Washington movers

[whimsicalname]

There's a few of us moving to DC this summer / autumn (or should I call it fall now?), so I thought if I set up a new thread we could chat here. And if anyone's in DC already, we'd love to hear from you.

I'm moving to the Virginia suburbs in August with 8, 6 and 2yo boys. God help me.

Thanks for setting this up WN. We are moving as well in early Oct to the Virginia suburbs as well with 2DCs. - 3 yr old DD and 18 month old DS. Coming there in August for a recci visit.

Unfortunately not moving to DC but spent 7 yrs there as a child because of Dad's job. All I can say is lucky, lucky you, the Northern VA suburbs are a fantastic place to grow up, amazing friendly communities and generally lovely people. You will get proper seasons ie hot summers, lovely autumns, cold snowy winters and lovely springs, basically everything it is not here! Enjoy your time over there (I am v jealous of you both)

playgroup.meetup.com/cities/us/va/falls_church/

hi
Found this which lists playgroups in various areas around DC.
Used - thanks for your message. V reassuring. Which area did you live in and what school did you go to.

What did you think of the school curriculum there compared to the UK - better, worse, different?

Thanks

Thanks used! I keep telling random people we're off (you know, like the woman rummaging through the wool bargains with me in John Lewis) and they all say similar things. I still can't think much beyond the flight though.

I lived in Annandale first then Chantilly which is close to Dulles. Annandale is great a bit old fashioned slightly 70's styles houses but a good neighbourhood. Lots of government and forces people live there.

Chantilly is much more modern probably more young families.

If you have v successful husbands then head to McLean which is a very nice area and close to the most amazing shopping mall called Tysons Corner.

Schools are differently but good, generally good enthusiastic helpful teachers who actually enjoy their job and like kids, very good provision for gifted and talented kids and they do lots of sport.

If you do sport outside of school you will be expected to get involved and help organise things, attend events etc just dropping off and picking up is not te done thing.

Most neighbourhoods have a community pool, tennis courts and playgrounds with a clubhouse. The pool is te best place to meet people but if you arrive in the fall and pool is clsed don't worry you will probably find half the neighbourhood dropping by to welcome you to the area, that all love Brits!

Best of all no more school run, they will get picked up at te end of the road by the big yellow bus.

Don't worry too much about the flight, we used to travel back a couple of times a year well before the advent if DVD 's and ds's. The lights are usually good times you will all be fine.

Hope this helps x

Thank you so much Used. Great post and extremely helpful.
x

Thanks used. We're going to be spitting distance from Tysons. I'm not much of a shopping centre type, but it does look good! I'm hoping it won't just be my husband being successful, but I might manage something too!

Apologies whimsical & Moknicker for the assumption that it is your husbands career prompting the move, too long spent at home looking after 4 kids places blinkers on the eyes!! Good luck to you both x

No prob used. I'll actually be having my fourth a few months after we get there.

And then, once the dust has settled, I'll concentrate on my plans for world domination. But you were correct in assuming it is my husband's job we're moving for.

Gosh new baby and a new country, world domination will be easy after that!

My four have the same age gap as yours it is really not so bad, having the big ones are a huge help, especially at bath time and bedtime. Plus all the cars are massive over there and more importantly the parking spaces are huge, unlike here, getting them around will not be too difficult.

I am very jealous of you being so close to Tysons, nothing where I am has ever come close!

Anyone moved yet? How's the weather - sounds like it's been pretty dramatic! We've got packers coming next week, so the preparations are ramping up a bit.

Hi ladies, sorry to go off the radar. Had a manic couple of weeks and just arrived here Friday. So far we are in a city centre serviced apartment with a rooftop pool, all paid for by my husband's company. It is lovely! This is just for the first month though so we're house hunting in earnest! Went to look at our first apartment this afternoon - and I thought London's estate agents had a reputation for exaggeration! Well, I'd rather have lived in a skip and not paid $3000/month for the privilege! Fingers crossed things improve tomorrow as the search continues...
It is hot here! Ridiculously so! Best to do things first thing or later in the evening.
I've been hunting out baby classes and things as I won't be working in the first instance. So far I've been to a class at the local library but it was just nannies and lots of children from a local nursery this morning, no SAHMs to befriend as far as I could tell. I think the shorter mat leave here means it may be hard to find women in a similar position to us (or me at least). Everyone seems shocked when we say I have a year off!
I have found a chain of gyms with a crèche so that's great news, am going to check out Washington Sports Clubs in Georgetown later this week as this seems to offer the best 'babysitting' service. I've also emailed someone from La Leche League so maybe that's a good way to meet like minded people.
Just to reassure you, the relocation team we had were great and very efficient. We have 50 boxes en route somewhere in the Atlantic! I'd definitely recommend flying business class if you can for the luggage allowance, we brought lots of cases!
Right, very long post but keep in touch!

