How to temporarily move to the USA

I love to travel and I cannot stay at one place for more than a few years (which has good and bad sides, but I will talk more about it in the future blog posts), and for the last two years or so, I was playing with a thought of working in the United States. My main reason for that decision was to combine work and travel, and experience a new culture at the same time.

I had to finish the university first, which was not that hard, except the fact that I could not travel a lot because of all the classes and exams, and after I graduated from university of education (with the highest grade, of course), I finally made the giant leap and moved to the United states of America.

The road to the USA... I mean, to the airport from where I flew into the USA.

More precisely, to the city in Ohio that you have probably never heard about before, called Dayton. Well, if you are a fan of aviation, you might have heard of it, since it is the home of Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

I am sure you all know who Wright brothers were. If you are a traveler, you probably do, since Wright brothers invented something awesome, that allows you to get from A to B very fast. Now you probably know what I am talking about. The plane. And the house where they resided, is situated in the same suburb where I live. But, shame on me, I did not see the inside of their house (well, mansion) yet. But I will… before I leave Dayton. Or so I am telling myself.

Oh, the paperwork...

But let’s get back to Dayton. More precisely, to the process of bringing myself (and my 40 kilograms of luggage) here. Of course, you need a visa if you want to work in the United states of America and, to be honest, it is quite a long and painful process to get one.

Since I was applying for a job in the educational field, I needed to prove that I have at least 200 hours of childcare experience. And how did I prove it? I needed to get three references from my previous employers. Then, I had an interview at the agency and they called my referees to confirm that I did not make stuff up, like write one of the references for myself.

After a successful interview and confirmation of references, I had to find an employer, for whom I will work while staying in the United states. After that, I had to make an appointment at the American embassy in my country, pay the visa fee, pay the fee to the agency, get to the interview and convince the lady at the counter that I am the right person for that job, that I really really really want to work in the United states of America and that I intend to return back after an agreed period of time, which is maximum two years. And I got the visa! Well, obviously, since I am writing this blog from a comfortable couch with a view of one of the Dayton suburbs.

Getting to Dayton involved three flights. First stop - New York!

Sounds like a never ending process? Yes, it is long, but trust me, it is worth it! Not just because I am getting to know a new culture and country, but, not to brag, my paycheck is much bigger than it would be back at home. Here, I earn in a day what I would earn in my home country in a week.

And guess what, that means more travel. Three weeks of paid vacation per year are also one of the perks of my current job. I am telling you, if there is a little thought in the back of your head, telling you that you should try something new, such as moving abroad, go for it! Of course it can (and it will) be hard sometimes, but for me, that is just a part of travelling.

Okay, I got carried away a little bit, I admit it. But I really like to write about my experiences and encourage others to get out of the house (or flat, whatever) and explore. So, I blinked twice and the day that I had to start packing, had come. But what to pack for a year or more in a foreign country? It is simpler than you would think – a little bit of everything, and no overpacking! You will regret it, since you will probably be buying stuff while living abroad.

Yes, that was the amount of luggage that I brought. Too much!

And carrying forty kilograms of luggage around the airport is not fun either. I learned my lesson the hard way – when I was living in Barcelona, I went there with one suitcase and came back with two. And I was only there for three months! So, I think that having 40 kilograms of luggage for a year is not that bad. And I do admire people who can travel with almost no luggage. Oh well, some of us are not meant to survive like that.

Why Dayton?

‘How is Dayton? And why would you move there? ’, was the question that I was asked by my friends and family constantly in my first weeks here in the States. Some people are still asking me that. So here is my answer: I don’t really know! I got this amazing job offer and the location was not the most important thing for me.

I soon realized that moving to Ohio was an amazing decision. Most people who travel to the United states of America, only decide to see the tourist hot spots, such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and others.

And since I am not living in a big, popular city, the cost of living is much much lower than in most major cities. Let me just tell you this - beer in Dayton: 2 USD, beer in New York: 5 USD. This way, I can save a lot of money for travelling, which is one of my greatest passions.

By living in Ohio, I get to experience the American midwest, which is, as I already mentioned, a part of the country that most tourists do not venture into. Although Dayton can be quite boring from time to time, especially during winter, that makes travelling to new places during my vacation much more valuable and exciting. I think that if I lived in San Francisco or New York, I would not appreciate it that much, and I would most likely not have a lot of desire to travel to other places in the United states.

The city of Dayton itself is not the safest (it is considered to be the overdose capital of the United states. Do not tell my parents! ) and it is not very big (but it has some very interesting sights), and it has those typical American suburbs with cute houses, just like you see in the movies. And I am beyond lucky to live in one of them. I took quite a lot of pictures of these houses, this one is one of my favourites so far:

It looks German, which reminds me of Europe, where my home is, but it is also enormous, as all the American houses are. And one of the reasons why this house is one of my favorites is, well, because I live in it!

And this is how typical streets in Dayton look like. Pretty American, right?

You must now be wondering what my job here is. Since I don’t want to reveal everything in my first blog post, stay tuned until I write the next one!

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Photo gallery