RUSSandRACHEL

I totally agree with the putting on weight part... I'm ashamed to say I put on nearly 40lbs in the last two years! This year I decided to do something about it though and have lost 10lbs in the last 5 weeks on Weight Watchers. I'm sticking with it (although its hard at times)!

I also agree with the portion sizes here... We live in NJ, so are surrounded by so many diners and so many great restaurants so have had to cut it out alot lately. Russ and I love to go out to eat though so now we just fit that in as an occasional treat every now and again.

The one thing that has both helped and hindered me at the same time in the past 2 years is being at home all of the time. Since moving here I have set up my own company and work from home. In doing so, I have the Food Network on quite a bit during the day and have developed a real interest in cooking! Back home, pre packaged meals are so readily available but here, when cooking at home I have to make so many more things from scratch but I love it now! Since coming here I have learned so much!

I do miss things from home from time to time though (cheese, good bread, sausages etc...) but the longer I'm here the more great finds I discover. Wegman's especially has been great in helping me get my British food fixes when needed!

Thanks everyone for all your replies!

Taking pets abroad is a big factor in our decision to adopt a cat. From what I can tell so far, it isn't exactly cheap to travel with pets. That said, my man & I will have to weigh the expense against all the benefits of having a sweet cat to call our own

No problem. If you need any further help, please drop me a message. Our dog Honey, is a labrador and the majority of the cost depended on weight for the actual journey but all in all we spent just over £1500 on moving Honey here. A cat however, would be a fractiopn of that cost especially if you took them with you to your seat instead of in the hold like we did.

Best of luck!

No, you haven't lost me. I haven't been back on VJ in a few days, sorry.

Thanks so much for all of your points, I truly appreciate your input. I have read each and every one of them and taken them all in.

A few of you suggested I get a job with a health care package or a job within the health care industry.... Unfortunately a job in that industry doesn't match my work experience and isn't something I'd be interested in. It's quite hard to explain in a nutshell but I already have a career which was put on hold whilst moving here - I have spent the last 18 months endlessly contacting the relevant authorities to get them to transfer and recognise my UK qualifications. That's now somewhat sorted now and I plan to find a new part time job in the new year to supplement our income a little. In the meantime since moving here, like I mentioned, I have built up my own business which is now going really well. I can't give that up and if I did and then got a full time job, we'd be far more worse off financially. My husband and I would also never see each other. Another part of moving that I never anticipated happening was how I'd feel about the change... Being far less independant... missing home etc. Therefore, happiness in life is of big importance to me.

Health insurance costs here are just a bit of a shock but theres not much I can do about it... We have discussed returning back to the UK (for other reasons aswell) but that doesn't fit well with our plans right now. We'll probably move in future years but as we both want to start thinking about having a family within the next year, we will probably get health cover for just me alone which is about $200 a month.

Thanks again for all your input!

Hi there,

My husband (the USC) and I bought our labrador over here to NJ from the UK 18 months ago and we applied for the pet passport back home, before we moved. In doing so, as long as we keep up with her vaccinations and rabies shots here we can return to the UK without her having to be kept in quarantine for 6 months.

Unfortunately, if you don't have that (you can't obtain the pet passport in the United States as its regulated mainly within the EU) a pet would have to remain in quarantine. We haven't moved back yet but are keeping our options open for the future.

Hope that helps!

Hi,

I have been here in the US over a year now and i still havent made friends, i am still not working so i dont really go out much other than with my husband.

I am really struggling to settle, i get home sick and miss my family alot.. I do not drive so im limited and i still dont know my way round properly. I feel kinda intimadated, i feel like a littlw mouse in a big maze and dont know what to do.

I am from a small town in England and now i live in a city, its hard to get used to everything being so far. They is alot of thing i hate here,and i really wounder how ppl can live here.. again im always comparing to back in England ( somethings do seem better over there, things i class as important like medical issues ) .

