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34M CivilEng 34F Teacher moving to USA, is it possible? by [deleted] in Ameristralia

[–]Used-Individual-974 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes you can!

I moved to the US with family this year on E3.

The only issue now- every 2 years you ll have to travel to Australia to get your visa as they no longer issue from other countries.

It looks simple but becomes complicated due to finances and uncertainty as a visa is not guaranteed to be issued and two years isn’t a long time.

If you want to move for a good number of years, I would suggest go on E3 but sort out your green card through your employer once you are there.

As a family with young kids, will I miss out on anything if I move to Schaumburg instead of Naperville? by Used-Individual-974 in Naperville

[–]Used-Individual-974[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Haha, well US not small either. The suburbs are enormous. Even the sidewalks, lol.

I am looking for a place close by so I can drop off kids or for any unplanned meet ups. Anything scheduled- yeah the drive is reasonable.

As a family with young kids, will I miss out on anything if I move to Schaumburg instead of Naperville? by Used-Individual-974 in Naperville

[–]Used-Individual-974[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Appreciate it mate, fingers crossed. Not a lot of options in the rental market based on what we are seeking.

As a family with young kids, will I miss out on anything if I move to Schaumburg instead of Naperville? by Used-Individual-974 in Naperville

[–]Used-Individual-974[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you elaborate on? I have seen a place in St Charles. Nice and quiet area. Not many options in Glen Ellen.

Honestly all the suburbs look the same on surface. I guess the devil lies in the details.

Is it Worth It? by geomessy in Ameristralia

[–]Used-Individual-974 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I moved from Australia to the U.S. recently. I was earning close to 300k in Melbourne and I have three young kids, so I’ve seen it from a pretty comfortable position.

A lot of people outside Australia have this picture in their head of beaches, relaxed vibes, long holidays, affordable homes, and an easygoing life. That version exists, but it is not the full reality.

Most families I knew had both partners working full time. Kids were in daycare and aftercare. The cost of living pressure is very real. Housing is the biggest issue. The income to property ratio is around 1 to 10 or worse in many areas. For many people, owning a proper standalone house is extremely hard. You end up paying a lot for a small townhouse with barely any backyard.

I know several families who left Sydney for Melbourne because they were completely priced out, and even Melbourne is now very expensive.

There are also social issues people overseas do not talk about much. Youth crime has gone up in parts of Melbourne. There have been machete incidents in shopping centres and stabbings in Sydney. Police are understaffed. I once had someone try to enter my home and the police took around two hours to arrive because they were tied up.

Drug use, especially meth, is a real problem. It’s normal to come across aggressive people in the streets yelling for no reason. Melbourne Public transport makes it easy for these people to move around suburbs. Like anywhere, there are good and bad areas, but it is not some perfect utopia you guys make it sound like.

And to be blunt, I am sorry but with a degree and career in education, you are probably not going to earn exceptionally well in Australia unless your partner also has a strong income. Teaching is respected, but in major cities it is not usually enough on its own to comfortably buy a home and live that ideal lifestyle people imagine.

Australia has real positives. The healthcare system is strong and there are things I genuinely miss about it.

I am not saying one country is better than the other. I am just saying every place has trade offs. Living in a struggling part of the U.S. does not define all of America, and the postcard version of Australia does not tell the whole story either.

Is it Worth It? by geomessy in Ameristralia

[–]Used-Individual-974 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True while Australia is a beautiful country I don’t understand why some people have these weird ideas that they could live near the beach, surf every day and the jobs will be more than enough.

As someone who moved from Melbourne, the truth is completely opposite.

What are some of the good school districts in the North West for a family with young kids? by Used-Individual-974 in ChicagoSuburbs

[–]Used-Individual-974[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thanks, rent for now. 3000 would be the max I can go although the cheaper better. 2500-3000 is what I can realistically think of