How to start new life in USA ?

[VN10 0]

Hi everybody, i saw VJ have many topics but i want to open this topic " about How to start new life in USA" for me and all people just come here.Although i got here over 4 months already but i saw something here are still new with me. I dont know how other people feel.Please share all your experiences for help us can join this life easy.

With me, i thought 2 importants thing what i should to do :

- English language : i got here on Feb,and i could not find any ESL classes until last week of August,2010. So may be i can study at evening time.Lucky i knew little bit English but it isn't enough. My husband said my English not good for go work cause i will not pass interview apply job. I agree this.

- Driving Car : i passed writting driving on April, i practiced driving 3 times but on 3th time, unlucky i hit my husband's car in to a short of pillar next the curve when i turned right and confused between brake and gas pedal. I made his car scarped on right door. Since that he didnt teach me, i have to wait until he buy a old car for me....I can not go school for learn driving cause it is cost a lot money. Can you give me some idea about learn driving?

That are 2 my first importants.

I really want to work than stay at home, i know it is hard cause i dont know english, dont know driving and i have a son 2 years old. Many reasons both 2 things above made me really want come back VN...sometime i felt really tired.Can you give me some advises ?

Please fix my english if i write something wrong, that way you can help my english be better.

I thanks to all of you.I wish all best to you !

[hieumin 2]

My advise on driving is to start on city roads first, find any roads that have less traffic and experience with it. Don't worry you will develop your skills as time go on. Enroll to community college for learning English, they are cheap in tuition and plenty of people to practice English.

[Dai. 7]

Where are you living in US? When I was teaching my wife how to drive we drove around the neighborhood a lot and she got the hang of it quickly. My wife was taking esl classes at the local library for free. next week she is going to start esl classes at our local church for free also. My wife is loving our life in America because of our friends and family and it's easy to get Vietnamese things cause houston has such a large Vietnamese population. She can't work right now yet because she is taking care of our little baby girl.

Edited June 10, 2010 by Dai_Tx

[Dai. 7]

Try to make as many friends as possible. You will get less homesick that way. Once you can drive more often you will be able to have the freedom to go wherever you want and you will start loving this place.

[redglasses 1]

Driving in a big parking lot at night time is a good place to start because there would be no cars. Then move on to wide city streets with less traffic.

As for language barriers, try public ESL schools around your area. They are usually free.

If you are desperate to work, you can start from a local Vietnamese restaurant (as a server, busser, or kitchen staff) while you improve your English.

[Me and You Us 1]

Hello My Dear friend...Calm down, your are there a short period of time, give time to yourself to adjust.

I´ll try to help you as much as I can, since you have internet at home you can search and study from it.

Use this USA WEBSITE, to me its just GREAT, you can have english classes since begginers until advance, audio/write/listening, get ready!!! Put your head up, you are there already, so many of us would like to be in your position, I tottaly understand you are missing your country (homesick), but soon you´ll see that you can and will be happy in USA either.

Count on me!!

http://www.welcometousa.gov/

to study english:

http://www.usalearns.org/index/welcome.cfm?CFID=2253108&CFTOKEN=48716712&jsessionid=1a3030ac803ea57cd4f574f1317797744783

See you!

Edited June 10, 2010 by Me and You Us

[ScottThuy 140]

Where are you living in US? When I was teaching my wife how to drive we drove around the neighborhood a lot and she got the hang of it quickly. My wife was taking esl classes at the local library for free. next week she is going to start esl classes at our local church for free also. My wife is loving our life in America because of our friends and family and it's easy to get Vietnamese things cause houston has such a large Vietnamese population. She can't work right now yet because she is taking care of our little baby girl.

Many localLibraries have ESL conversational groups that get together to just sit around practicing english.. Free as Dai says..

Look into driving school...

Moving to:

Moving Here and Your New Life In America

Edited June 10, 2010 by ScottThuy

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

If you live in a state with a large immigrant population then you should have no problem finding ESL classes, if you know where to look. Colleges and universities are probably not a good option. Most will have residency requirements. If you don't have a green card they may ask you to pay foreign student tuition, which is really expensive. If you have a green card, but have lived in the state for less than a year, then they may ask you to pay out-of-state resident tuition, which is also expensive. In the city where I live, the school district has an adult education program, and they offer ESL for only $30 per semester. My wife and step-daughter are both going 4 days a week, 4 hours each day. My step-son will be starting this fall. There are no residency requirements - you just need to live in the school district.

Stay off the streets until you are comfortable driving, and have a good grasp of how to control the car. I agree with redglasses - drive in an empty parking lot. Driving at night is ok, but it's even better if you can find a parking lot that is empty during the day (many businesses have closed because of the economy, so this shouldn't be too difficult). It's even better if the parking lot has no concrete islands or lamp posts or anything else you could accidentally run into. You can move to a more complicated lot with barriers once you've mastered controlling the car.

Learning to drive a 'semi' is dramatically different from learning to drive a car. A semi becomes an extension of your body. When you lean, the bike turns. Cars don't respond to body movement. They only respond to the controls. They are much larger than a semi, and you are seated left of the center so it's more difficult to judge your position and clearance from obstructions. Even a slight collision can cause very expensive damage. You need to practice where there's no chance of hitting anything.

[Cortr 3]

Don't get frustrated with learning to drive. It just takes some practice. The advice about starting in a big empty parking lot is good. Places that have huge parking lots that are usually empty could include stuff like big churches, sports stadiums, concert venues, and so on.

