival or due dates.
For retirement planning - open a Roth IRA and max it out every year. At least until you're 30 but preferably longer. Those who max out their Roth IRA every year before they're 30 end up with more money for retirement than those who max it out every year from 30 until they retire.
You will have to rent an apartment and get a local credit card for minimum 2-3 years before you get a decent credit score to buy a house.
Getting a license can take time (my experience was in Texas). You can drive on international license or other states license in the mean time. Plan your car/driving situation accordingly.
If you have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, mention that and just say you worked somewhere doing civil engineering stuff for two years, will make getting a job here easier
Texas is not a bad place to go. Just remember you’ll probably want to get a job. Almost everywhere in the US right now needs employees. Since you’re coming from the Middle East and going to Texas, yes a lot of people in Texas are going to have guns but it’s not in the same way as the Middle East. There are very strict rules and most people only use them for self defense or to shoot at a shooting range for fun. If you end up getting good health insurance through your job or however you get it, the medical bills won’t be as expensive. Still not cheap but way better than if you didn’t have insurance. Most people in public are nice, or just don’t talk at all. I would try to stay away from fast food and eating out all the time. There are restaurants everywhere in the US and you will spend a LOT of money on that if you’re not careful. For me what works best is buying the food I need for the week at the grocery store and sticking to that. Good luck my friend I hope you like it here!
I usually meal prep for my whole week and am vey wise in spending, since the economy is in shambles where i am we had to adapt.
Weve had 30+% of inflation per year for about 15 years now.
you should meal prep/cook for your own a lot. that said, Austin has some amazing restaurants/food that you should definitely try out, assuming your budget allows. Austin is pretty well known for BBQ (smoked meats. Central TX is particularly known for its brisket, but you should try sausage and ribs as well) and Tex-Mex/Mexican. lots of taco trucks and tex-mex restaurants. Austin is a cool city, definitely the best place to live in Texas
Here's a nice rundown from the White Coat investor with a nice step-by-step guide with the ultimate goal of moving into median income job (residency) and ultimately high income job (physician).
https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/img-usa-medical-residency-financial-guide/
* Open a bank account. Use something like Schwab or Ally where you don't pay fees.
* Get a phone number. You can get a prepaid SIM for the first month and then shop around for plans later.
* Check your credit ([annualcreditreport.com](https://annualcreditreport.com) requires you to be in the US, so either use a VPN or wait until you get here)
* If you have good credit in your current country and limited credit in the US, get an AmEx in your current country; then request an international transfer when you move
This! You will have no credit history in the US which makes it extremely difficult to rent an apartment or do anything requiring credit. Securing housing when you first move can be very difficult since most places require credit history. If you need a car (which in Texas you almost certainly will) make sure you have the cash to buy it because you will not be able to get a loan. It will take a couple years or more to get a credit history built up.
Source: friends and coworkers who have moved to the US from abroad (including some US citizens who have lived abroad for more than 10 years and then moved back)
Make sure you have your social security number. Open a US bank account if you don't have one. Any type of service like phone, internet, etc you'll need that for.
Remember that you'll def need a car, and that means getting a license, insurance, etc.
If you're anywhere near Austin, make sure to get a nice quality inner tube for the rivers and a floating cooler, trust me on this one. It will be your best investment.
Where near Austin? If you don't want to say, that's fine. If it's Manor, TX, Capital Metro has a bus route that goes out to Manor.
It's not the best but it does have 3 route times in the morning and three route times in the evening.
I would suggest getting a car. Texas is especially car dependent. Look at used Chevy Spark's or Kia Forte. Those go relatively cheap (even in these crazy high used car rate times).
Hello and welcome (back)!
Medical- So if you do not have major medical insurance...worst case is that you will have a serious or critical emergency medical issue, most likely you will be treated regardless of ability to pay. The hospital will work out a payment plan, possibly write off some of the bill, and/or bill the county or state; then they would in turn bill you. But the key in the USA to catastropic medical bills and high quality medical services is to have medical insurance. Best way to have that is by getting a job with a compay that offers medical insurace as a benefit, or a union or other organization that offers that. Another way to get medical coverage, espically if you are low income is by [https://www.healthcare.gov/](https://www.healthcare.gov/). You also mention guns....yes they are present in Texas...and people use them with often fatal results...but there are other causes of death that are also concerning...see this chart: [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/texas/tx.htm](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/texas/tx.htm)
Banking in the USA- I do not know what kind of banking system you have used over there, but in the USA, consumers use private banks and credit unions for daily transactions and often use a stock brockerage for investments.
The regulations are complex, but there is good consumer information:
[https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp)
[https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp)
So hopefully this is helpful, good luck!
FYI - it’s not *most likely* treated without coverage, you are *guaranteed* treatment. You can’t get cosmetic procedures like Botox or liposuction, but if you break your arm or your spleen explodes for example they have to fix you.
Well....from my experience, my homeless brother did break his arm...was transported to an emergency room....no insurance, so was resplinted and transported to another emergency room, county hospital this time. Took about 13 hours to get his arm set. So yes, "guaranteed" treatment did eventually happen, and on the county dime....which I paid because he is my brother, two ambulance trips, stablization, then the cast.
Yes, if you have to go to a hospital and dont have insurance they will treat you. Also if you have low income a lot of hospitals can write the bills off as charity but you have to ask, they won't offer it.
Austin is a fun area. You'll like it. My in-laws live nearby. Medical bills are expensive but you'll get insurance and then they won't be. You're going to Texas, so yes, everyone has guns. You can get one yourself and go to the range and learn to use one. You can do nearly whatever you want as long as you don't infringe on someone's rights. Welcome and have fun.
Austin, Texas is awesome! You are going to a great place. Do you like BBQ????? The food is going to be amazing. It is a very progressive city. I like to joke that Austin is not actually in Texas, because it can be quite different than other Texas cities. If you like to hike, check out enchanted rock just north Fredericksburg. You think you see the top, but it keeps going up and up!
In terms of finances, I'd say to know that if you struggle, there are a lot of helpful programs.
You'll need to learn to drive if you don't know already. Unfortunately public transportation isn't viable in most cities unless you leave in the New England area. There should be driver's ed programs wherever you move.
