Holy Cow -- a year!

[Jeraly 4]

Possibly - although I flew into LAX and get a grilling by Immigration each time - sniffer dog lady didn't seem to care about the cheese or dried dates though so!! Very odd... ah well - maybe you can talk someone else into bringing cheese with them or pick some up when you're back in the UK - worst they can do is confiscate it

I think what has been helpful with the July bunch is that there are so many of us - it has made life so much better - we can all find out answers to questions and help each other out with things we don't understand without just being given a link to a guide . We can ask newbie questions without repercussions or being treated like we are igorant and it is generally brilliant I've even set up our own little thread in the Moving to America forum so we can keep in touch

[Krikit 1,164]

I think what has been helpful with the July bunch is that there are so many of us - it has made life so much better - we can all find out answers to questions and help each other out with things we don't understand without just being given a link to a guide . We can ask newbie questions without repercussions or being treated like we are igorant and it is generally brilliant I've even set up our own little thread in the Moving to America forum so we can keep in touch

I saw that thread and was jealous. But I agree about the group thread and helping each other out. I was just thrown to the wolves.

[Jeraly 4]

Ouch - that canj't have been good!! I must say I do like the social side of this site and I am glad for the large July group!!!

Even if it did mean my NOA2 took 150 days or so

[*julez* 124]

I think what has been helpful with the July bunch is that there are so many of us - it has made life so much better - we can all find out answers to questions and help each other out with things we don't understand without just being given a link to a guide . We can ask newbie questions without repercussions or being treated like we are igorant and it is generally brilliant I've even set up our own little thread in the Moving to America forum so we can keep in touch

I saw that thread and was jealous. But I agree about the group thread and helping each other out. I was just thrown to the wolves.

I must agree with Aly - the July filers thread rules!! I love my July buddies!

Krikit, there are definitley some wolves here on VJ, and even some wolves in sheep's clothing! But there are also some really good people here, so I stick around! Kinda like your custom title! I love your Vini, Vidi, Velcro! It always makes me laugh!

Regarding food items, I always bring back some Branston Pickle. I love that stuff!

[Jeraly 4]

Oh yeah!! And decent vinegar for your chips Vegetable stock cubes were always a bit of a challenge to find as well...

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I re-christen this thread: General UK VJ Chit-Chat!

And in that vein, ugh! They are actually making me work today at this here job! Don't they know I come to work to go on VJ?!?!?!!?

[*julez* 124]

I re-christen this thread: General UK VJ Chit-Chat!

And in that vein, ugh! They are actually making me work today at this here job! Don't they know I come to work to go on VJ?!?!?!!?

me too I have so much real work to get through today and tomorrow as I'm on holiday begfinning Friday! Can't stay away from this place. I think its a sickness!!!

[mustang-sally 8]

I re-christen this thread: General UK VJ Chit-Chat!

And in that vein, ugh! They are actually making me work today at this here job! Don't they know I come to work to go on VJ?!?!?!!?

me too I have so much real work to get through today and tomorrow as I'm on holiday begfinning Friday! Can't stay away from this place. I think its a sickness!!!

This site is an addiction. As I have yet to find a local group of VJ Anonymous, I have to keep coming here

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Speaking of work, how did everyone break the news to their employers that they were emigrating?

I work for a very small (7 employees) company and we're all pretty friendly with one another, but I've been hesitant in bringing up the prospect of moving abroad. I'm sure my boss won't mind (his daughter is in California and he teases me about visiting the US a lot) but I was going to wait until I had a firmer idea of when I shall be moving.

Also: The only food requests I get from Alex's family are Jaffa Cakes - and lots of 'em! I have, in fact, sent out over 15 Jaffa Cake parcels to various people in the US. Everything else I may miss I've either managed to find in a store/British food store or have found a good equivalent for, but there's nothing to match Jaffa Cakes.

[mustang-sally 8]

Speaking of work, how did everyone break the news to their employers that they were emigrating?

I work for a very small (7 employees) company and we're all pretty friendly with one another, but I've been hesitant in bringing up the prospect of moving abroad. I'm sure my boss won't mind (his daughter is in California and he teases me about visiting the US a lot) but I was going to wait until I had a firmer idea of when I shall be moving.