Most people have a few scary stories about when they were first learning to drive. In my case, my mom was teaching me to drive, and we took a corner off a 2-lane highway at about 55mph onto a gravel road. Talk about exciting!

I am sure you are homesick, but it will help if you get out and involved in the community you live in. Take some classes or join some activities. It doesn't matter what they are, just pick something you enjoy. This will just give you an opportunity to meet more people and feel more at home and comfortable.

[johncali9 6]

Hi everybody, i saw VJ have many topics but i want to open this topic " about How to start new life in USA" for me and all people just come here.Although i got here over 4 months already but i saw something here are still new with me. I dont know how other people feel.Please share all your experiences for help us can join this life easy.

With me, i thought 2 importants thing what i should to do :

- English language : i got here on Feb,and i could not find any ESL classes until last week of August,2010. So may be i can study at evening time.Lucky i knew little bit English but it isn't enough. My husband said my English not good for go work cause i will not pass interview apply job. I agree this.

- Driving Car : i passed writting driving on April, i practiced driving 3 times but on 3th time, unlucky i hit my husband's car in to a short of pillar next the curve when i turned right and confused between brake and gas pedal. I made his car scarped on right door. Since that he didnt teach me, i have to wait until he buy a old car for me....I can not go school for learn driving cause it is cost a lot money. Can you give me some idea about learn driving?

That are 2 my first importants.

I really want to work than stay at home, i know it is hard cause i dont know english, dont know driving and i have a son 2 years old. Many reasons both 2 things above made me really want come back VN...sometime i felt really tired.Can you give me some advises ?

Please fix my english if i write something wrong, that way you can help my english be better.

I thanks to all of you.I wish all best to you !

Hello friend

oh men please Do not put your personnal in here the sound to me , you were complain your hundband Do not think about this

I think you are very new person to come here, Your are not good ,if I know your hundband I will tell him

do you think you post on vj some one help you ,wrong babe they are laugh to you not help you anyway

I think your hundband unlucky to got married to you sorry to say that , and I would like you think about that, why I say so

Do you see how hard the sponsor the wife in Vietnam ,I hope you understand

johncali9

[VN10 0]

Thanks very much about all your advices. Im living in Holland , MI. I called Holland public school , they have free ESL classes until last week of August.

Im not really homesick,i just miss my mom. But overthere, i can go whenever i want by motorbike, i had job and i spent time with mom,friends, family...

Im living here where dont have a lot vietnamese, i can not make friend with them cause they have work morning,almost old people stay at home....

Now, im look like useless person.I dont say life in USA bad, i just dont know where should i start. I just hope everything will be better....

[Kevin and 10]

Thanks very much about all your advices. Im living in Holland , MI. I called Holland public school , they have free ESL classes until last week of August.

Im not really homesick,i just miss my mom. But overthere, i can go whenever i want by motorbike, i had job and i spent time with mom,friends, family...

Im living here where dont have a lot vietnamese, i can not make friend with them cause they have work morning,almost old people stay at home....

Now, im look like useless person.I dont say life in USA bad, i just dont know where should i start. I just hope everything will be better....

Call Tuyen. She is at home now.

[VN10 0]

Hi Johncali !

I dont like you since you sent messege to me and talk not nice about my husband had probem when my case processed slowly. who is bad person in VJ, everybody know. I didnt complain my husband, im sure almost woman come here and they have feeling same me when they just stay at home. Im not a person same you thought. dont worry, you can tell my husband everytime , u want i give u a number ? Before i post this topic, my husband is first person knew this, ok ? You see that, many people gave me nice saying. But how about you ? You should be a woman is better,in vietnam they call BA TAM.

I dont know my husband unlucky than you or no, just God know, nobody know that. Your wife is good with u, u should enjoy and happy that but dont think other woman are bad, ok ?

If people laugh at me but they help me how to join life easy, it is ok, i dont mind. Anyway, thanks very much about your advice.

Everybody !!! im so sorry if this topic is stupid, i can say Admin delete it. I hope you can understand what i wrote. i never complain my husband who is sponsor me, he love me and help me a lot. i just dont know how to start,cause almost people here married vietnamese woman, and you can understand how your woman feel.

[TracyTN 237]

Hello friend

oh men please Do not put your personnal in here the sound to me , you were complain your hundband Do not think about this

I think you are very new person to come here, Your are not good ,if I know your hundband I will tell him

do you think you post on vj some one help you ,wrong babe they are laugh to you not help you anyway

I think your hundband unlucky to got married to you sorry to say that , and I would like you think about that, why I say so

Do you see how hard the sponsor the wife in Vietnam ,I hope you understand

johncali9

That is just uncalled for. People at VJ may not be the most compassionate in the world, but anyone here who laughs at someone who is learning English, posts to the best of their ability and is genuinely wanting help - well, they're a scumbag. I think the OP has received some good ideas already.

Frankly I think the OP expresses herself better than you do, too, and it was out of line for you to say her husband was unlucky to marry her. Reported.

[antoneya 9]

My advise on driving is to start on city roads first, find any roads that have less traffic and experience with it.

DO NOT DO THIS...this is bad advise for a new driver. You should start in a big parking lot, have your husband drive you to a Mall, College, or Stadium where they have big parking lots you can take over and practice there. Once you feel good to drive on streets, start with one-way and/or dead end streets first and then you can move onto streets with more traffic.