Multe impresii / Many thoughts

Romanian:

Lume, lume hai ca mi-am luat si eu inima in dinti si am zis sa scriu pe blog :). Voi incerca sa ajung la zi asa ca primul post va fi mai lung si va cuprinde toata experienta de pana acum.Voi scrie atat pentru prietenii care citesc acest blog dar si pentru forumurile cu castigatorii la Loteria Vizelor. Sa o luam cu inceputul...adica zborul:). A fost mai putin confortabil decat ma asteptam. Auzisem ca avioanele transatlantice sunt mari si stai comod...o coacaza...daca te calicesti la pret si zbori cu echivalentul unui low cost peste ocean tot cu genunchii in gura stai doar ca in loc de 2 randuri de locuri ai 3.Adica incap mai multi dar doar pe latime :). Noi am zburat cu Lot Airline ( polonezi) pentru ca aveau pretul cel mai mic la momentul respectiv, 1400$ ambele bilete - doar dus:). Totusi, desi e greu sa stai ingramadit 9 ore a trecut mai repede decat ma asteptam. Ai numeroase activitati de recreere: filme, seriale, jocuri. Toate doar in ecranul incorporat in spatarul scaunului de la vecinul din fata. Daca zbori noaptea si mai si dormi vreo 2 ore, e perfect. Dupa ce am aterizat toate formalitatile s-au derulat foarte repede, aproximativ 15-20 de minute. Desi un pic cam dezorientati angajatii aeroportului care nu prea stiau unde se incadreaza un castigator la loterie. Ei aveau 2 cozi: turisti si posesori de green card. Noi nu eram nici una nici alta:))...evident:)). Am stat noi frumosi la coada de turisti de unde ne-au intors la biroul de imigrari unde chipurile trebuia sa stam de la inceput ( aviz celor ce urmeaza sa vina si vor fi in aceiasi situatie). Acolo am asteptat cateva minute, ne-au chemat la amprenta old school cu cerneala apoi la digitala si gata, eram welcome:). Doua faze misto aici:
1.Intai au chemat-o pe Andreea sa se murdareasca cu cerneala pentru amprenta si pentru ca nu reuseau 3 oameni sa gaseasca un servetel sa se stearga saraca fata pe mana au gasit solutia:))). Au vazut o hartie in gunoi, proaspat aruncata ( era chiar plicul in care adusesem actele) si cu scuzele de rigoare ,,sorry I have to do this''...se apleaca frumos si da sa scoata hartia. Bineinteles ca Andreea avea servetele in geanta si am refuzat politicos 1-0 noi:))
2. tot Andreea:))....ma cheama intai pe mine la amprenta digitala si poza...ne striga din pasaport...totul ok la mine. Urmeaza Andreea ( eram doar noi in sala deci era evident cine urmeaza). Striga Seciu ( ma rog cu aproximarea limbii americane:)) Romana...Andreea da sa plece si se opreste...ne uitam in  jur ca prostii...cu cine vorbeste asta???:))...mai striga odata Seciu Romanna...Andreea se duce si il corecteaza...se mai uita omu odata in pasaport si se dumireste...zice un nevermind zambind..continuam procedurile...plecam si ne uitam in pasaport ca sa ne lamurim:)...Striga Seciu ( numele) si Romana ( cetatenia) ...sarise randul cu prenumele:)))In apararea lui sunt si apropiate liniile.
Iesim din aeroport, ne astepta Adi cu masina si pleca spre Philly, ajungem acasa dupa vreo 2 ore si deja oboseala era mare si ne culcam sperand sa nu suferim prea mult din cauza fusului orar.
Nici nu a fost problema cu adaptarea la fusul orar...ne-a luat cam 2 zile.