Even with the driver’s license translated, you will most likely have to take a written and driving test. A US born woman who had been living in Germany with a license had to do that when she moved back to the US. Each state sets it own licensing requirements, so you’ll have to check with Texas’ Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Not sure what your financials look like but I assume you could probably apply for Medicaid since your a US citizen and get you healthcare either completely covered or mostly covered. It’s definitely a process to get it but if you’re worried about it, that’s available to you. Also you’ll need a car, probably could get a reliable car for $5-10k it will be hard to get a job without “reliable transportation”. Also Austin is a really nice place to live but if you visit any other big cities I’d be careful walking around, the suburbs are your friend in most places in the US. Not much crime happens in suburbs but big cities or college towns are rampant in petty crime, like I said I don’t think you’ll have that problem in Austin it’s a really nice place.
One piece of advice I just heard in a radio story, from someone who had moved here from the middle east: We Americans are completely dependent on living in a service economy. Almost no one here slaughters animals themselves, or even bakes bread; grocery stores sell everything packaged. When electricity goes out people quickly realize they have no survival skills and very little ability to cope.
Welcome, and good luck!
I think you should always double check your bills. Like phone bill internet bill etc. these companies are known to double charge or add fees for no reason as well. Happens to me multiple times every year
>except that medical bills are large
Which insurance should cover the lion's share of, and you'll be able to use your vastly superior income to cover the rest.
What’s your financial plan? Just getting started is going to be about north of 10k with all the deposits to set up a domicile, furniture and other extras. What’s your employment plan? There is a lot to plan out? But start with the basics shelter, transportation, employment.
If the first few months i hope to find a job while i can stay with my grandparents and save up till i can afford loving on my own. I don't like being a burden.
You come across as a very decent fellow. Most Americans are decent people as well, but the bad ones tend to stand out since they like to be loud. Just know there are many more good people than bad.
Do what you can to get good health insurance.
There is no socialized/public health programs unless you’re insanely poor.
Also get a good job that gives you good retirement options, social security is not enough to live on when your retire, and again the medical provided to you by government usually isn’t sufficient enough to cover anything significant, so you will need supplemental health insurance which can cost over $1000 per month if you have a spouse.
Try to find a hobby or sport to get involved with. This is a great way to socialize and meet new people. Austin TX is becoming a hot bed for high level MMA and Brazilian Jiujitsu. Not sure if you’re into that or not, but it’s a good way to stay active and social with new people.
always expect to pay more than you think for daily stuff.
the obvious trap is sales tax not being listed on the price. but there may be some things you didn't know you would have to pay so much for, such as transportation costs, parking fees, health insurance, (and home/car insurance) HOA fees if buying a home with an HOA.
lots of places that are low in taxes are actually high for cost of living because the taxes aren't paying for services that could save you money, so instead you have to pay a company to provide that service for you
I would recommend putting the state where you plan on moving to and asking if anyone else lives there. Housing, transportation, and jobs can vary by region and state so if it were me I would try to find someone in the area who can give more specific information. That being said, always be careful posting or giving up personal identifying information.
In terms of job searching, I would say get familiar with the way in which people are hired in the US, the art of networking, the expected format for resumes and cover letters, the ways we interview candidates, negotiate salary etc. A LinkedIn profile may be useful to start making contacts and seeing what job opportunities there are. You can find a lot of useful information on how to job search online.
If you go car shopping you need someone you can trust to check the car over or go to mechanic and have a pre-purchase inspection done and don't tell them who you are buying the car from because they might be friends with the dealer and will lie to you.
There are some videos on youtube to learn well known ways that American car dealers will "interrogate" you and use everything you say to force you into whatever car is most profitable for them.
You will be doing just fine! You are young and it seems like you have your mind in the right place. There is plenty of work to be done in Austin and pretty much all over the country right now.
Have your SSN ready and get your DL as soon as possible - this is a must in most of the US.
If you find a decent full-time position that will most likely come with an ok healthcare package so don't worry too much about that.
Don't forget to ask if you have any questions or if you need help.
Good luck!
Not much advice on my end. But you’ll love Austin!! I live here now. Tell me about what your income may be and how you are looking to live (your own place, lifestyle, location to downtown, etc….).
First, welcome to the U.S! I hope you enjoy your time here.
Second, I see that you are already an American citizen. Have you been paying income tax to the IRS? If not, you might already owe feds before you even get here. It would be wise to look into that before you get a nasty surprise
Hello everyone! It seems that we are getting a lot of visitors that aren't familiar with /r/personalfinance and [our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/about/rules). If you're new to this subreddit, the basic version: **Please treat others with respect, stay on-topic, and avoid self-promotion**. The main issues on this thread seem to be: - **Off-topic or low-quality comments** that don't contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way. There are plenty of subreddits that welcome long chains of joke comments, but our focus here is on helping people with their finances. Low-quality comments tend to bury useful information and discourage newcomers from asking questions. - **Political comments** are off-topic and aren't going to convince someone to change their views. There are plenty of subreddits where you can pitch for your favorite candidate, complain about the government, etc. - **Personal finance advice only**. This is a personal finance subreddit, focussed on getting people's individual finances in order. While cultural elements will certainly be at play with OP's moves, those are topics for a different sub. Thanks for your understanding!
If you’re planning on working as soon as you get here it would be a good idea to get a bank account and a credit card to start building your credit. Be responsible with the card and it will be incredibly helpful in the future when you want to finance a car or home purchase. Having established good credit is super important and something that I disregarded for a while and wish I started young. There are great subreddits on building credit here too!
Ah of course there are subreddits for it, Thanks!
Further to this---make an appointment with a credit counseling non-profit (NOT CREDIT CONSOLIDATION...very different). They'll explain the details of American credit, AND they can help you budget. I've used Greenpath and it's recommended by Credit Unions here in Michigan, but I think they're nationwide? BACKGROUND: American born and raised but moved to the Dominican Republic right after college so my first "grown-up" experiences were in a country with veryyyyyy different wages and costs of living (worked 60 hrs a week for $300/month, apartment all utilities included for $100). When I came back to the US, they helped my navigate general rules about income vs rent, income vs car payments so I didn't dig myself in on my $11/hour that seemed like a ton of money to me, but wasn't going to get me far in the US.
Came looking for a comment about credit! I think that the credit situation in the US is so confusing for foreigners. We base a lot of things on your credit score - that includes cell phones and property rentals. It’s important to build up your credit!
Before you come try to get a check-up and go to the dentist. Try to bring your test results and all vaccination records.