Iv created this forum in hoping to find/make friends and that feel the same way i do, I know im not alone on the way that i feel. When you have know one thing all yr life and then suddenly its all different its hard, its harder also when u hate alot of things too here.

I really hope things get better.

Ahh hun! I haven't been on here in a long time but just wanted to say hi! I totally understand where you're coming from. When I read your post, I felt like I was reading something I've written myself. I feel like I've been in a bubble for the last 18 months but... things are slowly getting better. My mom (who has never flewn in her life, not even to our wedding) came over last month to visit and I finally got somewhere with my Esthetician licence and had it approved a few weeks ago to work in the state of New York!!!! I can't drive though and there is literally nothing around here that I can get to. I sit at home every day working on my business (I make bridal accessories on Etsy) while my husband goes to work, I haven't made any friends and am really lonely. But, I want to start applying for part time jobs in the new year and see where that takes me. I was so confident back home (I'm from Birmingham) and moving here has totally changed me into an introverted, shy, quiet person. I hope things continue to improve. I don't have any good advice to give, I just wanted to say hi and that you're not alone!

All the best!

Hi there everyone,

I haven't been on here in a while and was hoping for some helpful advice. I'm a permanent resident and moved from the UK to the US in May 2010. Next summer, I'll be applying to Remove Conditions. My husband (the USC) and I have been married for 16 months now and we are starting to think about having a family but don't know where to begin about health insurance. We live in NJ and wouldn't qualify for medicaid, nor can we afford to pay $600+ a month for the the absolute cheapest private healthcare plan that we can find. And thats before a baby comes along... what then? Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield have quoted us $850+ a month for full family coverage which we could never afford...

I have my own business and work part time and my husband is the manager of a retail store and makes $45k a year. A health package he was recently offered through his employer required him to pay a $4,000 deductible, up front, before any coverage was put in place - therefore we couldn't take it.

We earn above the poverty line yet the jump up to private health care seems completely out of our reach. My husband has had insurance usually through his employer off and on throughout his life but has never had children and therefore neither of us know who to approach for advice. We also don't have many friends to ask for advice, where we live. Can anyone recommend some health insurance companies or organizations that can point us in the right direction?

(With other reasons aswell) things have got so bad that we've even considered moving back to the UK to have a family.

Please don't be mean with responses and also forgive my ignorance on the situation, but being from the UK, this has never been a concern to me before. Many couples in the US seems to be bringing up families and getting along fine. I can't understand what the big mystery is and how they are doing it. Help!

Thank you!

i know exactly what you mean! Mmmm! I've never come across anything as good though, sorry. I'd say the nearest thing would be a pre-packed Keilbasa sausage from the supermarket.

Whilst we're on the subject of British foods, I highly recommend Wegmans. They have a great aisle of UK foods! If there's one near you, you should definitely check it out!

Hi everyone! I know there hasn't been a recent reply on this thread but I decided to visit VJ again today after moving nearly a year ago to the States so wondered how everyone's getting on... I moved from Birmingham in the UK to NJ with my Honey (a labrador) last May and although it was so incredibly stressful, it was worth it a million times over in the end! If anyone needs any advice or just words of reassurance please let me know or send me a private message!

Heres a little pic of the happy family!

I'm so sorry. I don't really have any knowledge of this situation but I would say that in any circumstance even with immigration, I would think that there is the ability to complain is you're receiving unfair service. Stick with it and even though its hard I'm sure you'll come through the other side. Just do everything they ask in the meantime. Best of luck

Hi everyone! I thought it was about time that we checked in too. How is everyone doing?

I have to say that it has been really hard for me here. I've found settling in really difficult and become really homesick in the last few months... I guess it's because we're nearing a year since I moved out here to NJ. We've also been through a really terrible time lately too. Russ was laid off from his job in January by his so called 'friend' who he'd known for 20 years! We spent the last 3 months searching for a job like mad and struggling to pay for bills and food. Then finally he found a new job last week and started on Sunday! He's going to be working for Five Below as a store manager at a new store thats opening up in 4 weeks and hes doing training now leading up to the opening.

