Moving to Boston? - New England Patriots Forums

Rossmci90 · 03-25-2009, 10:18 AM

Not really sure if this is the right place to post...

Although nothing is guaranteed, there may be a job offer for me in the coming months that would involve me moving to Boston. Me and my Wife have always considered that one day we might be like to move abroad (be it America, Australia, New Zealand, any English speaking country basically) but have never really had the opportunity to do so.

However, neither of us have ever been to Boston so we no idea what its like. By this i mean things such as weather, crime, housing, transport, education and general quality of life.

I guess to answer some of those points i'd need to give you an idea of what life is like where im from. Where im from we get lots of rain, not much sun and the temperate rarely goes above 25 degrees celsius and rarely below -2 degrees celsius. I live in a smallish town (80,000) and never really lived in a big city. Not much crime, but its hardly an affluent area either.

Im asking here hoping for some firsthand experience and honest opinions, which i think might me hard to find on the internet. Anything information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Stokes · 03-25-2009, 04:09 PM

There is such a wide variety of towns around Boston, and even neighborhoods within Boston itself, that it is tough to come up with a simple answer. Most parts of the city are very safe, traffic is generally bad commuting into the city from the north, south, or west if you decided to live outside of Boston, it goes from about -20C in winter to +35C in summer, schools are generally good, real estate and rents are generally expensive, but overall its a great place to be.

Rossmci90 · 03-25-2009, 05:07 PM

Thanks for the info, from reading briefly on the internet it seemed like Boston was quite expensive.

In a few months time im planning on visiting to see what housing is like and obviously this is an important thing to consider. I think i would prefer to live outside Boston and commute.

***Mike the Brit*** · 03-25-2009, 09:58 PM

I moved to Boston (well, the People's Republic of Cambridge, to be precise) from the U.K. about three years ago, so I've some experience, but to be useful you probably need to give some more information about yourself (age, what kind of a job you have/expect to have, leisure interests -- apart from the Patriots! -- and what amount you might be expecting to pay for housing).

Anyway, I'll start with your list: "weather, crime, housing, transport, education and general quality of life".

Weather Americans have various fixed beliefs about the UK and one of them is that the weather is terrible. Unfortunately, Boston's is worse -- colder in winter (and winter goes on for longer) and muggy-hot in summer. But there are several consolations. First, the winter tends to be clear and cold (it's been pretty darned cold this week but with blue skies). Second, the weather is really dramatic. The adage "If you don't like the weather, wait for fifteen minutes" has a lot of truth. It's amazing how fast things change (Boston is where different weather-systems come together) and that's somewhat exciting. Finally, there is the fall. From about the beginning of September through sometimes to the middle of November, the weather is perfect: in the twenties to thirties, not humid, with a light breeze.

Crime Apart from gun crime (now that's a big "apart", isn't it?) I feel that America has become much more law-abiding than the U.K. I can give you lots of little instances. Where I first lived -- in a pretty urban bit of Cambridge -- there was one of those big Weber barbecues sitting on the front lawn of the apartment building next to mine. And it just sat there through the autumn into the winter. No one nicked it or chucked it through a window in drunken exuberance. Not like back home, I'm afraid ...

Housing This is really impossible to answer unless I know more about what you want and what you would be able to pay. Yes, it's expensive. A decent-sized apartment in a nice area is in the $2-$3,000 dollar range (with utilities). Further out it may be cheaper, but commuting can be tough.

Transport The Boston public transport system (the "T") isn't bad, but it isn't any great shakes by European standards. For Americans, anyway, "transport" still means "car". Boston isn't the easiest city to commute in to, I'm told, but that's what most people do. (I don't have a car, but people assume that's because I'm some kind of fanatical eco-fundamentalist -- we have a lot of those in Cambridge.)

Education Personally, I'm a great fan of American education, particularly at primary (elementary) level. What you need to appreciate, though, is that there is a vast variation from educational district to district. Although Greater Boston is to all intents and purposes one large city, it's broken up into politically separate units (like Cambridge), of which Boston is only one. This has enormous effects politically and especially on education. Thus the schools in Boston itself are much less good than those in affluent suburbs (but separate communities) such as Brookline or Newton.