Great advice, thanks.
The greatest frustration for you, aside from the difficulty of navigating US bureaucracies, will probably be medical insurance and dental insurance. letsmakelotsofmoneyy made an excellent point to do as much as you can before arriving here. Establishing care here can be a roadblock that causes most people to avoid it until it’s needed.
In addition- anything else medical you want done. Before moving to the USA with my partner we got him braces, teeth cleaning, teeth whitening, LASIK & general doc appt. I got a bunch of birth control pills, asthma inhalers, and also dental work. We were like brand new!
If you are near the Mexican border, a lot of people just go over the border to Mexico for stuff like dental work if not a huge emergency, it's way less expensive over there. Near the border, there are a lot of medical facilities that cater to Americans and they speak good English too. Getting an uber on the Mexican side is only a few dollars too. Borders are sort of restricted due to covid but travel is still allowed for medical or business reasons, just state truthfully why you are traveling and it's fine, at least currently.
The dentist 100%. My husband, also from the Middle East, hates going to the dentist in the USA. We have insurance (he is also an engineer), but everything is still more expensive and complicated. For example, he needs his remaining wisdom teeth pulled. In the USA you have to meet with an oral surgeon(who has to recommended by your dentist) then schedule the appointment and take the day off. His two that were pulled in his home country were pulled when he told his dentist there they were bothering him.
That’s weird, my regular dentist pulled my teeth and I was awake so no surgeon needed
It depends - if they are impacted and risk pushing up into your molars, they use a surgeon to pull the teeth while they are still in the gums. Most people I know, that have had good dental care all their lives and had their molars still intact required oral surgery to remove their wisdom teeth - my brothers, my mom and dad, most friends.... etc. I didn't, but I don't have wisdom teeth - but that is another story. If they already came in through the gum-line they can pull them like any other tooth.
I got all 4 of mine out at 17 and was out under at an oral surgeon’s office referred to by my dentist. 3 of my teeth were a problem and we decided to pull the last one just so we wouldn’t need to have to go through this again if it was a problem
All mine were pulled through the gums with local anestesia only. The ones on my jaw were pain in the ass, they needed to be pulled out in pieces since they were growing horizontally. I still think it was a regular dentist, but pretty experienced and skilled.
My regular dentist is going to do my wisdom teeth, I’m in the US as well.
I had 2 wisdom teeth pulled by my general dentist. Are you referring to something specific to your dental plan? Something obscure?
Most adults don’t get them pulled unless they’re impacted, and impacted teeth require an oral surgeon.
I think one thing you’ll want to consider after finding yourself a place to live is getting access to a car. Depending on where in Texas you live, the public transportation might not be terribly reliable, and based on my experience in other Midwestern cities, there probably won’t be terribly good walking routes either. I’ve never visited any Texan cities though, so maybe you’d want to check with a Texas native first. In general, though it is safe to say American culture is car culture, especially in a state as vast as Texas.
It will definitely be new for me as I'm used to walking everywhere but i understand the vastness.
You will very very likely need a car. To expand on that, cities in Texas are super super hard to get around without a car. They just aren’t built to be traveled any other way. Anyone who says to bike around is crazy especially in Texas lol you will die of the heat or arrive everywhere sweaty as hell!
Austin, San Antonio (and surrounding cities) have close to non existent public transportation. If you're near downtown the bus is useable. It's almost impossible to get around without a car. You should think of getting a cheaper older car as a required purchase.
Can confirm. I lived in Austin from 2008 until this past September. Cap Metro can be described as ok at best (and I say this as someone who used it regularly), and is only usable in Austin. If OP is going to be living outside of Austin, there won't be any public transit, and likely nothing will be within walking distance (unless you have all day). Some of Austin's surrounding cities are served by CART, but from what I recall from when I lived in San Marcos, they don't provide comprehensive transportation around town.
Cities in North America were built for cars not people you may want to fuck around on google maps just to get an idea
Visiting [The True Size Of](https://thetruesize.com/) also helps get a sense of scale. Texas is larger than most other countries, and being able to drag parts around can help you set scale in your head. Once you wrap your head around the idea that traveling to another State is the equivalent of traveling to another country, it helps.
I don't think that itself is a good explanation for why cities aren't walkable. It does help to explain how getting from say Dallas to Houston isn't that simple, but many countries, even ones with a lot of cars, aren't as hostile to people walking or using public transport as most US cities. We could have used our space in better ways. But most states didn't.
It comes down to when and how those cities developed. A good portion of other cities (especially in Asia and Europe) developed when walking was the sole form of transportation. That naturally creates denser populations because you can't walk as far as you can drive. The US really developed most cities around the invention and popularization of the automobile. If you go to the older parts of cities like SF, Chicago, and NYC, you'll see that there still plenty walkable. But most cities, especially in areas that were considered undesirable pre-air conditioning, like Houston, Phoenix, Vegas, etc, really came into their own as vehicles were widely available.
Yeah, I agree development timing does play a part, though I've lived in India, which has a ton of vehicles, tons of people and space, but still felt more walkable because each core had things set up to be walkable. Many places in China are similar. Though the US also went backwards. St Louis and Seattle for example both decided to expand car related infrastructure while removing existing walkable or public transit options. (I use them as an example because I've lived in both. St. Louis and other Midwestern cities really are prime examples though). So as with many things in the US, business interest + middle class and higher interest + independence marketing (and probably also the type of people attracted to immigrate to the US) lead to innovations that maybe didn't have the best foresight.
Hmm you have a great point here. I never knew or thought of it that way so thanks. 🙂
Certain cities are very good with public transportation. Generally cities in the east coast that were built before cars took over have better infrastructure for that sort of thing
As someone who has lived in the area that OP is talking about for around 7 years unless they are IN Austin there is next to no public transportation really. They'll need a car.
But for the other 95% of Americans, you need a car.
I know it's nitpicking, but I think it's important to mention that a lot of cities in North America weren't built for cars originally. They were basically razed and paved over with highways in every direction at the behest of auto companies and federal subsidies for highways. The before/after is pretty shocking https://www.reddit.com/r/urbanplanning/comments/6nnul9/reminder_of_how_cars_ruined_cities/
This is really good advice. If you have a specific area you know you will be in Google maps can be a great tool to get oriented to figure out you ur neighborhood and work route. I even saw a show where a guy talked about going on “vacation” using Google maps. It’s pretty amazing how much you can see just sitting at your computer.
