LIVING IN THE USA
You will find this section a useful guide to living in the United States throughout your stay in the
USA. It explains everything from the basics, such the US monetary and banking system, to the
intricacies of clothing sizes and national holidays. It also includes tips on how to stay safe, secure,
and healthy.
Housing
One of your first tasks after arriving in the United States will be to find a place to live. This section
provides you with a few tips to make your search a successful one.
Temporary Accommodations
When you first arrive on campus you will need a place to live while you look for permanent
accommodations. Many schools will provide temporary housing for international students who
arrive before the semester begins. Ask the foreign student advisor or housing office for information
about temporary housing.
Another option if you know a student at the school is to ask them to let you stay with them for a
few days. New graduate students, for example, can often find someone in their department with
room for a temporary guest. You may have to sleep on a couch, but at least you'll have a roof over
your head. You'll also be able to ask questions of someone who is familiar with the area.
Finally, you can always stay in a hotel or motel. This is the most expensive option, and you will
need to make a reservation with a credit card to guarantee a room. Parking is expensive at hotels,
and there is often a large surcharge on long distance telephone calls placed from your room.
Permanent Accommodations
The available options include renting an apartment, renting a house, or buying a house. Most
international students cannot afford to buy a house, so we will not discuss this option further.
Most university students in the US live on or near campus. Students who live off-campus generally
find a place less than a mile or two away. Not only is this convenient for getting to and from
campus, but much of the social life occurs on campus. The US educational experience is not
confined to the classroom, and you will find yourself learning as much from your fellow students as
from the faculty.
If the school offers on-campus accommodations for international students, you should seriously
consider living on-campus, at least for the first year. Since this is probably your first trip to the
United States and your first time living alone, on-campus housing will help cushion the transition to
life in the United States. Later, when you are more familiar with the neighborhood, you can
consider moving off-campus.
Renting a house is usually a viable option only if you will be sharing it with several roommates.
You will certainly get more for your money if you rent a house. But most communities have limits
on the number of unrelated people who can live together, with most cities having a limit ranging
from 3 to 5. These laws are intended to prevent overcrowding for health and safety reasons. In
any event, the process for renting a house is similar to renting an apartment.
A. Answer the Questions based on the “Living in the USA”
1.
How many kinds of apartment does the page inform to the reader?
2.
Who is the most probable reader of this article?
3.
Where does this article coming from?
4.
What is (are) the difference(s) between on and off campus accommodation?
5.
Mention two different things between temporary and permanent accommodations.
B. Choose the Best Answer by Crossing a,b,c or d Referring to the Reading Passage
6.
The word “Accommodation” is closest in meaning with the word:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
7.
What is the opposite of the word: ‘arrive”
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
8.
hotel
apartment
place to stay
school
Come
Attend
Leave
Go
Renting a house is usually a “viable” option if you will….. (paragraph 9) The word viable in
this context is closest in meaning with:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
9.
Feasible
Cheap
Another
Account
What does the word ‘them” in paragraph 4 refer to:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Teachers
Foreign student
Foreign student advisor
Fellow students
10. The word “cushion” in paragraph 8 means:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Sofa
Chair
Pillow
Ease
C. Mark each sentences with a T (for true), F (for false), or D (for doesn’t say)
11. The first thing to do after arriving to USA is to find a place to eat. …………………………
12. Apartment is a kind of temporary accommodation ……………………………………………
13. All schools in the US provide temporary housing for international students……………….
14. Most international students can afford to buy a house ………………………...…………….
15. Students choose to live on campus because it is cheaper………………………………….
16. Living on-campus means living close to the campus…………………………..…………….
17. Off-campus living is more recommended for the first time international students…………
18. Renting a house can be cheaper for students who want to live more efficiently…............
19. 10 students can stay in a rented house………………………………………………………...
20. Students move from on-campus to off-campus accommodations because they have
already familiar with the neighborhood…………………………………………………………
Transportation
This section describes the local transportation options available in most cities.
