Experiences living in other countries (especially USA)

[marey]

I am currently deciding which part of the US I would eventually want to go to.
I don't really have any close family connections residing in the US, so I don't really mind where I end up there, as long as it's relatively safe. 
So tanong po para sa mga nasa US (or actually kahit san man na-try mo na tirhan, mga ibang bansa na na-experience mo) na right now or have lived there before, which states have you had good/bad experiences with? And if you've only lived in one state, what is it like over there?

In terms of:

1. Cost of living
2. Salary
3. Safety
4. Friendliness of others (racism?)
5. Job opportunities (do you think maraming PT jobs na vacant or puno na?)
6. Prevalence of Filipinos
7. Other general info or advice you can share

Hope it's ok to ask all of this. Best regards to all!

[rengapasin]

Hi marey! I think cost of living in East Coast areas are more reasonable compared to other states.

[tonton]

tonton here, PT sa Georgia USA in the EAST COAST. may be i can help:

1. Cost of living? yes, reasonable
2. Salary? depends who you work for 
pvt co pay more like home health, nsg facilities with up to $75,000's/year
gov't agencies like the VA is low like upper $30,000's to lower $40,000's. good na pag-single ka and hindi gasturero
but also consider benefits like health, retirement etc. more pay at times less benefit, lower pay better benefits (like the VA)
ave salary wit good benefits mga $50,000's
3. Safety? if u live in urban cities like atlanta, macon, savannah be more vigilant.
4. Friendliness of others (racism?) some here, some there. just be friendly. people here r friendly too
5. Job opportunities (do you think maraming PT jobs na vacant or puno na?) many opportunities, rural and urban areas. you can stay in one place or travel fr place to place
6. Prevalence of Filipinos? marami din even in small cities/towns? many, therapist i meet here mostly visayas, i'm ilocano.
7. Other general info or advice you can share?
Georgia requires u to have 30 continuing educ units to renew license which is good for 2 yrs b4 another renewal
hot parang pinas sa summer, snows at times in north georgia, hurricane alley
u must know how to drive kasi most likely you'll be driving (unless u take the atlanta LRT (marta) to go to work)
traffiky rin in big cities but nothing compared to EDSA/MMla. if u can drive in manila, u can drive anywhere.

i understand u can take the USA board exam sa pinas or sa Guam b4 even coming to work in the USA. i know an OT that took the USA board exam sa Ateneo (manila) b4 she came here 2 work in June 2017. bago lang siya. if that's the case in PT, take and PASS the board while in the Philippines. fail or pass? better do it there then come here. u fail here in the USA it could be a horror story esp if no relatives nearby. I know.
usually companies will keep u failing d 1st time. fail 2nd time, u may not want to know. be pro-active. save yur money just in case. YOU'LL BE NEEDING IT.
fail the 3rd time. refresher course required b4 u take it the 4th time. course only offered 2x /yr. 1 in florida, 1 in pennsylvannia 
Get licensed first and foremost. the happy hours will come later. so as the big houses and Lamborghinis, disneyland, grand canyon trips etc etc. u come here 2 work not 4 vacation. not yet. this is the attitude many pinoy PT's learn from . . . the hard and horror way.
i suggest u take a review course b4 test. contact this guys www.therapyed.com/physical-therapy/review-study-guide. they were helpful.

american PT's here are now DPT (dr of PT) since 2010, I think. no more BSPT (4-5 yrs). its 4 yr BS something +3 yrs PT or 7 yrs PT na. I know pinoy PT's are not DPT's. Check up on this. ako, old sch - 4 yrs BSPT. been in georgia since 1993.

Good luck, God bless . . . hope this helps