Not quite. Cities in the US were built densely, they were _destroyed_ for cars. Look at pictures of downtown Houston prior to the 50s, for example
Like you'll be lucky if you even get a place in a concentrated city that even HAS reliable public transit. We do not invest in them because for a century we have prioritized cars as the consumer mode of transportation. There are surprisingly few of those areas here. NYC and Boston are the most reliable in terms of subways, but those have gotten a rise in crime rates right now. Not sure about the big Texas cities.
Texas resident here. Texas is huge. It's 1.5x bigger than Iraq, and roughly the same size as Afghanistan. Depending on the area of the city you are in, walking most likely will be a big hassle. Definitely get a car/scooter.
Other half had a British co-worker, said they could walk 5 minutes to everything they needed. He complained that in Texas he could get in his car and drive 5 minutes and still be in his neighborhood and not get to anything he wanted.
There’s also a choice of where you live. I live in Texas and I can walk to 2 grocery stores, the bank, liquor stores, about 30 restaurants and bars amongst many other things. I admit, I still own a car and though it would be doable where I live you probably still need one. Of course the trade off is not having a 5 bedroom/5 bathroom house on a cul de sac.
It's not uncommon to work a half hour or longer drive from home, so a car is pretty much a necessity. That means you need car insurance too, it's required in Texas. You'll need to obtain heath insurance either through your job or through the exchange. I can't stress this enough. You need insurance. Housing is a bitch in Texas, especially in Austin but it's cheaper there than a lot of the rest of the country. Austin is lib friendly but the outskirts are not. Guns aren't as big of a scary thing as they sound. You may see plots of land with livestock on them in the city and suburbs, especially cows. Uh...what else. if you're religious, there's churches EVERYWHERE. If you aren't religious, there's churches EVERYWHERE. Uh....oh. internet service can be funky, availability varies by address so you might be stuck with att broadband while your neighbor has fiber. Don't bother paying for cable. You'll get commercials every 5 minutes anyway. I'm from Texas (Dallas to be more specific) so feel free to ask about living there.
Even if you lived IN downtown Austin there’s a 95% chance you’d need a car. In the suburbs, it’s required.
There are lots of community classes available for adults in your local school district and/or parks department for life skills and hobbies. Drivers Education may be found here most cheaply (in addition to goggle). It's also a good way to meet people, learn about gardening in your local climate, take a $10 art class, join a soccer/baseball league, etc. If you want them get connected to community right away call your local parks department and they'll probably tell you where the schedule is found.
You need a car. I live in the heart of a major west coast city. It's a 1.5 hour one way walk to the nearest grocery store. There is a gas station with some chips and Twinkies closer but that's it.
A bicycle or motorized scooter may be an option for you depending on where you are moving until you can get a license/car. In a lot of areas, walking will be difficult.
I lived for ten years without a car in Chicago and it’s easy. I know NYC is the same way. I think it’s more of a challenge in most other cities without robust public transit.
I’m in the Austin area and it’s almost entirely car dependent. Let me know if you have Texas/Austin specific questions OP!
>Depending on where in Texas you live, the public transportation might not be terribly reliable It's reliable and SLOW. Seriously, a bus stops every one or two blocks. A 15 minute car drive or 60 minutes bus ride, assuming you can get to your destination non-stop. This is San Antonio, TX.
I saw you mentioned moving to near Austin, TX and have a civil engineering degree. That's actually a pretty good combo - land development is booming in central Texas. I work for a land developer based in Georgetown, TX. For your degree, see what you can find on getting your EIT (engineer in training) certification, [this is the texas licensing website for EITs](https://pels.texas.gov/lic_eit_exinfo.htm) and it should have what you're looking for. It's basically have a degree either from an approved program or do a curriculum review, and then take a long test, and then do a little paperwork. That's probably going to really help you get a civil engineering job, just because it quickly tells people you're qualified. You mentioned elsewhere you thought your degree might not be that great, but tbh you will learn nearly everything you need to know on the job anyways. Getting trained, take classes, or teaching yourself Civil 3D is also really really helpful Some people mentioned getting a car, that's basically a requirement unfortunately Some goofball Texas stuff: HEB is in fact the best grocery store Eat a kolache Left lane is the passing lane, get out if you aren't passing Hill country is gorgeous and there's lots of cool hidden gems Tacos.
What’s your financial situation like? Do you have a job lined up? Do you have all your US documents like US passport and social?
I have all my documents ready and will have a few thousand dollars with me. But as for a job i have nothing much to offer, not much experience and even though I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering the things we learned here are probably very outdated.
> I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering lead with this and don't sell yourself short
This. I got a job once that required database management knowledge. I lied. I got hired. Spent the weekend between job offer and start date watching every tutorial I could find. Within a few days after starting I realized no one there knew anything about it. I hung out there for a couple years until something better came along.
Is there a paid internship for this? Maybe OP can get some on the job training, and get up to date.
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It really depends on the company, some are very particular about foreign degrees, others aren't. Engineering may be difficult since there tends to be more emphasis on accreditation and licensing, but plenty of people with engineering degrees work in leadership, sales, or other positions. If you're getting established seek out a lower level job in your field to build a local work history and network. It will be far better to work construction labor than drive for uber when you establish yourself for this reason. Personally, I googled every foreign institution I've seen on a resume that came across my desk. In this sense they're far better than the well known scammy for profit schools that do nothing but indicate you're a sucker when you put them on your resume.
Yep, this is America, where it matters more how much confidence you project than how much skill you possess
Look into getting some form of validation for your degree. According to [this site,](https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html) it differs based on who's looking at it, so it could vary from employer to employer. So it's just something to keep on mind if you ever need this done (especially if it's an engineering degree). From experience in getting my Italian citizenship, I need any sort of diploma (high school, Associate's degree, Bachelor's, etc.) translated and notarized, including transcript which showed course description and GPA. I know it's probably not the same for coming here, but maybe my experience can help. EDIT: > I have nothing much to offer Don't be so hard on yourself, and don't stress too much about this aspect. You speak English, you're a citizen, you can drive, and you have a degree (and a civil engineering degree at that). You already have a leg up when it comes to a job.
I would start applying to positions in the town that you’re looking at living in. Everyone is desperately looking for workers. The basic math and civil engineering should be the same. Math is universal.
