Moving back to the US (after 7+ years living in Germany)
NOTE: I do not want comments bemoaning the current state of US politics on this post. Rest assured that I am well aware of all that. Focusing on that will not help me in my current situation and will only serve to depress me. Please respect my wishes on this.
So others here might remember that about a year ago I posted about how I was getting divorced. While nothing's happened on paper yet, my ex and I have lived separately since then. Between taking in-person German language classes and making new online friends, I've been doing a lot of work on myself in the interim, and my mental health has been mostly doing a lot better than it was while I was married, barring a few short-term dips.
Unfortunately, my unemployment ran out, and I'm no closer to getting a job in my field, and not for lack of trying. The German job market sucks absolute ass right now, and while my German language skills have improved a huge amount over the past year, they're not good enough to overcome the average German's preference for a native speaker, which in this job market is enough. Anyway, the long and short of it is that I'm broke and there's no clear solution here in Germany for that for me.
Luckily for me, I'm still quite young in the grand scheme of things, and I have parents who love me and are willing to support me in getting back home to the US, alongside letting me live with them in my childhood home until I get a job and can save up enough to get back on my feet and get my own place. The job market in the US is better for me than in Germany (especially given the lack of a language barrier) and I have opportunities for further education and career pivots that wouldn't be possible for me in Germany right now. This, plus the fact that I really want to be there while my sister's young kids grow up, means moving back to the States is probably my best next step, moving forward.
I'm excited to be near my family again and to reconnect with friends in the area, but obviously I'm also pretty anxious about the whole experience. I'd love advice from others who have moved internationally about little things that are easily forgotten or are left out of the usual lists of things to consider during the planning stages. When I first moved to Germany, I was a poor student who just had a few suitcases with me, but now I'm an adult with more stuff I own that I value to some extent. I've already begun the process of slimming down what I plan to bring with me to the essentials and checking which electronics can be safely operated in the US with/without a transformer. But I'm sure there's something I've missed that other people have experience with and I'd love any advice from people who have made similar moves themselves.
Also, any little positives about adult life in the US or bits of advice for once I move back are appreciated. I moved to Germany right after I finished my bachelor's, so I don't have much experience as a "real adult" in the US. So any tips to help smooth along the adjustment process or little bits of advice for someone learning to live as an adult in suburban Ohio would be welcome. And any positivity is extremely appreciated -- it might be a tough ask here on Tildes and I know it can be hard in the current times, but that's exactly why I need what I can get.
Hey,
There are good peeps in Ohio (yes even there!). Idk the job prospects where you are heading or what you're thinking of doing but public universities and college towns are along with major cities often comfortably blue bubbles in red areas.
Most people will be Midwest polite - chatty and what have you - if you are, and living in Germany is the sort of thing that will get a lot of folks being chit-chatty. It's also great life experience you can sell in a job interview. You're now worldly. I haven't made any similar move so I can't help there. But if I can put you in touch with someone in higher ed, lmk.
Best of luck to you!
I'm sure you're mostly consumed with the logistics, cultural concerns, the divorce, etc. And that's all fair and practical, but it might help you to focus or at least just sit with the thought for awhile about how nice it can be to have a fresh start. Most people don't get to push the reset button on life after a big event like that and I wouldn't be surprised if it let's you bounce back sooner than most. Plus having the family nearby again will give you some great opportunities to reconnect, stave off the loneliness, and create opportunities to get out and do things. I'm sure it's a scary situation now, but this could very well turn out to be best case scenario. In any case, this Internet stranger is wishing you the best!
Thanks, I really appreciate this sentiment. I think it's the right attitude to have about this, focusing on the fresh start instead of on what it feels like I'm missing out on.
7+ year gap puts you emigrating around 2018?
One of the things I think you'll notice most immediately is "sticker shock". While prices have gone up just about everywhere around the globe, we've seen costs for housing and groceries rise significantly. If I recall correctly, beef products alone are up nearly 12% just this year. There's been a lot of price increases across all major consumer categories, including services. Just to renew my professional licenses has gone up about 15% over the last six years. When I break down the cost of groceries, we've had about an 18% increase over the last two years.
