Every person living in the U.S., even temporarily, should have health insurance coverage. Emergency medical problems or accidents can occur, and if they do, the cost for medical care is very high. There are health care facilities in every community and a diverse range of medical services available to the public. You should familiarize yourself with health care facilities before you need to use them. For further information, please see pages 46-50 in the Guidebook for International Faculty, Staff and Scholars .
Every community has clubs and organizations for people with special interests.
Most such clubs welcome new members and provide opportunities for volunteer work. There are organizations focusing on health, education, the environment, sports, politics, cultural interests, women's issues, and many other topics and issues. Every newspaper has a weekly listing of local club and organization meetings and activities. The best way to familiarize yourself with an organization to see if it is truly of interest to you is calling the publicized phone number, asking a few questions, attending a meeting or two and talking to other members to see if they share your interests. University Resources The Center for International Faculty and Student Services houses a number of programs of interest to spouses.