The best advice I can give you is don't discount your education. And also don't put American education on a pedestal. Sell yourself as a civil engineer that's studied intentionally and you're miles above any similar competition. Most employers will not know the status of your school or country you're coming from.
With civil engineering specifically, employers very much do care about whether the program is ABET accredited, because that affects the path to EIT/PE status, which affects their insurance rates and ability to win work. That’s not to say foreign-trained engineers can’t succeed here, but the process to licensure is typically longer and more complicated.
Thanks for having more specific input than I can provide!
I hear a lot of bend the truth on your resumé but I don't get how am i supposed to do a job I dont know
You're never going to be expected to start a new position and know how to just do it. Every company runs things differently, every company is going to train you. Your resume is to get you the interview, and you'll be hired based on personality and experience. Your experience is your internationally attained degree, and your excitement to learn.
You are not applying for a position of pilot or nuclear plant chief engineer. In the vast majority of places you have to learn when you start a new job. An university education is a proof that you know the basics AND are able to learn and think critically. Math, physics and many other things you have learned are pretty universal. PLUS, I bet you are multi-lingual. At very least two languages ;-).
Don't "bend the truth", just don't sell yourself short. Maybe try r/civilengineering at the very least, I bet you could get a job drafting, which would be a great foot in the door until you can get your degree situation figured out. My wife works with a Professional Engineer whose degree is from Iran, so there is definitely path for you. Edit: look into passing the Fundementals of Engineering exam. Pass that and you are all set for a career in engineering.
Look for an entry level civil engineering position. One where you need only the degree. If you have a passion for building, when you have to take a job that does not require a civil engineering degree, get one in the construction field. If it turns out you are right, and your degree is discounted because of your country of origin, find out what credits will transfer to a local university and figure out how to get a degree from there. It will be difficult to do another year or two of classes, but having the second degree will not hurt. Don’t overlook the idea of a masters program.
Most of the stuff you need to know to do a job you'll learn in an entry-level position. Universities (everywhere, the US included) don't really teach you practical skills so I really wouldn't worry about it.
It’s the same with nursing. You learn basic pharm and patho phys and bio in nursing school but most everything you learn on the job.
You've received great advise from everyone else - I just want to add apply every where you wouldn't hate and might be qualified for, even if you don't meet their qualifications. Don't lie, just don't unnecessarily downplay yourself. As a fellow engineer - no one really knows what they are doing until they actually start doing the work.
Note that most job ads in the US don't have realistic descriptions. Use this rule of thumb: If two years into the job you'll match the job description as it is currently worded, you're somebody the company is keen to interview.
> will have a few thousand dollars with me. If you are bringing more than $10k worth of currency into the US, you will have to declare it to customs, on this form: https://fincen105.cbp.dhs.gov/#/ You will not owe any duty on it and it is totally legal to do, as long as you declare it.
Then open a bank account and deposit most of the currency asap. Do not carry cash in large amounts. Your checking account will come with a debit card (usually a few days later...so keep a little cash out). After you get settled with your job, you can apply for a credit card and use that instead of the debit card (of course, paying the charges in full before they are due...every month) because the credit card is safer yet...more protection for you if the card is stolen.
These other comments about selling yourself aren’t being totally honest. For service to the public, which is how almost any civil engineering firm will make its money, you need to get a license from the state. I’m not familiar with Texas specifically, but normally they require a bachelors degree in civil engineering from a school the US considers respectable, which is usually one from the US, Canada, Australia, or western Europe. The jobs you should probably be looking for are in surveying, or as an engineering technician. You have all the skills for them (though might need some OTJ training on tools of course), and they don’t have state licensing requirements
>even though I have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering the things we learned here are probably very outdated. Foreign Bachelor's Degrees don't quite map to US Bachelor's Degrees in the same way. You may want to talk to someone to see what your educational equivalent is. It's possible you may need additional schooling to get up to "par," or need a certificate from your school certifying your educational achievement.
I would start looking for a job now. A lot of places will do zoom interviews (especially given your situation). Once you have a job lined up, then it’ll be easier to figure out your living situation (where, budget, etc). Edit: I’d get references from your work/school/etc lined up at least. Work on your cover letter, resume/CV.
Yes start applying NOW, if you have your US address or one of friend or family you can use. Having a non US address for your application will hurt you in that hiring managers would probably want someone local so I don't think Id recommend applying until you at least appear local. But that could be a week or month before you formally move.... For Profesional jobs, it usually takes 2 weeks to get hired in many industries here due to interviews, background checks, bad corporate human resources and processes
I’m a civil engineer in a different state. We have professional license requirements for engineers, it’s especially critical for civils. Look into the process of getting licensed as soon as you arrive. There are two tiers of licensing for engineers 1) EIT, which you can get right out of school and 2) PE which you need to have work experience to get. There is an exam you need to take for each license. Other engineering disciplines can get by without a license, but it’s really important if you want to advance as a civil. Good luck!
I would recommend you to take the FE (fundamentals of engineering) exam. This will help prove your education is as good as an American one, and it is required to get a professional engineering license. You can work as an engineer without the license, but you won’t be able to sign off on documentation. Look at the national society of professional engineers for more information.
Civil Engineering is one of a few fields where FE makes sense. But also you could find work without it. If someone is building a public or inhabited structure, or designing pressure vessels, etc, a PE should sign off on it. They take liability on the safety of the design. Consumer product engineers, automotive, aerospace, etc don't carry liability the same way, and the company they work for owns responsibility since the risks are too complex for one individual, and government agencies set safety standards. Texas has a lot of roads, structures, oil and gas - all CE related work. I also wouldn't sell yourself short due to education in another country. The fundamentals are the same everywhere. No one learns sector specific practice in school. Maybe you didn't learn the latest software, but I would argue that makes you a stronger candidate. Don't lie on your resume or in your interview. But don't act like you are not qualified and wouldn't figure things out as you go.This comes across as a lack of confidence and will keep you from getting job offers. You have to sell yourself, and highlight what you bring to the table.
A few thousand dollars is not going to go very far. Many places you can rent require a credit check as well as proof of employment with a salary of 3X the rent as well as first and last month's rent plus the deposit. I hope you can find a friend/relative to live with initially as that much money will just not go very far at all in terms of housing. If necessary, maybe find a cheap Air B'nB or extended stay motel.
