Sally Redux

We have to make a final decision on a job offer from the UK.

What do you reckon?

rebs

As a certain someone over in the US forum would say - more facts are needed

What's the job situation? Is either one likely to be more secure/better than the other?

I've got the impression from your posts that you are keen to move back to the UK - what's the downside (if any) of this job offer?

What do OH & the kids think/feel?

Sally Redux

Thanks rebs, you're right of course but I seem to have gone over things so much in my mind that I suddenly fancied a 'straw poll'

Yes, for almost every day I have lived here I've wanted to go back - not sure why I suddenly have cold feet.

The proposed job is more secure and that is the big attraction.

OH has always liked it here, had a wobble when things were not going so well in his current job but would prefer to stay here. The children have surprised me by being keen to return, but son is 17, a very awkward time to move him.

The financial difficulty is that our house has lost a lot of value and we would really lose money on that. Also families back home seem to have developed significant strange behaviours lately and that aspect of moving is not as attractive as it may have seemed before.

dunroving

All other things being equal, you'd have to tie me up to get me to stay in LA. Brum has real people, real weather, surrounded by countryside, and that wonderful accent.

Sally Redux

All roight Bab

tonrob

Voted for Brum, but mainly because I could murder a balti right now. Hopefully that was an ok reason....

Good luck with the decision.

Mummy in the foothills

I've been to LA it's not somewhere I'd want to go again, let alone live there, "better" areas being to expensive for normal folk
I've been to Birmingham it was OK, not the best, but I'm told there are some nice places to live nearby.

JAJ

If you have green cards, do you want to abandon them?

Your son may not be able to attend a UK university at home rates for a while:
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/UK_Uni...Residence_Rule

Marmalade

Hi Sally,

I voted for Brum!

Not keen on L.A., visited and was not impressed. Although I've never been to Birmingham, but I am a wee bit biased about the UK as I plan on moving back this year.

Good luck with whatever you do.

So, do you have US citizenship or not, obviously that is the question that should be answered first, right

Sally Redux

2 good points which are in favour of LA.
Thanks for the thoughts and good luck with your plans!

We don't have citizenship yet.

rebs

With your son being that age, does it feel a bit like 'it's now or never' for the decision? That may be putting extra pressure on the process of making the decision.

Well, you get by in LA without family being around, so maybe take them out of the equation (if that's possible)...

One of the things that we thought about when we were thinking about whether to stay in the US or go back was to ask ourselves where would be better (well, least worse really) for us if the worst came to the worst and my husband lost his job...

Having said that, we don't even have green cards so it doesn't feel like we were giving up much... I wonder if I was in your shoes I would try and get citizenship just to maybe give the kids a few more options down the line...

Sally Redux

I think getting Geen Cards has significantly changed my feelings on the matter and we should go for citizenship...also despite my constant complaining there are some things which are good here and I have made some inroads into settling.

Of couse possible job loss is a worry but thinking perhaps we should just cross that bridge when we come to it.

Thanks everyone for the input

easty1976

For me Los Angeles every time! Lived there for two and a half years(left in 2003)and still miss it now! I would go back in a shot, found the people very friendly and helpful and there was so much to do. The weather was great apart from a week usually Jan/Feb every year, the beaches are fantastic and the feel of the place was something that I have never felt since. Moved back to UK 2003 and now live in Australia since 2006 and if I had the chance to live in LA again I would leave right now! Just my opinion; you are in a great position to be able to try the UK again though and if you want to return to LA then you can always return. I really envy you................ but I hope it works out whatever you decide.

Mallory

I love Los Angeles. My daughter used to live there, and one of my best friends lives there, so have visited a lot. My friend's back yard is like a little oasis. I love sitting around her pool, surrounded by orange and lemon trees, roses, geraniums, bougainvillea, palm trees (with this beautiful foliage all year round)! Driving around town, still more roses, bougainvillea, palm trees everywhere. (You can tell I like flowers!). Going down to Santa Monica and walking along the beach top (bliss). Then strolling around, and popping into a coffee shop. Love The Grove, and the great farmer's market there.

Driving around Hancock Park looking at all the Tudor houses, and strolling around the canals in Venice. Driving out to Malibu, and enjoying the scenery. Lunch at The Getty by the Pacific. Shopping trips to Costco and Trader Joes. The new Grove in Pasadena. All the great restaurants. People are fun in California, and everything is casual. A drive down the beach communities, down to LaGuna, Dana Point, all the way to La Jolla.

The thought of living in Birmingham would pale in comparison. Not that I wouldn't enjoy living there. I've lived in 3 different countries, and 3 different US states, and moved quite a bit within the 3 states. I'm adaptable, so it wouldn't bother me where I lived. But give me the choice - I wouldn't even have to stop and think. LA every time.

If I were in your shoes I probably would want to stay until I got citizenship (if you could). I would hate to burn my bridges!

Good luck with which ever your choose. Difficult choice. When you are married to another Brit I think you are always swinging the pendulum. I'm married to an American, and I decided to make this my home when I stepped off the plane, so I don't think about it the same way you do. Holidays back suit me fine.

Mitzyboy

I've been to Los Angeles twice and hated it every time. The pace of life there is frightening, the people in the city unfriendly, and the driving is enough to give you a heart attack. Coming in from Vegas it took us the best part of an hour from the city limits to our hotel.

OK, Ive only been twice so it cant be a fair report, but I was there last in October last year and we swore we would never return.

Birmingham? Birmingham always gets a bad press. However the suburbs of Birmingham are a nice place to live, especially to the South. Solihull, Shirley areas.

Within just half an hour from the centre you can be out in beautiful Warwickshire countryside, further South a short distance to Henley in Arden, Warwick, Leamington Spa & Stratford on Avon. Theres lots to do in the area, and theres lots to see. Theatres, parks, the lot. The shopping centre in the city is huge.

And yes, I did live in Birmingham suburbs for quite a few years. I'm not a Brummy but would recommend the city, a place we have ensured we kept a property for when we like to go back.