I've also experienced quite a bit of tip fatigue. I've been spending 2-3 weeks every other year in France visiting my dad, and one of the things I love is that when we're out and getting a coffee or a pastry, the cashier isn't flipping the screen around at me and coyly saying "Screen is gonna ask you a question" and it wants to know if I want to tip 10/20/30%. Places where tipping wasn't even a consideration when you left are very likely asking for tips now.
On that note, cash has become more rare. It's certainly still around, but I don't remember any businesses in 2018 being cashless, where as a handful of the ones I visit now are. But tap to pay is much more common now than it was when you left, which I find to be more convenient.
Finally, while doing my best to respect your wishes to remain apolitical, I just want to mention that while in your words you are aware of the political status in the US, I think viewing it from afar versus living it will be two different experiences. I'd like to just say that while view of hate seem to be more (publicly) widespread than they were when you left, please don't be too discouraged. There are still large swathes of people who don't want to spread hate, who want to be kind and supportive of others. Living here, it's easy to sometimes feel "trapped in the negative news cycle". But once you engage with your local community, I think you'll find that kindness is still the default for most Americans. Don't let the noise drown out the good.
Welcome home.
ugh they've started doing those tip screens in Germany too recently, and I'm not sufficiently culturally German to always click "no tip" either 😞 I think tipping at sit-down restaurants will be the bigger adjustment, as in Germany you really only toss down a couple bucks or round up to a nearby round number, so I'll have to get used to American-style tipping and doing that math in my head again.
And yeah good math, I moved to Germany in September 2018! I'd never visited before I moved there, which was a choice but it worked out well enough!
My quick and dirty math, using a bill of $32.34 as an example:
Move the decimal left one (3.234) and round up to the nearest whole number (4). I use that as 10%. Add half for 15%, double for 20%, and so on (if needed). I end up being slightly above my target percentages, but at a margin I'm okay with.
Feel free to use or ignore, to your taste, if it's helpful reintegrating into our tipping culture 😁 Good luck with your move!
20% is easy, since you just move a decimal place and double it. People will probably give you dirty looks if you tip under 20% at a sit-down restaurant nowadays, anyway.
15% is a solid no-go, and 18% is seen as a minimum. Might as well go 20%.
I always go for 20% because I don't want to have to do a lot of mental math but it's wrong to say 15% is a no-go. The majority of America tip 15% or less according to this pew research article.
I only tip 15% at most now. We must resist a future where 30% tips become culturally standard.
A barber once showed me a tip screen that went up to 50% and I laughed. The chutzpah.
30-50% is what I usually tip my barber lol. Their screens don't go that high and I have to manually input it. I've followed the same one to multiple shops though, and he's a friend of my girlfriend.
Honestly, I think we need to resist tipping culture in general, at a legislative level. Abolish lower tipped wages and apply pressure to discourage the practice.
That's news to me. I've always been told 15% is stingy to tip at a restaurant, even close to a decade ago, and you don't want that to reflect poorly on you.
I suspect there are multiple tipping cultures, and the typical amount varies regionally and/or is stratified across both sides of the median income.
Edit: it looks like the Pew surveys suggest bachelors degrees and income are correlated to tipping frequency and amount. I definitely picked up on 18% being normal on Reddit, circa 2012-2014, back when it still trended more educated and well off. And I've always gone over that, partly because 20% is easier.
I suspect age is relevant too, my boomer mom was very 15% strict (she's eased up and can afford to now) but I've been 20+ for a while (elder millennial).
I think if I were at a fine dining restaurant (where servers do get better pay) 15 might feel ok but with my relatively small meals I feel like a few bucks, regardless of the percentage, is a good thing.
I don't eat out much though
I've done four international moves in the last 11 years so I'm trying to think of things that aren't kind of common sense when moving.
Every time I got to a new place it would be months before any of my things would arrive. I quickly learned that living without stuff was really refreshing and I didn't miss most of the things I even sent myself. Take the essentials with you or ship in a way that they will get there quickly, the things you can't absolutely live without or at least the things that you'd really love to have.
