[Taiwan] I am new comer form Taiwan. I have some questions.

[Chou, Ping-jen]

Hello Hsiao-Yun,

First of all, I'd like to welcome you to USF on behalf of TSA.  You are
now on the TSA mailing list, so feel free to take full advantage of it.
Please express your concerns and questions regarding the school and its
local area by writing* to this email below.  Rest assured that members
will offer you some information to the best of their knowledge.

" taiwan at mailman.acomp.usf.edu " (*email subjects must be written in
English.)

In addition to the comprehensive reply from Wills, our former club
president '01-'02, the following information you may also find helpful.

1.      Apart from the vaccine required in the immunization form, is a
standard physical check-up in the hospital necessary? 
No.  No physical check-up is necessary.  Just bring in your COMPLETED
immunization form and medical record so that the school can remove your
hold for class registration.

2.      When are the forms, like medical history form and insurance
agreement form, supposed to be sent to USF?
You may do all this (question 1 included) upon arrival when you come to
attend the school's orientation.  For your convenience, our Health
Service building and Insurance office are right next to each other.

3.      How do rent a house or apartment and how do I find my roommates
in Tampa?
Majority of the students from Taiwan live in off-campus apartments that
are located north of the main campus along the 42nd and 46th Street.
Since most foreign students have no credit history in the US, many
leasing offices accept 'bank statements' showing that you have enough
money to cover 6-12 months of rent.  As for roommate, if anyone on this
list is looking for one, you should be getting a message from him/her.
If not, you may look for a roommate from the listings on the message
corkboards located in every school building.  An alternative option is
to look for them online.  Or I may be able to find you some students
from mainland China, if interested...

4.      How much does it cost to rent a house or apartment off campus?
Rental for house around the school generally runs from $1400-$1900 per
month.  But it's not common to find a house within a 10-mile radius.
You are most likely looking at about $800-$1050 for getting a "decent"
2-bed-2-bath apartment within walking distance to school.  Try this
housing list (offered by the ELI program from USF) and see if you find
anything of interest.  These apartments listed are located on the USF
shuttle bus route.

" http://shell.cas.usf.edu/eliweb/apartments.php?menu=housing "

5.      How do I apply for my social security number?
SSN can be obtained ONLY under these two conditions: (1) You are the
recipient of a fellowship, assistantship, or stipend from USF; or (2)
You are offered an employment opportunity from USF with a sponsorship
letter stating so.

6.      How long is an international driver's license valid?
I believe the International Driver's License is good for 30-days.

7.      Can I buy a car with my international driver's license?
Yes! But you are not allowed to operate the vehicle purchased without
proof of car insurance.  

8.      If I have a car, where can I park my car?
Any space available basically, unless otherwise restricted by law or
property owners!  Parking on campus requires a permit which can be
purchased from school.  Almost all leasing offices do not charge their
residents for parking.


I must say that you know awfully lot about the US even before coming
here.  I assume that you have studied abroad elsewhere, like say
Australia?  Once again, warmest welcome and we look forward to having
you as a family.

Joe.
Mailing List Admin.

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