shelley748

Thats cos you have'nt posted many posts!! Rest of us are full of hot air I guess!!

between two worlds

Ooh la la indeed! Yes, it should be great fun, and I don't mind deferring my England dream for this opportunity, especially as it's so much closer to get back home from France...

Tina

dontheturner

First time I went through Bangkok, I had a bad hernia, and wore a Steel Belt, to retain it! I think I had the same Shortass, Female Security --wearing a 'cheese cutter' peaked hat. (I tried to explain in English) She had a good feel, and prodded me too. (got the OP soon after) dontheturner.

Celticspirit

You most likely have no urgent issues..unlike my sad life........

aries

Unfortunately I do have problems, medical as well as others, and am quite worried about what the future holds. I've had 7 hospital visits in the past 10 days.

I had hoped to be living back in the UK by now after living most of the past 50 years in Australia, but it has now been changed to March or April. Even that depends on my health, the sale of the house, and my ability to cope with it all by myself.

I'm certainly hoping the current good exchange rate doesn't change to that of the bad old days by the time I'm ready to make my big move.

trottytrue

Aries....Just concentrate on getting your health back and I think if you have positive thougths about going home it will help. I know when I was ill the doctor said that if I had negative thoughts it would not aid my return to health so I had to will myself to put the bad things and negative thougths to the back of my mind and try and think about all the good things. I know when I was ill my doctor told me to lie in the bath tub with nice warm water close my eyes and look upon the illness I had as targets and to pretend I had a target gun in my hand and shoot them it was hard but I did do it and I hope it worked. My mother always insisted on drinking a glass of warm water every morning before breakfast she said it purified the blood. It worked for her she lived till she was 94.
Most of us on this forum are in a waiting mode not able to move on till we have settled different issues in our lives. Mine is selling this stupid house which has already taken 3years of my life but I have to think of the good things that have happened during that time. Our family expanded by another two grandsons and I still have my health I keep going as my Mother always said 'One Day at a Time'. So cheer up and spend some time in here with us and the time will pass quickly and you will be on your way home.

Easterndawn

Trottytrue, the visualization technique is used a lot by cancer patients, they are asked to visualize their cancer and then to kill of the bad cells. They have had signs that this can work and from working in the medical field that this helps a lot if nothing else it gives them a feeling of empowerment. I do believe that a positive outlook when dealing with illness is half the battle, the mind can do wonderfull things for the rest of the body.
A welcome to all the new people who have joined us lately, we seem to be a thread that just keeps on growing. To all those who are just starting their journey to go home, take it one day at a time, even after you arrive, this is a good mantra to have.
I have a day off today as I have to use up my annual leave before December 15th as I had 6.5 days when I started. So I am taking Fridays and/or Mondays until used up, kind of nice to be home today. I am going to spend the day wandering around the charity shops in town, I am looking for a few things for my new flat and know that if I keep looking I will eventually find them there. In the news the Royal Wedding is very much prevelent. My hubby asked if I was going to go to London and camp out to see the wedding, maybe if I was younger, but you never know. I did watch all the weddings on TV when I lived in Canada, even getting up very early in the morning to watch.

Victor Meldrew

I think you can actually change that part of your moniker yourself. I did!! Humbug!!

J.J

hello Tanto, the oft repeated advice of where to start is to become a US Citizen. A green card expires after you have been out of the US 1 year or so.

Being USC has benefits and minor negatives.
It protects whatever assets you may leave behind in US from higher taxes that target those ultra-rich USC that give up USC to avoid paying any US tax. And who knows how Government will view SS pension to non-citizens in future despite having contributed.
USC gives you an unburnt bridge in case you later choose to return to US to visit or permanently.
As USC you will be expected to maintain a US passport and file your annual tax to IRS as always but likelihood of needing to pay any more than you will pay in UK is unlikely.
The USC test is not difficult provided you do a bit of homework and can answer the sample questions, my questions at the interview were a. what are the colors of the flag, b. who is vice president. Study books are available in bookstores and for me were an interesting insight into America / Americans.

Doing the study gave me a sense of purpose and a confidence boost, an achievement, to actually past the test and get the status.

best wishes to you on your journey.

sallysimmons

Wow that's a short interview! We had to answer 5 or 6 questions and they were quite tough. I remember 'who wrote the US national anthem' and 'what year was the declaration of independence signed' and 'what rights does the 6th amendment guarantee.' I also had to name our congresswoman and say how many people serve in the House of Representatives. I remember thinking that I didn't know a single American who could pass!

This was 5 years ago, so perhaps things have changed. But as in JJ's case, all of it was in the study book so it wasn't hard to pass. You just have to read up a lot beforehand and memorize things.

trottytrue

Victor Meldrew.....How you doing in Dubia always laugh when I see your name reminds me of the tele fella...............

trottytrue

ED...Your correct that is what they do I just didnt want to come out and say it but that is what they taught me to do it was not a nutty little doctor that told me to do it he and his team were execellent oncology doctors.
Hope you are enjoying your day off..........

cheers

I became a citizen in about 1960. I didn't know the answers to most of the questions. I could have had a row with the court clerk because I had just served in the United States armed forces for four years and this arrogant clerk was going try to denign me citizenship! I kept my mouth shut so I got it.

I think I only got it so as to be qualified for some jobs that required citizenship. I think my immigration papers say 'allowed permanent entry'.

I met the then Senator John F. Kennedy (long story) once and he suggested a congressional bill so as to get my citizenship. He was probably taken back when I said I hadn't made up my mind yet.

Like you said most Americans couldn't have answered those questions then and now but they think we foreigners should know the answers.

charleygirl

Hi everyone, thanks for all the kind thoughts....not getting easier yet, feel lonely really, my children have been out most the time and well I feel isolated......but I will get where I want to be, it may just take time.
Rodney i am so excited for you.

Rose well done on the housing 21 I looked at some when I was home, even found some in Leicestershire with vacancies. rents varied from 69 pounds a week to 87 i think.
Some have a warden and some do not, some are like little bungalows the ones I looked at, very nice.
They have communal rooms if you want and it seemed very nice and friendly, there were some places that had rentals for 2 persons too.

Planned a busy weekend for me to keep occupied.
Again thanks everyone for kind words and support.

jasper123

HI Barb,
Yes my Mum does have central heating in her house, and it works well, but she has it set on a timer --- and it goes off I think at 11pm and comes back on automatically at 7am next morning, yes she could by-pass the timer deal but she wont, she says it saves a lot of money on the heating bills,
I called her a few days ago and reminded her about the electric blanket that I intend buying and she said OH NO --- dont do that cause there were reports recently that she read that they are unsafe, and people have been hurt as a result of having them, so now Im back to square one, so next time I call her Sunday I may just say OK you win I will just get a hot water bottle, maybe she can buy one for me before I get there,
Rodney.
PS Just 11 days to go