Orlando Post

[boo boo 1]

Hello Everyone

We live in sanford, FL. My name is Crystal and my husbands name is Charles. I like it here in Central FL ...I have been here since 2001 and my hubby is still adjusting to life, he is from Nigeria, but was studying in Amsterdam when we met....he arrived here 01/29/07. We have just went thru the biometrics and playing the waiting game for both AOS and the EAD now, but everything has been smooth so far.

I telecommute from home for UnitedHealth Group and my hubby will hopefully find a good job, he has no prior work experience....fresh out of college. He has a bachelors in Geology a Masters in Environmental Resource Management.

[LaL 418]

you can hate me now *meow*

[LaL 418]

hehehehhehe

[Krikit 1,165]

Hi Crystal. Sanford has amazing shopping! I love it there.

I agree with the others about Orlando being too congested. Then again, I'm not much of a city girl.

I'm sorry you don't like Florida meow mix. Though there are many things I miss about my home countries, and many things that annoy me about my new one, I am definitely going to explore and enjoy Florida while I'm here. Mind you, I did all the touristy things long before I knew I was going to live here, so maybe it's easier now that it's all behind me. In fact, it's kind of ironic, because I always said I didn't really like Florida and would never live here. Then my husband got transferred. Must be love that's keeping me happy.

[LaL 418]

you know, for as much as I have grumbled a bit about FL, we have had many many getaway's here that amounted to a whole lot of fun! Every city we have explored had something to see or even just to take in the beach and waves. There aren't that many places with so many places with so many options. The only place we havent been yet is the NW panhandle, miami and the keys. every other city we have explored, and would probably return to each one without hesitation!

i havent stumbled upon sanford for shopping though, we usually go to Ellenton, Naples or St Augustine for shopping... will have to look into that!

[Krikit 1,165]

i havent stumbled upon sanford for shopping though, we usually go to Ellenton, Naples or St Augustine for shopping... will have to look into that!

Oh my goodness.... St Augustine has THE BEST fish & chips at a pub called The Prince of Wales! If you love fish & chips it's a MUST!! lol

[LaL 418]

this thread is making me nostalgic for all our local getaways.

Naples - posh, brand new, great shopping!

St Augustine - CHARMING, historic and wild (the beaches - at least they have waves!)

Daytona - fun at christmas time (we go every year) its usually empty, so we go to the spa resort

Sarasota - charming, not totally cookie-cutter FL

Orlando - congested, clean, and shamu is cool!

Ft Lauderdale - good and bad parts. A little flashy, but the site of my wedding

Boca Raton/Highlands Beach - lovely, lovely a bit ostentatious

West Palm Bch - downtown is very nice, some great shopping districts

Sanibel Island - cool island, relaxing area (ie: older)

Ft Myers/Cape Coral - erm. prob least favorite - although may not have gone to the right areas

Melbourne - cute college town.

i think thats it as far as FL vacationing

I havent tried the fish & chips.. will have to look it up!

Edited April 10, 2007 by lal_brandow

[MPGGPM 0]

St Augustine - CHARMING, historic and wild (the beaches - at least they have waves!)

My wife and I were married in St. Augustine. We both love it there.

I actually proposed to her there, too, by the way...........on a rainy day out in front of the water.........not too far from that old Spanish fort.

Don't know which Fish and Chips place you all are talking about. Will have to try that sometime.

[athena_ny 1]

you know, for as much as I have grumbled a bit about FL, we have had many many getaway's here that amounted to a whole lot of fun! Every city we have explored had something to see or even just to take in the beach and waves. There aren't that many places with so many places with so many options. The only place we havent been yet is the NW panhandle, miami and the keys. every other city we have explored, and would probably return to each one without hesitation!

i havent stumbled upon sanford for shopping though, we usually go to Ellenton, Naples or St Augustine for shopping... will have to look into that!

We usually go to Ellenton as well...but never find anything, ironically. Though we got my husband's shirt and tie for our wedding there

I like our getaways, but I guess I feel like Florida is better to visit instead of live. I was so gung-ho to move here, too!

I LOVE the Keys...although I got the worst sunburn of my life there when I was 16, it's one of my favorite places in the world. Miami is okay to visit...very congested, as well though. I was at a gas station for 45 minutes there once, and was only pumping gas for 10.

St Augustine is really nice too, and I like Cocoa Beach, hehe. We went to W. Palm Beach for a kind of muted, short honey moon - do not stay at La Quinta there, but the city was nice. Hard to get to the beach, because everything is so residential, and if you go the wrong way you wind up in the ghetto but once we found a public, nice beach, it was so worth it. The shopping is good too, but we were short on money that weekend.

I went to Fort Lauderdale a little before my wedding when we went to Miami. We stayed with some of his family in North Miami (not the greatest place...) and then went to downtown Fort Lauderdale - everyone else wanted to go bar hopping, but I was 19 at the time and while my sister in law can pass for 21, I apparently can't - had a good time walking the streets at 2 am with my husband though.

