TheWoodsies

Wow - so we've been to the embassy and now have lovely stamps in our passports! My hubbie is due to fly out to start work in SF next Monday and I'll follow with the girls once everything is packed up and sorted.

Someone please tell me that it'll be fine - I'm pannicking about dealing with all the packers/shippers/paperwork by myself, at the same time as looking after 2 children! Think I got the raw end of the deal a bit!!

Is anyone familiar with Moraga - we're looking at a house there and it looks lovely. We live in leafy Surrey at the moment so think it will give us a similar country lifestyle.

Tell me I'm not mad and that it will all be worth it!

Lorna x

Brat1

Calm down!!! The hard bit's done and you've got the visas so the rest will fall in to place. I know it seems like there's too much to be done, too much to organise, but honestly, if you make a list of all you've got to do, it'll make it much easier.

Can't help with the housing situation I'm afraid, the only advice i'd give is to check our the schools in the area you're going to live, that's what we did and haven't been disappointed.

Yes, it will all be worth it. The kids will keep your mind from going insane and help keep you focused. Good luck with the move, I'm sure it's all going to be fine

lisa67

Breath
Everything will be fine. I did this with 2 small kids 11 years ago. Just take one day at a time and don't pack the corkscrew until the end!
I found it therapeutic to write lists and then scribble things out as I achieved them.
This is the time to call in the help of friends and neighbors to watch your kids while you get things sorted.
It'll be an emotional roller coaster, but you will get through it

Giantaxe

Country lifestyle? Um, not really. But it is a pretty upscale 'burb with good access to Orinda or Lafayette BART stations.

TheWoodsies

Thanks Brat1 - think lists and more lists is the way forward!

L x

TheWoodsies

I know it won't be the same, Giantaxe, but if I can avoid mass sprawling housing estates and have a bit of greenery around me I think I'll be happier!

TheWoodsies

Love the corkscrew advice - will def. be following that!!

L x

Giantaxe

Well it will be green until the end of May by which time all the hillsides will turn brown (or golden if you want to be more positive about it!). I think it's a little soulless, but I certainly wouldn't classify it as being a sprawling housing estate. Lot sizes tend to be large and there are plenty of trees in most areas that make things pleasant and provide much-needed summer shade.

TheWoodsies

Golden sounds nice! Thanks for the advice - good schools and a bit quieter are what we're after, as well as good BART access to central SF - ticks a lot of boxes, I think. Hubbies other idea was Benicia, but it seems a bit far out.

L x

Giantaxe

I lived just over the border in Lafayette when I first moved to CA and indeed it does tick a lot of those boxes. Benicia's biggest drawback is that it is north of the Sacramento River, meaning you've got the hassle of two bridge crossings (or one crossing and a longer BART ride) to get to SF.

Awesome Welles

Oohh, bloody hell - if only you knew what you were letting yourself in for.
Mwuhahahahahahahahah !!!!

md95065

Moraga is definitely a better bet than Benicia - I am guessing that if you are looking for a "country lifesytyle" then living a couple of miles from an oil refinery would be less than ideal.

You will soon adjust to the idea that in California grass grows and is green in the winter and turns brown and dies in the summer.

Oh, and just to avoid any confusion about "ticks in boxes" when you arrive you should know that, over here, ticks are things that might carry Lyme disease and that boxes are things that get checked ...

penguinsix

Lists are very helpful, especially when you have two kids running around the house doing this that and the other thing.

Here is a starter list from some who have been there and done that. You don't need everything from this list but it may give you some ideas.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/List_o...n_about_Moving

Brat1

Sorry, should have said that we did this with 3 kids in tow so use them to your advantage. They can help pick out what they want to take, what they want to get rid off, good time to have a good clearout and as someone else said, ask friends and neighbours to lend a hand.

Citydata is also good for working out areas in which you might want to set up home and has a lot of information about schools etc. I also went on the local schools website and had a long look through, and so far, my kids have probably done better and have came right out of their shells, more so than they did at home.

Honestly, embrace and enjoy the next couple of weeks, it's all part of the moving on process and it will all work out fine. You've also got the fact that your husband is coming over first, so he can suss out his workmates for schools etc, areas to live, it's going to be fine. ENJOY!!!

Infowarrior

Well we're here sitting in a house full of boxes, and our container arrives tomorrow morning set to ship to CA. Very nervous about the move but everything is now set. Our kittens are boarding our plane on May 4th and we have my wife's family picking us up at the other end bringing cat food and other essential day one items.

It sounds like you are moving over without any ties to the USA so you might find things slightly more difficult. I can't imagine having to hire a car on the other side after THAT flight, after processing my brown envelope etc with my starving kittens in tow. At least your husband will be there ahead of time though to pick you up.

I'll just say that my mood goes from 'oh crap, what if i hate it there' to 'oh thank god i'm getting out of Blighty' on a regular basis, on the order of every couple of hours. You're in leafy Surrey though, where I've lived before (Surbiton).... I'm in the East Midlands now though. You probably don't have the same feelings about leaving the UK!

So far, things just have settled into place, just like other posters have said. Its nerve-wracking, but then isn't any other major upheaval in life? Just got to roll with it. I'm saying this at midnight and my container arrives at nine am. And I'm still consuming more wine, probably not for the best... will post more as things happen!