A survival kit for every soon-to-be American immigrant

One of my biggest pet peeves about U.S. aliens is that they can talk forever about the immigration process, without mentioning a word about the logistics of relocation.
How much money do you need to raise in order to sustain yourself and your family for at least two months? Should you buy a car right away? What about the power outlets, do you need a new phone charger? 

The list I’m about to share is based solely on my experience. I’m not expecting anyone to follow it to a T. Of course, some people came here with nothing besides their courage and still succeeded. That left them, though, with life-long emotional scars, which no amount of money can heal. These things may seem like a no-brainer to U.S. natives, but future aliens can use them to jumpstart their American dream.

1.     Don’t come here without at least $10K in your bank account, more if you have children. Trust me on this one. The psychical comfort of having enough money will prevent you to mentally crumble, when weeks will pass without any response to your job applications. Besides, you never know what could happen. Previous to my arrival in U.S., I paid a small fortune to improve my general health, especially my teeth and eyes. I thought I wouldn’t have to see a doctor anytime soon. I did, two weeks after arriving here. Apparently, the quick visual exam you supposed to do before having permission to take the driver’s license written test, showed I was legally blind. WITH my glasses on. It cost me 250 dollars to change the lenses at Walmart’s vision center, the cheapest I could find. By comparison, with these money we could have bought a month worth of groceries. 

2.  Be sure you know how to drive and buy a car. I wrote extensively about this subject here. We now own a 2002 Hyundai Elantra that we managed to snag with just $1.200. It enables us to go places at a drop of a hat, avoiding the headache of public transportation.

3.  You must have a smartphone! I use to think of it as a trifle, now I see it as an extension of my limbs. It wasn’t until I got lost on my way to a job interview, that I finally understand this. In a city the size of a small country, Google maps is your best friend and if you happened to ignore point 2 of this list, you’ll also need a CTA track app. You’re welcome!

4.  Speaking about jobs…Start searching for one as soon as possible. I’d say don’t wait more than a week to do that. Seven days are plenty to get a sense of your new home, neighborhood, city etc. After that, subscribe to every job search website out there, with more than one resume version. Make a job out of it. Most big companies require candidates to fill application on their own site and go through several online job simulations. That’s how my husband got his job. It takes time. Just do it.