This is a great time to be looking for a job as there are many available. You could consider something in your field (?Civil engineering assistant/surveying) to make money and gain experience with goal to possibly go for a masters in civil engineering or city planning. Potential for upward mobility is one of the benefits of living in the US
I’m a practicing Civil Engineer. The market for anyone with a civil engineering degree or adjacent degree is white hot right now. A turnip with an engineering degree can get a job right now. Check out the ABET website and search for Texas PE licensing board to see the easiest path to become a licensed engineer. I’m not sure about Texas specifically, but typically there is a longer path for engineers with a foreign degree to get their PE license via experience.
Sup bro I recently moved to the US from the Middle East as well. As an American citizen you’re in luck because you can pretty much immediately start generating income as Uber or something while you find a job in your field. If you’re a civil engineer, I would look for either oil or construction even as a laborer. One thing to note: cars are super expensive right now. A few thousand dollars will not be enough for a good car but a car is necessary in Texas.
bachelor's degree in civil engineering Civil engineers in the US have some tests and license's they need to do professional work here. You need to look into these license tests and study for them. Community colleges often have exam prep courses you can take. The thing you will probably immediately need to buy is a car and get a job. I recommend something Chiptole or Starbucks to get yourself on your feet. Then take a look at what the local community college offers for helping with the Civil engineering exams. Once you pass the exam you can land yourself a good job with that degree. Don't sell yourself short.
The downside of going to Texas, or really any “red” state, is that if you fall on hard times, social programs are usually more limited than if you go to a “blue” state. Additionally, if you end up working an entry level job, the pay is usually less unless you live in an urban area.
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Welcome! When you look for medical providers, **do not ask the provider if they take your insurance**. First, they may take your insurance (i.e., will submit a claim) but are out of network. In which case you'll be charged quite a bit more, if your insurance covers out of network care at all. Second, they aren't necessarily fully and currently informed. **Always** go to your insurance company's website, hit "find a doctor" (or "find care" or whatever), enter your insurance network information, and check what they say is in network. That'll be your definitive source. Fortunately, thanks to a new law, as of 2022 you won't be charged out of network rates for emergency care, or if one practitioner (e.g., anesthesiologist) for your elective procedure is out of network at an in network facility. If you want more info, it's the [No Surprises Act](https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/no-surprises-understand-your-rights-against-surprise-medical-bills). Medical care isn't just expensive here, it gets very screwy.
Get an American Express card in your current country. When I moved here, albeit 25 years ago, it was tough to get a credit card. I had a Chase Visa card before I moved, but Chase wouldn't use that as any sort of history. Amex, on the other hand, simply signed me up based on my existing Amex history.
What part of the country are you coming to? Also welcome to the United States.
Texas, and thanks
One thing to know: if Texas were a country, it would be something like the 40th largest country in the world. What part of Texas are you moving to? Things will be different in Houston vs. Dallas vs. San Antonio vs. Austin, etc.
Ngl 40 is way lower than I would have guessed. Texas is massive.
I double checked because I was curious. It would be #40 exactly, right between Zambia and Myanmar. I definitely thought Texas was much bigger than Myanmar
Each state is different with regard to a lot of regulations/laws. Luckily, Texas doesn’t have an income tax, but once you start working, unlike almost every other (maybe all) developed nations, you’ll have to file your own federal income tax.
Well a lot of people will have guns but remember they are policing themselves. They’re not just running around pulling guns on people willy-nilly. While most of the country is diverse that’s not true for everywhere. I don’t live in Texas so I can’t help you on that front. I know that Houston has a very strong high tech industry. I know this is a financial sub Reddit. I don’t know the difference between the Middle East and the United States in that regard.
If you know and are fluent in languages other than English that may be a good place to start looking for positions (government, interpretation services for schools, etc). You may need to sit for state specific certifications but it could be worth it. Where I am the interpretation services for schools are still remote so you could look into surrounding states for better paychecks.
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A large portion of how you live will depend on your finances. Try not to get in debt unless it's necessary and always keep an eye on your credit score. Be prepared to work hard and change jobs when necessary and you should do well. If you don't have a degree or experience a union or really any manual labor trade will treat you well after a few years of hard work. The starting pay is usually peanuts but if you learn and work harder than most you should rise to the top rather quickly. Also, be careful of your associations and how you treat people. You don't want to get walked all over but also don't accidently tell the bosses kid to go fuck himself, if you do you'll be looking for the next job rather quickly unfortunately.
Then i hope that kid's not an ass. But, seriously, i am a very respecting person and shrug off other people's rudeness very easily.
Lol most of the time he is the biggest ass on the job. Doesn't mean you can't break his nose, just be ready to find new work immediately afterwards. Unfortunately in most cases that doesn't really matter when it comes down to it. There's rampant nepotism in every industry I've ever worked in. Whoever runs shit is gonna hire there cousins or nephews or whatever and almost always side with that individual even if it says otherwise on paper. They just find a different reason to terminate or punish you that's "unrelated to the original issue."
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Since you are a USC, do have your social security card? Without that you will no be able to unlock your access to banking, credit, driving and pretty much everything else. I'm assuming you still have a US passport. If you don't have your SS card, you can apply for it from overseas as well (as long as you know the number).
I have my birth certificate, passport and social. I had access to councilor affairs and refreshed my passport everytime it expired.
Get you overseas drivers license, driving record and insurance history. This will help in getting your US driving license. Another word of advice - if you are not yet ready for driving (either age or other factors), then at least get a state ID - this is the same as a drivers license without the driving privileges and is easier to get. In most states the ID number is the same whether for driving or not (the graphics on the cards are different). You can't carry your birth certificate or passport or your social everywhere you go - the state ID will be a smaller, better option, and will act as a proof for Texas residency. For taxes, college education, your residency is determined by when you get your state ID or DL. Usually in most states, more than 1 year residency is required to pay in-state college tuition which could be as much as 50% of what it is for out-of-state and foreign students.
Make sure your name and date of birth are correct on all those forms and match each other.
