Ten Things to Do Before You Travel to America
Here are ten important things you should do before you travel to America, and advice that I hope you will learn and take in as far as you can. Some of it may seem hard to some people and takes work and effort, but it will change your life if you think about it before you come. This is for everyone who comes to America for a long stay or to emigrate, whether they come through the lottery, family reunification, or a contract with a large company. And if the advice seems heavy and takes time and effort, remember that I gave my own time and effort because this matters.
1. Decide why you are going and what you want to do
For a clean life, or for money, or for the near or distant future? Will you study, work, or what exactly? Without sound planning, your effort in America is like running in place: you spend a great deal of effort and energy and do not move. None of us gets in a car and drives around with no goal. We know our destination or we put it into the navigation system. Life in America is the same, and your plan before you come will make many things easier for you.
2. Learn English
English is your key to success in American society, and it does not work to go to a society whose language you do not speak. You will face difficulties and tire, but every effort you put into learning it before you come will make a big difference. No one asks you for perfect fluency or an American accent from the first moment, and neither I nor any other Arab claims that, but we work hard, and whoever works hard arrives. I remind you that you will not get a respectable job here unless your English is good, and even if you get one, you will probably not rise in it to a high level without good English. Your relationship with English determines your future in America.
3. Learn a job or trade that is not an office job
For a long time I have wanted to devote an episode to the future of traditional professions in America, and in my opinion it is over completely. There are professions that are still popular in our Arab countries but are on their way out here, or no longer guarantee a decent living to those who practice them, and barely let them get by. Bank clerk or accountant is not a fast or good way to a suitable income for you and your family, and the same goes for teacher, secretary and the other office jobs.
If I were in your place I would try to learn a job that is in demand in the American market. Manual trades are in very high demand here, such as plumber, carpenter and mechanic, and a skilled worker’s pay is high and the demand for him exists all year in almost every state. There are other trades that are easy to learn, namely all those connected to high technology, whether you are a programmer, an engineer or a network technician. And I remind you that you have plenty of time in your own country before you come, but once you come to America your time will be tight and your need for money will be greater than anything else, so you will not be able to find the time to learn, and if you do learn, it will be at great cost.
4. Read and get to know America: its history, culture and customs
Try to understand the society you are going to, ask and search the internet, and do not go to a new place knowing nothing about it. You lose nothing if you know extra information about America, but you will lose a lot if you need this information and do not have it. A few days ago I spoke with a friend who has lived here for more than ten years, a respectable person, but he does not care to read about America, and I was surprised that he did not know information that counts as obvious for anyone who engages with the society. And compare that with the many other pieces of information you need to know. This is an obligation of excellence, to be different from others, not a legal or governmental obligation, but to use knowledge in the right way when you need it.
5. Decide which state or city you will live in
The choice depends on two things: your own circumstances and the circumstances of the state. A single person’s choice differs from that of a family man. A single man likes to go to a city with plenty of job opportunities even if it is more expensive than others, because he will probably live with a group of young men and try to save every penny. A family man’s priorities change: he wants to save a little, and he wants to live next to an Arab community. A practicing Muslim will try to live near a mosque, and an Eastern Christian near an Eastern church, and this makes a big difference in raising children.
Then look at the circumstances of the state or city: the weather, because America is a continent, with areas that have snow all year and areas where you never see snow, areas that are very cold and others that are very hot. Look at job opportunities, the presence of immigrants, unemployment statistics, and whether the city is known for racism or for supporting immigrants. I have said repeatedly that I advise you to choose Democratic states with many immigrants, where the people are used to seeing different kinds of people, because this makes it easier to integrate into society quickly.
In my opinion, if you are single, go straight to New York or New Jersey on the East Coast, or California on the West Coast, or Michigan or Illinois in the north of America. All these states have many immigrants, and most of them have large Arab communities that make things easier for you.
6. Save some money before you travel
If you won the lottery, you have about a full year until you reach America, in which you can save a lot if you start now. The average expenses of a single young man living with other young men in an apartment in New York were about $1,600 to $1,800 a month at the time the episode was recorded, of which about $600 was for housing, so you get a bed in a room or a room of your own in a shared apartment, and the rest goes on food, drink and transport.
In a big, crowded city like New York you do not need a car, because the transport network is strong and reaches every point in the city. Buying a car would in fact be torture, from having nowhere to park it to the tickets you will get day and night. I do not advise it until you have a family. I believe a new immigrant must cover at least three months of expenses, because he does not know when he will start working after he arrives or how much he will be paid, so it is better to arrive with money that covers him if he does not find work right away.
7. Translate your documents and have your certificates evaluated
Translate all your documents, and try to have your degrees evaluated for equivalency. I recorded two episodes about studying in America with details about certificate equivalency before arrival, so make use of them.
8. Get in touch with any Arab in the city or state you chose
This will make a big difference to you. Ask him about the Arab community and its main gathering places, average housing and living costs, the best schools and colleges if you will study or have a family, and the mosques, churches, organizations and associations that help new immigrants. All of this makes the picture clear to you and you know where you will put your foot in the next step.
9. Bring some general medicines with you
Getting medicine without a prescription is somewhat hard here, and if you have no health insurance the prices are high. So I advise you to bring some general medicines with you, especially antibiotics. If you or a member of your family has a chronic illness, bring their medicines until you get health insurance, so you do not suffer or spend a lot.
10. Focus and take your time
Count on things being confused and hard for you at first, and the difference in currency will seem large as long as you are not being paid from America. As long as you spend in your country’s currency you will feel that the dollar is expensive and life is expensive, and once you find a job in America and are paid in dollars you will feel life is easier, and this is apart from the expensive cities. So focus and do not rush. There are people who stayed for months, got tired, gave up and went back, and there are people who were patient and focused, and thank God they are in a good state today.
Part of your focus is to know your rights and the duties you owe to society and the state. If you come as an immigrant holding a green card, your life will be much easier than for someone who came without papers. Among the simple things that make life easier for you is to renew your passport before you come.
And if you have children, always remember that you came to make their future better, but what is the use of planning a better future if their present is lost, God forbid? The society and place you put them in will raise them far more than you will, and your intention of a better life for them will not be fulfilled if you are absent from them all the time, busy with your work and collecting money.
Finally, think about every step, and ask and consult those around you. There is no prize in America for the fastest reckless or hasty immigrant, but in life there is a prize for the immigrant who planned and carried out his plan the most, and that is the prize of success. Good luck to everyone.
Article originally published on 3 October 2026.