Moving from Europe to Boca Raton - what advice would you give us?
My family and I are planning to move from Hungary to South Florida in the next few months, and after visiting Boca Raton several times, we’ve decided that this is where we’d like to make our new home.
A little about us: I work in IT, mostly with AWS/cloud technologies, my wife is a child psychologist, and we have a 2-year-old daughter who is a U.S. citizen.
We’re planning to buy a home relatively soon, although we’re also considering renting for the first year so we have some time to get to know the area properly before deciding exactly where we want to settle.
But my question isn’t really about buying vs. renting. I’d love to hear any advice you would give to a family moving to Boca Raton from Europe.
What do you wish you had known before moving here? Are there particular neighborhoods you love (or would avoid)? Things about everyday life that aren’t obvious until you actually live here? Advice regarding daycare/preschool, schools, making friends, finding a community, healthcare, insurance, hurricanes, cars/traffic, local bureaucracy, or just Florida life in general?
We’ve spent time in Boca as visitors, but obviously living somewhere is completely different from visiting. We’re essentially moving our lives to the other side of the world, so even things that may seem completely obvious to locals might be useful to us. :)
We’re excited about the move and would genuinely appreciate any advice, recommendations, warnings, or random bits of local knowledge you think a newcomer should know.
Thanks in advance!