Hi there i've. Glad you've arrived safely. You certainly seem to have been busy! I'd love to fly BC, but I think I would find it extra stressful with my boys. At least in cattle I won't be so worried about them disturbing people who have an elevated sense of their own importance.

I also just found out that a good friend of mine from school (so good I haven't seen her since I was 17, but we are friends on FB) has a sister in DC too, though I'm not sure where abouts.

I imagine Georgetown would be more nanny-ish (i'm thinking of where my friend lives in London really, which I think is comparable). Is that where you think you'll settle? Because I'm going to be more out in the suburbs, I assume that groups will be a bit more mum-ish.

Good luck with the settling in.

Ive - good to hear from you. Hopefully you have managed to find an apartment and are settling in well. Glad to hear you are enjoying it so far. We are coming over in August for a few days and trying to view houses to see if we can lock something in for end September. Hopefully something will work out.

London is still wet wet wet ...

How exciting that you get to come over first for a recce moknicker. I can't believe I'm moving half way across the world to a city I've never even been to.

We just found out we're going to be in a (rather nice, in a bland corporate sort of way) hotel by Dupont Circle for our first week while my husband does his change over and our house is moved out of and got ready. We'll have a weekend there as a family, then MrWhim will go to work and I'll have 3 boys to sightsee with. I can't decide if it's a good or bad thing! God only knows what the suits will think of my 3 spirited lovely boys come Monday morning.

Hi all

Just got our visas so it is all looking and feeling a lot more real now.

Whims - a week in a nice hotel while your house is being sorted is really great. Im sure the suits will love your 3 boys. Are you looking at preschool for your youngest? Any tips on that? Also noted that your packers are already in situ - what are you going to do once they taken away all your stuff? Trying to determine pros and cons of getting packers early vs last minute.

Ivesuffered - any tips re house hunting? Btw are you on the Dcurban mums mailing list? They are the mumsnet equivalent (apparently) in DC. Mostly stuff for sale but a few meetup requests and perhaps you can ask post and ask people to meet up. Let me know if you would like the relevant links.

Phew, packers (first tranche) have been and gone. What a day! Second lot (UK storage come next week).

Moknicker, I'm not sure whether it's good to be camping out here or there really. We'll see. My kids are only going to be here for another couple of days, and then they'll be at my parents / away with me at friends, so hopefully by the time we've had our week in a hotel we'll only have a couple of weeks in DC without our stuff (although we'll have a lot of packing of suitcases). We also had the luxury of a couple of boxes of air freight, so most of the favourite toys (but not the le Creuset enamel saucepans) have gone in there, which hopefully will arrive pretty quickly. The house looks pretty sad now though.

Wrt pre school, I would like him to do something, but will wait and see when we get there. It would make sense to have something near the school, so I might see what other parents do. It will be a luxury rather than a necessity though as I won't be working. I have had help here from another mum at school who wasn't a formal child minder, but looked after a boy for a few hours a week, so I might see if I can find someone to come to an arrangement with.

Hello folks, just lurking in here as we may (or may not) be moving from Botswana to Washington in the New Year for DH's job. With 2 DS's 6 & 4 and a newborn (EDD 19th Dec in London) - eek! We would be looking at Vienna/Falls Church to live.
Am quite well practiced as this expat/moving lark (Zambia 2004-2009, Botswana 2009-now) but have never been to the US and the idea of doing anything challenging with a newborn scares the pants off me. But hey it's all an adventure
Hope it's ok if I hang around xx

Welcome Zammummy. Congratulations on the imminent arrival of no.3.

Couple of posters are also in situ (or will be soon) and we will be there end September.

Coincidentally, we are looking at Vienna, Falls church and Mclean as well so will (I hope) be on top of things by Jan when you arrive.

Hi All. I am also moving there next spring! Really looking forward to it. Have two kids one of whom will be starting school just after we arrive so am trying to figure all of that out now. I'm likely to be in MD not VA like most of you but nice to know that there are a group of us!

Welcome Blameit.

Hello there zam and blame.

We're now out of our house and camping out at my parents until departure next week.

zam I had my third when my boys were just about to turn 6 and 4. They coped very well with the whole thing and are now delightful big brothers. We're expecting #4 in January. Lucky you getting to have your baby in the UK. I'm rather worried about the whole US child birth thing.

Hi all, just wrote a huge post which somehow got wiped.
Whimsical - my husband works at DuPont Circle and we are staying close by so PM me if you'd like to catch up for a coffee in person when you first arrive.
Moknicker - equally, if you want to catch up when you come for your look around then let me know. Craigslist is where we found our apartment.
Will post again soon, iPad just about out of battery.

Hi ive That would be lovely! I'm not sure what our plans will be yet (although no doubt it will involve getting up VERY early). We'll be there until Weds I think, but if we're not too busy shouting at each other (or in reality if I'm not too busy shouting at the boys) we'll be in touch! Thanks.

Weeee we're flying tomorrow. In a fit of pique I've ditched my mobile phone provider, so ive I don't know if I'll be able to get in touch. I will eventually though!