In the meantime, I got myself out there and found a part time job in a local salon doing manicures, pedicures and facials. Its hardly the Hyatt spa that I worked at back home but its fine for the moment. I'm looking into taking the skin care licence now. Hopefully, as I was a beauty therapist for 8 years, I won't have to go back into studying again. The one thing that has been going really well though is my new business. Since I had my employment authorization, I've been making and selling jewellery and hair accessories (mostly for bridal and special occasion wear) and its really going from strength to strength! Its a lot of work though and I do it every single day... running my website and blog but I LOVE it!

I haven't learnt to drive here yet. Russ' car isn't up to it really. Its in desperate need to a fix up first. The roads here scare me senseless but I know its something I have to master if I'm to gain more independence.

So... Whats everyone else up to? I hope you're all settling in well!

Thank you so much! We will look into that.

I totally understand how you feel. We are in the same situation and are finding it impossible. It is so depressing. My husband (the USC) has 7+ years of retail management experience and has found it impossible to find work after being fired unexpectedly in January. He has had 4 interviews so far, but all have amounted to nothing.

I don't know if I can be much help but I would suggest that your wife maybe look into serving food? Usually, those jobs require little or no experience. When looking online for jobs ourselves, we even found that at Whole Foods, cashier jobs don't even require you to submit a resume online. Try supermarkets, diners and restaurants etc. We both wish you all the best!

Hi there everyone, I hope someone can help me!

I was granted permanent residency in September and my husband (the USC) is currently looking for a job. In january he was unexpectedly and unfairly fired and since then, has been seeking employment everywhere possible. He has extensive retail management experience and has been attending interviews in that field. But, nothing has come up yet...

This has been really hard on us. We have survived up until now but he really needs to find something in time for April otherwide we are facing the prospect of being homeless. Unfortunately, we have since discovered that claiming Unemployment Insurance is not an option for us (nothing to do with immigration).

Does anyone have any recommendations for central jersey? He is willing to travel and will consider anything at this point.

Many thanks!

Thanks everyone for your assistance! As I mentioned above, unemployment insurance doesn't really apply to us anymore nor will it be an option we can investigate more.

RICARDO4EVER, we don't have any co-sponsors nor have we ever so that doesn't help us anyway. But thanks!

Extremerecluse, thanks for the link but thats not an area me or my husband would be able to go into either. I probably should have mentioned earlier, but we both also have other sidelines aswell (which are just about keeping us going at the moment). So we wouldn't have time to start studying all over again.

We just have to continue on the job search and this morning we have had some promising news so we'll just have to wait it out a little longer.

Thanks to everyone for their help and support. If our situation was different we would have definitely gone down this route with unemployment insurance, but its good to know for the future.

Thank you so much to everyone for your help!

My husband and I have discussed the situation again this morning about applying online and after talking, I don't think he will qualify. This is because back in September, he voluntarily left his previous job to go into a new job working for a so-called "friend". This friend paid him via a 1099, with no tax deductions taken out or anything. Looking back it was such a dodgy situation but my husband got paid well, it was a job he loved doing and he trusted this guy as he had known him 20+ years (he even came to our wedding last year!) Then in January, completely out of the blue, my husband got a call from him saying he was fired. No explanation or anything. We still don't know the reason why this happened.

So, my point is, I don't think he will get unemployment because 1) he wasn't fired from his previous job back in September and 2) he never made any contributions towards unemployment with his last job. Theres also a bit of other history in his past as to why he won't get it too. Its just a really bad situation... I don't know what we're going to do. He is going to apply anyway though as it can't hurt to try, but his online password no longer works so we'll have to call them instead but they're not even open until tomorrow!

I just hope and pray that a job offer comes through this month!

