Hi, I'm Dan and I grew up in a small town in Southern Germany near the Lake of Constance (Bodensee).

In 2005 my wife and I started our American journey and we settled down in Charlotte, North Carolina – the Queen City.

1. Why did you move abroad?
Living in the USA has been a dream of mine ever since I experienced the American life during a 3 month stay in San Francisco back in 2004. A year later my wife got a job offer in Charlotte, NC and we decided to take this big step and follow our dream. We were young and the opportunity was too good to pass on. We had nothing to lose.

2. How do you make a living?
Since I am the spouse of the primary visa holder (my wife), I had to go through the process of obtaining a work permit, which I have to extend every 1-2 years. Once I got my work permit I started applying for positions in graphic design and marketing. Eventually I landed a job at an American distributor for sports supplements and I've been working there ever since.

3. How often do you communicate with home and how?
I usually videochat with my parents every 2 weeks via Skype. My brother and I talk whenever we have something worth sharing. If Skype is acting up, Facetime is our backup. And of course emails. It's pretty cool to have all these options and I'm glad we live in the Internet era. It makes it a little easier to live so far away from your beloved ones.

4. What's your favorite thing about being an expat in the USA?
The USA offers so many places to visit. Sandy and rocky beaches in all climates, mountains with or without snow, deserts, world-famous buildings, monuments, cities, national parks, etc. It's no wonder that some Americans don't even have a passport. Why would you need one, if you have everything within your nation's borders? It's also very easy to travel. Everything is set up for spontaneous road trips. There are camp grounds and motels throughout the country with lots of cool places to see in between. And if you get bored of the mainland, just hop on a cruise. If it's a closed loop you won't even need a passport. Just bring your driver's license.

5. What’s the worst thing about being an expat in the USA?
The worst thing is leaving your family and friends behind. Although the internet makes it easy to stay in touch, it's just not the same as living down the street and getting together anytime you want. Especially when your parents get older you sometimes regret that you can't spend more time with them. Flights are expensive and vacation is very limited in the U.S., which is why we can't just fly to Europe whenever we feel like going.

6. What do you miss most?
Besides family I miss German bakeries, local breweries and the awesome Bavarian cheese the most.

7. What did you do to meet people and integrate in your new home?
My wife and I never really tried to actively meet new people. It just happens. Americans are very approachable and you'll get into conversations all the time. Often times your accent is the conversation starter.

If you're working, you automatically get to know your co-workers and sometimes real friendships develop. Just remember to not put too much weight on the common saying “We should get together sometime”. It doesn't necessarily mean they want to be friends with you.

8. What custom/ habits do you find most strange about your adopted culture?
Idling their cars wherever they are, no matter the temperatures. Leaving the porch lights on day and night. Running the water sprinklers when it's raining. Religiously cooling down buildings to 70 degrees. Saying “Excuse me” all day long. Asking “How are you?” and not waiting for an answer.

9. What is a myth about your adopted country?
That Americans are all obese and know nothing about the world. These are the common stereotypes and I get tired of hearing them from people who have never even visited the USA. It's the same than thinking that all Germans wear Lederhosen, love Hasselhoff and eat brats and Sauerkraut all day long.

The American population is no different than the population of European countries. There are some obese people, some fitness enthusiasts, some narrow-minded individuals and some super smart cookies.

10. Is the cost of living higher or lower than the last country you lived in and how has that made a difference in your life?
Housing, gas, junk food, clothing is pretty cheap here in America compared to Germany. Healthy food, cell phone contracts and internet are way more affordable in Germany. These are just a few examples.

11. What advice would you give other expats?
Drop the prejudices, stop trying to educate Americans because you think you know better, and just enjoy the journey, keep exploring and gain valuable life experience. It's so worth it!

12. When and why did you start your blog?
Live Work Travel USA is my attempt to help expats from all over the world getting adjusted to the U.S. a little faster. There are so many questions you'll have during this journey and sometimes it can be hard to find the answers you were looking for online. Immigration forums often times are full of information, discussions, rants and also conflicting members, which makes it very time consuming to find good answers. My blog, that I started in April 2013, will hopefully help you to get these answers a little faster. In addition to that I interview other expats from all over the world, share my experiences and interesting findings and opportunities.

I would love for you to stop by and leave a comment on my blog or sign up for my newsletter for updates.

Dan's blog, Live Work Travel USA

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