While I didn't miss 90% of my things, getting my stuff months later was like a second Christmas where I would really rediscover the things I loved to have. My advice here is that when you decide what it is to keep and ship to yourself, try to invoke some Marie Kondo and imagine what is really going to bring you joy to see again. Everything else you can safely sell and decide whether it's something you really needed and maybe buy again later. You might be surprised and find yourself living a more simple life, I did but then again that's after four big big moves and not just one back to the States
Depending on what you're shipping be aware there could be possible Tarif/Tax implications. I've had some colleagues send their bought and paid for cars back to the US and get hit with surprise import taxes.
Ship all of things you don't mind not having for months the slowest way possible, this will save you a lot of money. Try to find a shipping service who will put your stuff in a ship container as that is the absolute cheapest way.
Reverse culture shock is going to be a real thing, especially since you left so young. The good news here is that life is going to be smoother and more flexible in the US than the more rigid German social expectations and impossible bureaucracy
Hold onto your German language skills! Take classes or find a local language group if you can, continue to consume German media. This is a skill that might serve you later in life and will be a fun party trick when people find out you speak a foreign language
You've already left the country once, if things don't work out for you there in the medium to long term you are going to be more able and willing to do it again
This may actually be a sort of blessing in disguise for you. I don't know how much attention you paid to German and European politics and economics but things are looking really grim here, it's only that the real effects are just starting to be seen. Germany is dealing with a years long financial crisis and several governments have been completely unable to address the contributing systemic deficiencies. Even if AFD ends up taking control of the Bundestag, which is a very real possibility as things continue to worsen, their solutions are in a lot of ways worse that what even the current ineffective governments are offering. As a fellow American in Germany who never really had any desire to move back to the States and considers his home to be here, as the situation becomes more and more clear to me it has me considering my own return to the homeland in a few years.
Lastly, try to control your expectations for the situation in the US. Media, especially social media, are really loud about politics in the US and how bad the economic situation is there but a great majority of people in the States are doing just fine with national politics having little tangible effect on their lives. Not to brush any of that under the rug, there are serious things needing to be addressed in the country, but just to reassure you that things are not that bad and there is still a lot of good to be had in the US. Maybe take it as an opportunity to compare and contrast how people in the world's largest economy live compared to how people in the world's third-largest economy live and recognize all the good things the US has going for it that most natives overlook, it might make reintegrating into society easier to recognize the good.
I think the AfD taking control of the Bundestag might be enough to balance out the political issues back in the States in my mental calculus... God, I hope that doesn't happen for others' sake, but oof hate how possible it is.
How much stuff are we talking about here? Definitely shop around on shipping costs (FedEx, UPS, DHL, EMS, freight...) vs bringing four pieces of luggage. It's more annoying to ship stuff because US Customs makes you itemize everything.
Get rid of large stuff unless it has a lot of sentimental value. Allow yourself to keep the small useless stuff. Make tradeoffs between them to cut down on the total amount of stuff.
There's not much that you actually need. Make sure your passport isn't expired and that your luggage isn't overweight. Don't worry about other things but also make the most of the time that you have left in Germany as you probably won't be back for a while! Do the Germany bucket list. I think that's the most important part (or if there's any paperwork that you need to do that you can only do in Germany)
This is great advice. I'd go further too (as I've moved quite a lot):
When moving, it's less really is more. Often it's also more expensive to move many things than to just buy new ones on arrival in your new area. I recognize the time cost of having to sort out all sorts of things.
Whenever I get to a new house, I don't buy stuff until I see a clear need for it. This cuts down on number of odds and ends quite a bit. Needs include things like well-being in one's own home.
I haven't moved internationally, but I've lived through some long-distance moves to very different U.S. locales, traveled extensively, and am somewhat familiar with Ohio metros.
Sentiment has a price per pound/kg. Don't move anything that you can easily replace - digitize books and papers, sell furnishings, bedding, housewares, excess clothing, decorations, etc. Even if replacement cost is higher than shipping, we lost some prized possessions to moving damage and weren't able to get any compensation from a shady mover. You may be better off financially and emotionally by giving those objects to friends.
You'll likely be far more dependent on having a car available, especially in a Midwestern state with dispersed suburbs. Moving from a place with widely available public transit to a place without was a big financial and time shock for me. Expect to have a $300 - $500 monthly budget line item for car, fuel/electricity, fees, parking, and insurance, especially if your future employment depends on mobility.
