A new life abroad

Photo and essay by Jehova Arenas Reyes

The US Department of Homeland Security reported that from 2000 to 2005, nearly eight million immigrants entered the United States.

When you decide to study abroad, not only choose to start a new degree in your professional career, but also to build a new life because you have to change all that you are in order to be part of a new society.

If you decide to earn a master’s degree in the United States, you have to consider that you will need a valid U.S. identification in order to: lease a house, have credit cards, buy a new phone, pay for health insurance for you and family, sign a contract for the utilities of your new house, and to buy a new car. Likewise, in the process of starting a new life, you have to establish priorities to obtain the best results and to reduce the probability of losing of time and money. Therefore, in my experience I recommend following the next five steps, in order to have a successful process.

First, you have to open a bank account; it is very simple and fast. For this process, you will only need your passport, visa, and $ 100 dollars. In the United States you will find a wide variety of banks to complete this activity.

Second, you have to obtain an ID of the state in which you are going to live. For this procedure, you will need your visa and two documents, as evidence that you have lived in the state for more than 30 days. Thus, for this process you can use the contract of the car’s insurance or a bank statement.

Third, before you arrive in the country, you have to do research of the variety of houses that are available for rent or lease in the city where you will live. The international student’s office of the University is the best resource to support you in this activity. Hence, you have to make a pre-selection of the best options that you find, in order to visit them at your arrival. Thus, you will save money and time because you are going to be in a hotel for the shortest time possible.

Fourth, before you rent a house, you have to establish a budget of how much you will have to pay for the utilities because you will have to pay around $ 300 dollars for these services. You have to consider the principal utilities of a house: electricity, water, garbage service, cable, and internet.

Finally, you have to buy health insurance for you and your family; this is one the most important responsibilities that you have when you are a foreign student. Therefore, I recommend that you analyze and understand the process of the health system in the United States because is complicated and I’m sure that it is more expensive than in your country.

I hope that you can find useful, at least, one of these pieces of advice because I'm sure that these will help you to have a better beginning in this beautiful country.