Where is the shower? Where do I dry my clothes? (A very long update!)

We have not had internet access for a few days, so this one is quite long.

9 November 2009

Showers are an afterthought in houses built in the 1930’s. So, most showers are retro-fit to work with the claw foot tub. It’s an interesting setup. Also, no shower curtain. A piece of glass on hinges, about 1/3 the of the length of the tub is supposed to keep the water off the floor. I suppose it works most of the time. I tried to take photos- don’t know if you can see it.
We have also learned that most households don’t have clothes dryers. They hang their clothes out to dry (do they not know that it rains A LOT!?!), or they drape them over the radiators to dry. This is actually pretty effective. Our clothes were dry in about 30 minutes that way. They hung outside ALL DAY, and only got cold, then we draped them over the radiators and in half hour, they were toasty. Fortunately, our house has a dryer. Though it is in the garage, which is detached from the house, in the back of the garden (small back yard). So, washing machine in the kitchen, dryer in the garage (unless we choose to use radiators.) I suppose it’s an energy savings to use the radiators, particularly if they are on anyway.
For the first week, we stayed with a friend, Kimberly. She hosts people who come to England to learn English in an immersion program. Since she has students for the next few weeks, and our house is not available until 1 December, we are officially transient. We are in a small, privately owned hotel for a few days, and then our estate agent will have a 2 bedroom apartment for us to stay in until our house is ready. It’s very much a bohemian existence at this point! But, it’s what we chose, given our housing options. I will say that our choice of area in which to live has been very much validated by our colleagues. They have all affirmed that we have chosen a nice, decent area with great schools. So, I suppose it’s worth the wait in the long run. (Particularly since leases are for 2 years!)

We started training for our jobs on Monday. It was a good day, lots of information, meeting many people. We both enjoy the people on our units (we call them teams). Everyone was very nice and helpful. I have to mention Camille. She moved here from New York at the end of September. She has been extremely helpful, meeting with us to find a hotel in a decent area, providing directions to get to work. The biggest glitch is that there was a bus driver’s strike on Monday, which affected ALL of the busses we knew to take to work. We even had a couple of routes available to us, and all of the buses were affected. So, making a great impression, we arrived at work 45 minutes late! It took over 2 hours to get there! It should take no more than 30 minutes, if the buses are running, even if traffic is horrible! We were able to call and let them know, and we were in touch with Camille by phone. She was in the same position as us, but knew a little more about bus routes and provided some guidance that eventually got us there. Fortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence, so everyone was very understanding, particularly since we couldn’t be expected to know the bus routes yet. (The Tube routes are very easy to figure out, if you know where you are and where you’re going. Bus routes are too numerous to post publicly the way the underground routes are posted.)

On Saturday, we were able to play tourist. We went to Greenwich Park, which is home of the Royal Observatory and Planetarium. It is also a very large, beautiful park. What’s amazing, is that these huge, green parks are all over the city. Greenwich is one of the bigger parks, but they are everywhere. In the city! The Royal Observatory is home of the Prime Meridian -- it is where 0 degrees longitude is defined (the line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole.) It is also where Greenwich Mean Time is defined. You see on world clocks that time zones are defined in terms of GMT + or – some number of hours. For example, Kansas City is in the time zone defined by GMT – 6 hours. So, this is where GMT is defined! Our time zone is therefore Greenwich Mean Time. This was defined in the late 1700’s, based upon astronomical observations and mathematical analysis of early astronomers. Very fascinating! The Royal Observatory is also home of the World’s 7th largest telescope-- a 28 inch telescope. It is HUGE!
We had lunch at The Trafalgar—a pub famous for early figures of literature, including Charles Dickinson. It sits right on the bank of the Thames. After lunch, we went to the Royal Naval College. The “building” is split in half so that the Royalty in residence (at the Queen's House-- but a Queen never resided there) when it was built could maintain their view of the river. In one building is a large, very ornate chapel. This is where Lord Nelson laid in State when he died. The other building has what is referred to as “The Painted Room.” Again, very large and ornate. It houses a very elegant dining hall.
Oh, and all of this is FREE! Most of the museums in London are free. Don’t worry, though. There are plenty of sites and activities where you can spend your money!