This is going to be a big change for you coming from a place with fairly sensible public health care policies... I don't know if you're of an age to get on your parents' health plan, but if you're over 26 years old, medical expenses can be crushing here. The cheapest ACA plans are now running > $700/mo. for an individual, and still have $10k deductibles. If you have chronic medical needs of any kind, prescription medications will be shockingly expensive even for generic drugs.
Internet and telecommunications services are likely to be cheaper and the options more diverse, if slower. I've heard that pay-as-you-go phone plans have become a reliable, no surprises option that's far less expensive than all-you-can-use data.
Mega-grocery stores and international food places will bring you bounty from all corners of the Earth in a way that I've heard is completely unavailable in Germany. It's harder to find the quality of bread and baked goods you might get routinely in Europe, though. Even though Americans have had grocery price shocks based on prevailing costs, food prices here are generally lower as a fraction of income than in the EU.
Depending on where you're situated, there will be more opportunities to connect with people through non-political volunteerism, though moreso if you're willing to participate with an organization that has religious sponsorship (this can be a blocker for gender-nonconforming people).
University towns, cities, and even some small outlying towns are generally as LGBTQ+-friendly as you might have found in Germany, if not more now through solidarity under pressure. You will still need the usual caution when dealing with police and bureaucrats as everywhere. I would strongly suggest having an immigration or civil rights lawyer's contact info handy, especially when returning to the U.S. after long-term foreign residence, and possibly wiping any electronic devices before crossing borders.
Climate- and culture-wise, the Great Lakes region is a lot like Germany, if a bit snowier. Don't get rid of any heavier winter clothing or summer clothes for high humidity, understand that you'll need to find non-American restaurants if you want heavy seasonings, bring neutral-flavored dishes to events unless you want to spend time warning people about spices. [Winter chili cookoffs are a thing in many places, and a great chance to meet people who aren't attached to bland, German/Nordic-inspired food.]. Sugar, salt, and fat content will likely be higher than you're used to in home and restaurant cooking and in grocery items. As others have mentioned, people are generally courteous, openly friendly, unreserved, and generous in a way Germans tend not to be. You'll also hear opinions expressed freely that might seem polarizing, but in person, people tend to be less judgmental and more willing to have a discussion.
Credit and payment plans are far easier to come by in the U.S., and you'll need a credit card just to establish a credit history here. Rental housing and employment expect you to have a credit score, and a fairly good one. Not having credit cards at all can be a red flag. Consumer protection for credit accounts can be very shaky, and you'll want to be very certain you pay any amounts due on time.
Less crowding and more readily accessible natural places! Ohio has some lovely parks for hiking, camping, paddling, and generally getting away from it all. Nearby states are even better. It's been a long time since I visited Germany, but it seemed a little claustrophobic by comparison.
Apologies for all the downers, and I wish you all the happiness possible in reconnecting with your home, country, and family!
Luckily since I grew up in Ohio, most of the cultural shock side of things is not quite as big a deal, and I don't have quite as much to worry about when it comes to immigration. The weather in Berlin is actually much milder than where I grew up and am moving back to, but I've been gone long enough that I miss the snow and I cannot wait to be back where there's air conditioning in the summers.
I do find it funny that you mention internet might be slower, as this was the opposite of my experience when I moved to Germany back in 2018 -- Germany hadn't really started switching to fiber at that point, whereas my parents in the suburbs already had it! Now it seems a bit more even, but that was definitely a culture shock going the other direction.
In a lot of ways your move is the best-case scenario -- you're moving in with your parents, meaning that they already have a house full of stuff you can use, and so you won't be landing in an empty apartment and having to spend hundreds to thousands on food staples and essential items. This means you can (and should!) worry a lot less about exactly what you need to bring, making sure you have one of everything, etc.
As a rule of thumb, basically any steady state electronics will work without a transformer. Anything with moving parts or a motor will probably need one (and sometimes still won't work, since the frequencies are different).
The biggest thing to prepare for is culture shock. I know you're American, but having been out of the country for years, it'll be a little strange for you to be back in a lot of little ways, probably for a few months. Be ready for that, but I don't think it'll be too bad. The American Midwest culture and southern German culture are quite similar, and in most of the ways in which they differ, American culture is easier to adapt to (people are friendlier, things are easier). And I'd say that goes twofold if you're coming from the north.