Cars
You probably don't need to own a car during your stay in the United States. A car is certainly
convenient, but only cost effective if you use it almost every day. If you live near school, you will
find walking, biking, and public transportation to be reasonable alternatives.
If you decide to purchase a car, you can get a 10-year-old used car for $1,000 to $2,000 and a 5year-old car for $5,000 to $8,000. It will probably need to be repaired frequently, but the total cost
will be less than a new car. Used cars are advertised in the classified advertising section of the
local newspaper. After you take the car for a test drive, you can usually bargain with the seller,
knocking 10% to 15% off the price. If you haven't previously owned a car, bring along a friend who
knows something about cars. You may want to pay a mechanic at the local gas station to inspect
the car for you before buying it. An alternative is to buy a used car from a car dealer. Such cars
often come with a 90 day guarantee, but cost more than the ones advertised by individuals.
We strongly recommend getting a local driver's license instead of relying on an international
driver's license. Traffic laws and driving habits in the US differ so much that it is best to take a
driving class and get a local license. Some states will require you to get a local license. (If the
state doesn't require it, the insurance companies probably will.) If you decide to get a local driver's
license, leave your national and international driver's licenses at home. Otherwise, you will have to
turn them in when you receive a local driver's license.
Taxicabs
If you don't live far from school, you may find it less expensive to pay for an occasional taxi than to
own a car.
You can find the telephone number for the local taxi dispatcher in the Yellow Pages. Call the
dispatcher at least half an hour before you need the cab. It is best to call at least an hour in
advance, especially on busy days.
When calling for a taxi, let the dispatcher know if you have a lot of baggage. If you have more than
3 or 4 large bags, ask for a station wagon.
You can also pick up a taxi at the local airport, train station, bus station, and in front of major
hotels. It is also possible to hail a cab downtown or on major streets, but you may get a quicker
response by calling for a cab. To hail a cab, raise your hand and arm at a 45 degree angle to your
head with the index finger (the finger next to the thumb) extended as a taxi approaches. If the cab
doesn't have a passenger and isn't traveling to pick up a passenger, it will stop.
Taxi fares are metered in most cities and based on the distance. After an initial "flag down" fee for
use of the taxi, the meter will charge a fixed amount per mile, typically $1.00 to $2.00 per mile,
depending on the city. There may be extra charges if the taxi driver has to lift your bags for you. It
is customary to give the driver a tip equal to 15% of the total fare.
Many hotels have free or low cost shuttles from the airport. If a hotel is located near the school,
this can be an inexpensive alternative to taking a taxi. Such shuttles usually leave on the hour or
half hour, but you may need to call upon arrival at the airport to make a reservation.
Bicycles
Many students survive with just a bicycle. It is economical, can provide transportation over short
distances, and provides a good source of exercise.
A regular ten-speed bike will cost around $100 new, $65 used. If you will be living in the snow belt,
we recommend getting a mountain bike with puncture-resistant tires. It will cost more ($150 to
$200 new, $100 to $150 used), but is safer. Cities in the snow belt put salt on the roads to melt the
snow. This, combined with the freeze-thaw cycle, produces potholes. A mountain bike can ride
over a small pothole without problems, while a regular bike might have problems.
In addition to a bike, buy a bicycle helmet. If you're in an accident, a bicycle helmet can help
protect you from a concussion or worse.
Public Transportation
Most major US cities have two forms of public transportation: buses and trolleys. Trolleys are also
known as the subway, underground, streetcars, metro, or light rail, depending on the region of the
country. (Not all trolley systems use underground tunnels or overhead powerlines. The
distinguishing characteristic is buses are wheeled vehicles, and trolleys travel on rails.)