Also: The only food requests I get from Alex's family are Jaffa Cakes - and lots of 'em! I have, in fact, sent out over 15 Jaffa Cake parcels to various people in the US. Everything else I may miss I've either managed to find in a store/British food store or have found a good equivalent for, but there's nothing to match Jaffa Cakes.

Work wont be a problem for me, I ran my own business.

Jaffa cakes however will be a problem, when Randy came here in September he got hooked on Jaffa cakes. He took some back with him and I sent some over at Christmas. I can see me moving there with one suitcase full of clothes and the other full of Jaffa cakes

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Jaffa cakes however will be a problem, when Randy came here in September he got hooked on Jaffa cakes. He took some back with him and I sent some over at Christmas. I can see me moving there with one suitcase full of clothes and the other full of Jaffa cakes

I did almost exactly that over Christmas - I only had one suitcase, but half of the space was occupied by 8 packets of Jaffa Cakes!

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Speaking of work, how did everyone break the news to their employers that they were emigrating?

I work for a very small (7 employees) company and we're all pretty friendly with one another, but I've been hesitant in bringing up the prospect of moving abroad. I'm sure my boss won't mind (his daughter is in California and he teases me about visiting the US a lot) but I was going to wait until I had a firmer idea of when I shall be moving.

Also: The only food requests I get from Alex's family are Jaffa Cakes - and lots of 'em! I have, in fact, sent out over 15 Jaffa Cake parcels to various people in the US. Everything else I may miss I've either managed to find in a store/British food store or have found a good equivalent for, but there's nothing to match Jaffa Cakes.

I started talking about leaving about 18 months before I actually did -- to everyone but my direct boss. Even the chief exec knew! I just couldn't bring myself to tell him, because I am so fond of him and I knew what a blow it would be to him as we were a department of two people. And it just got harder and harder... and then I called him into a meeting the day before I was due to go off on a business trip to Washington. I told him we had applied for a visa, and that the first forms hadn't been approved yet, so we didn't even know if I would be quitting as my husband might not get the visa.

My boss was really, really sad, but said he always knew there would be a risk that I might someday want to go back to America, particularly as the more fun stuff in my field is happening over here right now. He accepted my informal resignation, contingent on the visa being granted. That was 5 months before I actually left, as I waited to give my 2 months' notice until we had an approval at the Embassy. I had two (!) going-away parties at work, which were both awesome.

Telling my boss and my ex-husband that I was leaving the UK were two of the hardest conversations I have ever had to have. I felt, in a small way, that I was letting them both down. Silly, huh? I knew I had to get on with my life but I still felt that they both needed me. And yes, they both still email me and call me to ask stupid questions only I know the answer to, but they're both fully capable of living without me. Funny, that.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

I know exactly what you mean about letting them down - I don't have an ex-husband but it was hard abandoning work for three weeks over Christmas. It's sweet that they still both e-mail you! It's a real compliment.

Thank you for sharing. Five months' informal notice sounds about right; plenty of warning, but not so far off that they'll forget about it!

[Krikit 1,164]

I re-christen this thread: General UK VJ Chit-Chat!

[Krikit 1,164]

Speaking of work, how did everyone break the news to their employers that they were emigrating?

I gave a month's notice, per the terms of my employment. They didn't even know I was engaged, let alone had intentions of emigrating. That's because a) it's none of their business and B) I didn't want to have to constantly respond to questions about who he was; where he was from; how did we meet; who'd be moving where; how was my visa coming along; why do I need a visa; doesn't that mean I'll automatically become a US citizen; why do you want to do this; are you out of your mind. I save stuff like that for discussions with my friends and keep my business relationships all about business. It came as a huge shock to them.

Speaking of work, how did everyone break the news to their employers that they were emigrating?

I gave a month's notice, per the terms of my employment. They didn't even know I was engaged, let alone had intentions of emigrating. That's because a) it's none of their business and B) I didn't want to have to constantly respond to questions about who he was; where he was from; how did we meet; who'd be moving where; how was my visa coming along; why do I need a visa; doesn't that mean I'll automatically become a US citizen; why do you want to do this; are you out of your mind. I save stuff like that for discussions with my friends and keep my business relationships all about business. It came as a huge shock to them.

Hey! I just discovered that the characters b & ) put together makes this B)!