General Quality of Life I could go on for hours, but for me the best thing about America is Americans. In my experience, Americans are considerate and helpful, energetic and optimistic and welcoming of social interaction with strangers. In fact, they're civilized. When I go back to Europe I often find myself asking "what's the matter with everybody? why are they so negative and hostile?" -- at least for the first few days until I get that way myself again! That's a generalization, of course -- nowhere is perfect -- but, for me, it's a big, big plus.

Rossmci90 · 03-26-2009, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike the Brit

I moved to Boston (well, the People's Republic of Cambridge, to be precise) from the U.K. about three years ago, so I've some experience, but to be useful you probably need to give some more information about yourself (age, what kind of a job you have/expect to have, leisure interests -- apart from the Patriots! -- and what amount you might be expecting to pay for housing).

Im 26, have a degree in Industril Economics and i have just finished a graduate training program to become a Tax auditer, and the (possible) job offer is with the company i have trained with. Im currently earning about £40,000 before tax and i imagine it will be an equivalent salary if i move. Most of my leisure is golf, and i would definetly be looking to join a golf club nearby. Me and my wife also enjoy nature walks (we live near the Lake District). I think one the first things i would do if i moved to Boston would be to sign up to the Season ticket waiting list for the Pats

For housing im really not sure, i don't currently own a house but i think i would want to if i moved. Obviously i would need a mortgage but i imagine that will be quite hard at the moment. But from what i've heard American house prices are relatively cheap compared to Britain.

Thanks a lot for the information you gave, it was great to hear from somebody who has made the same move im considering. How did you find Visa/permanent residency application? I've been looking through, seems like an awful lot of forms to fill

***Mike the Brit*** · 03-26-2009, 07:57 AM

OK, from what you say, my hunch is that you would enjoy living here a lot and that you should jump at the chance.

Although Cambridge is technically separate, I think of it as very much "living in the city" and, to be honest, I haven't spent much time in the suburbs (others on the board will be able to give you more detail) but the little I've seen seems to me to be just what you'd like: lots of woods and countryside and excellent for walks and outdoor pursuits. (A friend told me that the secret of the New England winter is to have something to do in the snow that you look forward to like skiing or snowshoeing.) I don't know about prices -- they've certainly come down a lot -- but I guess what you will do will be to come and rent something handy for work and then look around.

Visas and stuff are a bit of a nightmare. My employer handled most of it (not perfectly efficiently!) but there are still forms for you to fill in and then you have to deal with the American Consulate, which is expensive (charge a fortune just for a phone call), inefficient (you have to wait ages for an appointment) and unpleasant (hours and hours in a hot waiting room -- if it were a theme park they could call it The Ellis Island Experience). But there you are, you've been warned. In the end, it's all worked out (so far -- I have to get my visa renewed!) You should definitely discuss this with your employers.

One important point to check. If you're coming in on a visa, what about your wife? Will she want to work? Will she be able to?

Rossmci90 · 03-26-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike the Brit

OK, from what you say, my hunch is that you would enjoy living here a lot and that you should jump at the chance.

Although Cambridge is technically separate, I think of it as very much "living in the city" and, to be honest, I haven't spent much time in the suburbs (others on the board will be able to give you more detail) but the little I've seen seems to me to be just what you'd like: lots of woods and countryside and excellent for walks and outdoor pursuits. (A friend told me that the secret of the New England winter is to have something to do in the snow that you look forward to like skiing or snowshoeing.) I don't know about prices -- they've certainly come down a lot -- but I guess what you will do will be to come and rent something handy for work and then look around.

Visas and stuff are a bit of a nightmare. My employer handled most of it (not perfectly efficiently!) but there are still forms for you to fill in and then you have to deal with the American Consulate, which is expensive (charge a fortune just for a phone call), inefficient (you have to wait ages for an appointment) and unpleasant (hours and hours in a hot waiting room -- if it were a theme park they could call it The Ellis Island Experience). But there you are, you've been warned. In the end, it's all worked out (so far -- I have to get my visa renewed!) You should definitely discuss this with your employers.

