11 Things to Expect When You Move to US

Are you moving to the United States for temporarily or for good? Here are 11 things to expect when you arrive.

Paying with coins is irritating

Thinking about getting yourself a cup of cappuccino when you land? Use your card.

While it is common for PRs to pay in cash and count change, keep your stash of cash or loose coins or at least use it sparingly. Card is the new currency here (that’s an exaggeration, but it’s becoming a cashless society). So, just put your loose coins in your favorite jar at home and pay for your goods on a card.

The country is really gigantic

You may have to drive a full day before you get to your destination. But, if you prefer to live in Florida and other tourist cities, you can avoid that.

In other parts of the country, especially Texas, and Colorado, you may have to take a 6-hours ride or more to get to your favorite spot. And no, that 6-hour ride doesn’t include time spent while stuck in traffic.

They have a popular moving time

The least popular time to move, and probably the least expensive is on Sundays and during the winter. If you don’t want to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of moving, don’t schedule your trip on Friday. It is the most common moving day.

The federal law ensures that your rights are protected on your moving day

The moving company cannot withhold your personal items. It is against the federal law. They are also required to give you a booklet that explains your rights and responsibility as a mover.

Diverse culture

Talk about culture shock. There are so many cultural values, dialects, business practices and lifestyles in each region, and they are not exclusive. So, you can’t really expect Americans and its residents to act and respond to you in the same way. While the US is primarily of western culture, people come from all parts of the world and carried their own cultures when they settled in the country. There are Latin Americans, Asians, Africans, Polynesians and other ethnic groups that brought their distinct flavors in the American culture.

It’s a country of options (for shoppers)!

There are many options for almost everything. From an entire aisle of soda to RTWs of every imaginable brand, you’ll never feel that you’re not able to exercise your freedom of choice! So, if you’re in a hurry, make sure that you have a list of the items you’re looking for so you don’t end up buying impulsively. Or, better yet, memorize the aisle, so the next time you shop, you’ll save time and money by avoiding ‘tempting’ sections.

“How are you”, means, “Hello”

When someone says, “How are you? “, don’t feel obligated to respond and to do a pep talk. It’s just a common greeting in the US. You can be polite enough to smile or nod, but don’t feel bad if you don’t, especially when greeted by the sales clerk before asking for your order or charging your card for items you bought.

Not everyone takes a day off

It’s your call to work on weekdays or holidays and no one will judge you for doing so. Everyone’s trying their best to earn for a living and to meet their financial goals. It’s America and almost everyone wants to achieve that American dream.

It is a free country

You can exercise your religion, beliefs and ideologies, as long as you don’t step on anybody’s rights when doing so. Nobody will put you in prison for praying in public or by wearing religious symbols. Though there have been protests about religious freedom and gender equality, still America is a country that ensures your rights as a human being are protected.

Americans are punctual

Make sure that you arrive on time or at least a few minutes early for your appointment. They have a strict concept of time not only at work, but even during social gatherings. If you think you cannot make it on time, call them as soon as you can and apologize immediately when you arrive. Most fo them are busy individuals and time means money for most of them.

Don’t show up at someone’s house unexpectedly

You may want to visit your next-door neighbor, but it is polite to call or ask them whether they are free at a particular date and time. Unless of course, if there’s an emergency.

There are many other surprising things you may discover about the US when you arrive. But the good news is that, it is easy to adjust to the American culture, since they have every bit of everything- certainly a bit of your culture too!