Moving from the netherlands to MA vicinity Boston NEED HELP!!!! (Worcester: real estate, broker)

[micky]

Thank you surfingatwork we will have a look and talk to the realtor.

Thank you nooneknowsmyname do you think I should even look at the towns you mention Auburn, Grafton, Holden, Leicester, Millbury, Paxton, Shrewsbury, and West Boylston

Thank you ontheroad, we live in the south of holland in Weert Limburg. Just under eindhoven like 30 minutes.
If you lived in holland you know we have town center, Weert has alot of little shops we don't have alot of chian store we have boutiques.
As I like to shop and find unique things, we like it here. I know the people living here. When we go to town I always meet some people.

We want to live not to far from Boston more for me as my husband will be the whole day at work and my daughter at school I can still go and explore Boston. But I don't want my husband having a hell of a time driving to work. At the moment I have my own bussnis I'am a cosmetoligist but when we get to the states the first couple of months I'll be taking care of my family. And afther that maybe go back to school to study again. At the moment not so sure what kind of study I want to do. Something creative I was thinking interior designer, weddingcake desinger etc . Maybe someone has more sucection
So that's why we also want to live close to Boston.

Thank you scarletfire. So worcester the public school are out. If I get you wright waltham is also not all that to live in.
I have been looking at the site you gave me to compare school but I can't find it maybe I'am doing something wrong.
I would if possible the information on the other montessori school all help much appreciated.

And yes in july we will be in the area for 5 days to find a house and school, next week we will be having a meeting with the expat department of my husbands company and we need to know alittle bit about the area and schools.

Thank you all very much it is diffecult living so far and not knowing the area and making a choice but with your help I will get
Micky

[nooneknowsmyname]

Originally Posted by scarletfire

Re: Waltham, Lexington, Arlington, I don't suspect you will find Waltham schools to be so great and some areas are sort of gritty.

I know there's another member here who used to live in Lexington so hopefully she can comment on the schools there.

I grew up in Massachusetts and spent my childhood in the Metrowest suburbs (my family has lived since the mid 1850s) until I attended college then moved to the City of Boston where I lived for 20 years. I posted the information about the Worcester being the closest city to Leominster. However, despite what some people may have inferred, I was not
recommending Worcester. I was merely answering your question and pointing out that Worcester was the closest city. Although Lexington (20 miles away) and Arlington (8.3 miles away) are close to Boston, they are both suburbs, not cities. Of the two communities, Arlington is closer than Lexington, but Lexington has a better school system. Both Arlington and Lexington are suburban communities and neither has great transportation into Boston. If you are looking for cities that are close and have the easiest access to Boston, they are Cambridge and Brookline. However, Brookline is 43 miles from Leominster and about a 65 minute drive and Cambridge is 38 miles from Leominster and about a 60 minute drive. You indicated that you didn't want more than a 45 minute commute to work and you still want to live close to a city. Unfortunately, Massachusetts doesn't have that many cities and even fewer of them close to Leominster. There is a Montessori School in Cambridge that has an excellent program. For more information see their website <www.cambridgemontessori.net>

[b52]

Originally Posted by micky

Chunkymonky thank you, concord looks a little rural for me. I do want to live in city/ town.

B52 thank you for the realtor site this helps alot. It's very diffecult to look from afar. In july we will be there looking for a house and school for our daughter.
What kind of program should I look for that fits my child need
I really don't know how the schools work in the states.
I'am very confused very. I want to do the best for my child.
What is this extactly Children in US schools are protected by the Individuals With Disabilities Act (laws).
I have been reading about AP course thing.... what is this Help

Surfingatwork thank you my husband wants a 45 min drive to work not longer. And I want to live in a city/ town. Boston will be to far for him. I wont be working (very strange for me) I don't want to live in the middle of nowhere
What town would you recommend (other too) that have direct acces to route 2
I have a list with all of the things a want. Long list

Thanks to you all Micky

Micky
I have listed some information including websites which may be helpful now and later. You have gotten some great advice already but must be feeling overwhelmed. I know the feeling because I am relocating to New England myself but as you can see people in the area are more than willing to help. You can PM me any time.

The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation....

To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.

Children are protected by the law at school to make sure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children.

National Dissemination Center For Children With Disabilities (Excellent web site inncludes a list of resources in Massachusetts
P.O. Box 1492
Washington, DC 20013
(800) 695-0285 · v/tty
(202) 884-8441 · fax
nichcy@aed.org

This organization matches parents who have children with similar needs. They act as a resource and peer support. I have used them in my state.
Parent-To-Parent
Mary Castro Summers, Director
Family TIES of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Donovan Health Building, 3rd Floor
5 Randolph Street
Canton, MA 02021
(781) 774-6736; (800) 905-TIES
E-mail: mcsummers@fcsn.org
Web: Family TIES of Massachusetts


Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Michelle Tremont, President
Massachusetts PTA
P.O. Box 710
Fiskdale, MA 01518-0710
(508) 347-7055; (888) 404-4782
E-mail: masspta@aol.com
Web: Massachusetts State PTA - A Message from the President

[surfingatwork]

Originally Posted by micky

If you lived in holland you know we have town center, Weert has alot of little shops we don't have alot of chian store we have boutiques.
As I like to shop and find unique things, we like it here. I know the people living here. When we go to town I always meet some people.

Micky

Even though lexington is considered a town there are some cute boutique shops in the town center. Belmont (again a town) also has a nice town center with boutique type shops. Bedford which is the next town over from lexington has a few boutique shops but they also have box stores.