10 November 2009

Second day of “work.” We are training with our work units, so we are getting to know the people with whom we will work the most. Everyone is very nice and helpful. There is a nice mix of people who have been working in this area for a long time and people who are new. There is certainly a lot to learn!

Public transportation, while convenient, is a bit of a pain, particularly at rush hour. The buses have to drive on the roads with all of the cars. It’s pretty amazing that very small cars take on these big buses, fighting for their space in the road. Additionally, both buses and tubes are VERY FULL during rush hour. We’ve watched people squeeze into the tube such that the are almost closed in the doors, just to get on the thing! People are crammed in like sardines. I try to remember Mandt stances: strong front to back with a front stance, and strong side to side with a side stance. It’s VERY useful when you are balancing on a bus or train. (Our Mental Health Center colleagues will understand that reference, but the principles are true for everyone.)
After work, we signed the lease on our house. It was 20 pages long! We did read through it, and it’s mostly about what the landlord gets. We just get the place for the agreed upon amount and have to take good care of it.

After that, we met up with my friend, Rich. Rich and I went to junior high and high school together. He has been in London for about 12 years. He took us through the area where he lives, which just happens to be very near the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. It’s funny how such deep, rich history sits amidst modern buildings. (Or rather, modern tall buildings sit amidst history...) All around the Tower and Bridge are fairly new office, retail and restaurant buildings. Of course, this is all along the banks of the Thames, so it’s very high end. I have enough city girl in me that I really enjoyed it.

It's been quite a week-- learning about our jobs, meeting the people, securing housing (both permanent and temporary, since our permanent home isn't ready until 1 December.) All the while, trying to figure out this thorough and complex public transportation system. We'll get it though. Today, David and I got seperated on a "bendy bus." These are buses with an accordian like thing in the middle that help them take corners. They are pretty funny looking. Anyway, we got seperated and since I have been the navigator, and keep numbers in my head, David got lost and confused. He did find his way, but it took a long time!

Are you tired of reading yet? I'm tired of typing!

Until next post...

Can I get new feet?

We've been here 3.5 days. What have we done? We have WALKED!!! Mostly looking for a place to live. It seems that the area where we want to live is the area EVERYONE wants to live! Rental properties (or properties "to let") go quicker than they can be posted on internet real estate sites! We even walked through neighborhoods and called when we saw "to let" signs in yards, and they were already gone... So, it was either slim pickins where we wanted to live, or broaden our search. We broadened our search a bit, and didn't find anyting any more attractive, so we picked from the first two houses we saw the first day. One house was HUGE! Bigger than our house in Overland Park. 5 bedrooms, a HUGE living room, HUGE kitchen, 3 car garage with a game room attached. The landlord even came down 350 pounds on the price. It was a great deal, but way more house than we need, higher than we wanted to pay, and we could only assume that it would be more expensive to heat. It would have been great for guests, but....

So, we went with a "normal size" 3 bedroom, semi-detached house:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=10%20Lorne%20Gardens%20Wanstead&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7TSHB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

Or, you can go to Google maps and search for 10 Lorne Gardens, Redbridge, London E11 2BZ, and then click the "A" balloon, and click "Street View."

It drops you onto Burnham Crescent. Go down that street (Click on the picture, and use your arrow keys to "walk the street.") to Lorne Gardens, and turn right. "Walk" down to number 10 (you will see the address displayed at the top of the picture as you stroll down the street.)

It has 3 bedrooms-- one is smaller than Zane's room, another about the size of our room with built in wardrobes (pretty unusual to have closets-- most people buy a wardrobe to store clothes in), and the third is a little larger, again with built in wardrobes. The kitchen is "galley style," narrow, but it actually has more cabinet and counter space than my former kitchen. The "reception," is a living room/dining room all in one long room. There is a "garden," a small back yard with some grass and a small paved patio. There is a garage as well.

I don't have photos of the actual house, but there is a similar one on this site: http://www.pettyson.co.uk/Property/Residential/for-sale/Wanstead/-/PSP110022

The layout is the same, though the furniture is different. There is some furniture with the place, and the family moving out is moving to Australia, and have indicated that much of their furniture is for sale, so we will be chatting with them about that.