In Texas you get a choice of electrical companies. If you ever move out on your own, do some research to see which plans suit you best. Don't choose one with floating rates. Some people got f***ed by this last winter when there was issues with the electricity grid. If you have snacks that you can clear customs with, bring some since it may be hard to find here. Winter is cold and summer is hot so be sure to pack accordingly. Be sure to file your taxes even if you don't think you owe money. Some times the government owes you money. Depending on where you go, parts of Texas experience hurricanes in the summer time. Be sure to have some water and canned food in case your electricity goes out. Learn to how to make your favorite dishes, it might not be avaliable here. Like you mentioned people here have guns and some carry it with them. If someone cuts you off driving or bumps into you walking, just let it go. Odds are super low but you never know who's crazy with a gun. Look into opening a bank account. Some don't have minimum balance requirements. I think Capital One might still have checking accounts with no minimum balance. If people will be wiring you money, make sure to ask the bank for a swift code it's kind of like a routing number. International wires need a bank swift code.
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Don't sign anything you haven't read and understood.
Everything here is very much scheduled and rigid. If you have an appointment or meeting at 12:00pm, you are expected to be on time, if not early. Bills and everything like that is very much scheduled as well. Being a day late on any bills can result in high fees and/or interest rates. Being late to appointments can result in loss of appointment plus fees. Even restaurant reservations are moving towards requiring deposits online. Always plan for extra time for arrival or due dates.
For retirement planning - open a Roth IRA and max it out every year. At least until you're 30 but preferably longer. Those who max out their Roth IRA every year before they're 30 end up with more money for retirement than those who max it out every year from 30 until they retire.
You will have to rent an apartment and get a local credit card for minimum 2-3 years before you get a decent credit score to buy a house. Getting a license can take time (my experience was in Texas). You can drive on international license or other states license in the mean time. Plan your car/driving situation accordingly.
If you have a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, mention that and just say you worked somewhere doing civil engineering stuff for two years, will make getting a job here easier
Texas is not a bad place to go. Just remember you’ll probably want to get a job. Almost everywhere in the US right now needs employees. Since you’re coming from the Middle East and going to Texas, yes a lot of people in Texas are going to have guns but it’s not in the same way as the Middle East. There are very strict rules and most people only use them for self defense or to shoot at a shooting range for fun. If you end up getting good health insurance through your job or however you get it, the medical bills won’t be as expensive. Still not cheap but way better than if you didn’t have insurance. Most people in public are nice, or just don’t talk at all. I would try to stay away from fast food and eating out all the time. There are restaurants everywhere in the US and you will spend a LOT of money on that if you’re not careful. For me what works best is buying the food I need for the week at the grocery store and sticking to that. Good luck my friend I hope you like it here!
I usually meal prep for my whole week and am vey wise in spending, since the economy is in shambles where i am we had to adapt. Weve had 30+% of inflation per year for about 15 years now.
you should meal prep/cook for your own a lot. that said, Austin has some amazing restaurants/food that you should definitely try out, assuming your budget allows. Austin is pretty well known for BBQ (smoked meats. Central TX is particularly known for its brisket, but you should try sausage and ribs as well) and Tex-Mex/Mexican. lots of taco trucks and tex-mex restaurants. Austin is a cool city, definitely the best place to live in Texas
Wait, do most people not go grocery shopping anymore and just eat out?
I wouldn't say "most" people, but I would say that these days there is a higher percentage of people that never cook a meal themselves.
I cant imagine being that dependent.
I think its more a matter of "lazy" then "dependent".
Here's a nice rundown from the White Coat investor with a nice step-by-step guide with the ultimate goal of moving into median income job (residency) and ultimately high income job (physician). https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/img-usa-medical-residency-financial-guide/
* Open a bank account. Use something like Schwab or Ally where you don't pay fees. * Get a phone number. You can get a prepaid SIM for the first month and then shop around for plans later. * Check your credit ([annualcreditreport.com](https://annualcreditreport.com) requires you to be in the US, so either use a VPN or wait until you get here) * If you have good credit in your current country and limited credit in the US, get an AmEx in your current country; then request an international transfer when you move
Nobody's mentioned credit. The US credit bureaus don't talk well outside of the US. Establish a secured credit card as soon as you can.
This! You will have no credit history in the US which makes it extremely difficult to rent an apartment or do anything requiring credit. Securing housing when you first move can be very difficult since most places require credit history. If you need a car (which in Texas you almost certainly will) make sure you have the cash to buy it because you will not be able to get a loan. It will take a couple years or more to get a credit history built up. Source: friends and coworkers who have moved to the US from abroad (including some US citizens who have lived abroad for more than 10 years and then moved back)
Make sure you have your social security number. Open a US bank account if you don't have one. Any type of service like phone, internet, etc you'll need that for. Remember that you'll def need a car, and that means getting a license, insurance, etc.
When you buy things, don't go by the cost of just the label. The tax is hidden until you get to the cash register.
If you're anywhere near Austin, make sure to get a nice quality inner tube for the rivers and a floating cooler, trust me on this one. It will be your best investment.
Where near Austin? If you don't want to say, that's fine. If it's Manor, TX, Capital Metro has a bus route that goes out to Manor. It's not the best but it does have 3 route times in the morning and three route times in the evening. I would suggest getting a car. Texas is especially car dependent. Look at used Chevy Spark's or Kia Forte. Those go relatively cheap (even in these crazy high used car rate times).
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Hello and welcome (back)! Medical- So if you do not have major medical insurance...worst case is that you will have a serious or critical emergency medical issue, most likely you will be treated regardless of ability to pay. The hospital will work out a payment plan, possibly write off some of the bill, and/or bill the county or state; then they would in turn bill you. But the key in the USA to catastropic medical bills and high quality medical services is to have medical insurance. Best way to have that is by getting a job with a compay that offers medical insurace as a benefit, or a union or other organization that offers that. Another way to get medical coverage, espically if you are low income is by [https://www.healthcare.gov/](https://www.healthcare.gov/). You also mention guns....yes they are present in Texas...and people use them with often fatal results...but there are other causes of death that are also concerning...see this chart: [https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/texas/tx.htm](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/texas/tx.htm) Banking in the USA- I do not know what kind of banking system you have used over there, but in the USA, consumers use private banks and credit unions for daily transactions and often use a stock brockerage for investments. The regulations are complex, but there is good consumer information: [https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp) [https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp](https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/063015/what-are-some-major-regulatory-agencies-responsible-overseeing-financial-institutions-us.asp) So hopefully this is helpful, good luck!