I'm actually relatively northern within Germany, which only deepens the cultural divide imo (Berliners are famously rude af even among Germans), but I've visited home regularly enough that the Midwestern friendliness is definitely something I've missed.
Another neat way to tell: anything without a transformer on the cord or inside the device will most likely not work. Anything with one will usually have a voltage and frequency range printed on it. Like a phone or laptop charger will usually say 50-60 Hz, 110-220V or something. Desktop PC power supplies may be automatic in detecting voltage and frequency now, but some may still have a switch you need to toggle on the back. (I haven't built one in some years.)
Also, for Apple laptops: the connector is intentionally separate from the power supply. You can buy separate "duckhead" tips for different countries. They just slide off of the brick. (iPad chargers used to use these too, but they designed them to be more compact.)
Most of my electronics aren't really worth bringing regardless, but I did email the customer support for my coffee grinder (I have a very nice one that's several years old but cost around 600€ new) and they were very helpful in informing me about how it's not dual voltage but should work fine on a transformer bc it's converting to DC power for the motor internally anyway, so the frequency difference won't cause problems. Learning that was a big relief.
The only other electronic I think is worth bringing is my PC, which I built myself back in 2020. I think my power supply should work fine as long as I just replace the cable, but tbh it's also the part that could most stand to be upgraded so we'll see. I'll have to look into how best to ship it without damaging the parts.
PC shipping is rough...I've heard horror stories, and I think what would have been my family's first PC (in the late 90s, so double-digit MHz processor lol) was also damaged in the mail.
It might be worth taking out some of the more troublesome parts and packing them separately. GPUs are known for moving under their weight and snapping connectors, so taking that out might help. Then it can be put in an antistatic bag and bubble wrapped.
When I moved internationally, I disassembled my PC and packed all of the parts sans case into anti-static bags in one of my suitcases for the personal flight, padded with bubble wrap, clothes, and such. Buy a case on the other side, throw everything in, tell yourself you'll do better cable management this time, and off you go.
Make sure the parts are packed in the bag such that they're easy to scan, easy to access, and easy to repack; there's a good chance flight security will want to take a look when it rolls through the scanner.
I brought RAM, NVMEs, SSDs, and HDDs. Everything else was sold or given to friends. If I had a GPU I’d have brought it too.
PSUs are heavy, cases are big, etc. and we limited ourselves to checked and carry-on luggage.
If you’re considering selling it instead of moving it, I’m in the market for a PC (minus a graphics card and ram depending on the CPU)…
It's probably the most valuable thing I own and I don't have any other PC besides my Steam Deck, so I'm splurging on some anti-static bags for its parts and moving it for sure. I may sell the case and buy a new one in the US, but the current case is pink and white so it may not appeal to everyone's aesthetic tastes.
If you're instead in the market for an e-scooter or a used smart tv or a ps4 or a king-sized ikea mattress... sigh the garage sale that my life will soon become is not sparking joy.
Do PS4’s not use a generic C7 power cable? My Xbox was one of the few electronics to make the list for the move because all I needed to do was grab a cable.
I think I need to prioritize a third, and possibly fourth, pair of pants before an e-scooter…
Yeah the PS4 should work fine as far as the electronics are concerned, it's just not worth the trouble of bringing because I'm moving in with family that already have one afaik. The only reason I even have it is because my ex didn't bother taking it when they moved out anyway, as I'm a PC gamer myself.
Treat yourself to those pants.
Movers/shoppers will be expensive. When you get quotes from several companies, try to get one from the most expensive white glove one you can find, take note of what kind of assurances they offer, the terms in their contract regarding late item living allowancs, additional fees upon landing, insurance for broken items, storage fees once they land etc. @patience_limited is right about the cents per pound for sentimental items...never ship beloved musical instruments for example. Make plans to fly with items: if you exceed hands/bag limit at the airport consider flying family over and having them fly back with your extra irreplaceable stuff.
Your cell phone may not work on the same bands in America. Some app subscription services may not work anymore being geolocked. Games/consoles maybe.
Check how long you can drive on Int'l license, but make plans to get domestic new one quickly.