One important point to check. If you're coming in on a visa, what about your wife? Will she want to work? Will she be able to?

From reading through the regulations it did seem like it will take a while to sort anything out. My wife will want to work, but i was under the assumption that if i got a Visa, then my wife would also be able to get one regardless of employment. The plan is that if i get this job then i'll be earning enough money for her to come over and just look for a job leisurely.

***Mike the Brit*** · 03-26-2009, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossmci90

From reading through the regulations it did seem like it will take a while to sort anything out. My wife will want to work, but i was under the assumption that if i got a Visa, then my wife would also be able to get one regardless of employment. The plan is that if i get this job then i'll be earning enough money for her to come over and just look for a job leisurely.

Don't make that assumption without checking.

Rossmci90 · 03-26-2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike the Brit

Don't make that assumption without checking.

Did you ever consider using an immigration lawyer? Im thinking about it, because of how complicated the system is. But they may charge quite a lot, im in a bit of quandry as to whether to use one.

***Mike the Brit*** · 03-26-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossmci90

Did you ever consider using an immigration lawyer? Im thinking about it, because of how complicated the system is. But they may charge quite a lot, im in a bit of quandry as to whether to use one.

No, but my employers have a lot of experience in handling such things. I'd advise you to discuss it with your employers.

03-25-2009, 10:18 AM	#1
Rossmci90 Practice Squad Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wigan, North-West England Posts: 424	Moving to Boston? Not really sure if this is the right place to post... Although nothing is guaranteed, there may be a job offer for me in the coming months that would involve me moving to Boston. Me and my Wife have always considered that one day we might be like to move abroad (be it America, Australia, New Zealand, any English speaking country basically) but have never really had the opportunity to do so. However, neither of us have ever been to Boston so we no idea what its like. By this i mean things such as weather, crime, housing, transport, education and general quality of life. I guess to answer some of those points i'd need to give you an idea of what life is like where im from. Where im from we get lots of rain, not much sun and the temperate rarely goes above 25 degrees celsius and rarely below -2 degrees celsius. I live in a smallish town (80,000) and never really lived in a big city. Not much crime, but its hardly an affluent area either. Im asking here hoping for some firsthand experience and honest opinions, which i think might me hard to find on the internet. Anything information you can give me will be greatly appreciated. __________________ Superman wears Wes Welker pyjamas

03-25-2009, 04:09 PM	#2
Stokes In the Starting Line-up Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,206	Re: Moving to Boston? There is such a wide variety of towns around Boston, and even neighborhoods within Boston itself, that it is tough to come up with a simple answer. Most parts of the city are very safe, traffic is generally bad commuting into the city from the north, south, or west if you decided to live outside of Boston, it goes from about -20C in winter to +35C in summer, schools are generally good, real estate and rents are generally expensive, but overall its a great place to be.

03-25-2009, 05:07 PM	#3
Rossmci90 Practice Squad Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wigan, North-West England Posts: 424	Re: Moving to Boston? Thanks for the info, from reading briefly on the internet it seemed like Boston was quite expensive. In a few months time im planning on visiting to see what housing is like and obviously this is an important thing to consider. I think i would prefer to live outside Boston and commute. __________________ Superman wears Wes Welker pyjamas

03-25-2009, 09:58 PM	#4
*Mike the Brit* Minuteman Target Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,843	Re: Moving to Boston? I moved to Boston (well, the People's Republic of Cambridge, to be precise) from the U.K. about three years ago, so I've some experience, but to be useful you probably need to give some more information about yourself (age, what kind of a job you have/expect to have, leisure interests -- apart from the Patriots! -- and what amount you might be expecting to pay for housing). Anyway, I'll start with your list: "weather, crime, housing, transport, education and general quality of life". Weather Americans have various fixed beliefs about the UK and one of them is that the weather is terrible. Unfortunately, Boston's is worse -- colder in winter (and winter goes on for longer) and muggy-hot in summer. But there are several consolations. First, the winter tends to be clear and cold (it's been pretty darned cold this week but with blue skies). Second, the weather is really dramatic. The adage "If you don't like the weather, wait for fifteen minutes" has a lot of truth. It's amazing how fast things change (Boston is where different weather-systems come together) and that's somewhat exciting. Finally, there is the fall. From about the beginning of September through sometimes to the middle of November, the weather is perfect: in the twenties to thirties, not humid, with a light breeze. Crime Apart from gun crime (now that's a big "apart", isn't it?) I feel that America has become much more law-abiding than the U.K. I can give you lots of little instances. Where I first lived -- in a pretty urban bit of Cambridge -- there was one of those big Weber barbecues sitting on the front lawn of the apartment building next to mine. And it just sat there through the autumn into the winter. No one nicked it or chucked it through a window in drunken exuberance. Not like back home, I'm afraid ... Housing This is really impossible to answer unless I know more about what you want and what you would be able to pay. Yes, it's expensive. A decent-sized apartment in a nice area is in the $2-$3,000 dollar range (with utilities). Further out it may be cheaper, but commuting can be tough. Transport The Boston public transport system (the "T") isn't bad, but it isn't any great shakes by European standards. For Americans, anyway, "transport" still means "car". Boston isn't the easiest city to commute in to, I'm told, but that's what most people do. (I don't have a car, but people assume that's because I'm some kind of fanatical eco-fundamentalist -- we have a lot of those in Cambridge.) Education Personally, I'm a great fan of American education, particularly at primary (elementary) level. What you need to appreciate, though, is that there is a vast variation from educational district to district. Although Greater Boston is to all intents and purposes one large city, it's broken up into politically separate units (like Cambridge), of which Boston is only one. This has enormous effects politically and especially on education. Thus the schools in Boston itself are much less good than those in affluent suburbs (but separate communities) such as Brookline or Newton. General Quality of Life I could go on for hours, but for me the best thing about America is Americans. In my experience, Americans are considerate and helpful, energetic and optimistic and welcoming of social interaction with strangers. In fact, they're civilized. When I go back to Europe I often find myself asking "what's the matter with everybody? why are they so negative and hostile?" -- at least for the first few days until I get that way myself again! That's a generalization, of course -- nowhere is perfect -- but, for me, it's a big, big plus. __________________ Q: Could Randy Moss play for the Patriots? Bill Belichick: Why not? My prized possessions: Our family pictures; my dad and me getting doused by Bruschi in Super Bowl XXXIX [Shalize Manza Young Up Close with ... Bill Belichick] To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Well, Pats fans should be invincible by now. [Fitzy, 16 November 2009] Still here to learn

03-26-2009, 07:57 AM	#6
*Mike the Brit* Minuteman Target Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 3,843	Re: Moving to Boston? OK, from what you say, my hunch is that you would enjoy living here a lot and that you should jump at the chance. Although Cambridge is technically separate, I think of it as very much "living in the city" and, to be honest, I haven't spent much time in the suburbs (others on the board will be able to give you more detail) but the little I've seen seems to me to be just what you'd like: lots of woods and countryside and excellent for walks and outdoor pursuits. (A friend told me that the secret of the New England winter is to have something to do in the snow that you look forward to like skiing or snowshoeing.) I don't know about prices -- they've certainly come down a lot -- but I guess what you will do will be to come and rent something handy for work and then look around. Visas and stuff are a bit of a nightmare. My employer handled most of it (not perfectly efficiently!) but there are still forms for you to fill in and then you have to deal with the American Consulate, which is expensive (charge a fortune just for a phone call), inefficient (you have to wait ages for an appointment) and unpleasant (hours and hours in a hot waiting room -- if it were a theme park they could call it The Ellis Island Experience). But there you are, you've been warned. In the end, it's all worked out (so far -- I have to get my visa renewed!) You should definitely discuss this with your employers. One important point to check. If you're coming in on a visa, what about your wife? Will she want to work? Will she be able to? __________________ Q: Could Randy Moss play for the Patriots? Bill Belichick: Why not? My prized possessions: Our family pictures; my dad and me getting doused by Bruschi in Super Bowl XXXIX [Shalize Manza Young Up Close with ... Bill Belichick] To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Well, Pats fans should be invincible by now. [Fitzy, 16 November 2009] Still here to learn

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