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Living overseas

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

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Original poster

Anyone in the process of moving home?

195 replies

KobaniDaughters · 28/04/2021 05:20

Looks like we’re more than likely moving back to the U.K. - maybe end of the year for DH but summer for DC and I. Feeling pretty overwhelmed and wondering if anyone else was planning to head back from abroad in the next few months for shared hand holding?

OP posts:

Wasabiprawns · 01/06/2022 12:13

@KobaniDaughters yes, you're right, they don't confirm the flight and reserve until 14 days before but they reserve the slot with HARC and told us the flight that they will put them on when booking opens up. Presuming you're booking with IAG Cargo too.

That is scary about your friend...do you know which bits of paperwork they got wrong - want to make sure I don't do it!

Original poster

KobaniDaughters · 01/06/2022 14:52

@Wasabiprawns yes were doing exactly the same as you, our cat is flying commercially though so we have only 48hours to get the health certificate done!!

im not sure - I think it was around the rabies jab. Just make sure your cats have had a rabies jab within the last year to be safe

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Wasabiprawns · 01/06/2022 21:45

Thanks, yes rabies done in January. Had a bit of a panic when you said that cat had to travel within 48 hours of health certificate but then realised it because you're not travelling with said cat! We're travelling on the same flight but they're in cargo. Feel this is good to bounce ideas as makes me double check everything.

Original poster

KobaniDaughters · 01/06/2022 22:17

Oh goodness yes! Ours is travelling commercially because he’ll arrive more than 5 days before us as we’re going to see family in Canada on the journey back

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Original poster

KobaniDaughters · 01/06/2022 22:19

Escrow closed today!!

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Wasabiprawns · 01/06/2022 23:04

Congrats! Full steam ahead 😁

Original poster

KobaniDaughters · 02/06/2022 15:02

Thankyou!

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londontonyc · 27/06/2022 04:12

How's everybody doing? It's been some week - accepted an offer on the house and inspection reports done, and various end of school celebrations, concerts and elementary graduation. All a bit full on.
We've been lucky and managed to get a slot at Heathrow for the cat, PetDesk have been very helpful but I'm still more worried about him than anything else. The timescale is so tight it's making me nervous.
We've got two weeks to go but have started saying goodbyes as friends going off to camp etc. It's horrible. And will get worse before it gets better. My heart is breaking as the kids are so sad to leave friends. I really, really hate this bit. It's so upsetting. My stomach churns each time I think about leaving, but at the same time I . just want to be settled there now!

1frenchfoodie · 27/06/2022 06:36

I remember your really short notice of the move back londonto nyc , glad you are making progress. We are back in the getting ready to say goodbye to friends stage as, after 12 months back in the UK, we are off again. I’ll miss the ease of social interactions in my native language and lovely, incredibly friendly school here. But we are looking forward to new adventures.

Original poster

KobaniDaughters · 28/06/2022 15:08

Good luck @londontonyc thats one heck of a timeline!

we left LA yesterday, all the feels and tears, I sobbed as the plane took off and we flew over our house. Now taking a week’s holiday in Canada before heading to the UK

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Hearmeroar2 · 04/07/2022 03:28

The kids and I are literally on our way back to the UK at the moment to go visit schools and areas we might move to. I'd been SO anxious about telling them but they've taken it really well, getting excited about various aspects. It feels like it's really happening now! Good luck everyone - it's really motivational and grounding to read your stories.

londontonyc · 05/07/2022 05:01

Wishing you a successful trip @Hearmeroar2, good luck!
It's all falling into place here and I'm feeling better about the move. The kids are less sad as they're not seeing friends as often since school broke up, so less fomo. Summer holiday boredom has set in and they're looking forward to the change of scene. Fingers crossed for cat health check and certificates on Wednesday. I'm constantly checking for tics as that would cancel everything!
Got the school places we wanted but the offices want to see proof of address, which we don't have yet, so hoping that won't create a problem. Youngest has to go in for the last week of term after we arrive to secure the place but I think he's looking forward to it!
Trying to remember what I wished we'd put into air freight on the way here, want to get it right!

