Moving to the UK advice

So sorry about your dad Kristie. 

Point 4: Furniture shopping is such an interesting way to get to learn things about someone that you might never learn otherwise. haha They always say if you can survive a trip to IKEA together, you can get through anything. haha

My husband and I didn't survive in IKEA, lol.  We're luckily still together, but oh boy, that wasn't fun. 

Sorry about your Dad,  Kristie. Soooooooo hard when you're far away. 

So sorry about your dad Kristie. 

Thanks. He had surgery in January and they found it was in bladder and went to prostate. Decided no treatment (no one listened to me as I wanted it treated prophylactically) and it spread to his hip and liver. Started chemo. It’s not working and is now in lymphatic system and spine. Trying immunotherapy but I think it wont do much. Have saved airline miles for when the time comes.

Sorry about your Dad,  Kristie. Soooooooo hard when you're far away.

It is. I prepared myself for this after January. Being a nurse is a curse sometimes because you know too much. Hardest part is communicating with him. He won’t answer the phone and only responds to texts 1/3 of the time. My sister passes messages along for me.

Sorry for the hijack Tollie! Back to happy thread with advice 

So sorry to hear about your dad Kristy.  That's when the distance seems REALLY far.

Just a tip on the baby front.  Try to secure a job and start before getting pregnant.  If you've been at your job one week prior to getting pregnant, you will receive maternity leave.  And some companies are very generous with what they give to those who qualify. 

Only need to be there a week.   

So sorry to hear about your dad Kristie.  That's when the distance seems REALLY far.

Just a tip on the baby front.  Try to secure a job and start before getting pregnant.  If you've been at your job one week prior to getting pregnant, you will receive maternity leave.  And some companies are very generous with what they give to those who qualify. 

Only need to be there a week.   

That shouldn’t be a problem with the way things are working right now. 

"It's a huge change when you've got an entire person beside you when you've gone so long without one! "

Yeah, or when they are snoring and keep you up all night or steal the covers or you find out they love it at 60 degrees when you like it at 75. hahahaha My husband and I ended up getting a split king because I'm such a light sleeper that every time he moved, I'd wake up or every time I flipped over, I was worried I was waking him up. So at least now, we dont feel each other when we move. haha And the dogs all stay on my side.

As far as when we move, he just started a new job in March so he wanted to get a couple years of experience with it first, plus he's in a band and are about to record their 4th CD so he wants to get that done (he's been working on ideas for this one for years off and on) which should be done around January or February and then do a quick tour to help sell some of the CDs, PLUS next July his cousin in England is getting married so we've planned to go over for the wedding and then go down to the cities outside of London to scout out the ones I've been researching. After that, then I can start applying for positions in our London office and we can move anytime after that. So we are looking at late 2019- early 2020.

Omg thankfully Tom doesn't snore....I would be livid!! haha!

Hey, 2019-2020 isn't too far away!!! Good luck!

Me too. In fact, going to grocery stores is one of my favourite things to do when I go on holiday to a new country.

I LOVE trying new food from other countries. One of my favorite things. As for England, grocery stores and pubs are my favorite!

I got here 7 May and it’s been good but anything but easy. Still no job (take my CBT for the nursing crew here so maybe I can get back to work asap]  a provisional but no extra money for lessons so it’s up to my husband to teach me a manual for now. None of my own things except for clothes. It’s hard.

Bring as much of your things as you can. The few trinkets I had left are at my moms house in the states. I was thinking we would be back for Christmas. That’s out the window now ($$$). We’ve been repainting the rooms in our new home so at least I’ve been able to put my stamp on it. It’s something I’m good at and luckily hubby loves how my old house was decorated and said I have free reign!

My dads cancer has now spread and if there was a stage 5; he’d be in that stage.

I do get to talk to my mom once a week thanks to paying for my own number on skype. I can text my sister and dad but he doesn’t message back. Fighting to get wedding pictures back after 3 months. Hard to do when all you can do is message.

But with all that, it’s still been worth it. I’m able to wake up next to my husband every day and hopefully soon, we’ll be adding another member. (Aiming for a baby but if that can’t happen, cat!)

I agree to not have any expectations. Getting a job is hard. Being away from everyone you know is hard. Learning a whole new system to do everything is hard. Everything is harder but not impossible (except for finding a replacement to my wonderful bed in the states...that is apparently impossible  )

I am checking in 2 bags, and it sucks because I have a lot more stuff I want to bring. I mentioned in a previous post on this thread that freight shipping was suggested to me- but we'll be living in a studio flat at first and won't really have room for a lot of things.

My entire family has downloaded WhatsApp! I love it because it not only does text and calls, but photos, video chat, gifs ,etc.

Ack, I am so worried about the job.

I am so very sorry to hear about your dad. Will it be possible to fly back to America to see him again?

It is. I prepared myself for this after January. Being a nurse is a curse sometimes because you know too much. Hardest part is communicating with him. He won’t answer the phone and only responds to texts 1/3 of the time. My sister passes messages along for me.

Sorry for the hijack Tollie! Back to happy thread with advice 

We are here for anything and everything Kristie <3

I am checking in 2 bags, and it sucks because I have a lot more stuff I want to bring. I mentioned in a previous post on this thread that freight shipping was suggested to me- but we'll be living in a studio flat at first and won't really have room for a lot of things.

My entire family has downloaded WhatsApp! I love it because it not only does text and calls, but photos, video chat, gifs ,etc.

Ack, I am so worried about the job.

I am so very sorry to hear about your dad. Will it be possible to fly back to America to see him again?

I hope to but my card is maxed out from the visa fees and flights. Hoping once I get work I can pay enough on it for a quick trip back.

I hope to but my card is maxed out from the visa fees and flights. Hoping once I get work I can pay enough on it for a quick trip back.

Sending all of the good luck your way. Where are you living at the moment? Are jobs in your field sparse? Or, just having some crappy luck?

Sending all of the good luck your way. Where are you living at the moment? Are jobs in your field sparse? Or, just having some crappy luck?

I’m near Peterhead here in Scotland. Jobs aren’t sparse at all for nurses but I have to be registered here before I can start. First step is next Friday then pay a buttload more money and a test which I’m hoping I’ll be exempt from since I’ve already worked as a nurse in the states. 

I’m near Peterhead here in Scotland. Jobs aren’t sparse at all for nurses but I have to be registered here before I can start. First step is next Friday then pay a buttload more money and a test which I’m hoping I’ll be exempt from since I’ve already worked as a nurse in the states. 

Good luck!!!!!

I'm a historian, I have a Master's Degree in Public History (which is a specialization in museums/archives/historic preservation.) I've worked 4 jobs here in that field, one full time. I'm hoping that experience and my degree help...but I might use my "unemployed" time to volunteer somewhere to get some of that "UK experience"