We made it
 

Well son and I are safely back in the UK now. Already been a week.

I have 3 interviews lined up and am interested in a house.

Son is feeling a bit fed up and getting bored so hoping he meets some people soon - hopefully starting basketball next week. It's still a long while till he can start college so any tips on getting teens back in a social group much appreciated!

Hubby had a stressful last week in the house but hopefully now the sale has gone through he can relax a bit. I hate being here without him.

All in all it's going OK - have to use my sisters internet but do have a phone now so that makes things a little easier.

Done a bit if shopping already and seem to still be able to cope with having more people around.

Will post more as things fall into place :fingerscrossed:

Re: We made it
 

Hi Choccie,

Congratulations on getting home. You've finally made it, and well done with the interviews.

For your son, I remember my son arrived home in the March and couldn't start college until the September which is very hard.

How about a short college course to get him started?
Or didn't he fancy motor mechanics? What about offering himself for free in return for some work experience?
Army cadets?
Out of ideas but I hope he finds something interesting soon.

Carole

Re: We made it
 

Choccie - well done, I envy you.

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Hooray! Been eagerly awaiting your first post choccie! You made it! :thumbsup: Look forward to reading more from you.

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YAY! Congrats and good luck on the job interview. Hopefully your son will get plugged in socially soon

Re: We made it
 

Hi all

Well we have had an offer accepted on a house and I was offered a job yesterday working on the acute stroke ward.

Son started basketball last night and seemed to really enjoy getting back into it - so that's one night sorted just the rest of the week to go now. we are trying to get a 6th form to let him sit in lessons and then start in September just so as he can start meeting more people - no luck as yet but will keep on persevering.

So things are moving in the right direction - met up with a friend I hadn't seen since we were 18 the other night and it was great fun.

Not really found anything that has annoyed me yet and don't feel overwhelmed by crowds.

Still not enjoying being without hubby and eldest daughter but hubby will be here in about 4 weeks so hopefully his job hunt will be successful too.

Will keep posting updates.

Re: We made it
 

Great stuff choccie, the wheels are a-turning. Won't be long until you feel like you never left I'm sure.
How old is your son? As you know we are hoping to return this year too, but thought we would wait until my daughter has taken her NCEA level 1, but means she will end up starting college after September :thumbdown:
Secondary school in UK advised she might not be accepted for 6th form there and she would hate to have to be held back a year.

Congrats on the job! Please keep updating, I for one really appreciate it!

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Welcome home and congratulations on the job. I don't miss NZ at all.

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Congrats Choccie.
Sounds like your new UK life is coming together well.

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Hi Vetnurse

Son is 16 and has just passed his NCEA level 1. We have tried to get him into year 11 just to sit in on classes and get used to the system but no one is budging on that one and I guess it was always a very long shot anyway. So now we are trying the same tactic with Year 12 but still to no avail so it;s looking increasing like he will have to wait till September. There is an open evening at one of the local colleges in a few weeks so we will go along there and see what that is like. There are also a couple of local high schools with their own 6th forms.

Just hoping this house sale goes through quickly - the vendors have been outbid on one property so who knows!!

More updates as they happen :)

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Hi well done on the move, I know how your missing your OH (I did the move without my OH and did not see him for 10weeks and I hated it) you will be together before you know it I kept myself busy trying to "sort" everything out so it would be a bit easier on my OH when he returned. As for our youngest he did have to wait until September (we arrived in May) we use to go out and about so he could get use to the "towns" shops transport etc and then he also go a little part time job and joined the gym, he is quite shy at first but he did make friends and all is good in his world:thumbsup: good luck on the job front and just try and take things as they come. Spring will soon be here lighter mornings and evenings (which still amaze our two lol) take care.

Re: We made it
 

Hi ventures,

I was just thinking about your daughter and I would definitely think about getting home ready for September and her doing year eleven again and then a'levels.
I'm sure if you wait while she finishes level one it will be Christmas by the time you get back, schools just won't let her start then. It's a two year course.
It's always a hard decision but might be worth consideration.
I was in nz for six months while my daughter finished her exams and my husband took our son home in the July ready for the start of the year.

Good luck

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Great update, congrats on the job offer.
I start Monday on surgical ward. I accepted the offer beginning of last November. The wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly and it was the CRB check coming back Christmas week seems to have set everything back to super slow.
I hope all your checks go faster that that and you can start asap. :fingerscrossed:

Re: We made it
 

Hi Mummy

I have my suspicions I may be some way off starting too - need to supply so much evidence for CRB check - passport, birth certificate and letter from a solicitor are not enough they also want marriage certificate and a bank statement. Oh well at least I can check job hunting off my list now.

The owners of the house we want have now found somewhere with no onward chain so keeping fingers crossed that we can move quickly on that.

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A friend said to me to get a CRB check before I even leave Canada but I am not sure it is possible. It apparently can take anything from 8 weeks to 3 months to get one done! Wonder if it is possible?

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The NHS does their own CRB/DBS, so no control over it. Mine did only take about 3.5 weeks to finally get done, it was getting the appointment to go in with all your evidence and also getting an Occupational health appointment all takes time.
Didn't help that the person who offered me the job went off sick the next day for two weeks, so nothing was mailed out to me to get those things done until she got back to work.

