German family will move to the US - where to live? (Chicago: rental, credit)

[flo12345]

Dear all,

as mentioned in the headline, we're a family (2 girls, 10 and 5 years old) and we'll move from Germany to the US as I got an offer from my employer to take over responsibility in our plant close to Kenosha.
As it is more or less impossible to buy a home without having a credit history (the German one is not accepted) I'm looking for a rental home.
The problem I currently have is, that I don't have any idea what school destricts are ok and what area is good and save to live with a family respectively with kids.
I've had a look on rent.com, but haven't found a home for rent in Kenosha or Pleasant Prairie so far.
What about Grayslake or Gurnee? I hope I can get some support to find a reasonable area to live....

If you need more information please let me know.

Thanks in advance for your help
Florian

PS: I've already posted the same in Wisconsin forum, but wanted to post in Chicago suburbs as well in order to get more information.

[linicx]

I have friends in Grayslake. She is lawyer; he owns a business. As far as I know the schools are fine.

Your biggest issue will be culture shock. Chicago is an area of 10 Million people. It will most likely "feel" a lot like Berlin, London, Amsterdam or Paris because of its size and traffic. Cook County (Chicago) is nearly 1000 square miles of people, cars, trains and buses.

Kenosha is a smaller town and slower paced. And due to the size difference it will feel more like a farm town when compared to Chicago. You can always come to Chicago. Probably the most important thing to know right how is shcools has alread started. You will need their medical records. their school records plus current medical and eye exams and their shots have to be up to date. You will probably need their birth certificates, passports, records, current medical exams, and a permant addreses when you go to register for school. Proof of permanent address is usually a utility bill for gas and lights but you won't have one yet Some Kindergarten classes are half-day and some are not.

Good luck and welcome to your new home! .

[Creo]

I'm afraid this is the only input I have for your situation: I know the IL side of the border better than the WI side. Libertyville is a suburb that has what I would consider a nice downtown area- there are pretty shops and places to eat and it is one area that far from Chicago where people can walk in the center of the town. Also, I'm told the schools are good and the area is safe. However, Google says that the drive to Kenosha is about 43 minutes. For Americans, this is not completely crazy, but for a European, it might be way too much.

What is important to you besides schools for the children? Do you want a quiet town where you stay at home in private or would you like to be very active in the community? Do you need a place a worship near your home? I think that answering these questions and giving more information about what you want could help people help you with your search.

Best of luck with your move.

[flo12345]

thank you both for your reply.
It's difficult to define what I (we) really want.
I've been visiting Chicago area last summer for holiday reasons and I have had my "head-quarter" in a soth west Chicago suburb called Lemont.
For me, Lemont was a "dead city" in the middle of nowhere, so I'd appreciate to live in a area where a shopping mall and other things like WalMart are close to.
Another important point would be a great neighborhood whith open people with a "out of the box" thinking, because I'm afraid it can be difficult for my wife to make friends. She will not be allowed to work for the first six months, so my feeling is that this could be a matter of concern.

I will be in the company during working days and the children will be at school or pre-school, what should be helpful to make friends and have somebody to talk with.

[chicagojlo]

There is an international moms meetup group (Do something, Learn something, Share something, Change something - Meetup) that is based in the northwest suburbs. A town like Libertyville would give you good access to Kenosha while giving your wife a chance to make friends, the schools are good, there are plenty of malls in the area and there are lots of houses to rent. There are a lot of expats living in this area so you wouldn't be out of place.

[Chummy Waters]

Great. Another job an American won't get.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by Chummy Waters

Great. Another job an American won't get.

Hey schwanzkopf (german for d*&#@-head)! Typically these jobs are foreign companies with American operations or American companies with overseas locations who move these people to the states because there is a need and they are usually the best person for the job. AND many Americans take temporary assignments overseas as well, where foreign Chum-heads can criticize them as well. Many times these jobs require fluency in not just 2 languages but several languages. Oh yes, I know, the American education system just cranks out millions of students who are fluent in English, French, Spanish, German and Italian. And under the free enterprise system, why can't the company decide who they want to have working for them? If I remember correctly, to legally hire a foreign worker, the employer must prove they cannot find an American citizen that has the qualifications the company needs.

[Vlajos]

If you felt Lemont was dead, I would avoid Kenosha at all costs.

[cubssoxfan]

Originally Posted by chicagojlo

There is an international moms meetup group (Do something, Learn something, Share something, Change something - Meetup) that is based in the northwest suburbs. A town like Libertyville would give you good access to Kenosha while giving your wife a chance to make friends, the schools are good, there are plenty of malls in the area and there are lots of houses to rent. There are a lot of expats living in this area so you wouldn't be out of place.

I believe Libertyville schools are pretty good as well. Good recreational opportunities as well with several bike paths, forest preserves and good road biking easily accesible.
You also have the Donauschwaben Society Donauschwaben Society in Chicago | to help keep the German culture alive with your children. Or a bit farther in Chicago: DANK Haus German American Cultural Center - Chicago
This may also help: German Language and School Society
Macht's Gut! Tschuss.

[flo12345]

Originally Posted by Chummy Waters

Great. Another job an American won't get.

This reply makes me a little upset
I allways thought that Americans (I don't want to tar all with the same brush - becasue my experiance with American people is totally dfferent) is open for different cultures and my opinion is that everbody of us should have the same rights - sorry but people like you are responsible for bad things which are happening everyday all over the world.

You're not like the Americans I met before, and I really hope there are not a lot of people in the world with such bloody opinions.

BTW: The company I'm working for bought a facility which has been shut down a while ago and now my company bought this plant and is trying to start up a new production which will generate jobs for a lot of local people.

I know that my English is not as good as yours, but I hope you can understand what I've tried to make clear.