Foreign Mums in the UK

[chiara71]

Are there any other foreign mums out there?
How did you cope with being a new mum in a different country with no family around to help out?

My mum and MIL satyed with me ofr 3 weeks each around and after the birth of my dd, it seemed a good idea at the time, but in hindsight maybe it wasn't.
What was your experience like?

august24, did you every have hot fudge from Toscanini's? I would love to have some right now.... YUM

CafeCroissant and Fairymum, if it wouldn't make you too homesick, would you tell me about some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

ghengis, what is tayto? Such an intriguing sounding name....

Actually, I miss J.P. Licks, yum hot fudge sundaes! I hardly ever crossed the river to go to Cambridge, which is where Toscanini's is, right? I think Boston is the ice cream capital of the world.

Hi there
I'm from Germany and I miss proper bread and my family, especially my Mum (not in that order). I go home every two months though, so it's not too bad. Going over at Christmas, dh is horrified at the thought of opening presents on Christmas Eve!

Tayto are the best crisps in the entire world Maomao!

Yep, the best cheese & onion crisps in the world! I also miss wheaten bread and soda bread but if really desperate can get similar stuff here. Interesting how we all refer to our lands as 'home'! My (English) DH thinks it's hysterical that I've lived in England since 1987 yet still refer to Dublin as 'home'

mmmm.... taytos sound goooood!

What part of Dublin are you from Ghengis? I'm a Jack myself - from Rathfarnham.

Malahide. Have you seen the cost of houses in Dublin since the celtic tiger kicked in?!!!

I know. It's terrifying. I had to buy out in Meath but I love living there so it worked out ok.

Add another kiwi to that table. Best pre Christmas present you can get we were sent by dh mum - a giant bag of pineapple lumps, and those natural juice gummy animals.
My Mum and Dad are coming for 6 weeks around birth of my first next year. Hopefully we won't drive each other mad but I've heard that you can't do without the help.
Hopefully the weather will be nice in London so we can get outside and not be stuck in the flat.

I find that I am so used to being independent I am almost unable to accept or (shudder) ask for it. One can be too independent sometimes! Oh how I miss my family and friends........

tayto crisps are revolting!

Your DH will get you for that one Jimjams!
(He is from Belfast, isn't he?)

I defy anyone to grow up in Ireland and not love those crisps!

Even dh admitted to me in a moment where the loyalty slipped that actually tayto crisps really aren't that nice.

Mind you he even supported England at rugby, he wouldn;t if they were playing Ireland obviously, but he was overjoyed they won the world cup. His father meanwhile was chocking on his wheaten (also revolting).

Some misguided people think that King crisps are better but I used to inhale deeply going past the Tayto factory on the bus and I know better!

Have to agree about Tayto, on a recent trip home dd1 asked for crisps, expecting the familiar blue pack of walkers. She looked at the Tayto dubiously asking what they were, I told her they were Irish crisps and after tasting them proclaimed in her best English accent at full pitch on the dart that "Well Irish crisps are yucky"
Not sure where I belong anymore but we're heading home (Dublin & Kildare) for the first Xmas in 5 years so not sure what to expect!!!

about the home thing - dh gets pi**ed that I say that, he says this is your home now, etc etc. Nope, home is back there, not here! As much as I love it here with him...'back home' will always mean where I grew up and where my parents are.

and must try some of those chips! (And yes still say chips for crisps...garbage/bin/....mail/post etc etc). I know what I'm talking about. And I'm glad that dd is picking up on my words too!! Poor little thing, will be confused about it all one day...
And no matter how long I've been driving over here, nine times out of ten I still go to the passenger's side and open up to get ready to drive, or will stand by the driver's side waiting for dh to let me in. And I really do get confused sometimes about what side of the road I should be on. Really! No accidents yet tho

Udar, you CAN do without the help if they will drive you mad! Although I'm native Londoner and have only ever lived here (I do admire those of you who travel and live in other places) I had NO family support with ASD son or either kids as babies, almost the opposite in fact. It made me sad but I preferred it that way really. I'm sure it was easier than being in a foreign land as I'm at home and know my way around extremely well.
What about Mikados? THey are really revolting. I don't know if its the same now, but remember how, if you asked for a bag of Taytos you ALWYAS got cheese & onion unless you asked otherwise. Haven't had a bag for years so can't comment on quality but the smell of Mikados in the corner shop really takes me back......... (and peat fires)

you can do it udar - I had none of my family here ( UK ) when dd was born early by emergancy caeserean, inlaws had very ill grandmother to look after. so it was dh and I - dd spent three weeks in special care and then four weeks later off to London for open heart surgery and three weeks again recovering. my family in aus saw her when she was 8 months old. My dd will be almost 2 the next time my family see her.......

Ahh I miss the warmth, summer holidays christmas holidays spent at the beach, massive fireworks on the river on new years eve, BBQ's, fresh seafood.

Going to midnight mass in a sundress/shorts rather than layers and layers of clothes and coats and hat and gloves and scarf

roll on next year when we will be back in AUs again

I have been thinking about the things I miss at Christmas -

having carols outdoors singing carols by candlelight under the stars -

aussie christmas carols

Christmas wrapping presents and sorting out bits whilst listening ( on TV) to the Royal Institute for the Blind carols in the Dome in Melbourne

"Kimberley, Mikado and Coconut creams someone you love would love Mum"
yuck

Accurate spirit measures is what I miss, that and a bag of chips from Cafe Cara watching the boats sitting on a wall in Howth

"love some Mum" even

In case anyone is interested, I was just picking a few things up in Safeways and happened to notice they have an 'Irish' section. Remembering this thread I checked it out and ,yes, they sell 6 packs of Taytos.

Unfortunately they'd run out of the Cypriot Loundza I'd gone in there for!