Original poster

KobaniDaughters · 05/07/2022 13:29

We leave for the U.K. today - I HIGHLY recommend a holiday en route during emigration if you can make it happen. We have family with a lake house in Canada so we’ve spent the last week here and it has done wonders for all of us, we’ve been able to decompress, the kids have had a bit of an adventure so leaving has felt less sad, now I real rejuvenated and ready to tackle arriving as the leaving got so stressful towards the end

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Hearmeroar2 · 08/07/2022 09:04

That's really interesting about the holiday, we'd been thinking of doing something similar - taking the long way home by about 3 months through Europe as a holiday. So good to hear everyone's plans are falling into place!

londontonyc · 14/07/2022 01:56

Waiting at JFK to board, I can't quite believe it! After a year of employer telling us it wasn't possible, we had six weeks notice to transfer to London. It CAN be done!! Last minute panic as the cats health certificate didn't arrive back in time but he can travel with a draft and get it endorsed there.
Feeling a bit numb now - looking forward to seeing family and friends but it feels like we're heading back on vacation, not for good. Think it will hit me in the weeks to come ☹️. What a great opportunity this was. So lucky to have made wonderful friends and great memories.

Wasabiprawns · 14/07/2022 17:43

Wow, what a relief. I can't believe you did that in 6 weeks. Hope you enjoyed the flight and breathed a big sigh of relief, you've done the hardest part.

Bringing my cats back are my biggest worry as so much of it is out of my control. Why were the health certificates held up? That is one of my biggest worries along with the heat as they can't fly if the temperature is above 29.5c

londontonyc · 09/09/2022 22:09

How are you settling in @KobaniDaughters and @Wasabiprawns? How were the schools @Hearmeroar2?

We moved back into our old house on 17th August. Grateful to family and friends for putting us up as we moved around but it was so nice to have our own space and finally unpack! Rented furniture until our shipment arrives, which is held up yet again - currently looking at late October now. The shipping industry sounds like it's in a real mess. I'm fantasising about it all tipping into the sea so I don't have to unpack and get to choose lovely new houseful of stuff 🤔
One school offer was withdrawn at the last minute as they caught up with the fact that we'd been living abroad when we made the application. Frustrating but fair enough! We got the second choice of primary for younger son and it seems to be going ok. Elder son happy at local secondary. I haven't noticed a huge amount of difference in where the kids are at academically, which is a relief.
The cat arrived on an earlier flight to us, lives with my sister for a few weeks, now has settled into his new home.
So all in all it's going ok, we're all a bit melancholy sometimes as we miss good friends and favourite places but this will lessen as we go along 🥺

Wasabiprawns · 18/09/2022 09:30

We're settling in well...still waiting for our air freight which should have been here by 18th August! The kids schools have worked out well. I can't see a difference in where the kids are academically either, in fact my daughter seems ahead in the core subjects. I also feel that they are much more confident, they are both fairly quiet and reserved kids.

We returned back to our old house too, it felt like we hadn't been away, although my youngest doesn't really remember the house much which we all find very odd.

I feel like I will miss our short trips away the most - being able to drive to the mountains or some lovely towns in New England which we will probably not visit again.

Citygirlrurallife · 19/09/2022 07:31

It’s KobaniDaughters under a name change

settling in too - has made a big difference the children in school now and making friends and a bit of a routine starting (which has now been totally thrown by the addition of a puppy!)

done basic furniture shopping mainly on Facebook marketplace so our rental does still feel quite temporary but loving the village we’re in and the colours starting to change - I get pangs for people and familiarity though. Not missing California so much but our routine and the school and going to D.C. football matches knowing there will be several other friends there to gossip with

Hearmeroar2 · 07/10/2022 01:33

Sorry,I don't come on here often. The schools were really interesting, despite looking similar on paper they were completely different. Some were a hard no, but the kids and I loved 2 in the same area, so looks like that's where we're going! House is on the market and we're leaving next year, doing 3 months travelling, then landing in the UK. Did everyone else feel sick with nerves/anticipation at this stage?

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