Hello!
I am British and have been living in Maplewood New Jersey since 2003. We moved to USA with my husband's job and now have two children. All our other family is in England and so we have made many Expat friends in the same position.
I have organized the Maplewood British Expat group for years so have seen many friends come and go and have helped many settle into the community, find them playgroups etc. Helping them to figure out the way of life here initiated my blog that has loads of information on the area and moving here. 'NJ Expat Guru' on blogspot!
I love living in NJ because we are a quick commute to New York City and yet we get the benefit of all suburbia offers as well: tree-lined streets, parks, walkable downtowns with cute stores, coffee shops and restaurants, more space, back gardens etc. The summer here is like being in a Spanish climate. The autumn is divine with chilled air and bright blue skies, and the lovely Halloween and Thanksgiving celebrations. I am less keen of the winters because of the snow, but we only have to clear the driveway about three times a year so it's just enough for the kids to play, and for me to enjoy the snow-covered vistas which are really pretty!
I have had a few different visas and am now a citizen of the USA. I have been lucky that we got green cards early on so I have worked in NJ. While my children were little I was a preschool Spanish teacher, and now I enjoy being a local Realtor, helping people find the right place to call home!
All the best,
Karen Westwood