007fair

Hi All I have thrown out my two big questions re my proposed move from Scotland to the US into this forum and found the answers helpful So thanks!
I feel that the move will be just too hard because both daughters are at Uni and can't come with us. Its just to far and the fact they can never live with us in the foreseeable future just doesn't feel right.

The option may be to go on a temporary basis - 2 - 5 years so we can say it won';t be forever and lessen feelings of abandonment.

Question is - will Orlando be soo much better than Glasgow (daft question?) and the move BACK will almost be as hard as the one to go there in the first place?

christmasoompa

I don't think it's a daft question at all, but then I really didn't like Orlando and would rather live pretty much anywhere else than there! I'm not alone in my feelings either, there are lots on the forum that don't understand why Orlando is so popular with Brits.

So it's very much a subjective thing, but others opinions won't necessarily match your own and there are also a few forum members that are very happy living there - if you love Orlando, then go for it.

The only problem is that if you do love it, and want to stay permanently........then what?!

Best of luck.

christmasoompa

Actually, scrap the above - I've just seen from your previous posts that you would be taking a 16 year old with you? I'd assumed it would just be you and your wife.

If you would be taking the 16 year old, then in all honestly I think it's not a great idea. Moving a 16 year old at a fairly crucial point in their education is tricky anyway, and that's when it's a permanent move - to move them and disrupt their education, then to uproot them again just as they've really settled, isn't ideal I'd imagine.

Sorry.

007fair

You speak sense christmasoompa. We were initially really keen to go for the change - an adventure. Life can be dull in one place even its a good place. That side is still appealing and my Son is also up for it (although possibly with rose tinted specs on)

Anyway thanks for your reply

Dorothy

If you're looking for an adventure why not try 2-5 years somewhere in Europe or elsewhere in the UK? No visa worries and you would be closer to your older children.

Just as an aside, my partner and I are considering moving to the UK next year when I finish uni here in Australia. We will be leaving behind my 2 children (aged 20 and 22 when we go) and his 6 children (ranging in age from 18 to 29) and his 5 grandchildren. It's going to be difficult leaving them behind, but it's where he left 30 years ago and it's closer to Canada (my home) for me to go visit my family. It's a tough decision and I don't envy you.

Oh, and IMO Orlando would not be "better" than where you're from. Different, yes. Better, no.

007fair

Orlando is where the job offer is. If I stay in the UK I get to be made redundant. There are practicalities in this not just an adventure.

Thats ALOT of kids you are leaving behind! Maybe there is a tipping point after which too many kids make a move MORE appealing

Dorothy

We're very lucky that my kids are only 5 minutes from us. We don't see them as often as I would like, but they're 21 and 19 and right now don't have time for us. That's ok...I didn't have time for my mother at that age either. My partner's kids live 3 hours from us, so we only see them every couple of months for a few days at a time. It's chaos but I love it.

I agree that 16 is a bad time to move your child. Is there a way he can stay in UK to finish school and the 2 of you go to the US? It would be really disruptive to his education to move him temporarily to the US then back to UK for uni later.

petitefrancaise

I lived south of Glasgow for 8 years and my 2 eldest were born there. There were reasons I loved it and reasons I didn't want to stay. I'm not scottish and don't have the close family ties there that you do.

In my experience, you move when your desire to move outweighs all the issues involved in doing it. The issues don't magically resolve themselves and give you a clear run.

I moved to France from Scotland and loved the weather, the outdoor life, pool in the garden, being able to put the washing out to dry without worrying too much about the rain!! And now I'm here in Austin and mostly happy about it.

As someone keeps saying on here - same shit, different bucket. So if your real question is "Is 5 years in Orlando worth the heartache, worry and risk involved" only you can answer.

I mentioned in another post that I asked my kids for advice about moving at 16 (my daughter was 16 and my son 14 when we moved) and they said that only do it if the boy is totally onboard with it otherwise it's too hard.

Awesome Welles

I think it's fairly safe to assume that the majority on here who trash-talk Orlando, have no experience of the place - but have visited the parks and tourist attractions - and stayed at Lake Buena Vista, Kissimmee, Davenport etc. These places are really not representative of Orlando - or Orange/Seminole Counties at all. Kind of like going to Blackpool and then slagging off all of north west England.

I have lived in Belle Isle FL (a southern suburb of Orlando, just west of the airport) for 15 years and it is very agreeable, in my opinion and experience. Some northern europeans struggle with the sub-tropical climate, but I got used to it very quickly and like the warmth and quantity of sunshine. I do not miss shoveling snow or scraping ice off my windshield one bit.

I used to work in Glasgow every couple of months in my previous life. Orlando and surrounding areas are somewhat nicer, cleaner, prettier, (mainly) safer, - did I say cleaner? - in general a lot less grey and miserable.

I have no regrets about moving here - my daughter was 19 when we moved - she contemplated staying in UK (she was at the Met Police Training School in Hendon when my offer came through). She is now a USC and Orange County Sheriffs Deputy - it all worked out very well for her after a somewhat shaky start.

I would be happy to share specifics, regarding this city and life here in general, without the vitriol that usually accompanies the word "Orlando" in this forum.
We are not all starry eyed ex-tourists - my career brought me here, as yours might too.

007fair

Thanks for the offer I think if we were all able to go then we would go. As my daughters will stay.. its tips the balance back in favour of staying put. My wife Son and I are not happy about that particularly but hey ho
If we find a way of going I'll PM you and get some details that would be very useful !

scrubbedexpat099

If you are going on a work visa you will be going temporarily.

jjmb

things to consider 007fair in light of what you have just posted.

(1) what is your industry? You say if you don't take this move, you will be made redundant. What are the chances you will get a similar job within the UK or even Scotland? We had friends who moved back to Glasgow because the wife wanted to be closer to her 2 daughters who were a similar age to yours. Within 6 months he had to move to France as the plant was closing. One of the daughters moved to New Zealand within a year to get married and the other moved to the south of England. They are still in France with trips around the world to visit said daughters who now have children of their own.

(2) How old are you and your wife- this might be last time you get the opportunity to try some new with the cushion of a job with built in benefits. Moving over with a LIb is much easier than with a H1B.

(3) You know your children. How stable, happy and optimistic are your 2 elder children? Have you discussed this with them. They might well be unhappy about you not taking an opportunity of a lifetime, just because they need a pad to crash out in every so often. Also they might relish the opportunity of having a trip to the US every 6 months. You could always ask for the cost of those trips to be included in your benefits package until you get your green card

(3) Finally the 16 yr old seems keen on the idea which helps. As he might decide he want to attend a Scottish university in the end, contact the universities he might attend in Scotland and see what their policy is on expat children. Some of them have exclusions on the 3 yr residency policy due to the fact children generally do not have a say on the move. Also although LIB is generally considered a visa which converts to a gc it is still considered a temporary move until you make the application for a gc. As you will have to go through a labour certification process which can take some time, you might well be in yr 5 before the gc application takes place. There are some threads on the 'going home' part of this forum where you can look it up.