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This is my first post here although have been reading through the forum for quite sometime now. I will try to be short and simple. Below is my current situation and background:
1) I am Asian and have recently received my green card and planning to move to usa in early 2013.
2) I have completed my MBA in my country.
3) I have a total of around 6 years experience behind me, which includes 4 years with one of the world's largest shipping company (sea going vessel / logistics business), working 1.5 years with the world's largest chemical company and currently am working in a big multinational bank as a relationship manager.
4) I hardly have any friends in USA. The friends that I do have or the family members are already settled in high paying jobs and somewhat aren't resourceful enough to help me settle in.
5) When I arrive in California USA early2013, I will barely have 2K - 3K with me, thanks to the recent stock market crash in my home country.
6) I will stay and work in USA and save some money when my wife will join me after 6 months and complete her masters degree in a university in USA. I need to save some money in this time to support her.
Given the above situation, I am really clueless and confused on what to do. Seeing the recent posts and comments, I am planning to head to ND to try my luck. But I have a few problems - I am new to the USA culture, can barely buy a junk car with 1000-1500 and spend the rest as relocation expenses. I literally have no credit build up except for a credit card I have been using for the last 2 months.
Can anyone please help me / show me directions on what I should do? many posts do have these information, but they are again at times confusing to me as I am quite new to the USA landscape.
Would really appreciate some help in this regard. Also I apologize for such a lengthy and detailed post, hope you will bear with me.
This is my first post here although have been reading through the forum for quite sometime now. I will try to be short and simple. Below is my current situation and background:
1) I am Asian and have recently received my green card and planning to move to usa in early 2013.
2) I have completed my MBA in my country.
3) I have a total of around 6 years experience behind me, which includes 4 years with one of the world's largest shipping company (sea going vessel / logistics business), working 1.5 years with the world's largest chemical company and currently am working in a big multinational bank as a relationship manager.
4) I hardly have any friends in USA. The friends that I do have or the family members are already settled in high paying jobs and somewhat aren't resourceful enough to help me settle in.
5) When I arrive in California USA early2013, I will barely have 2K - 3K with me, thanks to the recent stock market crash in my home country.
6) I will stay and work in USA and save some money when my wife will join me after 6 months and complete her masters degree in a university in USA. I need to save some money in this time to support her.
Given the above situation, I am really clueless and confused on what to do. Seeing the recent posts and comments, I am planning to head to ND to try my luck. But I have a few problems - I am new to the USA culture, can barely buy a junk car with 1000-1500 and spend the rest as relocation expenses. I literally have no credit build up except for a credit card I have been using for the last 2 months.
Can anyone please help me / show me directions on what I should do? many posts do have these information, but they are again at times confusing to me as I am quite new to the USA landscape.
Would really appreciate some help in this regard. Also I apologize for such a lengthy and detailed post, hope you will bear with me.
Regards / Ali
Hi there
I love North Dakota but I do wonder if there isnt a better area to go to right away. Your education and experience may make it better to go toward a larger metro such as Minneapolis-St Paul or other areas. Reason I say that is I think the days of arriving in western ND and getting a high paying oil rig job right away is fading a bit...and plus housing is pretty expensive and very hard to find out there. Thus you may well not have enough savings to last.
I dont want to discourage you as I dont know exactly what you want job-wise and for what you have done in the past it seems a larger city/metro area would be easier to adapt too. Plus our climate can be a bit extreme at times and unless you are used to cold weather may be hard to get used to off the bat if you want to move here in the Jan-March period.
Fargo and Bismarck are the two biggest cities in the state....Fargo has a ND state Unv....and where I work in Grand Forks there is the Univ of North Dakota. Fargo or Grand Forks may be a bit easier to move too if you want to move to ND but we are not in oil country. Jobs are plentiful, but high paying ones are always a bit harder. Fargo is the largest city in the state and would have the most options and also the lowest cost of living.
Many thanks for your well thought comments. Just to clarify a bit n some of the questions you asked:
1) I heard that jobs are all dried up in usa, especially if you do not have a local degree. Right now since I don't have much money I cant really invest in further education in usa and don't want to get entangled in loans.
2) I really don't know where and with what to start. I need a stepping stone and from there onwards will see where fate takes me. I would certainly like a decent paying office job where I can put my skills into work, but for the time being open to anything. Really looking forward to about a grand or similar in savings. for starting a job that pays for living, fuel and small luxuries like high speed internet, a road trip once a month is good enough for me.
3) I come from a very hot and humid weather .. though I have a very high degree of adaptability the tough winter is my main concern.
4) I am not too concerned about whether the place is an oil country - i just need a job to start (a job for which I don't need to hunt for weeks and months).
I am sorry for probably being repetitive but with almost zero leads to any help - people like you are my best hope not to starve in USA or turning into a public charge.
