Fire and the US insurance system

It has been a long time since there was something interesting to write about in regards to relocating to the US. And it is a weird coincidence that once I started blogging again - something happened that makes me pick up this topic again. Since I lost a home in the Marshall Fire I'm about to learn a lot about insurance companies in the US.

Relocation, relocation, relocation

Looking back at March 2009 there is not much stuff that I still find interesting.

How to prevent your users from deposit checks with your app

So it has been a long time since I encountered a user interface that make stupid assumptions about their users but a few weeks ago my bank managed to do so.

A Swede's guide to US health insurance

When I moved from Sweden to the US the scariest unknown was how health insurance worked. And I must say that it is mind boggling at times. In my six years in the US I have experienced three different approaches. The short version is that if you consider moving to the US, make sure you understand how your health insurance works!

Software Development in different cultures

I was listening to this podcast which is talking about how the culture at different software companies is different in different parts of the world. I found it extra intriguing to hear how foreigners perceived working in Scandinavia vs their home countries since I've done the opposite journey.

First vs Middle names or how the US immigration renamed me

For anybody planning to move to the US I have one important recommendation; sort out your name situation before you apply for visas etc. The US is obsessed with your name since it and your birth date more or less identifies you.

Going swimming with kids in the US

Several years ago Eminem was interviewed by a Swedish journalist for a TV show targeting teens in Sweden. Eminem accidentally said fuck. Immediately he stopped playing cool and apologized like a little kid for using the f-word. The interviewer just laughed ans said he could say whatever he wanted on Swedish TV. This is an example of something Swedes (and probably most of the people living outside the US) find weird with people from the US; nudity and bad language is terrifying on TV while guns is OK. Something similar has happened to myself and friends when going swimming with the kids.

How long does it take to understand the value of currency?

In my old blog I had a number of posts that are useful to people relocating in general and US specifically. The other day something happened that made me think it was time to bring that topic back to life