The lady who lives there has lived there 2.5 years, and says "neighborhood is great, neighbors are great, landlord is great." There is a primary school just down the road. Hopefully, Zane will be able to attend that one. There are two secondary schools (where Gray will attend) less than a mile from the house. Again, hopefully he can get into one of them. (remember earlier post where I explained that kids get into the school which is less over crowded and closest to home.)

Because our priority has been to find a home, we haven't done much site seeing. However, we have ridden the double decker bus-- top and bottom, the train and the "tube." We rode (via taxi) through central London en route from the airport to my friend's house and got to see lots of things there- the most noteworthy was Harrod's Department Store. It's a pretty famous and posh store in London. The funny thing was, they had Wizard of Oz in their window displays! Drove through Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Kensington (one residence of the royal family).

We did go to a fireworks display on Guy Fawkes Day. (He was some sort of government protestor from a long time ago.) They celebrate the day like we do July 4th-- LOTS of fireworks. It was a better display than most I've seen in the US.

The friend we are staying with lives on a hill in a borough south of central London. You can see the city from here! It's a fantastic view! Great workout for the tush getting up here from the bus stop...

Things we've noticed:

* Whey you say, "Thank you," people respond with "No worries."

* Instead of saying "Excuse me," people say, "Sorry."

* No electrical outlets in bathrooms-- they don't have the GCFI circuit breaker to protect wiring from water. That means no light switch either. It's OUTSIDE the bathroom door.

* Walk on the left, not on the right (just like you drive). Well, most of the time. Hard to tell when to break that "rule."

* We have been in 3 pubs that don't serve food. (And then 3 that do serve food.)

* At rush hour, the tube is like a herd of sardines.

* The banking system is wierd: You have to have a job to get a bank account, but you need a bank account to get paid from your job. You also have to have a UK address to get an account. And, you need a bank account and a job to get an address. (Fortunately, we have job letters and a friend's address.)

* LOTS of walking. (We knew that before, but now we feel it!)

* If you stand around looking lost in the tube station, someone will actually offer to help you.

* The A to Z map is the best 10 quid you'll ever spend!

* A latte is only 25 to 50 pence more than a regular drip coffee.

* Fresh produce and meat markets are everywhere! Don't know how reputable they are, though.

* Everyone is from somewhere else. So many languages spoken in the street and on the Tube.

* No tax on food and beverage. HUGE tax on almost everything else.

* Every car we have been in has been a manual and has been from Germany.

* Cars are generally smaller and "roundish." Similar to VW bug.

* We did see a 1960's Dodge parked on a residential street.

There are other observations, but it's too late and too early to remember!

What's Happening?

Well, more of the same, really. I was informed tonight that it has been way too long since I've posted, so I have to write something....

David and I finish our jobs tomorrow. Last day. This past week has been full of finishing touches.

I've had many moments of: "What the.....!!!!" It just hits, this crazy thing that we're doing. Some moments feel more real than others. Then I will think things like, "In one week, I will be sleeping in a bed in London." David called today and said, " this is our last Tuesday in America." It's funny the things that pop into our minds. We have a whole new perspective on the days left.

The packing seems endless. We have gotten rid of so much, yet we seem to have so much left! Most of the rooms look pretty empty, though. It will all be gone by Monday. (Except for what we are taking with us...)

The other thing happening is we are saying a lot of "Good-byes." That's pretty difficult. We will miss all of our Peeps. We do hope for LOTS of visitors!!!

Along with the Good Byes, we have some "Hellos" on the horizon. Shaunda's friends Richard and Kimberly are both in London. Helena, a foreign exchange student who stayed with the Irwins for a year during high school, is in Sweden, and planning to visit London early next year. Shaunda's former roommate from her semester in London, Susan, is in Spain, and has welcomed the family to visit her on the Mediterranean Coast. Then there is a colleague who recently moved to Paris. Shaunda has an aunt who's neighbor's daughter is in London, offering assistance and guidance as needed. Other connections are waiting! Spill them if you have them!

Six Days to London...

Endless Gratitude

So many people have given us their time and talents to help get this house ready to sell. We will attempt to list them here as a way to show our HUGE appreciation. There is no way to properly return the favor. All we can say is, you have a place to stay when you visit London! (This list is in no particular order, other than those at the "top" spent numerous days and many hours at our house. Otherwise, it's according to my feeble brain.)