If you still have free (ish) health care consider getting a baseline full body check. Request copies of your immunization records, health and medication history from each of your medical professionals.
If possible, meet your work references in person one last time and shake their hands etc.
Check your life insurance policy, bank and investment etc on how moving will change coverage / tax responsibilities etc.
luckily the potential phone issue is mostly a problem going the other direction -- I own my current phone outright (and getting them locked to a carrier isn't really a thing in Europe afaik), and it works in the US (I'm actually currently in the US with family for Christmas vacation and using it with a cheap esim). Switching my google account back to the US might lead to a few app annoyances, but most of my commonly-used apps are all big international ones so I foresee it being only a minor annoyance.
My last job was actually for a US-based company (I worked fully remote), so I'll actually be closer to a lot of those US-based references!
Any pets? If so, that will complicate things, esp. if it is something other than just dog/cat.
I only have cats, and it's currently not a sure thing whether I'll bring either of them with me or not. Haven't worked out exactly what the plan is there yet, as I'll need to talk to some people back in Germany about it after the Christmas and New Year's holiday.
Cats are much easier to bring into the US. Dogs are a nightmare.
You'll still need to make sure the paperwork is in order, but it's no big deal.
yeah, when it comes to the cats the main practical issue is how easy it'd be to physically get them there, as obviously an 8 hour flight would be incredibly stressful for the poor things (and afaik most of the relevant airlines to me allow only one per traveler, which makes bringing both much less financially feasible).
While it's not logistical advice for moving home, big life changes are made meaningful with long walks and good tunes.
Like another user said, we don't all get the chance to reset our situation.
Do what you can to savour, reflect on and create memories of this unique moment in your life. Process what's happened, find music that helps you to feel what you're going through, and put one foot in front of the other. It's the best form of therapy.
All the best to you.
Do you have a credit history in the USA?
If not, you will want to visit a credit union. They are the only ones who will give loans to folks without a credit history.
You will suffer culture shock coming back. Living with your parents will help somewhat. But mostly it will just take lots of time and patience.
I do, as I still have a US bank account, credit card, and student loans. I did freeze my credit with the major bureaus before I moved, though, and should probably look into undoing that if I need any loans, though 😓
It was quite a while go since I moved internationally. As @R3qn65 mentions your in a pretty good spot moving into an existing home! I remember the cost of just getting all the kitchen utensils being quite steep when we had to start from scratch! So all in all I think you're golden as long as you remember your passport :)
If you are able, maybe look at it as an adventure! Do you need to fly? Could you perhaps choose to go by boat? It would take a while and I'm not even sure where to begin looking, but if you are not in a rush getting home I'd be keen to hear about the experience.
(Sorry if I'm hijacking your life to test stuff out that I would like to try).
Best if luck when you get back!
I'm intrigued by the idea of travelling by boat ngl, but I don't think I could last that long without internet. I'm too much of a digital baby. My parents have been laughing recently about an anecdote in which one of us kids asked them "How did you live before the internet?" and I wouldn't be surprised if it was me 😅
Ok, this is random, but hear me out... a great way to meet people is to join the local curling club. If you're going to be in the Cleveland area, check out the Mayfield Curling Club: https://mayfieldcurling.com If you are elsewhere in Ohio, there's likely a nearby curling club.
Most curling clubs have a "warm room" with large tables for "broom stacking" following games. They also usually have bars (typically only with beer). After each game, the tradition is that the winning team buys a beer (or gatorade or coke or whatever) for the losing team and everybody sits around and socializes for 30-45 minutes. There are plenty of people who don't drink; it's not frowned upon. As a sport, curling is much more difficult than it looks, requiring a ton of skill that you really only can develop over years of playing. It's also a very strategic sport: more akin to chess than shuffleboard.
Where I live, there are about 450 members of the local curling club, including a lot of Canadian ex-pats. It's a super friendly group of people, the games are a ton of fun, it's a great way to meet people, and it's a great way to make connections that could lead to employment, etc.
It would have never occurred to me to try curling, but I think if there's any time in my life to try new hobbies, it's now! I'm in the suburbs of Cleveland not far from the club you linked, actually, so I might check them out once I've fully moved back!