[ontheroad]

Looking at the map, miky, I see many possible solutions. If your visit is long enough you can drive around several areas in MA and see which will suit you best. You might look West even though it is farther away from Boston as it has many small hamlets more like Limburg than the East. I would suggest many places in the Boston area but that takes your husband too, too far from his job.

Also commuting in MA is very different than Holland, and takes longer on rougher roads. We lived in Amsterdam and commuted for one year to the Hague on the train; and two years or more drove north to reclaimed land in the Ijs.

People more familiar with the whole of MA can be very helpful. I worked in Boston, but only lived in Western Massachusetts. I did drive to Boston on several occasions but leisurely and not daily.

Good luck and if I can be any help in other ways, do let me know. I know how hard it is to make decisions from such a long distance and to a different culture.

Originally Posted by micky

Thank you ontheroad, we live in the south of holland in Weert Limburg. Just under eindhoven like 30 minutes.
If you lived in holland you know we have town center, Weert has alot of little shops we don't have alot of chian store we have boutiques.
As I like to shop and find unique things, we like it here. I know the people living here. When we go to town I always meet some people.

We want to live not to far from Boston more for me as my husband will be the whole day at work and my daughter at school I can still go and explore Boston. But I don't want my husband having a hell of a time driving to work. At the moment I have my own bussnis I'am a cosmetoligist but when we get to the states the first couple of months I'll be taking care of my family. And afther that maybe go back to school to study again. At the moment not so sure what kind of study I want to do. Something creative I was thinking interior designer, weddingcake desinger etc . Maybe someone has more sucection
So that's why we also want to live close to Boston.

And yes in july we will be in the area for 5 days to find a house and school, next week we will be having a meeting with the expat department of my husbands company and we need to know alittle bit about the area and schools.

Thank you all very much it is diffecult living so far and not knowing the area and making a choice but with your help I will get
Micky

[b52]

Originally Posted by micky

Chunkymonky thank you, concord looks a little rural for me. I do want to live in city/ town.

B52 thank you for the realtor site this helps alot. It's very diffecult to look from afar. In july we will be there looking for a house and school for our daughter.
What kind of program should I look for that fits my child need
I really don't know how the schools work in the states.
I'am very confused very. I want to do the best for my child.
What is this extactly Children in US schools are protected by the Individuals With Disabilities Act (laws).
I have been reading about AP course thing.... what is this Help

Surfingatwork thank you my husband wants a 45 min drive to work not longer. And I want to live in a city/ town. Boston will be to far for him. I wont be working (very strange for me) I don't want to live in the middle of nowhere
What town would you recommend (other too) that have direct acces to route 2
I have a list with all of the things a want. Long list

Thanks to you all Micky

Micky
I neglected this info in my last message re. IDEA. AP refers to advanced placement. These courses are offered at the high school level. Students are high achieving, headed for college and the courses offer a more rigorous curriculum, closely matching what they can expect in their freshman year of college. They may get college credit for these courses (after passing the course(s) and AP exams) when they enter college as freshmen.

[micky]

Hallo everybody and thanks for all the information. It's alot. All very helpfull.
It is very overwhelming all the information, but still I'am seeing the end of the rainbow.
At the moment I'am leaning to Lexington. Heard they have a great school systeem.
And the commute time is resonable for my husband.
The only thing I have and this is from reading different post is that in Lexington is a little bit of keeping up with the Joness. And this is something I don't like at all. We want to be appreciate for who we are and not what we have.
ontheroad we only have 5 day's to look around so when we come over everything has to be storted

b52 thanks for the site I'll be using them for sure.

ontheroad what town/ city on the west of boston do you recommend
Today my husband will have a tell number from his work so we can call a realtor so I can start asking away.
thanks everybody Micky

[b52]

Originally Posted by micky

Hello everybody I'am new to this forum and I need help.
In sept/ okt we will be moving to MA but before we move, in july we will be going over to find a house and a school for our daughter.
We were thinking about the area's Lexington, Arlington and Waltham because of there location close to the highway. What we see on the map
My husband is going to work in Leominster he does't want to drive more than 45 min 1 way.
We want to live near Boston, I don't want to live in to of a small town. I prefer something of a city not to big either.

I have been looking for school for my daughter, private school fee's are to much so looking to find a good public school in these area's. My daughter is dyslectic so the classes should not be to big and also no speciaal classes were she will be isolated and have a brand like she is stupid because she is not.
My daughter atends a montessori here in the Netherlands

Please can you help me, really need all the help I can get

Micky
I have sent you a PM

[airedaly]

The commute from Lexington to Leominster could take more than an hour. Why do you need to be in a suburb like Lexington when there are so many wonderful towns near Leominster? Acton has grown tremendously and has great shopping. Littleton is a small town but very cute. Why the need to live in a city? You can go into Boston on weekends if you need the stimulation of the City.

Worcester is an up and coming city and is closer to Leominster. There are a number of colleges in Worcester, which means that there is a lively arts culture. Worcester, MA - Arts & Culture


Lexington is an expensive, leafy suburb, not a city. Cambridge is a city, but I wouldn't put my child in their schools. Boston is a city, but you might want to look at private schools. You may want to look at your requirements again. Driving into the City on weekends may be your best bet. Commuting in a car for two hours a day seems to be a waste of gas and time. There is something to be said for living close to your place of work.

[NY'er lost in MA]

I would check out Northborough. Very good school system (one of the best in the state) and nice area. About 15 minutes to the 'T' in Westborough, but also easy access to Leominster (avoiding Rt 2)

You might also consider Clinton, MA

Good luck!