About jeepster65

Currently Lives:

bryans road, md, United States

Citizen of:

United Kingdom

Some Forum Posts:

United Kingdom: Michigan to Kent... what to think about?:

Hi, I was born and bred in the UK and married an American when I was 23. I currently live in Kuala Lumpur but have spent a great deal of time in the States. I also have two dogs and a cat and two children (both girls). I would definitely agree that you should get the help of a pet transporter even though the pet passport exists now. I am a veterinary technician and tried to ship my dogs myself. It was a horrendous experience and one I would never want to repeat. It's definitely worth the money for the peace of mind. As far as the cost of living, be warned it is horrible. You have basically have to double everything (except for food which is much nicer then the US). So bring clothes and shoes especially. For instance if you buy a t-shirt at Gap in the US it will be $10 whereas in the UK it will be ten pounds. Also, remember that the voltage is different so be prepared to buy all new electronics. Some things you can buy in the states like computers have voltage switches. This is really worth looking into. Some things like IPOD's have transferable voltage within the system so you only need a plug adaptor. As far as tv's and videos go you can rent then from a shop in the high street. This is a normal thing to do in the UK. YOu will also need to by a TV licence which is about 70-100 pounds. This is because BBC has no advertising on it. As for the schooling there are two ways of looking at it. Everyone thinks that the british school system is way ahead of the US. This is true in some respects as they are very strong on academics and they start earlier. However, having been through the UK system and then having two girls (who are currently 12 and 14) through the US system I prefer the US. They tend to get a much broader horizon and much more opportunities than are offered in the UK. England is so focused on pure academics that they tend to forget there is a world out there and that children enjoy things like Speech and Debate and Model UN. You may be lucky and find this in a private english school but the fees will be enormous. If you are lucky enough to get your firm to pay then go for it. As for cost of living in London it will be much higher than Kent. Don't expect to get a house with a ton of land. Property is really, really expensive and houses are usually small. I wouldn't advise bringing any really large pieces of furniture as you won't have room for them. Also their bed sizes are different so I would bring bedding that fits your master bedroom. It will be a lot cheaper too! Hope this doesn't sound too depressing. England is a gorgeous country with incredible history (even my teenage girls enjoyed going to a castle when we were there this summer). You can pretty much get anywhere within 3-4 hours and the coastline from Hampshire down to the SouthWest is beautiful. You can also park you car and go for a walk across green fields as everything is public right of way, not like the US where all the land is privately owned. The food is wonderful and there is nothing better than going to a pub on a lovely summer day with a garden where your children can play while you sit by the river and have lunch. Have fun and try and see as much of the Country as possible.

Malaysia: work visa:

I am travelling to KL with my husband who is a US Department of State employee. I am an Emergency Veterinary Technician and am wondering if it will be possible for me to get work and a visa when we get there. We will be living in KL for three years. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

Malaysia: New friends in KL:

Hi My name is Jill Phipps. I am a brit married to an american and living in Washington DC. We are moving with the US Dept. of State in June to KL for 3 years. Would love to hook up. Sounds like a lot of fun. Hope to meet you in June. Jill

Malaysia: Moving to KL with two kids and two dogs!:

I am a brit ex-pat living in the USA and am moving to KL with the US State Department (husband is the officer) with two girls 10 and 12 and two dogs. I have a hundred questions and would love it if anyone out there could answer any of them. So here goes. Which is the best International School for them to attend and why? What is the beach at Port Dickson like. Is it really as good as it sounds? Does anyone know what the quarantine factilies are like and can you pick a particular place. How far are they from KL? What are the domestic airlines like. Are they safe? Anyone ride horses (Hunter/Jumpers) on a regular basis - 2-3 times a week and if so what is the best stable to go to. Would love to find someone to ride with. Maybe we could e-mail and get to know each other over the next few months and then meet when I arrive. I'm sure there is more, but right now those are my main questions. I know this is a lot to ask, but if anyone has time I would really appreciate it. We are all really looking forward to moving, although not until next Summer 2003, and making new friends to have fun with. Thanks.

Date Joined:

11/7/2002

Total Posts:

5

Posts/Day:

0.00