I learned to curl in Florida, of all places (thanks, heat-seeking Canadians)! It's super easy to get started, but there's a lot of nuance in the casting and sweeping so you can practice endlessly if you get into the sport. Perfect entertainment for the dreary months, and as /u/clayh said, a fine way to meet people in a chill (both literally and figuratively) setting.
Oh wow, curling in Florida is funny to me, but ig you do it indoors regardless and don't get much cold otherwise lol
I'm sure they have "Learn to Curl" or "Pizza and Pickup" events... The sport is a lot of fun (also strange and challenging) but it's equally as much about the community as the game, in my opinion. Note that curling clubs get a huge surge of interest in Olympics years, so events may sell out quickly! I started by doing an Instructional League that ran Oct-Dec a few years ago (at a different club). It's a great way to learn the basics and might be something to look into in the Fall.
I can't share personal advice or experience, but reading your post made me think of a youtuber, Eurobrady. He's a therapist that does let's plays from that lens. He's also an American that emigrated to Europe for many years but ultimately had to move back home. He sometimes speaks about that experience and his personal journey through it; perhaps you'd find common ground? Though, those stories are mostly interwoven sparcely throughout his videos, so I'd only really suggest it if you either like the lets play format or the games he plays (I personally enjoyed Disco Elysium and Slay the Princess). Wishing you the best in your next steps and travels!
Oh gosh I love Eurobrady! His Slay the Princess video got recommended to me and I was hooked. I haven't watched his entire Disco Elysium playthrough yet, but his Doki Doki Literature Club videos were so good I caved and became a YouTube member just to see them sooner. I love his presentation style so I feel like I learn a lot from his videos even setting aside our similar histories (well, his history to my future, I suppose, but you get the idea).
I moved internationally 3 years ago, and found the cheapest option for the move was less than container load (LCL) shipping container where your items are places on pallets and you pay buy volume of the number of pallets used.
I would recommend you the company we used, but it only supports shipping from the US to other countries. I've included a link for your reference: https://internationalshippingusa.com/home.aspx?m=1&af=p100906_01-8lxj6xAH
Best of luck with the move! If it's alright with you if I think of something later I'll send you a quick DM since it may be a while later due to end of the year/start of the year craziness.
Oh yeah, feel free, my DMs are always open! I welcome stuff like that
I've seen where you said you have banking accounts already, and this may be a low priority thing, but make sure to look into local credit unions. This is top-of-mind for me right now because I've spent the month transferring my high-yield savings account with an online-only place (3.35% apy) and my car loan with a nationwide lender (8.99% apr) to my credit union (4.00% apy and 4.24% apr, respectively). Check around, as there are likely multiple credit unions with carrying rates and membership requirements.
And while you're at it, don't forget to get a library card! Or multiple, since you're in a suburb. I have two cards, one with my county (which shares catalogs with a huge network of libraries in my state, both for physical media and e-materials via the Libby app [shout-out to Libby, ebooks and audiobooks rock]) and one with the nearby city I used to work in (which doubles the potential content pool on Libby). And, since you've been away, makerspaces in libraries have become way more common and provide opportunities to cheaply hone new skills and start up new side gigs/hobbies.
Good luck with the move!
It'll probably be a bit before I'm liquid enough for a new savings account, but legit thank you for the advice on credit unions, I will look into those once I'm settled and have a positive amount of cash. My only current US bank account is the one I made when I was still in high school and has my dad as joint account holder -- convenient for the current situation in which he's bailing my ass out financially, but probably not a good long-term plan. I had heard a bit about credit unions before but never really thought much about them. Any advice on what to look for once I start looking into them?
I still get emails from my county public library, actually, even though I doubt I still have the card. I wonder if they can reactivate that somehow... then again, I don't wanna know whether I still owe library fines from my younger days lol
Many libraries forgive fines after this long AND many have gone to fine free models!
You're very welcome! I'm not honestly sure what criteria to use, I think I just went off word of mouth and decent rates. I'd had an account with my credit union for years because of an old zero interest credit offer, but hadn't really thought about it for a while until my neighbor informed me that they had recently introduced a high-yield savings that was very competitive. So, I guess check with people in your community and see if any have good name recognition, then check rates and product offerings (credit cards, home/auto loans, savings, checking) to make sure they offer what you need.