From Switzerland to Boston: Going American
Published 2017-07-31 08:30:17
I am Sandra, a Swiss expat now living in Boston. I am blogging about my every day adventures on going-american.com. 1. Why did you move abroad?
Love made me do it!
2. How do you make a living?
I’m currently looking for a job now that I’ve received my work permit and am all ready to go. In the meantime I am volunteering at Boston Cares and Harvard University, which is something I am really enjoying as I never got around to doing it back home.
3. How often do you communicate with home and how?
I communicate with friends and family on a daily basis, thanks to WhatsApp, email and skype!
4. What's your favorite thing about being an expat in Boston?
Exploring a new life and having the privilege of shaping everyday like I want to. I am aware that the moment will come where I'll have to work again so I am making the most of my time. I also enjoy doing a lot of volunteering, which is way more popular here than it is in Switzerland. I love getting to know new people, learning about their lives and problems. Also, donuts are AWESOME, too.
5. What’s the worst thing about being an expat in Boston?
Boston really is a great place for expats as there are a lot of people here from all over the world. They are generally very curious to get to know new people and are very friendly, which also applies for Americans. Overall the standard of living is really high so really nothing to complain about and great conditions for an expat I’d say!
6. What do you miss most?
Friends and family, obviously. What I also really miss is good bread, hard to find here.
7. What did you do to meet people and integrate in your new home?
I volunteer a lot and am also part of a university spouses group as my husband is affiliated with Harvard University. It’s an amazing group of people that I’ve been able to meet so far, which I am really grateful for.
8. What custom/ habits do you find most strange about your adopted culture?
Food portions are insanely big here. So it comes as no surprise that half of the people in restaurants get doggy bags, which seems so strange to me. Why not make the portions smaller in the first place?
9. What is a myth about your adopted country?
The old one about Americans not knowing anything about any countries other than their own or being loud is so not true, especially here in Boston. A lot of the Americans that I’ve met are very well-educated people who are genuinely interested in expats and their lives at home.
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?
It is quite similar when it comes to rent and health costs. What is a little cheaper seems to be the food.
11. What advice would you give other expats?
Always be open and curious. Get to know locals or other expats to build your own little support group, which will instantly make you feel like more at home.
12. When and why did you start your blog? I started my blog upon arriving in the US end of November 2016. It’s been a way of documenting this American adventure for me, which I’ve really been enjoying so far! I’ve also been lucky enough to get to know lots of other awesome bloggers through my blog!
Sandra's blog, Going American
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