Social security numbers, ATM-only cards and roaming costs. Gary found out the hard way so you don't have to...

I moved to Boston Massachusetts solo and my time here has changed me in so many ways.

Although I did a lot of research prior to coming to the USA, there is nothing that can prepare you for life situations that come up whilst you're there. Hopefully these tips will put your mind at rest and help you make the move!

Get a sim and bank card as soon as you can

Although this may not be the priority when you arrive, it will make things easier in terms of getting paid and communicating with your friends and family. When I arrived, I didn't have a sim for my first two weeks and it mapping my way around Boston without any internet or roaming data was difficult.

Eventually, I got a temporary sim card which you can order to your temporary/permanent accommodation. I went with Mint Mobile which was set up by the fabulous Ryan Reynolds. I initially got the sim for six months which gave me enough data to happily roam around Boston and connect with friends. It even gave me a new phone number, which was great.

In terms of a bank card I booked an appointment with Bank of America who helped me out a lot in getting a debit card. Just be careful in specifying you need a debit card as they can assume you need an ATM only card, which happened to me.

Sort out your social security number

This is one aspect that I wish I had done sooner. You can set up an appointment online with your local state social security centre. I arrived around 1pm and was in the waiting room for about four hours. The earlier you arrive the better. Have a printout of your I-94 number handy as saying it verbally to the attendant will not do. They had some trouble locating my address, which pushed my social security number out by six weeks. Do this at your earliest convenience. They were very nice in there and wanted to help as much as possible so do not fear.

Plan regular calls to home

Although this might sound silly, please remember when contacting home that there is five hours time difference (for Ireland anyway). It's easy to get caught up in the day and all of a sudden it's 6pm, which is 11pm at home.

It has been difficult to allocate time at work to make time for chats with family and friends as I work in hospitality (we never have a 9-5 job!). So, please keep that in mind and set some time aside during the day to speak to those at home. Trust me, they love to hear about even the small things.

Consider a hostel when you first arrive

A lot of people moving to the USA may not have an apartment or room share for a few weeks when they arrive. My apartment was not ready until about 12 days after I arrived.

From travelling around Europe and indeed Ireland I never had any issues with hostels and always found them a great way to meet other people. I booked into a mixed dorm for the 12 days and honestly made so many friends to explore the city with. The age range of our hostel group ranged from 18-63 and we are meeting together in Europe in October for a small get together. They came from Australia, Canada, Austria, India, Ireland, and the UK. We all keep in contact to this day and keep each other informed about what we are getting up to.

You do not have to spend loads on hotels. Look into alternative budget friendly accommodation. Hostels can be relatively cheap per night and honestly it was one of my highlights to meet a group of people I had never met before. Go with the options that excite you the most.

Get lost (in a good way)

I think one of the best lessons I have learned since coming here was to pick somewhere and explore as much as you can. In the beginning I had just about enough 3G to get me to the nearest subway station and know what stop to get off at. After that I was left on my own. Originally I was quite scared getting lost in areas and not knowing how to get back. I remember I was dropped at Fenway and had no idea how to get back. It turned out to be a lot of fun and was interesting to get to see Fenway Park and explore restaurants and bars in the area in the blizzards we had in February.

Take time to explore different areas and know a rough route on how to get back to your bus/subway station. Another funny night was when my phone died in the Uber and I was dropped at the wrong location, I had to use the skyscrapers to map my way back to the hostel. Although it seems daunting it was the best and most interesting way to really learn the city inside and out.

I hope this blog has helped you learn what to do (and probably what not to do) when moving to the United States. This experience here is very much unique for everyone and it is rare that you will discover two journeys that are the same. I have met so many Irish people since moving here and their stories differ and indemnity to mine in so many ways.

Although you may hear people at home who have done this journey, remember this is your time to develop both personally and professionally when you are here so never compare!

Thinking about making the move? Find out more about living and working in the USA.