I've never been to Sanibel Island - I have heard it is a bit pricey though?

And I am so jealous of those pictures!

[CarolineM 0]

You should all move to Jacksonville

ETA: St Augustine is lovely. for my bday this year stewart got us a room at a bed and breakfast - we had the BEST time ... and of course ate fish and chips from the Prince of Wales...it was ok - not as good as I had heard.

[Fandango 1,440]

I live in Central FL....closest I'll say is 'Volusia County/Daytona' although Sanford's like a 20 min ride.

I'm getting used to it...it's certainly not Miami

[Lisa and Spence 0]

Well i will be flying out on Friday 4th may 2007, London gatwick to Orlando, flying with Virgin Atlantic.

Is anyone else flying out in may to Florida, i will post my POE Orlando experiance on the 5th may,

also i will add to this page about SSN, AOS, Driving license ETC

By the way, one day once we have the cash together i think we will be moving to Naples or Marco island, we will be looking for less stress of life Orlando has to offer, but im looking foward to the time we will be spending there

Take care all

Spence

[CarlaM 0]

Im moving to Orlando on the 4th may 07, i know i wont be work for about 3 months, so lisa has a few jobs for me to do liike tidy up the back yard, decorate the house so it feels more like our home than her home, plus she has a little dog and a parrot to keep me company while she will be at work .

We will me living near the Metro West area, close to Universal studios.

As for a job, im looking maybe to work at Disney World as lisa works there, it would be ok untill i can find something that pays better, maybe could look into get work on a golf course, ive been working in Casino for 14 years in london and for the last two years ive been doing garden maintanace.

I love Orlando there is so much to do, the weather is great, you have the eats coast and the west close only a short drive away

The one thing that is quite bad about Orlando is the crime rate, but i guess you get that everywhere

It would be nice to meet up one day just to keep in touch with what is going on with one another, like how far are they down the road are they in there AOS etc any problems we could get in touch with one another for advice.

I would also like to welcome people from TAMPA to get in touch as it is not that far from Orlando

Spence

Yay!! I worked 4 Disney, my fiancee still does, You should try it, it is a great place to work at!!

Edited April 23, 2007 by carla-justin

[Krikit 1,165]

Hubby and I had a pint of Guinness and some fish & chips with mushy peas for lunch yesterday at a great little British Pub in Kissimmee, Maingate. (Well, I had the Guinness. He's still taking little sips and making faces. lol) It was so nice to hear familiar accents again, and to finally eat some decent fish & chips.

Anyway, I just went online to see if I could find it and ended up here http://www.britishflorida.com. I couldn't find the pub (for some reason the Roxborough sticks in my head, though I'm not quite sure) but it sure was nice to see that my long quest for all things British are now at my fingertips.

So, hey Spence! It looks like you're finally here!! Welcome welcome. And it looks like congratulations are in order to you and Lisa. Your sig shows a wedding date of May 18th so you must be a happily married man now. If I don't get a response then I'm assuming you are and you're a little busy at the moment. Congratulations!!!!!

[Lisa and Spence 0]

Hubby and I had a pint of Guinness and some fish & chips with mushy peas for lunch yesterday at a great little British Pub in Kissimmee, Maingate. (Well, I had the Guinness. He's still taking little sips and making faces. lol) It was so nice to hear familiar accents again, and to finally eat some decent fish & chips.

Anyway, I just went online to see if I could find it and ended up here http://www.britishflorida.com. I couldn't find the pub (for some reason the Roxborough sticks in my head, though I'm not quite sure) but it sure was nice to see that my long quest for all things British are now at my fingertips.

So, hey Spence! It looks like you're finally here!! Welcome welcome. And it looks like congratulations are in order to you and Lisa. Your sig shows a wedding date of May 18th so you must be a happily married man now. If I don't get a response then I'm assuming you are and you're a little busy at the moment. Congratulations!!!!!

Whoo hooo finaly here, yep, arrived here on the 4th may, we drove up to Macon, Georgia to get married ( right on the 18th may) stayed with the inlaws now we are back in Orlando and we plan to go to the social security office today to sort out my SSN and to get the name change done on Lisa's.

I have just receaved the Florida's drivers hand book, so im going to have a look through that and start to take in the road signs etc, we have booked a test for me when we get back from our honeymoon in key west, we go there on the 17th june for one week...so much to do, im just taking a look at the AOS stuff now.

Lisa & i met up with Buxton babe last week, we went to the george and dragon pub on Internatinal drive, that was nice, they are a nice couple from Tampa, she was from manchester.

Thanx for the post, keep in touch, i have to go Lisa's got me doing the house work as i have to wait for a job she calls me her ###### ....LOL.. JUST KIDDING.....take care, talk to you soon

Spence