Urmatoarele 2 saptamanii au trecut incercand sa invatam cat mai multe, sa te adaptezi cat mai repede, sa intelegi tot. E greu sa iei totul aproape de la zero si sa ai si rabdare. Rabdarea e foarte importanta pentru ca evident ca multe lucruri au mersul lor si orice ai face nu se poate mai repede. Voi scrie despre toate maruntisurile de inceput iar ordinea lor este aleatorie.
Casa si masa: Noi avem noroc pentru ca am scapat de aceasta grija la inceput si este un mare mare avantaj. Este mult mai usor cand ai pe cineva la care poti sta si macar 2-3 saptamani. Chiriile prin Philadelphia sunt undeva intre 700$ si  1200$. Ma refer aici la apartamente si case cu 2 dormitoare intr-o zona buna. Mancarea de la supermarket nu este scumpa...din calculele mele un cuplu s-ar descurca decent cu aproximativ 700$-800$ pe luna. Tinand cont ca un salar minim este undeva in jur de 8$/ora rezulta ca o familie de 2 persoane se descurca ok din doua salarii minime.
Joburi: De munca se gaseste in SUA. Nu inseamna ca suna companiile ca ne vor sa fim managerii lor insa nici nu ne asteptam la asa ceva. Noi am avut noroc din nou ca datorita situatiei noastre( avem unde sta si avem si ceva economii in cont) ne-am permis chiar sa nu mergem la orice job. Dupa ce ne-am actualizat CV-urile pe vreo 6 site-uri de joburi am si inceput sa trimitem la ce joburi ne faceau noua cu ochiul:). Bineinteles ca nu acestia sunau ci tot felul de companii din domeniul asigurarilor. Bine si experienta noastra in domeniul asigurarilor probabil ca ne faceau ,,atragatori'' pentru acestia. Am avur fiecare cam 2-3 interviuri telefonice insa nici unul nu mai doream asa ceva, astfel ca am decis sa mai asteptam. Ulterior nici nu am mai fost la asemenea interviuri. Intre timp Andreea a gasit ceva la Macys ( asa cum ati vazut in postul ei anterior) iar eu voi incepe la 1 Decembrie un internship in accounting( taxe si audit) la firma unde lucreaza Adi ( a contat mult recomandarea lui:). Daca ma descurc si totul decurge ok foarte probabil ca si raman :).
Driving licence + car: Foarte necesar aici datorita distantelor mari intre obiective:). Mai greu e sa gasesti masina decat sa dai de permis. Examenul pentru permis are partea de sala care este extrem de usor - trebuie sa faci 15 intrebari din 18 si dupa o citire a manualului am luat amandoi. Am stat cred maxim 10 minute.Dupa ce iei sala ai un fel de permis de incepator si poti conduce doar cu cineva major si care are permis Partea de traseu e la fel de usor, cu programarea e mai greu. Este foarte aglomerat si programarile se fac peste 6 saptamani. Asta daca nu ai noroc ca Andreea si prinzi exact in momentul in care a anulat cineva:). Ea deja are permis eu astept sa se faca 9 decembrie. Examenul de traseu incepe cu o parcare laterala cu spatele, in poligon, intr-un spatiu 7.5m lungime si 2.5 m latime. Destul de lejer indiferent ca stii sa parchezi sau nu. Apoi te plimbi mai mult prin parcare si vreo 5 minute in trafic si gata...ai permis de SUA:). Acum sper sa nu pic si sa ma fac de ras:))
Timp liber: Activitati de recreere sunt nenumarate in Philadelphia. Daca ai si bani e si mai usor:). Pana in prezent noi am experimentat  mancatul in oras ( diverse restaurante) si costa pentru 2 persoane un minim de 50$. Pentru localurile mai de fite ajunge cred pe la 100$. Am vizitat Atlantic City ( aveti poze in postul Andreei) plus alte cateva mici excursii in zona. Mai avem de bifat New York, Washington ca si orase plus meciuri de baschet si hochei. Asta ca sa insir doar variantele cele mai accesibile.