Bus fares range from $1.00 to $2.00 for a one-zone ride, depending on the city. If you need to
change buses, transfers can be purchased for 25 cents in most cities. You give the transfer to the
driver on the second bus instead of paying a second fare. Transfers can be used for a return trip, if
you will be returning within the time limit (typically three hours). Bus drivers do not carry change,
so you will need to bring exact change with you when you get on the bus. Most cities also sell
monthly bus passes, which provide you with unlimited travel for a set fee. Bus passes will save
you money only if you take the bus every day. Bus passes can usually be purchased from the
local grocery store or supermarket.
Some subway systems use tokens or farecards, which are sold at the station. Subway fares may
depend on the time of day or the distance traveled. For example, the Metro system in Washington,
DC, uses farecards, with higher fares during rush hour. (Rush hour is the peak period during the
day when most people travel to or from their place of employment.)
Some cities have you pay as you get on the bus, some when you get off the bus, and some
depend on the time of day. Some will have different rules depending on whether you're headed
inbound (to the downtown area) or outbound (away from downtown). If the bus driver puts his
hand over the pay box as you enter, it means that you should pay when you get off the bus. If
you're confused, ask the driver.
Just before the bus reaches your stop, you should alert the driver by activating the "stop
requested" signal. Otherwise the driver may skip the stop. You can activate the "stop requested"
signal in most buses by pulling on the horizontal wire above the windows. Trolleys don't have such
a mechanism because they stop at every station.
Intercity Buses and Trains
If you need to travel from one city to another within the United States, there are four options:




Flying an airplane.
Driving yourself using your own car or a rental car.
Taking an intercity bus.
Riding the train.
Taking a bus or a train is usually much cheaper than taking a plane, and much less stressful.
However, it also takes much longer. For every hour of non-stop air travel, the corresponding road
trip will take about five hours.
For intercity bus timetables and fares, call Greyhound at 1-800-231-2222
Greyhound offers Ameripass to international visitors for unrestricted travel on Greyhound. Prices
range from $179 for a 7 day pass to $539 for a 60 day pass. For information on Ameripass, fax 1212-967-2239
For train schedules and fares, call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) Ask about the
USA Railpass and All Aboard America fares. Amtrak gives a 15% discount to students with a
Student Advantage Card ($20 from 1-800-96-AMTRAK or 1-800-962-6872). Train travel in the US
is not as high quality as in Europe, although it can be more comfortable than traveling by bus.
US Monetary System
The US Monetary System is a decimal system, with one dollar equal to one hundred cents. One
dollar is written as $1 or $1.00. One cent is written as 1¢. One dollar and twenty-five cents would
be written as $1.25. Dollar amounts are written with a comma every three digits, so one thousand
dollars would be written as $1,000.00.
Paper currency is used for amounts of $1 or more, and coins are used for amounts under $1. The
most common coins and their dollar equivalencies are as follows:
Coin
Figure on Front Value (Cents) Value (Dollars) Color
Penny
Lincoln
1 cent
0.01 dollars
Copper
Nickel
Jefferson
5 cents
0.05 dollars
Silver
Dime
Roosevelt
10 cents
0.10 dollars
Silver
Quarter
Washington
25 cents
0.25 dollars
Silver
Half Dollar
Kennedy
50 cents
0.50 dollars
Silver
Dollar
Anthony
100 cents
1.00 dollars
Silver
The front of the coin with the face is called "heads" and the other side is called "tails". If you need
to make a random choice, you can toss a coin and call it heads or tails while it is still in the air. If
the side you call is up after the coin lands, you win the coin toss.
Paper currency is most often circulated in the following denominations: $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and
$100. Occasionally you will encounter a $2 bill. The denomination of all currency is clearly marked
on the bottom of both sides of the bill, and on all four corners. Some stores will not accept bills
larger than a $20. The $20 bill was recently redesigned to make it more difficult to counterfeit, so
you will see both the new and old bills in circulation. All currency is green and printed using special
paper. The slang term for a dollar bill is a "buck", so $20 might be described as "twenty bucks".
Each denomination includes a picture of a famous American statesman on the front. The following
table describes the images on the various denominations.
