Confused again . . .

The relo company told me to open an account with Natwest Bank as they have a relationship with them. I am unable to do so as I am not yet a UK resident. Then I reread my sheet from UK Pro about getting a UK mobile and it said that we could either get one through them which would be active as soon as we landed, OR we could save money and wait to get one when we got there.

So what should I do???

I wrote Icon to tell them I couldn't open an account from here and asked them to advise. (I can always open one with HSBC from a link UK Pro provided, but you have to complete the opening on arriving in the UK.)

As to the mobile, IDK right now. Icon didn't really tell me much I hadn't learned from their web site already. Oh yeah, they did say that they would be working with us in our first couple days at work to secure housing, so that won't be set up before we go unless we do it on our own, which I imagine would involve more red tape. And they can arrange for our housewares and such to be sent as "excess baggage," which will save us money over other shipping methods, but they do not pay for it, so I still think getting rid of most of my furniture is probably the way to go.

I'd like to see some specifics on that, i.e., so much per pound, but didn't think to ask on this first call. My relocation specialist, a nice lady named Sam Pope, said she would call me every week from here on out, so I should be able to get my questions answered.

It's all so simple and complicated at the same time. I don't feel like there's anything to actually worry about, but I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing yet either. Patience would seem the better part of valor.

Relocation Company Questionnaire

Came today by email and I filled it out. Next they will schedule a call with me and we will go from there.

So exciting!!! Except, I could have sworn when I saw the email this morning there were 3 more attachments besides the one I needed to fill in . . . then when I came back after errands there was only the one . . . but I think it's just further proof that my eyes don't focus in the morning. :)

Nice Kitty!!!

Hey Kris, love the picture of your black kitty!!! Tried to go back to the expats blog to name him, but I can't find the pic. Which one is he??? Beautiful face!!!! Where will he be spending Halloween??? (Mine didn't go out at all for a few days before and after that night. I'm paranoid, of course.)

Got my employment contract . . .

by email. I can either print it out, sign it and send it back or wait to do so until I arrive in Kent. Various bits of very useful info including the name of my line manager, the level at which I am being appointed (I had suspected it was not entry level and indeed it is not), and the following:

37 hours a week
26 days off per year!!!!!

I can't even hazard a guess as to how long it's been since I had either that few hours in a work week or that many days off in a year. Suffice it to say it's been a long, LONG time coming.

I still expect to work more than 37 hours a week, especially at first. But, I won't absolutely HAVE to.

Mind-boggling.

Voltage schmoltage . . .

Called Gateway to find out how to use my computer tower in the UK since it didn't appear to have the switch I had heard of to switch the voltage. No no, can't talk to Gateway cuz your warranty is out of date. You can contact chat online though. OK, cool. Did that and the upshot is, the computer accepts both US and UK voltages, so you don't need a converter. Didn't say you don't need an ADAPTER though. I think I will.

And here's a funny from the instructions on the transformer I bought at Brookstone coming back from the interview trip.

"Not for use with low-watt appliances such as electric shavers, battery chargers and curling irons. Also not for use with high-watt electronics such as stereos, TVs, DVD players, computers and massagers."

So, I'm off to check the web for medium-watt appliances and see if I have any. Oh yeah, after reading the electronics sticky on the expats forum it looks like I could bring the potential new monitor and printer, although both will need adapters. But not the TV, cuz you can't get UK programs on US TVs. Different broadcast standards. And I can bring an ASDL modem if I have one (I don't), but cable modems don't work there. (Good, cuz the cable company here provides mine.) So, they have broadband but it doesn't run through cable??? Not sure.

All I know is that if I can't use my flat iron PDQ in the UK my hair is gonna revert to Chaka Khan mode. I've already been told not to bring it and try to use it with an adapter or converter. Gotta buy a new one. Oh well, it won't kill me to look like Chaka Khan. It won't be the first time, or the last.

