cheers

In our city we have to drive to the dumpsters to recycle. Its getting old.

Fish n Chips 56

I understand perfectly JJ, and agree its very wasteful, you waste your time and money while polluting, a very smart way of saving the earth.

I've been recycling for 15 -20 years, and now our local trash company wont take glass either, so I have told them to keep their cardboard recycle bin, If I've got to take glass to be recycled I might as well take cardboard too, I'm sure most of my neighbors just throw glass and cardboard in the trash, That's progress.

The UK used to have bottle banks and newspaper skips in the the supermarket car park, not sure if they still do that.

HighTide

I think I will have to take a course on the recycling procedures. It seems as though they will pick up glass at the curb in Teignbridge District .
http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=820

cheers

I'm sure someone has found this out and they could enlighten me over the tax situation in the UK. Is our US Social Security taxed in the UK?

I think it is taxed in the US technically if you make a lot of money.

charleygirl

Hi all my firends......well firstly PASSED MY CITIZENSHIP inteview yesterday, easy peasy....all that worry for nothing.
Really tired as i had a horrible flight etc that i wll tell all about tomorrow,
BUT wanted to say arrived heathrow at 11.30 a.m and so far have had
One Galaxy
One bag cheese and onion crisps
One Cherry Bakewell.
One scotch egg
One mini pork pie
2 slices hovis brown bread with corned beef and branston and very soon I am having a very large glass of wine.

First impressions, lots and lots of Cars.....and it was peeing down at heathrow when I landed, am I happy? you bet your life I am....
Had to laugh saw the ladies looking pissed off with heavy shopping bags from Iceland, walking.........never see anyone walking with bags where i live in USA.

Mummy in the foothills

There is some double taxation treaty where you have to earn a lot of money to pay in both counties, you still have to fill out the forms each year but pay the taxes in the UK if thats where you are a resident.
I had some of the rukes saved on the computer somewhere, now I want to find it I can't

Mummy in the foothills

I'd be suffering from indigestion after all that!!
Yay for passing the citizenship was it the interview where you have to answer the questions about the US and write and read in English?

HighTide

WOW....that is great. Must be a great feeling. Congratulations !!

Glad you rewarded yourself with all those goodies. You made my mouth water now !

Lorac05

Well thought I'd post on this thread after spending many months reading it even though I am still 2 years shy of 50 - but many of my experiences/issues are definitely the same as most.

I came here just shy of 22 years ago now and feel the time is right to return home as I really don't want to grow old and retire here in the US. I am single so have no ties - except friendships - in the US and all my family are in England. My parents are getting older and my nieces and nephews are no longer kids or babies and I'd like to spend quality time with them - especially my parents.

So that being said I have just spent the past 6 months having my kitchen upgraded in my condo as well as new hardwood floors put in and am about - like within the next 48 hours - to put it on the market. I am hoping to sell it within 3-4 months but know there is a likelihood it could be longer but I have noticed more properties being sold in the downtown Jersey City area in the past month or so - so fingers crossed I can move it fairly quickly.

Now I have the apartment in shape I need to get round to getting rid of stuff - the sooner I start the less I will have to get rid of when I sell my place - as well as determining what I what to take home with me. It's amazing what one can accumulate over 20+ years!!

So congrats to all those who have made it back and good luck to all of those (including) me who are hoping to get back soon and looking forwards to both reading about peoples progress and giving updates on my own!!

Lorac05

If it was anything like my interview it should have been short and sweet as all he asked me were 6-7 questions from the list of 100 my lawyer had provided me with including "who did we gain independence from and when?" - I kid you not

HighTide

Welcome to the Friendliest group on the Expat's Forum.

It sounds like you have done all the right things in planning to sell your condo. I wish you as much luck as I had selling mine. Listed and sold at full asking price within 10 days.

trottytrue

Charliegirl... Congratulations on passing the test Now its time to have fun and I can see you have already started by the list of food you have eaten. I was drooling by the time I finished reading the list. Enjoy your time and dont forget to keep us updated.

Lorac05..Welcome to the forum hope you get some good insights as to what it will be like when you go home and all you need to do before you go. It really is hard to sort through your stuff but take your time and do it more that once. That way you will be sure you are giving away things you really dont want to keep

Been really busy again in the garden getting it ready for Winter it seems an every ending tasks but I figure what I do now will make it look really nice for the Spring. I have the feeling we will be here over the Winter The house is really fine I just have to keep it nice and everytime I put something down I think do I really want to leave it there or put it away now...............Saves a great deal of hassle if someone wants to come and look at the house.

cheers

What do you think of my suggestion..........for those selling property, have you though about including the furniture in your listing?

Just a thought. It might do the trick in selling fast.

confusedenglishrose

3 weeks and counting.

I know I have seen threads on similar subjects as this but is anyone aware of the best type of service to allow me to continue to watch Netflix and choice USA programs (I confess Survivor is a favourite of my mine) while back in the UK on my 3 month + look see.

It seems the same problems of 'control' exist both ways. Experimenting I have learned that my Netflix account does not work from the UK and also you cannot watch USA programs just like the BBC blocks out of country watchers?

My own thoughts are to use something like hidemyass.com - an IP hiding service. But does anyone know if this really works?

cheers

Welcome Lorac5,

When I arrived in American in December 1955 my first place was in Asbury Park, NJ.
What a baptism of fire that was. I walked the streets looking for work and I got depressed with the constant rejections. I had come from the UK were there was plenty of opportunity.
It takes time to adjust and to know how to get a job and survive.
I was in the United States Air Force within 60 days fortunately. It was nice to have a meal.
I make it sound bad but it wasn't that bad and I was young.