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Living overseas

Whether you're considering emigrating or an expat abroad, you'll find likeminds on this forum.

Original poster

Living in America 2011

781 replies

MmeBucket · 04/03/2011 02:35

We were a few messages away from being closed on the other one. Hope everyone finds me here.

OP posts:
jubblicious · 16/07/2011 06:01

No gas and air?! I've just found out I'm pregnant again. Oh God, thats what got me through labor with DS! So what do they have?

tadjennyp · 16/07/2011 06:48

Epidurals!

tadjennyp · 16/07/2011 06:52

That puppy sounds gorgeous jabber!

Grockle · 16/07/2011 06:59

Ello Smile

What a vile taxi driver, kickass.

I had DS in the US -no pain relief but I vaguely remember stirrups. I had a private room.

Beautiful puppy, jabber

jabberwocky · 16/07/2011 14:11

Thanks, Grockle. It has been the easiest first week with a puppy experience ever! thank goodness, b/c dh really didn't think he was ready for another pet.

I was terrified of having an epidural but when ds1 was discovered to be breech it became a non-issue iykwim. And it was really OK. Had I gone for a VBAC with ds2 I would have wanted it as an option.

Hiring a doula is, ime, a great idea. I had one with ds1 when we thought it would be a normal delivery.

Shock at the taxi driver story! I do many times want to tell them to just be quiet and drive but still finding myself nodding/replying politely Confused

mdavza · 18/07/2011 20:05

We're here!

We've arrived in sunny CA and at the moment it still feels like a holiday. The flight went extremely well, ds was good as gold and slept for most of the flight to San Francisco, although he did almost kick me and dh off our chairs. We're over most of the jet-lag, and will be moving into our apartment soon. So far I'm loving the cheap, sweet fruit, can't get enough of the watermelons, cherries, melons, papajas etc. Then again, the bread is vile, so we're sticking to fruit and veg mostly. We've discovered Sprouts - is this a franchise store? In any case, we'll also visit Target for some UK goodies - I forgot to pack Marmite....

jabber I'd love to have a puppy, but the cats will be arriving on Friday, and it's going to take me months to get them over their initial peeve at us!

jubb congratulations! As soon as we've settled we'll have a talk about #2. Sometimes I wonder if I'm ready, but my bio clock is ticking constantly in my ears, sigh. I'm 37 and sooner reather than later, judging by my previous labour.

See you all!

kickassangel · 18/07/2011 21:09

hi mdavza.

yes, the bread is horrible, or very expensive. I use a bread maker quite a lot, although less so since returning to work.

hope you enjoy it.

Grockle · 20/07/2011 07:33

I really miss the Mexican grocery store I used to go to for fruit. But bread IS vile. If you can get to Trader Joes, they always did slightly better bread but still not great. Inured to make my own too.

Hows the puppy, jabber?

Grockle · 20/07/2011 07:34

Inured? I used to...

tadjennyp · 27/07/2011 21:57

hello, where is everyone?! I hope the heatwave has been at least bearable for people.

spamm · 29/07/2011 01:23

Hello all - been ages since I was on here. I hope you are all well.

A very exciting evening, as we have finally received our permission to travel, although we do not have the green cards yet. So we have decided to fly to the UK next week for 12 days! Yayayayaay!. We have not been back all together since October 2009, so we are very excited. We will go and see in ILs, and then friends. I called my best friend today and nearly cried on the phone!

Tadjennyp - The weather here (Virginia) has been amazingly hot. They are predicting over 100 again tomorrow, which will be bad. I will be at work, so will not notice much. But we will probably retire to the basement when we get home, as it is nice and cool down there.

mdavza - we get our bread at Trader Joe's (my favorite store) and also at Wegmann's, but I think that is only in the North East area - just creeping into Virginia now.

Anyway - hope you all keep cool and well.

tadjennyp · 29/07/2011 04:51

Good for you Spamm. I hope you have a lovely time and escape from the oppressive heat. No movement here on green cards or passports from the British Embassy. Hmm

Trader Joe's is very nice, definitely one of my favourite supermarkets over here. I'm a big fan of whole foods market too, but their bread isn't as good.

Grockle · 29/07/2011 18:34

Yay, Spamm!

