Top 5 tips to live in the USA

1. Come to the USA legally

2.  Have a job lined up or have a source of sustainable income before you show up.

3.  Speak American English or Spanish or at least have a good head start.

4.  Realize that freedom of speech only pertains to the government, that anything else you say can and will be used against you in the court of employment and public opinion.

5.You will probably get what you give when it comes to meeting new people, so do expect to find a wide variety of people and choose your friends accordingly.

All excellent posts.

Be an addition to any community you join not a burden to it.

Bob K

Remember the adage - Not wrong, just different. Americans speak American English, not incorrect British English.

Gee and I always thought the Brits spoke poor incorrect American English

Bob K

Americans speak green paper so remember there is nothing for free here.

nasal wrote:

Americans speak green paper so remember there is nothing for free here.

There is plenty of free advise, and it is usually worth the price.

I have lived abroad in Europe, the Mid-East, East Asia and Latin America. In my many conversations with people who have never visited the US, I have been asked such questions as, "Does everybody have a gun?" (the answer is "No", but sometimes is seems like they do), "Is the US an expensive place to live?" (the answer is, generally, yes - especially when it comes to housing and utiities), and "Are Americans racist?" (my answer has always been, "In some places, yes, they are."

If an expat practices a certain religion, my advice is to connect with other people who practice that religion, as well. If an expat is going to the US to attend school, find organizations on campus to support you in your transition. However, my biggest piece of advice has been this: Make sure you make friends outside your culture, religion and race. I say this because the US, especially on both of the coasts (East and West) and in the major cities, is very, very diverse. You can meet some fascinating individuals by simply saying, "Hello." I used to teach English in a country that made some of the highest SAT scores in the world. However, many of the students whom I taught couldn't make it in the US because, upon moving to the US to study, those students only hung out with other students from their home countries. By doing this, a person reinforces English speaking mistakes and never learns to successfully integrate within the society - ergo, never really finding out what the US is really like.

One last suggestion, if you have heard that an area isn't a good place to go based on religion, race or violence, then don't take the risk. Like every place in the world, there are good people and good areas and there are dangerous people and dangerous areas. In all of my living abroad, I know that I saw both sides of people and places. Follow your heart and your head, and you should be fine.

Thank you very much Susan for your topic, I found it very interesting, helpful and useful!!!

Well said Susan