10 months in!
Jan 23rd 2015, 7:51 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4
10 months in!
It's been a while since i posted on here. Nearly a year to the date actually! So last time we were 6 weeks away from moving from good old Hampshire to the scary sounding Detroit.
We had a house to pack, passports still to arrive, two kids, a dog and i was 4 months pregnant!
It was one of the most stressful, scary and emotional times i have ever gone through. We didn't get our passports with the visa in until the 4 days before the flight and we had to sort the house for new tenants. We had nothing to bring except our luggage (and eventually the dog). The place we were going to rent in the U.S. fell through at the last hurdle, so we had no idea where we were going!
All four of us moved into my mums house so that we could just decorate our own house without any furniture or interruptions.
Our families threw us a goodbye party where there were lots of tears and then the very next day we set about our epic adventure.
The flight was a pain because i was an emotional wreck and my tv wasn't working. So i had to sit there whilst everyone else happily watched films and i cried my eyes out for 8 hours!
We arrived and had to go pick the rental up, my husband did a great job considering it was the first time driving over here.
We arrived to an extended stay hotel.. with all four of us cramped in. We stayed there for two weeks whilst my husband started his new job.. all i can say was thank goodness for the xbox!
Eventually we found a rental we liked and moved in at the end of the two weeks! The way i'm putting it sounds like a breeze. But it was really really stressful.
Once we found a house (after seeing about 50 houses) i then had to book in at a hospital. They eventually scheduled me with a OBGYN where they told me i had diabetes and had to check baby twice a week for one month! That was really hard. My head just kept going back to what my experience would be in the UK.
Baby was born all fine in the end, the bill was the biggest shock of all. Makes you appreciate the NHS thats for sure.
Now we are sitting in our house with a house double the size, a garden double the size (as to ours in the UK) and i think my feet have finally touched the ground. We have made some really good friends, my children are getting used to the different terminology when playing "soccer".
Our families have been out twice since we moved, so that has been lovely. The best thing about them coming was the food they brought! Bisto and monster munch..the list is too much to handle
We are still exploring, learning, and slowly furnishing a house. But the one thing i could have been told? Learn how to be patient! As exciting and nerve wracking as it has been, i have been wanting things to happen to quick.
It has been the best decision coming out here, but it has been extremely hard and emotional.
We had a house to pack, passports still to arrive, two kids, a dog and i was 4 months pregnant!
It was one of the most stressful, scary and emotional times i have ever gone through. We didn't get our passports with the visa in until the 4 days before the flight and we had to sort the house for new tenants. We had nothing to bring except our luggage (and eventually the dog). The place we were going to rent in the U.S. fell through at the last hurdle, so we had no idea where we were going!
All four of us moved into my mums house so that we could just decorate our own house without any furniture or interruptions.
Our families threw us a goodbye party where there were lots of tears and then the very next day we set about our epic adventure.
The flight was a pain because i was an emotional wreck and my tv wasn't working. So i had to sit there whilst everyone else happily watched films and i cried my eyes out for 8 hours!
We arrived and had to go pick the rental up, my husband did a great job considering it was the first time driving over here.
We arrived to an extended stay hotel.. with all four of us cramped in. We stayed there for two weeks whilst my husband started his new job.. all i can say was thank goodness for the xbox!
Eventually we found a rental we liked and moved in at the end of the two weeks! The way i'm putting it sounds like a breeze. But it was really really stressful.
Once we found a house (after seeing about 50 houses) i then had to book in at a hospital. They eventually scheduled me with a OBGYN where they told me i had diabetes and had to check baby twice a week for one month! That was really hard. My head just kept going back to what my experience would be in the UK.
Baby was born all fine in the end, the bill was the biggest shock of all. Makes you appreciate the NHS thats for sure.
Now we are sitting in our house with a house double the size, a garden double the size (as to ours in the UK) and i think my feet have finally touched the ground. We have made some really good friends, my children are getting used to the different terminology when playing "soccer".
Our families have been out twice since we moved, so that has been lovely. The best thing about them coming was the food they brought! Bisto and monster munch..the list is too much to handle
We are still exploring, learning, and slowly furnishing a house. But the one thing i could have been told? Learn how to be patient! As exciting and nerve wracking as it has been, i have been wanting things to happen to quick.
It has been the best decision coming out here, but it has been extremely hard and emotional.
Jan 23rd 2015, 11:23 pm
#2
Under blue skies
Joined: Mar 2011
Location: East Anglia->New England
Posts: 3,624
Re: 10 months in!
The first year is the toughest, IMO. Hope the next one is easier for you & your family!
Jan 24th 2015, 4:37 pm
#3
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2005
Location: Bay Area, from Plymouth UK
Posts: 317
Re: 10 months in!
Congrats on getting settled in. I moved out to California from the UK working for a small consulting company (aka body shop) that placed me at one of their clients. I had just about got settled with renting an apartment after my first 6 weeks when the client company was acquired, and the first thing that happened was they kicked out all contractors.
That was reasonably stressful. My employer then had to find me another placement, and they came up with Detroit. So I had to relocate from California to Detroit. I was in Detroit for 1 year and finally made it back to California. And I've been in California ever since.
I quite enjoyed the Detroit area, and I worked with a very nice bunch of folks which helped. Make sure you go and visit the Henry Ford museum. It is quite amazing.
That was reasonably stressful. My employer then had to find me another placement, and they came up with Detroit. So I had to relocate from California to Detroit. I was in Detroit for 1 year and finally made it back to California. And I've been in California ever since.
I quite enjoyed the Detroit area, and I worked with a very nice bunch of folks which helped. Make sure you go and visit the Henry Ford museum. It is quite amazing.
Jan 24th 2015, 7:36 pm
#4
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: 10 months in!
Congrats on the little one!
And I've heard the Ford Museum is really good...I wanted to visit that on our summer road trip but it was to much of a detour and got poo-pooed by everyone else and settled for the little car place in Saratoga Springs, which wasn't to bad
And I've heard the Ford Museum is really good...I wanted to visit that on our summer road trip but it was to much of a detour and got poo-pooed by everyone else and settled for the little car place in Saratoga Springs, which wasn't to bad
Jan 24th 2015, 7:42 pm
#5
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 28
Re: 10 months in!
Thanks for posting that!
I spend so much time trying to imagine what the big move is going to be like, what the first few weeks, months will be like, and wondering if I have the strength! Your post gives a really good insight. I have two kids, but not the pregnancy, so if you can do it...
Congratulations and well done! (How is winter in Detroit
??_)
I spend so much time trying to imagine what the big move is going to be like, what the first few weeks, months will be like, and wondering if I have the strength! Your post gives a really good insight. I have two kids, but not the pregnancy, so if you can do it...
Congratulations and well done! (How is winter in Detroit
??_)
