Just some typical newbie questions...

Where are you from in Arkansas? I just had a new baby cousin born in Ash Flat a couple of weeks ago. Arkansas is awesome!

We live in Little Rock now...  My mother and grandmother live about 25 miles west of Ash Flat, a town of about 300-400 called Oxford, between Salem and Melbourne and Horseshoe Bend and Calico Rock...  My wife's mother is originally from near Pine Bluff.  We like taking one-tank trips west to the Ouachitas and Ozarks, particularly Petit Jean, Mount Nebo, Mount Magazine, Hot Springs, and Murfreesboro.

We're sorry we took so long to respond, especially to such a nice post.  We hope you're doing well as well as your new cousin (and all your other cousins as well) ...  Congratulations.

Oak

.... one of the things my husband and I are so excited about is not needing a car, ....

Having lived in London, where public transport is the most effective and comprehensive in the UK, for fifteen years, I think that the realities of relying on public transport may not live up to your expectations!  

..... For starters, the novelty of carrying all your groceries home from the nearest bus stop every week soon wears off.  

PS Sorry for making stereotypical comments, I know that they don't apply to many people in the US, and I certainly did not intend to cause offense, but I still think that I gave a useful benchmark against which you can measure your own lifestyle.

Hopster-- thanks for that tidbit. HOw do find out about kennels? Are they govt run, or independent/private contractors?

Quarantine kennels and catterys are independently run.  We had our dog in Wey Farm in Ottershaw, Surrey.  We were pleased with the kennel and staff, but it was very expensive - almost 3000 pounds for the 6 months of quarantine, including transport expenses (but not her flight over, that was a separate expense,) vet fees and associated other costs.  The kennel alone was 320 pounds a month, the other costs came to about another 1000 pounds.  Cats are less -- Wey Farm charges 220 pounds per month, per cat.  Still, it adds up to a lot of money, and I've heard horror stories about kennels, too.  It really pays to do your research, and IMO, you get what you pay for.

BUT, North America is now included in the PETS Passport scheme.  However, there are many things that are not in place to make this scheme work well coming from North America.  For more info here:

http://www.uk-yankee.com/pets.php

So, it's something to consider carefully.  Perhaps by the time you would be moving over things with the PETS Passport scheme will be more settled.

Also, as Elle said, start saving!  It's expensive to move to and live in the UK.

Good luck,
Stephanie

Edit: corrected the link -L

Having lived in London, where public transport is the most effective and comprehensive in the UK, for fifteen years, I think that the realities of relying on public transport may not live up to your expectations!  

Public transportation doesn't always live up to anyone's expectations, but I don't think it's bad...  There are weather, schedule glitches, safety, and strikes, but you learn and adapt...  I certainly don't expect perfect performance from a public transport system, or perfect environments, but all in all,
my experiences with them (I have used public transport systems in Chicago, Milwaukee, Denver, Los Angeles, Little Rock, Memphis, St Louis, Portland, Washington, and London) have been largely very good...  It saves time, congestion, money (particularly fuel, parking and access fees, and more frequent upkeep) and can be fun if you think about it with an open mind.

..... For starters, the novelty of carrying all your groceries home from the nearest bus stop every week soon wears off.  

When I was growing up in Chicago (1962-1979), I used the bus and train (collectively known as The RTA, for Regional Transportation Authority) [td][/td]to do many things, from going on grocery trips to pleasure trips...  A car was a liability...  as you got closer to the city, you paid much more for fuel, parking rates were sky high, if you could even find them, and toll roads were the way to most places by car.  Besides, it was fun to go to shop for groceries (or other things) with my mom and brothers because it was an opportunity for a trip outside the home or school, it gave unique family bonding opportunities, and later on, good opportunities to make connections of my own.

PS Sorry for making stereotypical comments, I know that they don't apply to many people in the US, and I certainly did not intend to cause offense, but I still think that I gave a useful benchmark against which you can measure your own lifestyle.

No offense taken, and noted.

Oak

PS Sorry for making stereotypical comments, I know that they don't apply to many people in the US, and I certainly did not intend to cause offense, but I still think that I gave a useful benchmark against which you can measure your own lifestyle.

I'm not offended, I just happen to disagree.  Jeez.  

willowandoak,

Hi, I am Shel...  and I have been so very busy getting ready to move lately that I have not been able to get here often...

I just came across your post and I wanted to let you know that I think it is great...  you have a desire to follow your heart to a new land for reasons of that feeling of belonging or as you stated (a calling).

Obviously there will be obstacles...  but know that this lady wishes you and your family all the luck to follow your dream... where you feel you need to be.

Best of Luck to you... remember that you will always get many opinions from all over...  but it is your opinion that matters the most  

Shel

PS, I can completely understand that calling...  I was in England a few years before meeting my fiance and I too had the same calling.  Little did I know then, that one day I would meet my prince from England, and it would all come true.

WillowandOak,  

Looks like one way to go is as a student and work part time.. I found this on the British Council Website.  IND might have more info.

"Can student nurses take employment?

The immigration rules only allow student nurses to take employment that is connected to their training. However, the Home Office have informed UKCOSA that student nurses may also undertake part-time work outside their training. If you want to work in a specialist field (e.g. mental health) after training, your hospital may be able to apply for a work permit for you. Telephone the Royal College of Nursing Immigration Advice Service on 020 7647 3874/5/6 for further information."

I for one wish you the best of luck and suggest that you start getting those animals microchipped -ours are already done.  Would not have thought of moving to the UK without our pets!  Now we can thanks to PETS.

I lived illegally and legally in Spain and Poland for a while and never regretted a moment of it.  If you have a dream you should always follow it.... besides... you can always go back to the US if you hate it (just save some money for plane tickets and a few months rent!)


Plus, I moved all over the place as a kid and I think it made me a lot stronger and well rounded (in more ways than one ) for having been exposed to so many cultures.  It can help to bring your family closer together as well.

Best of luck!

willowandoak,

Hi, I am Shel...  and I have been so very busy getting ready to move lately that I have not been able to get here often...

I just came across your post and I wanted to let you know that I think it is great...  you have a desire to follow your heart to a new land for reasons of that feeling of belonging or as you stated (a calling).

Obviously there will be obstacles...  but know that this lady wishes you and your family all the luck to follow your dream... where you feel you need to be.

Best of Luck to you... remember that you will always get many opinions from all over...  but it is your opinion that matters the most  

Shel

Thank you, Shel for the encouragement.  We dreamers need to stick together.  

Oak.

Thank you for the information, also your insight and support.

Oak.

I've been here just over 6 months, which means that we just got our cats out of quarantine.  2 cats on BA cargo from Chicago via Heathrow = $700 one-way, 2 cats for 6 months' quarantine = £1500 (here in Glasgow).  The cats got back to normal right away, as we have same furniture, etc., plus we visited them in jail.

With opening of the PETS program to North America, the cattery here went out of business.  There were only 2 quarantine catteries in Scotland to start, guessing that there are none now.  I would expect those in England to do the same - no more lucrative US business.  PETS is the way to go, if you can afford the airfare.  Use British Airways, as US carriers were clueless.