Buffalo NY to somewhere in Essex

Hello! I've posted once before and have decided to take the job in London (intra company transfer). Now that the work visa has been issued, we will be  househunting next week. And based on what the relocation people and the educational consultant are telling us is that there are a few schools in the Chelmsford/Brentwood/Billericay areas that may be able to accomodate my two teens so that is where we're focusing our search. Hopefully these are good places to live!

I am simultaneously excited and nervous for this step! 

Anyway, I've done a lot of reading on this forum and want to thank everyone for sharing their personal experiences, advice and reality checks - it has really helped to level-set my expectations. 

well, I'm sure no one cares but me, BUT we found a house in Billericay and even managed to get the kids into the school that services our catchment area.  Such a relief on both fronts!

well, I'm sure no one cares but me

Welcome! the school placement can be a problem so it's good you got over that one!

I'm from Buffalo too (Actually Hamburg NY)

Wow!!  I live in the Villlage of Hamburg at the minute!

Hi there!!  This might be a bit premature, but we're headed to the Norwich area in a few months.  I was born in Buffalo and grew up in Franklinville!   

Nice to meet another WNY person!  Good luck with planning the move.  We are in crunch mode right now - flying over on the 13th and it is crazy!!

Welcome! the school placement can be a problem so it's good you got over that one!

Thank you! I was so worried about it, so the relief I am feeling is still ongoing! 

Nice to meet another WNY person!  Good luck with planning the move.  We are in crunch mode right now - flying over on the 13th and it is crazy!!

Wow!  You're moving so soon!  Don't stress yourself too much, it will be alright in the end.   

Hi!  I just need to chime in for a quick minute. I often post on here for info for my daughter and her British husband.  They were recently married, but have lived in the UK together for almost 5 years.  Daughter and I are former Buffalonians!  She and I moved to North Carolina 15 years ago, after I spent my first 40 years in the Tonawandas!  I visit my daughter a couple of times a year, and they are currently working on moving back to the States.  Anyway, I just wanted to say hello to the other WNYers!

Hi Julezabelle,
My husband , 14 yr old son and I just re-located to Bury St. Edmunds, not too far from you. I see that you posted in July, and I'm not sure if you have arrived yet, but I wanted to let you know that the schools here are fantastic about helping newcomers and foreigners get started out. My son's school appointed him a buddy to show him around and give him an automatic group of friends to get know and hang out with at lunch and break. I was very worried about all the adjustment he would have to make, (he is quite shy) but he is doing really well thanks to the efforts of the school. I hope that helps a bit.

Also, we moved to the UK from Atlanta, but I also have Buffalo NY ties. My parents are from Buffalo and I was born in Gowanda. We moved to the south when I was younger but since both my parents are teachers, they maintained the family cottage near Evangola State Park, and that is where we spent  every summer growing up. I love it there, and my parents still spend 4 months a year there. My husband started his job here in April, but I spent my last 6 weeks in the US at the cottage, swimming in the lake and enjoying their company and great food.

As a side note, the chicken wings here are very weird! Luckily, we have found they sell Franks hot sauce in Waitrose grocery stores so we can make our own!

Hello to all of the WNYers and those with ties to my former home! It is lovely to hear from you!

Karen - we arrived here on the 14th of July, so have been here two months so far. The first week were here was the last week of school term, so the kids went and spent a day having assessments and shadowing with a student. I really appreciated that as it helped to somewhat alleviate the first day of school jitters the kids were experiencing. On the first day of school, I had to go in with the kids and as we were walking up, a few of the girls my daughter met in July lit up with smiles and said hi!  I could see the nerves just calm right down after that! They both were assigned buddies, but in the end have developed different groups of friends. They are really enjoying school here, which is an enormous relief to me.

I lived not too far from Evangola, in the Village of Hamburg. The sale of our home there closed yesterday. I felt a bit sad. Though I am very happy here, it just offically marked the end of an era.

I haven't even tried a chicken wing here yet. I just know I will be disappointed! We did try pizza, and it was just awful! LOL I am going to have to get off my duff and make some from scratch! Mostly I try to get on with the food here, which can be quite excellent, but every now and then I just crave a taste from home - even stuff I never bothered with too much at home!!  What I wouldn't give for a beef on weck or a nice reuben sandwich!!

Anyway, I hope to see you around the boards a bit more, and if you're even in the mood for some American company, give me a shout - hubster and I are always happy to go out for a pie and a pint!

I agree with you about the food here, it is best to discover the good, new and different things here, but it is hard to resist comparing things like wings and pizza! Have you tried Pizza Express yet? I haven't been to the restaurant yet, but I've bought  a couple from Waitrose and I thought they were very good.

Glad to hear that your kids are enjoying school! That does make all the diference.

Would love to have a pie and a pint sometime, too bad we don't live closer. I am still figuring out transportation here. We have a car but my husband takes it to work everyday so I haven't had a chance to drive much and it still makes me nervous. Are you driving? What do you think about it???

Congrats on the sale of your house! We weren't able to sell ours, so it is being rented. We would have liked to be able to have a clean slate in that area, but alas.

My last meal in the US was a beef on weck from Charlie the Butcher! (Only a true Buffalonian would know what that is all about!)

Hi Julezabelle, welcome to Essex!  I live in Brentwood, just up the road, and work in Kelvedon and have been here for a year and half though in the UK for six years in total now.  I'm originally from Baltimore and don't have kids but would be glad to offer recommendations for shopping, etc. in the area or just how to cope with everything!