UK B!tches Unite!

[TBoneTX 44,690]

Thank you again for your kind messages.

If we do not all hang together, we shall surely all hang separately, si man. (...Uh-oh -- quoting a revolutionary Colonist in the UK thread? Run, si man...)

[Gemmie 142]

I'm in a particularly b1tchy mood today as my job interview has been moved a week out and my FIL is downstairs with his boss. They work from home (in the living room) 1-2 days a week and they're so loud and annoying, I feel trapped in the bedroom. It's his house so I can't complain, but WOW I wish I had my own car. Or a life outside of the house.

[Dodi 69]

I'm sorry, Gemmie!

I remember being in Germany, barely speaking a word of the language, with a 6 month old baby boy, when my ex-husband volunteered to leave me there for nearly a year and go to Kosovo on deployment with the Army. I felt like I was stuck in my apartment except for infrequent forays out for groceries and diapers and requisite doctor visits, but I finally got fed up.

I stuck my son in a stroller, jumped on a bus and went downtown. I didn't speak much German, but I could fake it a little and point and shrug and look helpless till someone finally told me where I was and what I needed. It took a while, but I learned enough German to get around and made new friends. I found that the public transport there was MUCH better than Oklahoma (where it's practically non-existant) and was able to buy a weekend train pass for DM20 at the time (roughly $10) that would last from Friday morning till Sunday evening and go all over the country. It was so much fun, and I learned a lot about where I was.

By the time the ex came back from Kosovo I was travelling and shopping and cooking like a native! I had tons of friends, and could get around anywhere with or without a car! I probably couldn't speak enough German now to tell you more than my phone number or read you a menu for dinner and explain what things are, but it's been 10 years, so that's ok. I took charge of my life at that moment, and refused to be cooped up because I thought I had no way out.

What kind of public transport do they have in Boston? Buses, subways and trains are a great way to just ride around and get to know the area better in your spare time. Take plenty of pepper spray and your cell phone for emergencies, but have fun and don't be afraid to explore!

[TracyTN 237]

Man - reading Dodi's story makes me feel guilty for bitching about my MIL who is 4000 miles away. Who, btw, hasn't contacted her son once since she got home other than to say she got there ok. I honestly think she's mad at us for standing up for ourselves when she criticized us (well, he stood up to her - I stayed out of it). Oh well - her loss when it's her grandchild she won't be involved with.

[Dodi 69]

Tracy,

Don't feel bad at all. I was just venting because I was completely drained by the whole ordeal. I'm sure you felt the same way about your MIL. I don't think for a minute that my b!tch was anymore important than yours. Feel free to vent away! That's what this thread is here for. We can be b!tchy all we want!

[Gemmie 142]

I live in a small town outside of Boston unfortunately, there aren't buses or even sidewalks. Just highways. I've decided to just pick a date to be ready for my road test (so that I can't back out of it), and at least once I have my license, I'll be able to take myself out of the house at night when there's a car available. Feeling cooped up is not great. Pleeeeeeeease everyone cross their fingers that I get this job next week so I can have a life!! Sounds awesome how you coped in Germany though. And it's a really cool experience that you now have, not many people can say they've done that.

[Dodi 69]

Seriously? They make you re-test when coming from the UK in MA? Here they don't. They figure people in the UK know how to drive better than people here - just on the wrong side of the road. The UK road tests are some of the hardest in the world because of all of the road safety stuff you have to know. Here, I didn't even have to parallel park to pass mine!!

You might see if the rules are as strict in a neighboring state and just make a road trip out of it, and once you have a valid license in another state you can transfer it to MA. You can still drive with your valid UK license for a while after you get here as well. Honestly, I don't understand that at all!!!

[marlea 84]

Seriously? They make you re-test when coming from the UK in MA? Here they don't. They figure people in the UK know how to drive better than people here - just on the wrong side of the road. The UK road tests are some of the hardest in the world because of all of the road safety stuff you have to know. Here, I didn't even have to parallel park to pass mine!!

You might see if the rules are as strict in a neighboring state and just make a road trip out of it, and once you have a valid license in another state you can transfer it to MA. You can still drive with your valid UK license for a while after you get here as well. Honestly, I don't understand that at all!!!

Not necessarily true. I just moved across a state line and will have to re-take the written test to get my new Indiana license. Which explains why I haven't done it yet... When I moved to NY and back, I was able to just transfer the license. Not in Indiana... I've had a license for over 15 years, but Indiana thinks I need a refresher to drive here.

Edited September 2, 2010 by marlea

[Dodi 69]

That's cos people in KY, like peopel in OK, don't know how to drive!

[marlea 84]

Yup. It's just all dirt roads there, don't have to worry about being civilized, can just drive through the fields if you want to. Don't know why that's not acceptable everywhere....

[Nik+Heather 121]

Nik had to go through the full thing as well. Written and Road. Right along side all of the teenagers! I was sitting in the waiting room watching whole families come in to watch the one kid get that taken care of. Haha! AZ is great because they give you the card that same day, rather than wait for it to come in the mail.

[Gemmie 142]

I didn't have a UK license, Dodi. I lived in cities, so didn't need one. I passed the written test in March and have been practicing since then, too nervous to book the test before now. But yeah, easy peasy over here. I love the huge roads and being allowed to turn on red.

[Gemmie 142]

I find it funny that Katy Perry has stated she will apply for citizenship as soon as she marries Russell Brand. She has a big surprise coming. The writer of The Sun commented that he did some research and it appeared that she would either have to wait 3 years or contact the Home Secretary or something to push it through. Led by reader comments about how we already knew that people were citizens once they married Brits. I wish this misconception was publicly addressed. Here come a million questions about why we had to get a visa, etc because Katy Perry will 'simply' become a Brit.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

she's got to pass her Knowledge of Life in the UK test first!

Which I'm sure you can only pass by spending a long time in the UK - it's hard.

Edited September 3, 2010 by Trompe le Monde

[Dodi 69]

I find it bizarre that most countries require incoming immigrants to know more about their country's history to attain citizenship than most of the actual native citizens know! Most of the USC's I know couldn't pass HALF the questions on the naturalization test. I probably couldn't either, I'm awful at history.