I remember looking at some lovely bread in Whole Foods but it was $7 Shock

Are you all surviving the heat?

tadjennyp · 29/07/2011 18:40

Tis even hot in Oregon at the moment! How is Dorset (I am remembering correctly, I hope)?

Grockle · 29/07/2011 19:31

Yep, am in Dorset. It's warm (about 22 today) and a bit muggy but a bit gloomy now. The nights are drawing in and it's really noticeable already.

PenguinArmy · 01/08/2011 03:48

yep bread at wholefoods isn't great which is a shame. The bread is the fresh section of Ralphs is all right

will be back after I've eaten

PenguinArmy · 01/08/2011 03:54

some states are starting to have GnA, can't remember which ones

PenguinArmy · 01/08/2011 04:00

OK have had a quick glance through and not really have anything to add Blush

We leave for the UK tomorrow, a bit sad but it does also feel like it's time to go. DH is a bit moody but has accepted that he has to go back to work for a year Grin. My last OB appointment was cancelled as he was called away which means I now have to sort out anti-D jab and check-up when staying at my parents. Hopefully DH will find somewhere for us to live and we'll get the keys within a month. Then I can sort out registering with GP, MW finding out about CS etc.

We did and survived our road trip. Thanks for everyone who had suggestions and gave us a heads up on a few places, it was very much appreciated. If anyone is interested (although it's quite boring) we ran a daily blog here

I popped into my old place of work and ran into my old boss. He left me in no doubt that I had made the right decision in leaving, but had a few emotional good byes with other people (incidentally not in my direct research group, because that's not the environment the prof ran)

I probably won't post again now, but thanks for the company and advice over the last year :)

PenguinArmy · 01/08/2011 04:02

ps mdavza if you're in San Fran then go to the Wholefoods in Oakland if you haven't already. It is an amazing place, the best vegan produce I have ever experienced and loads of other good stuff to (we might have spent a lot of money there)

Grockle · 01/08/2011 07:21

Best of luck, penguin

tadjennyp · 01/08/2011 17:32

Best of luck with your trip home Penguin. I hope you get the ante-natal stuff sorted out really soon. SB will be poorer without you and your lovely family.

mdavza · 03/08/2011 21:45

Bye Penguin! I will now go to Wholefoods and get some stuff and think of you!

Here we're settling in fine, and the weather is absolutely fabulous. I tell you, after 4 years in scotland this is bliss. It is sometimes very hot during the day, but where we stay never more tha around 80degrees, and there's usually a nice light breeze. love it, love it. My bil lives in Austin, TX, and they're roasting at 100degrees, and their aircon broke down. Felt sorry for them, for sure, standing on our breezy balcony.

So far so good, we went for our SS numbers and it wasn't an ordeal, the guy who did it looked like a famous black actor (whose name I can't remember) so I asked him if he was secretly researching a role - he was pleased as punch at that. And no we have to start lloking for a car, for which we have no money, so this is going to be interesting. This is the major thing I miss about UK, the ability to walk everywhere. Yes, I can take the bus, but with a 2,5 year-old? No way.

I've since discovered Trader Joe's and love it, and we have a place called Sprouts which is not to bad (with some nice bread) and I can even order online from Safeway. But the one Safeway stinks, seriously, it smells bad, not as bad as the Wallmart did, but still. I went to Costco and couldn't believe the size of the portions ShockShockShock. Although it is cheaper to buy bulk, it is just too much, we'll take ages to work through those bags of baking soda/meat etc. Did get some stuff and made up smaller portions for the freezer.

I'm actually enjoying being a SAHM, for the time being, and seeing my child grow on a daily basis. We're starting potty training and he is adorable.

See you all soon!

berri · 06/08/2011 20:34

Hi everyone!

Just moved to Chicago, so thought I'd say hi.

Not sure how often I'll get on to post, but will try to come back regularly!

In the meantime I was hoping someone could please tell me what stamps I need to post a card back to the UK? Are all the stamps the same here or do I need to go to a post office or something to do it airmail?

TIA!

Hope everyone is having a lovely summer over here, I know what you mean about comparing it to the British weather mdavza!

tadjennyp · 08/08/2011 06:44

You need a 98c stamp berri and afaik you need to go to the post office to buy them as they like to weigh everything that goes abroad. Hope you settle in quickly and have fun with the summer!

Trader Joe's is great mdavza. Good luck with the potty training.

berri · 08/08/2011 20:33

Thank you!

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