Starting Life/Work in US - Tips and Stories

[Vera]

^Try Yelp.com -- can't recommend a single store kasi maraming must-visit baby baby stores dito.

[Vera]

^thanks gnela i have a one week US trip this July and papakiramdaman ko din kung ano pwede ko gawin jan.

The health industry is still booming but there are still a lot of jobless people here. Two uncles recently lost their jobs. I was told that those who are looking for jobs have to compete with those who are more qualified than they are. And, if they used to get paid 70K a year, because of the economy, employers tend to low-ball the employees and pay them 25% less than what they used to get.

Having said that, I feel that the economy is improving. I think you should come visit and check the job market here.

[pilyaz]

ill be going in us in 4 months now.with a tourist visa but will be looking for work there. may friend ako na may kakilala na pede kami magkaron ng working visa.
im a nursing graduate. nag fail ako sa board exam but planning to take another.
im scared kung anong madadatnan ko sa u.s, im not yet ready. i have no friends and relatives there. saan maganda mgwork there? anong work ang okay kaya? hay.. natatakot na ako.

[seduce_me]

^It would be great if you get a job here sis. Saan ba sa US ang friend ng friend mo? meron ka bang kakilala bukod sa kanya? kung wala, just stay close wherever he/she is. He/she can show you around and probably give you tips and help you on some things. Ok naman sa kahit anong state ka magwork eh, as long as you have the legal papers to do so. I'm here in North Carolina, I adjusted really quick sa lifestyle and culture. Don't be scared, you will learn everything as you go. Ang downside lang naman is maho-homesick ka once in a while. As everyone says, iba talaga sa Pilipinas.

[twelvth_goddess]

Yung family friend namin sa Cali met up with me when I was there. Sabe nya hintayin ko daw muna mag-stabilize yung economy talaga before I bring my husband there. Naisip ko din, Cali may not be the best place for us to start kase sobrang taas ng cost of living and panalo sa laki ng taxes. Maybe sa east coast will be better.

[gnela_21]

^broke ang CA sis, i-legalized na nga nila ang marijuana just to get by. Not the best time and place to migrate not unless you have a job waiting for you. Dito sa IL, lubog din sa utang, hahaha. Oh well, recession pa din talaga!

[twelvth_goddess]

^onga eh. mejo matagal-tagal pa siguro.

[AnneMP]

hi girls, pa-join muna while I'm exiled dito sa States.  I'm on a tourist visa so I'm not looking for tips on getting work dito sa US   I'm staying here in Downey California.  I came here July 2 lang.  And I'm off to NJ sa July 21 to stay in Mount Holly indefinitely. This is my first time na mag-stay during summer. Usually, spring kami nakaka bakasyon dito.

[kay_olive]

ok sis welcome summer ngaun dito ka tiis ka sa init sis..
 

hi girls, pa-join muna while I'm exiled dito sa States.  I'm on a tourist visa so I'm not looking for tips on getting work dito sa US   I'm staying here in Downey California.  I came here July 2 lang.  And I'm off to NJ sa July 21 to stay in Mount Holly indefinitely. This is my first time na mag-stay during summer. Usually, spring kami nakaka bakasyon dito.

[AnneMP]

Onga eh. Sabi ng cousin ko, I need to brace myself kasi iba daw init dito   today hindi ako masyado na homesick.  Preoccupied ako masyado sa weather. Today ko lang naramdaman kasi na mainit na.

[pretinnes]

sisters question lang: pwede ba kumuha ng driver's license kapag tourist visa holdeR? cousin ko kasi balak kumuha, she's on tourist visa. thanks.

[Vera]

Guys heard on the news that 2011 is the year the US economy will improve. Let's hope this is true. People start to invest again.

[xthine]

^^I'm not sure about how it works these days but 3 years ago I was not able to when I tried to get a drivers license in San Jose CA while on a tourist visa because they do not issue SSNs to tourist visa holders.  Back then though a tourist visa holder can drive without a US drivers license, you just needed your passport and i94 on hand whenever you drive.

[krisle703]

^ last year I tried to apply for a temp driver's license in Sta Cruz Ca pero medyo mahigpit sila dun but my friend who is in Santa Clara was able to get his own license and ID using his passport.. btw we;re both on a tourist visa then.. You can use your passport and your ph license but only up tp 3 months..

[xthine]

^I see that..yeah looks like they changed it.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_info.htm#SSN

[pretinnes]

krisle and xthine: thanks much! i will tell her to use her pinas DL nalang since pwede naman pala.

[mariacia]

Hi mga sis,

Magtatanong lang po. May job offer ang hubby ko sa Austin Texas and plan nya kami isama (me and our daughter) i just want to inquire magkano ba dapat ang salary range nya to have a good life in U.S. kung sya lang magwowork?  Magkno kaya overall expense namin per month like house , food, gas, utilities,school fees for our 5 years old daughter,tax ,etc?

Mas okey pa rin ba magsettle sa America compare sa Singapore?

[seduce_me]

^Depende sis kung ano trabaho ng hubby mo, his pay and if meron siyang housing allowance etc on top of his salary. If you will live in a city area, mas malaki ang cost of living compare to somewhere country. I can't give you exact figures kung magkano ang expenses, it depends on where you live kasi.

Kung alin ang mas ok, I'd settle for US pa rin. Mas maraming benefits, like for health benifits and education ng daughter ninyo. And kahit hubby mo lang ang nagta-trabaho, you can still get more opportunities to work at home for a part time.

[gnela_21]

Hi mga sis,

Magtatanong lang po. May job offer ang hubby ko sa Austin Texas and plan nya kami isama (me and our daughter) i just want to inquire magkano ba dapat ang salary range nya to have a good life in U.S. kung sya lang magwowork?  Magkno kaya overall expense namin per month like house , food, gas, utilities,school fees for our 5 years old daughter,tax ,etc?

Mas okey pa rin ba magsettle sa America compare sa Singapore?

It would really depend on the job na ni-ooffer sa husband mo, and kung san kayo titira. Same as everywhere else, location plays a major key lalo na sa status of living. Verify nyo if working visa yung iffile sa kanya, kasi kapag under that, you WON'T be allowed to work  so stay at home mom ka. With regards to expenses, bigyan kita ng idea.

We live here in Chicagoland western suburbs. We're renting a 1-bedroom apartment. $750 a month. Utilities na kasama sa rent are heat, gas and water. We pay for the electric (mababa ang bill kapag winter since no a/c, mataas kapag summer). Usually electric bill are within $25-30 (spring, fall and winter) then $50-70 (summer). We're paying for a japanese car that we got brand new, we're lucky kasi parang ni-co sign kami ng company so wala kaming downpayment and maliit lang APR namin kahit bagong dating kami. We're paying less than $400 monthly for the car, then around $70 for the car insurance. Internet, cable and home phone (kakakuha lang namin ng home phone para sa home fax, which we need for work) $125 a month sa at&t uverse. Then another $125 monthly for the mobile phone (family plan). Gas are generally cheap, as well as food.

Regarding school fees, di ko pa alam kasi wala pa kaming kids.

[mariacia]

^mga sis, thanks sa mga reply nyo.

Btw, any idea how much ang income tax sa Austin Texas? And ano kaya visa applicable sa akin para makapagwork Jan?

Then, ano possible job sa bahay if ever work at home ako?


Thanks Again.