DDL

CONGRATULATIONS, LARA!! How exciting for you all! I've been to North Wales - it's beautiful. And I happen to currently be reading "How Green Was My Valley" which I have really been enjoying.

Well. our [tentative] return date to the UK is early-mid July. I (American) received my Spousal Visa just a week of so ago.

We had the BIG MOVING SALE today. I "advertised" on the local Craiglist and through loads of Friends/Family on Facebook and we had a tremendous turnout. We were very pleased and raked in about $2,600! The house is really empty looking now with no pictures on the walls, and only a couple of chairs in the living room.

My husband was very melancholy last night as we were putting the final touches on everything. We both sat in the living room looking at all the lovely things we had accumulated the past 6 years here in the U.S., most everything purchased because it reminded us of something special, somewhere we had been, or things like that. It isn't easy, this giving everything up. Oh sure, we will again have "things" in the UK, but am almost certain we will never have, materially, what we had here in the US.

These "inter-continental" relationships are not as uncomplicated and "romantic" as they are in the movies. There are hard decisions to be made by one or both people, depending upon where they are: home country/host country. And I must be honest, there are still moments when we wonder if we are doing the right thing.

But then we read the job adverts that say: 25 days holiday + bank holidays - and we feel better about the situation.

trottytrue

Hello everyone. Its been a while since I posted but I think you are doing fine and this thread does very well. I think I told you all I had a bad tummy bug. Well I didnt know how bad till I ended up in hospital because I just couldnt keep anything in at either end They put me on a drip for a day and then I was sent home but was told not to take anything to control the runs as I needed to get it out of my system. The type of virus I had was the one people get who go on cruises. Hmmm not been near a ship Its taken a while and the odd thing is I am left with a cough. Which I cannot get rid of. Still I feel much better.
I have not been back to read up on everyone I see that Rodney is back and on his way home thankgoodness
ED. Is the new flat near your work.
To everyone else good luck on going home.
Oh I forgot in between being sick I became an American Citizen. I have not told my relatives back home But it does ease the pressure in case I ever need to come back I will just have two passports.

Jerseygirl

Welcome back...glad you're feeling better.

Easterndawn

Welcome back, those kind of bugs can take a lot out of you. So many new viruses around these days it seems and they seem to suddenly appear somewhere they have never been seen before.

The apartment is much closer to where I work, I can walk to the bus station at Ayr and then take the Craig Tara bus to work. I can also get a zone card for £17.00 per week which means I can go on the busses to Prestwick etc, anywhere in the same zone which encompasses quite a large area.

Margaret3

hey ED are you working at Craig Tara??,, remember my friend i told you about who has a bit of property and prob could've rented you a flat in hamilton, well she also owns a caravan at Craig Tara, it looks like your destined to meet her at some point!!

Don't care wot anybody says i luv Craig Tara!

pcmaccallum

Hi good to hear from you and pleased you are on the mend.

congratulations on the citizenship, best not to burn any bridges, at least you will be free to come and go as you please

How is your husband doing?

Take care Chris

wingandapray

Thanks for that-all is well so far-the weather abit unsettled-It is like we have NEVER been away-a satisfaction
NOW the hard works begins!!

wingandapray

Thanks Rodney.... Yes everythin gis going VERY well so far-I know its going to be hard-but it feels right-funny isn't it!

jasper123

Hi Denise,
Yes I am beginning to realize only too well that this huge move is going to get quite crazy, yesterday I reviewed my list of things that have to be done before I leave listing the most important things first, well I only had 8 things on the list but then I thought more in detail and have added 4 more to a total of 12 things to be done,
Now I read your post and yes I did know that I had to get all medical records in my mind as one of the important things to do --- but did not have it written on my list --- so thank you so much for reminding me, ---- only thing is Oppps that one makes the list total to 13 and thats an unlucky number ---- but I am sure that I will be adding at least one more thing to the list that I have forgotten after I give it some more thought,
So anyway I am going to take those peoples advice on this thread that said just give yourself plenty of time to do everything, and to take one thing at a time and just cross them off the list as you go,
Take care,
Rodney.

wingandapray

Australia is a legend in its own mind-pathetic.... just being here in the UK shows how "up its self" it is-what a joke....return no way thats it....however I still have family, thats the problem.

Fish n Chips 56

Welcome back Avril.

I had a bug like that three years ago, I didn't finish up in hospital as there was nothing they could do for me, maybe I wasn't as run down as you, it was just a matter of time, it took a week to get over it, very draining.
Germs pass so freely these days, all it takes is a dirty / infected door handle and we touch many of those everyday, I think shopping carts are bad too.

Citizenship, my UK in laws had never mentioned it in 15 years, we went through the process and next time we were in the UK the question came up, I was so surprised, I felt like a traitor but I had my reasons as we all do and explained my situation, its a very personal decesion.

jasper123

Denise you are so right in everything you say here, You especially being American will have the culture shock to deal with maybe a little more then me and so many others who have been out here for 30 years or more, but I am sure you will quickly get into the swing of things, and yes Im sure everyone has those moments when they are not 100% sure that they are doing the right thing, especially in the last few days or weeks before that plane takes off,
our nerves will be on overdrive,
But yes as you say when you think of the 4 or 5 weeks holidays they get over there in there first year of employment each year plus all those public holidays --- all fully paid, Wow what a deference to our one week vacation after first year of work, and then most companies give you two weeks after you have been there three years and if you compleat a whopping 10 years of service they think there doing you a big favour when they give you a total of 3 weeks vacation, Whoopi !!!!
And Denise I dont know if your Husband has told you this or not but in the UK if you are sick and cant work for a while the company you work for gives you so much percentage of your regular wages and the Government makes up the difference to your full pay check, and this goes on and on for as long as your Doctor says you can return to work, at least thats how it used to be, and I dont think anything has changed in that regard, the company paying there portion of your sick pay is not doing it through the kindness of there heart its simpy the law --- they have to do it,
Oh boy what a difference to our one or two weeks of sick pay each year that our companies give us out here, you see its just another example of how the UK government really believes in looking after there people, and there are so many examples just like that one,
Well Denise it looks like you and me may be leaving at about the same time, I think I should have everything wrapped up by say June and then switch my flight to first week in July, I will have to make the final decision on exact flight date soon cause I dont want Virgin to run out of seats on the time I would like to travel, so maybe I will get that sorted out in the next couple of weeks,
Take care,
Rodney.

jasper123

Oh yes trottytrue Congrats on getting your US citizenship, does feel good dont it,
Sorry to hear that you have been sick, hope the cough goes away quickly,
Take care of yourself,
Rodney.

jasper123

Yes Wing you have hit the nail right on the head, ----- but it feels right !!!
As long as we have that feeling thats half the battle, I have it, and I think everyone who is already over there and others that are getting ready to leave shortly have it too,
Good luck on everything,
Rodney.

Relocateme

Congrats Trotty!...so glad you are better and the good news on your Citizenship!