Leaving Gracefully

[poodlek]

Thanks for all the tips and kind words

My current issue bugging me is how to budget the moving costs, as my husband's contract allows him airfare for one plus $200 for equipment. I don't think we'll have enough to fill a container (don't they require 750kg minimum or something?) as we'll basically be shipping clothes (a family of 3's worth), books, toys and trinkets, two bikes and some sports/music equipment. I shudder to think what that would cost as "excess baggage" on an airline but I don't know what other options there are.

Aside from that I'm just stressing about reentering the workforce after 4 years of being at home.

[poodlek]

Yep, unfortunately she's already said Cannot Lah! although, if it's July then there may be other opportunities!

I'm going to try to find a babysitter still! I'm not totally out of the equation yet. I need to get me some of that yummy yummy Thai food!

zzm9980: I haven't made any move on the immigration to the USA since we came here, so my K1 case lapsed. If Mr. K gets offered something decent in the USA we'll try again, but it's a bit of a mess...I'd rather not talk about it in the open, but would be happy to share my experience (more of a cautionary tale, I'm afraid) and/or pick your brain at some point if you want to get together for coffee or just an IM chat. Lawyer recommendations welcome

WildGoose: Canada rules. You'll love it

[BigSis]

Best wishes Poodle - we're in the same situation - moving back to the UK in July after 10 years here. I think it will be a bit of a shock to the system

I think a move to anywhere will be a shock - I have this strange feeling that the moment you leave will be when you will appreciate this place more than ever. At least I imagine that's how it'll be if I ever leave...

I agree - the moment I get off the plane in Heathrow I usually start missing Changi at least.


We have always enjoyed living in Singapore. I know someone who basically only had to pay for their groceries and petrol........everything else was paid for......and they hated the place - lasted about 2 years and moved back to the UK (and to Birmingham of all places ** ) and they're happy!


There are things that I'm looking forward to about going home but there are plenty of things I will miss, but then, if we'd never moved here we would never have known any different - and I prefer to have known different than to have been oblivious.



** No offense to those from B'ham, but from my own experience of the place, it's not my number 1 choice for a 'des res'

[poodlek]

HOME SWEET HOME!

After a rather trying journey from SIN-HKG-YYZ with a 17 month old, three adults, 14 pieces of checked baggage, 5 carry ons, 4 pets shipped the other way round the world (via Amsterdam) we have made it back to Brampton, ON with all our stuff, pets and people intact. Just the unpacking and jet lag to sort out now. Not missing SG so far...but grateful for our time there! Hope all is well in the little red dot

[sundaymorningstaple]

Glad you had an uneventful trip (well as uneventful as that kind of trip can be!). Hope the heat isn't bad all the way up there as well!

You don't have to drop off the end of the world now that you are home. Drop in from time to time. You are always welcome. We gonna miss you at the eagles gatherings!

Cheers,
sms

[the lynx]

HOME SWEET HOME!

After a rather trying journey from SIN-HKG-YYZ with a 17 month old, three adults, 14 pieces of checked baggage, 5 carry ons, 4 pets shipped the other way round the world (via Amsterdam) we have made it back to Brampton, ON with all our stuff, pets and people intact. Just the unpacking and jet lag to sort out now. Not missing SG so far...but grateful for our time there! Hope all is well in the little red dot

Glad to hear that you've made it home safely.

I'm very fortunate to have met you at least once in the eagles gathering before you moved back.

Rest well and all the best halfway across the globe!

[Brah]

This was a very useful thread, has a lot of good information, shows a nice sense of community and had a good ending.

Plus having met poodlek there is more of a personal aspect to the story.

I found it interesting though my comments may come as a bit of a downer to some here (no surprise there) as ironically I had read this at 3am last night after firing up the PC upon arriving back to Singapore after 3 weeks in Japan, living there not unlike as when I actually lived there years ago.

Seems every time I / we come back to Singapore we're less and less happy about it.

And that was the overriding feeling we both had last night at 2am in the airport.

I guess I / we feel that way less so when coming back from a 2-day or 2-week trip in Thailand, which is always nice, and more so from a homey-place like the States or Japan.

While we do like living here, and it is a pleasant existence in some ways, it has never become home over the years. And that's as much as our problem as for any other reason, to be fair. We both woke up this morning wishing we were where we had just came from.

So good on you poodlek, it must be good to be home.

[nakatago]

So, I guess it's aboot time to have another Gathering of Eagles but in Canuckistan, eh?

Sorry for the bad cliches.

[nutnut]

Glad you are home safely Poodle, it was lovely knowing you and we hope to see you in Singapore at some point if you are stopping through... Look us up

And I am sure you will enjoy being able to afford a car again