Dave and Peg Irwin
Tracey Gillaspy
Debi Anderson
Steve Daumas
Bill McDonnell
Howard Baldwin
Jay White
Lisa White
Steve Klein
Debi Klein
Kathy Brown
Eldon Brown
Maria Giffin
Paul Giffin
Karen Vaughn
Dave Miller
Tani Daumas
Morgan Wyatt
Preston Daumas
Christelle Porter
Jason Porter
Carla Hilton
Dan Irwin
Ron Lundine
Rob Ames
Clark Howard
Todd Wetherhilt
Marc Deras
Jay Arnot
Randy Hardesty
Marty Colburn
Brad Shields
Cassie Shields

As you can see, it has taken a small village to get us out of the country. We will certainly miss all of our family and friends, and not just because they have helped us work! We feel very blessed to have such generous friends and family. It is very difficulty to leave you all.


(The risk, of course, in posting a list like this, is that someone has been forgotten. If you don't find your name on the list, and know you deserve to be there, please don't think that we appreciate you any less. We are just working on very tired, very overwhlemed brains! And, PLEASE, speak up!)

THANK YOU ALL!

It's time!

Our Entry Clearance (visas) have arrived. Plane tickets purchased. Now, the real packing begins!
David and Shaunda will fly out 2 November and stay with Shaunda's friend, Kimberly, for about the first week, while we look feverishly for a place to live. We begin work on 9 November. The kids will stay with Grandma and Grandpa for a couple of weeks so when they join us, hopefully they will join us at home. We think that will be easier on them than having to trapse around a new, strange city, walking everywhere while we find a place to live. Grandma and kids will fly out on 13 November, and Grandma will stay a couple of weeks until we get the kids into school. (It's not as easy as marching into the building, saying, "Hi, I'm here!" like it is here. There are applications to complete, then the kids will be placed in the school closest to home that is least "oversubscribed." But, before they can attend, we have to prove our residence. A lease agreement is not enough. They have to come visit us first! And, aparently, they aren't in a big hurry to do that. Hopefully we can get that all arranged before she has to return home! It may be a bit of a stretch.

One step done!

Our Sponsorship letters came today! Now, we apply for Visas, and spend a big pile of money. Online application, then we get an appointment for "biometrics,: (fingerprinting). We will use a visa courier/expiditer service so that the application can be reviewed before going to the British Consulate in Chicago. It will take about 2 days to process once we get the info to the courier. Then, we make flight arrangemens! Our work start date is November 9. We anticipate flying out on November 2!
HERE WE GO!!!

Hurry up and Wait.....

Well, we are still waiting for Sponsorship numbers. England has recently revamped their immigration laws and application/approval processes. This is apprently creating quite a mess for employers and educational institutions who recruit from overseas. Our employer started the process to get us Sponsorship numbers near the end of August. They still haven't received them. We can't do anything until this happens.

On a good note, we have been approved to be Registered Social Workers in England! This is their equivalent of professional licensure. One more step completed!

We still work on this house. We are probably a weekend away from putting it on the market. (It's kind of a good thing that England is being so pokey about Sponsorship, huh?)
I have to say, I am really sick of the house. Some have said that we will get this house updated and not want to leave. Well, my current feeling is that I am sick of it! That may change when we have a date to leave.....

One of our current dilemmas has to do with the kids and school. We will not be able to enroll them in school until we have a permanent address. We don't have time/money to go find a place before we move (and given the time the immigration process is taking, it could be a money pit to find a place too early!). So, depending on how long it takes us to find a place, the kids would be out of school for that period of time. And, what are we supposed to do with them while we are at work? Certainly not leave them alone in a hotel or B & B!!! We may have the option to negotiate something with their grandparents, which seems to be the best option at this point. We can figure out more when we know when we are leaving.

Speaking of the kids-- they seem to be adjusting/accepting the change. Gray is still very firm that he does not want to go. Zane is getting excited to go, but says it's mostly because he doesn't like his school. That worries me a bit, because school is very different in England, and I don't know if he'll like it any better! They do both talk about things they would like to see or do when we get there, so that's a good sign.

Well, I'm still employed here in America, and I should head on back to that job.