Re: We made it
 

Had a great day out today - Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, National Portrait Gallery, Buckingham Palace, pie and mash and a clear blue sky. Just wandering around the gallery made me realise how much I had missed that kind of thing. Did keep thinking all the time "hubby would have liked that" Oh well will just have to do it all again when he gets here.:)

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Well done Choccie on getting home and I hope it all falls into place soon. I had a CRB done and got it back in 10 days..I moved to UK from USA and had it done to work with Children. I didnt have to provide anything except a photo ID and copy of birth cert.

Re: We made it
 

I wish it was the same for my CRB they have had birth certificate, passport and a letter from solicitor but are still insisting on an opening statement from the bank which had to be requested from head office and has so far not turned up 10 days later. Oh well I will have to be patient I guess.

At least someone wants to employ me here which is more than can be said for when I was in NZ.

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Did you take your son on this outing? If so, did he enjoy it? I'm curious how you're entertaining your teen as I'll be in the same boat in a couple of months. I just hope mine gets a job or into a course asap to meet people otherwise I suspect there will be challenges.

Re: We made it
 

Hi

Yes son did come along and really enjoyed it. Having his sister there helps with the embarrassment of being with Mum and Auntie I'm sure!

We haven't had any luck getting him into school or college so he will have to wait till September. He has joined a basketball team and applied for a couple of jobs so fingers crossed something comes up soon as he is getting a tad on the bored side now. No Xbox at the moment either so that's not helping matters.

Hoping to get him to join the gym then at least that will give him something else to do during the day.

Apart from that I can only really wait until he gets soooo bored he'll take any old job:)

Where are you heading back to? Will it just be you and son for a while?

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Yes, hopefully in April. I thought we would just travel around for a while but I've now been told by my teen that "stability" is more desirable so I guess if I've any chance of making it work we'll have to pick a home base asap.

I grew up in Kent and have family in Surrey and want to have a look at Oxfordshire/Gloucestershire. I want to have chickens in the country and everyone else wants to commute to London. Talk about making it hard. :rolleyes:

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Hi all

Hubby arrived safely on Valentine's morning (best Valentine's pressie ever!)

We have bought a car and pick it up tomorrow. I start my new job on Monday. No date for exchanging contracts yet so will keep chasing them. Our boxes have been shipped and dogs will be following soon. The cat is very happy in her new home apparently.

Feeling very settled at the moment just wish we could get into our own place. Have been busy looking at furniture. Loving all the choice.

The nights are not so dark now and there are daffs appearing so roll on Spring.

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Sounds better and better. :thumbsup:

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Hiya Choccie,

Congrats on the move and thank you for sharing your journey with us. Can I ask you about the basketball thing? My son is basket ball mad and we're planning a move back in two years. He'll be twelve and he's really involved in playing basketball. I'm a bit nervous as nobody played it when I was a kid. Is the sport growing for youth?
Thank-you!

Re: We made it
 

Hi

Basketball seems to be growing here. There was a more local team to us but they had been going a while so we opted for one further away that is getting established just so as my son wouldn't be the only new one and make it easier for him to slot in.

The local college also have a team and an accelerated programme that he is hoping to get on to - they have asked him to sign up already and if accepted they get extra conditioning training ect. It helps with him being so tall - I'm sure he's grown since we got back - mind you he is loving all the choice of food on offer so that's probably what's done it!

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Interesting to read your threads, many thanks.
I haven't lived and worked proper in the UK since 1978. Presently in the US and making plans to return with US spouse.
Still at least somewhat hesitant , still have a couple of years to work before hanging up coat. Some issues on possible downsizing and handling changes in the UK.

Re: We made it
 

Hi all

A bit more of an update for you. We are still waiting to move into our house - seems to be a really slow process and has caused us to delay flying the dogs over 4 times now.

I have started work and am adjusting to shift work.

Hubby was over for 4 weeks and is now back in NZ. he has given his notice in so will be back mid May (counting the days already)

Son seems to be fairly settled and has a place for college in September. Still hoping to get a job in the meantime. He's obviously getting a bit bored and missing his Dad. He has his sisters visit to look forward to and then it will only be 4 weeks until his Dad is back.

Eldest daughter and bf will be here in about 2 weeks so really looking forward to seeing them.

I'm in love with Superdrug - all their own brand products are vegetarian/vegan and cruelty free - all at really great prices.

Haven't been to the theatre yet but it's great not having to squeeze everything in to a couple of weeks.

Still very happy to have made the move but will feel even better once we are in our own place and we are all together again.

Hope everyone else making the move is doing well.

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Well we finally have a date to move into our house. The day before our daughter and bf arrive - which makes it rather a rush and panic to get sorted especially with shift work. Have been out and organised one bed and a lounge suite (the shop are lending us one until ours is made) so at least that's a start!

Dogs can finally leave on 31st March.

All coming together finally.

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Sold on the vegan choices. Good to know that there are other placed to get vegan items other than Whole Foods :thumbsup: