I have finally arrived in Boston. Actually, I arrived at the end of August, and was immediately dispatched to Toronto for two weeks to do a job for our London office. The two weeks stretched to four weeks, then five and then six. Toronto is another subject, and one that can wait until the photo's come through.

Introduction

Why am I here? Before things start getting metaphysical, I should be more specific. Why am I in Boston? That is the real question. And the answer is that those nice folks at Corechange offered me a 3 year secondment. Which was nice. Especially as I've been working for them in London for the past two years, so they know a bit about me, and still said nice things to the INS. (US Immigration and Naturalisation Service. Very nice people. Honest.)

Arrival

I have finally arrived in Boston. Actually, I arrived at the end of August, and was immediately dispatched to Toronto for two weeks to do a job for our London office. The two weeks stretched to four weeks, then five and then six. Toronto is another subject, and one that can wait until the photo's come through. But as a taster: Niagara Falls, CN Tower, Mooses, Beer

For a journey that started back in March, I suppose it's not too bad. But like real travellers everywhere, my luggage is lagging far behind and is making it's own way here by steamer. Which is a funny description really since steam ships disappeared years ago, but I guess old habits die hard. Anyway, I have just received a letter from the shipping company announcing that the ship, the OOCL Harmony, will be arriving at the Port of New York on the 15th, (two days ago!), and could I please complete the customs forms and send them back. Apparently it'll take up to two weeks to unload, and then they'll arrange transport to the apartment

Which means that I am still living out of a suitcase. Even student days were not as minimalist! At least I have a real bed at long last.

US Customs

Now, call me naive, but I thought the reason for employing an international removals firm was they dealt with all the customs documentation, bills of lading and other wonderful devices to allow bureaucrats to extend their control over our lives. But no, as the importer, it's my problem. Even though there's a little tick box to say the paperwork has been filled in by an Agent, and I've had to sign a Power of Attorney so they can sign off things like this.

It's when you're asked to itemise everything that is less that a year old, and give it's value, that you start to wonder. Now, I don't know if it's just me, but I spent five years in my last house, during which time I was busily accumulating the little things that get caught up in your life. Some of these things are quite old, some not. A lot of them were quite useful at some time or another, but mostly they are just things that have accumulated. And I haven’t the faintest idea when they entered my life, how much they’re worth, or even what they are! A couple of men turned up with a lorry, packed everything for me, gave me a list in some indecipherable scrawl and disappeared off, and that was back in mid-August. And now I am supposed to remember every item I have purchased in the last 12 months and declare it to customs?

International Banking

In the worst case, I’ll get a bill for customs duty, which will get passed directly to the company. Ah, the joys of a relocation package! The one thing I can’t duck out of is the banking system.

I have been with NatWest for 13 years now. During which time they have been pretty good. So why do they wait until I am on the other side of the Atlantic before they go and comprehensively stuff things up? All I wanted was a simple change of address, which they were able to cope with quite happily (unlike others who cannot handle overseas addresses) and to set up their Internet banking which seems quite successful. Lets just say it's a too long and boring a story for this, and it has an unhappy ending, involving a letter which mentions words like incompetence, Data Protection Act, Enforcement Notice, BBC Watchdog and the like.

I also have a Citibank account which is a good way of transferring money between the UK and US (although a UK based account can only accept payment in US$ by cheque, which is annoying but compared to a $30 wire transfer fee is not too bad) and they seem a lot better. At least you get to a human operator almost immediately, although I am still waiting to be connected to their Internet Banking system. Again, too boring for this page!

Credit

America runs on credit. Unfortunately, if you’ve just arrived you’re not even allowed to walk. It’s all down to credit history. No history, no credit. It doesn’t matter how high your cards let you go back home, over here that counts for nothing.

Unless you want to pay a $120 fee, together with a $500 deposit for a card with a $500 limit and the sort of interest rate that even NatWest wouldn’t dare to charge.

American Banks

I’m not even going to get started on this tonight. Let’s just say the UK system is much better, and cheaper. Even with the like of NatWest.

Out and About

Let’s leave the details of American life behind for the moment and look at the bigger picture. No, I’m not talking about the Elections. If that’s your interest you’re asking the wrong person. Yes, I have an opinion, but since I don’t get to vote I’m ignoring it completely. Although it would be fun to have an American President who could personally beat the living daylights out the opposition, and who’s approach to fiscal policy questions is to haul his finance manager up on stage (not literally).

No, I am talking about the Great American Outdoors. And at this time of year, New England is at it’s best. Actually, I think it’s at it best at many other times of the year, like when it’s 8ft deep in snow, or it’s the middle of summer and a nice warm day to go hurtling down a mountain on a bike, but this is the traditional time to see New England and it’s not understated.

At the weekend I went down to Fall River, which is as far south as you can go in Massachusetts without going to Rhode Island. There’s not much to Fall River really. It has three factory outlet centers which have seen better days and that’s about it. But the journey down was picturesque, and I was happy to be a passenger, especially in Boston itself where the roads are really bad, even by London standards. Do you think I’d pick a factory outlet center as place to go?

Town Life

So far, I’ve not been around much of Boston. Hey, it’s not that big a city and I’ve a few years to go! If you like small comfortable bars, with OK beer (American beer just isn’t great, but thankfully there’s lots of real English Ales and beers imported here) then they don’t come much smaller than the Littlest Bar on Province St. I’m not sure how many people it would take to fill the place, but it can’t be more than about 20. And there are many more places to go, which I guess I’ll have to research in detail in the coming months.

One quest that I have embarked upon already is to find a decent curry house! I cannot believe it is impossible to get a decent curry in this place. Perhaps Bostonians don’t like hot food, or there’s some local laws that place Chicken Jalfrezi on the same level as burning the American flag (but a lot tastier!). Chinese and oriental tastes seem to be well catered for, along with Mexican of course. Apparently I am very close to the best Burrito’s in Boston, at Anna’s Taqueria on Somerville Ave / Porter Square. Which is nice if you’re a Burrito fan.