S-a facut tarziu si mi-e cam somn -  e aproape ora 1 aici.
Ca si concluzie as zice ca ce m-a impresionat este faptul ca lucrurile chiar par sa functioneze aici. Sunt asezate, fiecare isi face treaba pentru ca altfel ar exista un blocaj si toti sunt cu zambetul pe buze chiar si atunci ca iti dau o veste proasta. Pentru a reusi trebuie sa te integrezi si sa accepti regulile de aici chiar daca cu unele nu esti de acord. Altfel nu ai nici o sansa.
Ce nu m-a impresionat este civilizatia. Nu pot sa zic ca sunt dat pe spate de civilizatia de aici. Am fost in tari in Europa care erau mult peste Philadelphia. Am inteles ca asa sunt cam toate orasele mari de pe coasta de est. Este o populatie pestrita, un oras mare, lume agitata si de aici si comportamentul lor.

Promit sa revin mai des si sa fiu mai scurt.

Pe curand:)

English:

Hear, hear I finally decided to write on out blog. I will try to go up to date so the first post will be longer with all the information and experiences so far. I will write both for my friends back home and for the winners on DV Lottery forums. Let’s start with the beginning…the flightJ. I heard before our trip here that the transatlantic flights are big and spacious…not…especially if you decided to buy the cheapest ticket ( the equivalent of a low cost flight in Europe). You still are crowded and stay with your knees close to the mouthJ. The only difference is that there are 3 lines of seats instead of 2. We flew with LOT Airline, a Polish company, because they had the lowest price at that time: 1400$ for 2 tickets…just one wayJ. However, even though I was not very comfortable, 9 hours of flight passed by rather quickly. There are numerous ways of entertaining like movies, games, music, etc. All this in the back of the seat in front of you. If you fly during the night and you manage to get some sleep is even better. After we landed in New York  all the formalities finished quickly in about 15 – 20 minutes. The airport staff didn’t know very well what a lottery visa winner is. They had 2 lines to have your passport checked. One for green card holders and one for tourists…we were neitherJ. We stayed at the tourists line and when we reached the booth they turned us around to the immigration office where we should had stayed from the beginning. We entered the office, waited for a few minutes, we were called for fingerprints and that was itJ Two funny scense here:

1.        They called Andreea for fingerprints  so she had to put the ink on her fingers and after because 3 people couldn’t find a napkin for the poor girl to wipe out the ink they came with a brilliant idea: J…One of the staff saw a piece of paper freshly thrown in the bin and with the appropriate apologies he reached for it….Of course that Andreea had some napkins in her bag and she polite said no….1-0 for usJ

2.       Still Andreea…first they call me for the digital fingerprints and picture …one of the staff was calling us with our passport in his hand…all good. Next is Andreea…only us two were in the room so it was obviously who is next…the guy says Romana Seciu…we were surprised…he says again…Romana Seciu…Andreea approach carefully and says…it’s Andreea Seciu….the guy looks again at the passport…apologies and continues the fingerprinting and picturing procedure. …We were kind of confused…and after we left we look in the passport…the guy was calling the family name Seciu and Romana the nationality which was right next to the surnameJ. Funny.

We exit the airport, Adi was already waiting for us, and we headed to Philadelphia. After a 2 hour drive we arrive in Philly and was about time because we started to feel kind a tired. We went to bed after a long trip. We were hoping that the time difference won’t affect us to hard.

Actually there wasn’t any problem with the time difference…we adapt in maximum 2-3 days.

The next 2 weeks passed by with us trying to learn as much as we can, trying to adapt to a lot of things, trying to understand everything that was new…and there were a lot of new things. It is difficult to start over from zero and to be patience . Patience is very important because most things requires time. Next I am going to write about some small details in every day life.

Acommodation – We were lucky because we didn’t have to worry about this in the beginning and that is a big plus. It’s much easier when you have a place to live even if only for 2-3 weeks. A rent in Philadelphia is between 700$ and 1200 $. I include here apartments and houses with 1-2 rooms located in good areas. The food in the supermarket is not too expensive. From our calculations as far as we know so far 2 persons could manage with 700-800$/month for food. If we consider that In Philadelphia the minimum wage is about 8$/h I think that a 2 persons family could manage decent from 2 minimum wages.

Jobs – If you want to work there are a lot of jobs in USA. This doesn’t mean that companies are calling asking to hire us as managers but we didn’t expect that. We were lucky because we had a place to stay and some savings in the bank so we didn’t have to accept just any job.  After we updated our resumes on several job sites we started to apply for those that seemed interesting. Of course that the only insurance companies were calling because our experience and background in this field. We both wanted to change the career path so we didn’t accept any of these jobs. After a short time Andreea found a job at Macys and I will start at December 1 at the company where Adrian works as an intern in accounting.

Driving license and car – Car is a must here because of the long distances between places. The driving license exam has 2 parts. A theoretical one that is very easy. You need to answer correctly 15 questions out of 18. After we read the manual  we both manage to pass. After you pass this you are allowed to drive accompanied by an adult with driving license. The driving test is harder to schedule. Usually it takes about 6 weeks because they are very busy. That is if you are not lucky like Andreea we manage to catch an empty place of somebody who just canceled. The road test starts with a parallel parking in a 7.5m x 2.5m space. Pretty easy I would say. After that you take a ride for maximum 10 minutes and that’s it. You passed.

Free time – There are numerous ways to spend your free time in Philly. If you have money is even easier J. Until now we experienced eating out ( for 2 persons is about 50$), we visited Atlantic City ( you can find some pictures in Andreea’s post) plus several other short trips around Philadelphia. We still have to see New York, Washington as cities to visit and basketball and hockey games. This are just the things to do that comes in handy.

It’s getting late and I am tired.

As a conclusion I can say that what impressed me so far is the fact that the system seems to be really working here. To have success you need to integrate in their system and to accept their rules. Otherwise you don’t have a chance.

What didn’t impressed me is their level of civilization. I’ve been to several European countries and cities that were way above Philadelphia. I understand that most major cities on the East Coast are like this.

See you soon!