I watch too many romantic movies!

Like others, I forgot my passport when I went to visit my Ross over Spring Break.  Thank goodness he's a brain and called on my way out to remind me. 

I'm nervous I'll be bounced on my trip.  I had to pay some student fees so I don't have as much money as I thought.  But the bf has plenty, so hopefully his letter will be ok. 

Lilybelle- welcome back (to reality!) SOunds like you've got a  lot going on, too. When exactly will you be in Cambridge? We definitely should plan to meet the day I go visit the city. I've got a fair amount of flexibility on dates so let me know what works for you.

i'll be there from june 3-9.  it will be a super quick trip, mostly filled with setting up the new apartment and celebrating the engagement with his family, but he will need to work while i am there so i'd say june 4 or june 8 would be great days to meet up!   will you have internet access while you're there to arrange the specifics?  if not, i can send you david's mobile number.

sarah: safe travels and good luck!  ditto about getting together...maybe the three of us can meet up one day?

Hi Ladies,
Beth I am sooo excite

d that you will be coming over soon...I am actually getting ready for a trip to Middlewhich next week to meet Jamie and Alan...I am very excited...I haven't talked to Patty in awhile but I think she is just taking England by storm lol..then the week after next I am going home to the states for 2 weeks for a friends wedding and to do stuff for mine...I am a little nervous though. I have a visitor visa that is stamped multivisit....but I am just nervous about when we come back to England...part of me is having flash backs to last summer when I was refused entry. I know that was different circumstances and I didn't have a visa...but I am still a little gunshy...but at least Jason will be traveling back with me...

sorry I haven't written in awhile but I have been busy trying to do the final planning for the wedding. I can't believe it is 3 1/2 months away...

how are the rest of you ladies? anything new and exciting? Carey when do you come over?

Are all you ladies who are coming over this summer in northern England? Is anyone coming down to southern England?

sorry I haven't written in awhile but I have been busy trying to do the final planning for the wedding. I can't believe it is 3 1/2 months away...

how are the rest of you ladies? anything new and exciting? Carey when do you come over?

Are all you ladies who are coming over this summer in northern England? Is anyone coming down to southern England?

Your wedding....and my 30th birthday. EEEK!  I'm so not looking forward to it.

Finally booked the tickets for mom and I to go to Ireland this fall, and we'll be meeting up with Tim, so I get to see Tim over the summer when he visits here, and then this fall.  I was complaining about the lack of anything planned for after September and Tim said he was "working on it", so I have no idea what that means.

I do have a question for you ladies...
the last time Jason was coming to the states to visit me someone gave me the website where he would have to go and fill in his landing card and stuff online. Jason didn't save the email as once you fill it in it is good for 2 years...I am looking for that website again for the guests from England that are coming to the wedding so they can fill it out...would any of you know the website? I think it was someone off of this thread that sent it to me...it would be a great help....

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c57B21379-A776-C527-728D-8CB3B6B4942C_k66478A6B-E570-45DE-848D-B5285423857F

Mort can I just say you are amazing 
thank you so much for the link...you are my new hero

Mort can I just say you are amazing 
thank you so much for the link...you are my new hero

 

Oh go on!

No I mean it! Go on!   

I'm here!!!!  Bf and I are so smugly happy I feel almost guilty.  Almost.  If anyone wants to meet up in Cambridge, let me know!

Sigh...so I sent out a couple of e-mails to my family in London letting them know of my plans and asking them if they had any advice.  The one I expected to be most helpful was anything but...she said she waited a week to respond while trying to think of something positive to say, and ultimately ended up moaning that it's really hard to find jobs.  (She did give the caveat that most of my family there are in the arts, so it's tough to find jobs in that area no matter what.)  But aside from that...no actual, practical advice (other than to visit prior to moving, which I'm already planning).

I didn't really expect complete sunshine and roses ("Oh, you'll find a job in 5 minutes, and a place to live, it'll be great!") but at least some practical advice along with the doom and gloom would've been nice.

sorry that your family wasn't much help to you...You just need to follow your heart...if this is what you really want then go for it. I am here now and it is the right thing for me to be here...and I am excited to get married and get my marriage visa so I can apply for a job and become even a bigger part of the community...I am sure you will be fine. Remember some people are usually like the grass is always greener on the other side..so your family may wonder why the heck you want to leave the states to come to England..I get that question all the time...so they don't understand why you want to come here. You may have trouble finding a job no matter what country you are in. You just have to go out there and apply...so don't let them put you off

Yeah, on the one hand, I feel kind of crazy considering quitting a job I have (and generally I like) to move to another country with no guaranteed job.

On the other hand, I may as well take this opportunity now while I have (relatively) few things to deal with (selling house, selling horse, moving pets).

Ideally, I'd like to get my online websites up and running (and making money ) before I move, so that they can supplement whatever income I get as well, and buy me more time to find a job.

yay sarah!  so happy you made it over--will definitely be in touch!

Yeah, on the one hand, I feel kind of crazy considering quitting a job I have (and generally I like) to move to another country with no guaranteed job.

On the other hand, I may as well take this opportunity now while I have (relatively) few things to deal with (selling house, selling horse, moving pets).

this seems like a sensible way to look at things.  it will only get harder in the long run.  also, who knows, by the time you make it over, the economy could be on the upswing again... i had the same fears but realized it's just so hard to base decisions on worrying about what jobs will be available because by the time plans are set into motion, the entire job situation may have changed for the better or for the worse than what it once was.  as long as you have a reasonable amount of savings to fall back on, i'm sure you'll be fine.  hopefully having your family there will be of some help once you arrive, even if it's just for moral support!

also, who knows, by the time you make it over, the economy could be on the upswing again... i had the same fears but realized it's just so hard to base decisions on worrying about what jobs will be available because by the time plans are set into motion, the entire job situation may have changed for the better or for the worse than what it once was.  as long as you have a reasonable amount of savings to fall back on, i'm sure you'll be fine.  hopefully having your family there will be of some help once you arrive, even if it's just for moral support!

Very true.  I'm planning on having 6mos. of my US salary saved up before I move (which should translate to about 6mos. UK salary as well, even w/ the exchange rate).  Ideally I'll get a job within a couple of weeks (well, really ideally I'll have a job lined up before I move, but that depends on companies willing to consider a non-resident citizen), and won't have to touch it, but it'll be there if I need it.

Hi ladies...got back on Monday from the UK.  I had a fantastic time!  I haven't had a chance to read all the posts as I am swamped at work. 

This was the hardest it's ever been returning to the US.  I miss DF soooo much and have lost all motivation when it comes to my job.  Going into work today was really hard. 

We had a really nice time together.  I got in on Thursday and even though I didn't sleep on the plane, I felt fine...we went home, ate and then went to the gym.  Friday morning we drove into London, went to the gym again, ran some errands and DF surprised me with Fast Track Tickets on the London Eye w/champagne included...it was soooo amazing!  Later we met DF's friends out for drinks and curry.  Saturday we had our engagement bar-b-q at DF's house and his family came.  It was really nice.  Sunday we just lounged around and then Monday I returned home. 

OK, now I need to try to catch up.  Hope everyone is doing well.