Denomination Portrait on Front
Illustration on Back
$1.00
George Washington
Great Seal of the United States
$2.00
Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Independence
$5.00
Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln Memorial
$10.00
Alexander Hamilton
US Treasury Building
$20.00
Andrew Jackson
White House
$50.00
Ulysses S. Grant
US Capitol Building
$100.00
Benjamin Franklin
Independence Hall
More information on US paper currency can be found on the US Treasury Currency Information
Page.
Checking Accounts
You will need a checking account to pay bills, such as rent and utilities. It isn't safe to send cash
through the mail. It also isn't safe to carry large amounts of cash on your person, so you should
pay for most of your purchases using a check or credit card.
To open a checking account, visit a bank and ask to open a checking account. You will need to
deposit money into the account when you open it. You can deposit cash or traveler's checks, or
arrange for a wire transfer from your home bank (cost around $35). American Express also offers
a variety of services that make it easy to withdraw money from your checking account back home.
Additional deposits and withdrawals may be made at any time.
The bank will ask you for your Social Security Number. If you are exempt from this requirement, fill
out an IRS Form W-8, which you can obtain from the bank.
You can withdraw money from your account using a check or an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM)
card. The check is a negotiable order of withdrawal that tells the bank to pay the money to the
payee by withdrawing money from your account. When you open the checking account the bank
will provide you with an initial set of checks with your name and address printed on top. Additional
checks can be ordered in a variety of designs for a fee.
If there insufficient funds in your account to cover the check, the check will "bounce" and your
account will be overdrawn. This means that the bank will refuse to honor the check and will return
it to the depositor. In addition, the bank will charge you a bounced check fee of $15 to $35, so it is
important to make sure you always have sufficient funds in your account to cover any outstanding
checks. If the payee tries to deposit the check again (sometimes their bank will do this
automatically), you will be penalized with a second bounced check fee for the same check. Many
international students expect the bank to pay checks even when their account is overdrawn, and
get a rude and expensive shock when they discover that the US banking system handles
overdrawn accounts differently.
When writing a check, the amount of the check is written twice, once using numerals and once
using words. If you were writing a check for $23.35, you would write the words as "Twenty-three
and 35/100 dollars", where the word "and" separates the dollar amount from the cents. You would
write $23.00 as "Twenty-three and NO/100 dollars". Draw a horizontal line through any leftover
space, to prevent someone from adding extra digits to the amount.
Credit Cards
If you pay for purchases at retail stores using a check, they will want to see some form of
identification, such as a driver's license or a major credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and
American Express). A passport can also serve as a photo identification, but it isn't wise to
advertise that you're an international visitor. Also, checks are only accepted if they are drawn on
an in-state bank, so you cannot use them if you travel out of state.
Credit cards are such an ingrained part of the American way of life that you will have trouble
making certain purchases with anything other than a credit card. If you want to place an order by
phone, cash a check, rent a car, or buy airline tickets, you need to have a credit card.
So it is better to use a credit card to pay for purchases. But you must take care to pay off your
balance in full at the end of the month. Otherwise you will incur interest on the balance. This can
substantially increase the balance due.
Traveler's Checks
Traveler's Checks are one of the safest ways to transport money. If the traveler's checks are lost
or stolen, you can easily get them replaced. Do not countersign the checks until you are ready to
use them.
If you bring traveler's checks with you to the US, you should bring traveler's checks that are
denominated in US funds. Most businesses will accept US-denominated traveler's checks. Taxi
drivers and bus drivers will not accept traveler's checks, so you should bring some US currency
with you as well.
Within the US, you can purchase traveler's checks from many travel agencies, banks, Thomas
Cook, and American Express offices for face value plus a 1% commission. The American
Automobile Association (AAA) sells them to members without charging a commission.
Aside from the AAA, the three largest sources of traveler's checks are American Express (1-800221-7282), Citicorp (1-800-645-6556), and Thomas Cook (1-800-223-9920).