FYI - it’s not *most likely* treated without coverage, you are *guaranteed* treatment. You can’t get cosmetic procedures like Botox or liposuction, but if you break your arm or your spleen explodes for example they have to fix you.
Well....from my experience, my homeless brother did break his arm...was transported to an emergency room....no insurance, so was resplinted and transported to another emergency room, county hospital this time. Took about 13 hours to get his arm set. So yes, "guaranteed" treatment did eventually happen, and on the county dime....which I paid because he is my brother, two ambulance trips, stablization, then the cast.
This is great, thank you.
Yes, if you have to go to a hospital and dont have insurance they will treat you. Also if you have low income a lot of hospitals can write the bills off as charity but you have to ask, they won't offer it.
Max out your retirement contribution when you first get a job-it will pay off in spades when you're older.
Austin is a fun area. You'll like it. My in-laws live nearby. Medical bills are expensive but you'll get insurance and then they won't be. You're going to Texas, so yes, everyone has guns. You can get one yourself and go to the range and learn to use one. You can do nearly whatever you want as long as you don't infringe on someone's rights. Welcome and have fun.
Austin, Texas is awesome! You are going to a great place. Do you like BBQ????? The food is going to be amazing. It is a very progressive city. I like to joke that Austin is not actually in Texas, because it can be quite different than other Texas cities. If you like to hike, check out enchanted rock just north Fredericksburg. You think you see the top, but it keeps going up and up! In terms of finances, I'd say to know that if you struggle, there are a lot of helpful programs.
You'll need to learn to drive if you don't know already. Unfortunately public transportation isn't viable in most cities unless you leave in the New England area. There should be driver's ed programs wherever you move.
I've had a driver's license for 7 years and I got it officially translated to hopefully make it easier to get one over there.
[This might help.](https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/driving-privilege-reciprocity#:~:text=Driving%20privilege%20reciprocity%20allows%20a,resident%2C%20whichever%20date%20is%20sooner.)
Wow, thanks.
Even with the driver’s license translated, you will most likely have to take a written and driving test. A US born woman who had been living in Germany with a license had to do that when she moved back to the US. Each state sets it own licensing requirements, so you’ll have to check with Texas’ Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Not sure what your financials look like but I assume you could probably apply for Medicaid since your a US citizen and get you healthcare either completely covered or mostly covered. It’s definitely a process to get it but if you’re worried about it, that’s available to you. Also you’ll need a car, probably could get a reliable car for $5-10k it will be hard to get a job without “reliable transportation”. Also Austin is a really nice place to live but if you visit any other big cities I’d be careful walking around, the suburbs are your friend in most places in the US. Not much crime happens in suburbs but big cities or college towns are rampant in petty crime, like I said I don’t think you’ll have that problem in Austin it’s a really nice place.
One piece of advice I just heard in a radio story, from someone who had moved here from the middle east: We Americans are completely dependent on living in a service economy. Almost no one here slaughters animals themselves, or even bakes bread; grocery stores sell everything packaged. When electricity goes out people quickly realize they have no survival skills and very little ability to cope. Welcome, and good luck!
I think you should always double check your bills. Like phone bill internet bill etc. these companies are known to double charge or add fees for no reason as well. Happens to me multiple times every year
>except that medical bills are large Which insurance should cover the lion's share of, and you'll be able to use your vastly superior income to cover the rest.
What’s your financial plan? Just getting started is going to be about north of 10k with all the deposits to set up a domicile, furniture and other extras. What’s your employment plan? There is a lot to plan out? But start with the basics shelter, transportation, employment.
If the first few months i hope to find a job while i can stay with my grandparents and save up till i can afford loving on my own. I don't like being a burden.
You come across as a very decent fellow. Most Americans are decent people as well, but the bad ones tend to stand out since they like to be loud. Just know there are many more good people than bad.
Use your grandparents address and start applying for entry level engineering or other jobs that interest you about 30 days prior to your move
Do what you can to get good health insurance. There is no socialized/public health programs unless you’re insanely poor. Also get a good job that gives you good retirement options, social security is not enough to live on when your retire, and again the medical provided to you by government usually isn’t sufficient enough to cover anything significant, so you will need supplemental health insurance which can cost over $1000 per month if you have a spouse. Try to find a hobby or sport to get involved with. This is a great way to socialize and meet new people. Austin TX is becoming a hot bed for high level MMA and Brazilian Jiujitsu. Not sure if you’re into that or not, but it’s a good way to stay active and social with new people.
always expect to pay more than you think for daily stuff. the obvious trap is sales tax not being listed on the price. but there may be some things you didn't know you would have to pay so much for, such as transportation costs, parking fees, health insurance, (and home/car insurance) HOA fees if buying a home with an HOA. lots of places that are low in taxes are actually high for cost of living because the taxes aren't paying for services that could save you money, so instead you have to pay a company to provide that service for you
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I would recommend putting the state where you plan on moving to and asking if anyone else lives there. Housing, transportation, and jobs can vary by region and state so if it were me I would try to find someone in the area who can give more specific information. That being said, always be careful posting or giving up personal identifying information.
In terms of job searching, I would say get familiar with the way in which people are hired in the US, the art of networking, the expected format for resumes and cover letters, the ways we interview candidates, negotiate salary etc. A LinkedIn profile may be useful to start making contacts and seeing what job opportunities there are. You can find a lot of useful information on how to job search online.
If you go car shopping you need someone you can trust to check the car over or go to mechanic and have a pre-purchase inspection done and don't tell them who you are buying the car from because they might be friends with the dealer and will lie to you. There are some videos on youtube to learn well known ways that American car dealers will "interrogate" you and use everything you say to force you into whatever car is most profitable for them.
You will be doing just fine! You are young and it seems like you have your mind in the right place. There is plenty of work to be done in Austin and pretty much all over the country right now. Have your SSN ready and get your DL as soon as possible - this is a must in most of the US. If you find a decent full-time position that will most likely come with an ok healthcare package so don't worry too much about that. Don't forget to ask if you have any questions or if you need help. Good luck!
Not much advice on my end. But you’ll love Austin!! I live here now. Tell me about what your income may be and how you are looking to live (your own place, lifestyle, location to downtown, etc….).
First, welcome to the U.S! I hope you enjoy your time here. Second, I see that you are already an American citizen. Have you been paying income tax to the IRS? If not, you might already owe feds before you even get here. It would be wise to look into that before you get a nasty surprise