While things job-wise in the US is not great in most places, many midwest states have done pretty well. I know Texas has done very well the last few years and may be a choice to consider....one a bit more adaptable with several large cities to choose from. Costs for living in Dallas metro area are less than up here (at least housing and in likely most things). If not looking for oil per se....than definitely stick closer to a larger city. There are jobs to be had for sure in ND....health care is booming....but a lot of jobs are more service sector jobs and may not pay terribly well. The twin cities (MSP) have been doing well and have a virbrant culture plus several colleges large and small and may be place to look at first along with places in Texas as you will find a variety of job possibilities.
Now I dont know anything about new immigrants and green cards and if any restrictions for employment, so I hate to lead you astray on anything like that.
It all depends on what job you may want in the short term. I assume with a green card you are eligible for most jobs.... would a starter job at a retail store be something ok... I know you can get a job in that stuff quite fast....and then you willl have time to learn about what is out there in the region you choose to live. You mentioned your wife coming over for her masters. You will need to make sure you live in an area where she could go to school for her degree. I know as I mentioned locally Grand Forks and Fargo have large state universities that have most everything between the two. Fargo itself is larger and would be easy to get accustomed too living wise. But while some from warmer climates can adapt to a colder climate others cannot. How do you feel being in a winter climate with snow on the ground for 3-4 months and temperatures dropping to -20 to -25C at times. This is for Dec-Jan-Feb...
Lots to consider....but yes there are jobs here in ND and I would venture into the larger cities as oil towns such as Williston and also Minot are just way too expensive right now.
This is my first post here although have been reading through the forum for quite sometime now. I will try to be short and simple. Below is my current situation and background:
1) I am Asian and have recently received my green card and planning to move to usa in early 2013.
2) I have completed my MBA in my country.
3) I have a total of around 6 years experience behind me, which includes 4 years with one of the world's largest shipping company (sea going vessel / logistics business), working 1.5 years with the world's largest chemical company and currently am working in a big multinational bank as a relationship manager.
4) I hardly have any friends in USA. The friends that I do have or the family members are already settled in high paying jobs and somewhat aren't resourceful enough to help me settle in.
5) When I arrive in California USA early2013, I will barely have 2K - 3K with me, thanks to the recent stock market crash in my home country.
6) I will stay and work in USA and save some money when my wife will join me after 6 months and complete her masters degree in a university in USA. I need to save some money in this time to support her.
Given the above situation, I am really clueless and confused on what to do. Seeing the recent posts and comments, I am planning to head to ND to try my luck. But I have a few problems - I am new to the USA culture, can barely buy a junk car with 1000-1500 and spend the rest as relocation expenses. I literally have no credit build up except for a credit card I have been using for the last 2 months.
Can anyone please help me / show me directions on what I should do? many posts do have these information, but they are again at times confusing to me as I am quite new to the USA landscape.
Would really appreciate some help in this regard. Also I apologize for such a lengthy and detailed post, hope you will bear with me.
Regards / Ali
Why are you starting out in Calif. Do u have family or friends there? California is a very populated place making it much harder to secure work. Coming from asia most likly you would be going to San Francisco or Los angeles. Its very hard to get on your feet at either one with very little money> i know i was born and raised there. My little sister got her masters degree at Berkley by San Fran, very expensive in that area, even Hotels Money would be gone in no time. If you want to start in a good place go to Minneapolis MN, You can get a affordable hotel right away. you can find a temp service that will fit your needs very fast. and there is very good public transportation thru out the whole city. I havnt worked in over a year or even tryed till yesterday. stopped at one temp have been offered job in ND which got put on hold because dmv made mistake on driver license, at same time the temp try to offer me more work like flying me to other states paying well with food and hotels payed for, But not what i want to do right now. there is always work here. there are temp agencies just for office clerical if thats what u want, and all pay well enough to get you a good start. There is a strong oriental population here but not many Chinese, Mostly from vietnam, Laos ,Mong. so you can find some good markets for the things you know. Trust me I came here from California with 200.00 dollars in my pocket 21 years ago with no one to turn to and got on my feet in no time. From here you can safely study the US and see if there is a better fit for you some were else.
When i first posted in this site, I was almost certain that I would be ignored or bashed - I am just over whelmed by the level or response and support. I simply just cant thank you enough.
To start with, I am based in CA because that was my point of entry. What i have seen there, its not my cup of tea and I want to be out of there. Minneapolis definitely will add to my list of options.
One problem that I also have is that due to lack of knowledge, do not know how to budget. Like without friends what to do once i am in a new city - how much should I have with me ... these small things make the whole process daunting for me ... with the information provided by all of you - it gives me hope and courage to face the unforeseen and also start low and then eventually start to build the American dream.
The Green Card is indeed the authorization to live and work in USA. Other than required permits (like drivers license, nursing license etc) green card holders are free to work anywhere and in any capacity.
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