Sounds like Boots the chemist (drugstore) and ASDA (Wal-Mart equivalent) will be seeing a lot of me at first. Oh yeah, but you can buy electronic converter-y things in boot sales - - but I don't know what those are. Like, somebody lifts the boot of their car and sells stuff outta it??? Will hafta ask.

My interview trip!!!

Paula made an AWESOME book of photos of our time in NYC. Thanks Paula!!!!! I will be playing with my new camera more in the next week or so. There's a self-portrait feature. (Note to self: Do NOT use this late at night with no makeup on!!! LOL!!!) The camera is much easier to use than my last one b/c the info shows up on the screen, so you don't have to decipher the symbols as you did on my last one. Looking forward to getting some good shots soon, though I'll never be the photographer Paula is . . . but I prolly need some shots of Texas to show the Brits where I've been living!!! Or maybe I should buy a printer/scanner/fax - - I looked at some at Best Buy yesterday. I didn't wanna buy any new electronics before the move, but it occurs to me that anything that plugs into the computer itself mght be okay. Or not. You still hafta plug them into a power source. I need a new monitor too, same problem. Time to get on the expats forum and ask the electronics thread.

But if I did get a scanner, I could post some awesome pix before I leave . . . hmmm . . . and if my laser printer dies, as I think it's about to, I'll really need a new printer. They're under $100, so I may just hafta go there.

What's everybody dressing up as for Halloween??? I have wanted to do Dorothy Gale for several years now, but just can't bring myself to spend the money. I have a, well, I think it was sold as a goddess dress, the good thing being that it's long and I can wear comfy shoes. God only knows how well ruby slippers would hold up on Halloweenish adventures, ya know??!!??

Moving . . .

Got email from Kent HR manager Emma this morning that the relocation company will be contacting me end of this week or early next week. Also took my suitcase to a luggage repair place, who informed me it was toast. So, time to shop for a new BIG bag. OTOH, might as well talk to the relo company first to see what's what on that end. I do plan to travel as if it's just another airline trip for me with a backpack and a checked bag full of clothing, and let them handle whatever is left. So I'll still hafta get a suitcase, but no rush. It's always nice to hear from Emma!!!

Map of England by County

Well, it worked!!! There's Kent, east of London and south of Essex, more or less.

I googled this from the web and saved it in My Pictures. Blogspot has a cool app that let me post it. I still haven't been able to post a pic on the expats forum - - but it occurs to me that maybe I need to compress the file first. I'll play with that later.

http://www.propertyindex.com/www/renting/listing.aspx?ref=RR1819510#fulldetails

I'm supposed to be working but couldn't keep my fingers from wandering whilst waiting for the doc to SAY something. Found one I liked but no pets. I like this one too . . .

The offer letter arrives . . .

Got my official offer letter in the mail today. Monday morning is errand time for me and it occurred to me that I wouldn't want to pick up the mail on the way out as I usually do, that it would be better, if the offer letter were here, to sign it over the weekend along with the accompanying forms and have it ready to go. So I went to check the mail and indeed it was there. Appears to have been posted from the UK 07 October - - not bad to have it arrive on 10 October!!!

I believe I've seen everything in the package before - - I'm at the point where I'm not positive exactly WHERE I've seen it all, but certainly in some of the packets we've received were copies of the accompanying declarations (about whether we have financial interests in the council and the like), and I believe the offer letter is a copy of the attachment that came with the offer email. Oh, and the declarations were attached to that email as well. So it's not new info, but before we would have had to print out and sign, and this way we just have to sign.

Every step is exciting!!!

Hello world!!!

Had an interview in Boston last week for a job in Kent, England, and this week am in the process of accepting an offer. Seems like a good time to start a blog - - well, more accurately, Kris on the American Expats in the UK forum suggested I do so (thanks Kris!!!)

I'm taking time to savor the moment as there is not too much I absolutely HAVE to get done at the moment. Also I have the cold I always get 2 days after a plane ride home, though I'm much better today after taking probably about 5000 mg of vitamin C yesterday and 2000 so far today.

It will be fun to have a place to post the events and thoughts that occur as we (my cat Toby and I) go through this transition!!!