Thanks to everyone for your help anyway

Hello Rachel,

As a UK citizen you may be eligible for help from these guys: http://www.britcharity.org/About/WhoWeAssist.htm

Good luck to you and your husband with everything!

Hi there Helen. Thank you so much! And also thank you for the link. That looks very interesting... I think I would qualify for assistance. How do you know about that charity and have you had personal experience of working with them?

Ahh I see. Thank you both!

LIFESJOURNEY - you're right about too much info. I'm still a little confused with regards to the permanent resident though. What about the affadavit of support and not claiming benefits etc... and being a public charge? I was under the impression that I was not allowed to claim ANY public assistance.

a LPR can file it too - for the record.

L...? Permanent Resident? Do you mean me? I thought that was a big no, no? Especially as I haven't started work within the United States yet either? We want to make sure we're doing everything correctly and following the law. I don't want to claim things that I am not permitted to because of my status.

Yes the USC can claim un-employment, I am confused why he didn't do this the same day he was fired.

Thank you. The reason was because we were confused as to whether it would affect my application for Removing Conditions when the time comes. This really is a last resort.

Thank you too RICARDO4EVA2! Thats very helpful.

Hi there everyone,

This is my first time in the removing conditions forum (me being the the permanent resident). I was granted permanent resident status in september so I have a while to go before removing conditions yet.

However, in January, my husband (the USC) got fired unexpectedly from his job. We have been on the job search together since then and although several promising leads have come up, they have all fallen through. We are both feeling very depressed about the whole situation but we somehow managed to come up with the money for our rent and bills last month. This month we are really struggling and don't think we will be able to make it this time.

I just wanted to ask if anyone knows if my husband is allowed to claim unemployment benefit? I know that as the permanent resident, I would not be able to, but would he? It's all very confusing because I thought they granted me permanent resident status based on his job and his income that would support me? We don't want to hinder my application for removing conditions in 18 months time but we are really worried and don't know which way to turn now.

Advice is very much appreciated! Thank you.

Congrats to h1a1 on the job - thats awesome news!

Congrats to Leenie on your kitten! How sweet!

Congrats to Y&E on the transfer, hope you have a speedy remainder of the process!

Glad you had a great thanksgiving beatlesrebel! We did too. Its my second one but I still made everything from scratch. It was great! I'm really looking forward to christmas now though. My mom, back home in the UK, has sent me a package containing all the british christmas goodies... christmas pudding, mincemeat, seafood sauce etc... Its been two weeks now though and we still haven't recieved it so am starting to get worried as shes spent over £50 in postage.

Has anyone had any delays in postage from the UK?

I meant wrist not wirst haha! Wouldn't let me edit!

Hello, hope everyone is doing ok.

As for me not so good, found out i have to go back to school for my beauty qualification, because of all the system being different to england, iv been told its easier to just go back to school and redo it, and i was also was advised not to do nail technology, which is what i wanted to specialize in :S. So now iv some major thinking to do. Was hoping it was going to be much easier but i guess it never is lol

Hi everyone! Hope you're all doing ok! Well, we had our AOS interview back on 22nd November and were approved!!!!! Yay! I've since recieved my actual green card in the mail which was a bit surreal. I'm so glad the process is over now for two years that I haven't looked at anything to do with immigration (including VJ) since the interview. Think I needed to give my brain a rest

But YorkshireRose, I know exactly what you mean! I feel for you! When I was visiting the US a couple of years ago, I looked into taking the NJ Massage Licence and I contacted a company called NCBTMB who regulate the candidates and the exams nationwide. I spoke to a lady who sent me a form for my UK college dean to complete, saying I had completed the set hours of study already. So I did that and still have the form signed and completed. But, I've since had a very bad injury to my wirst at work in the UK and I don't think its ever recovered so I don't know now if I even want to do massage anymore... I would love to do the beauty side only and be an 'esthetician' (as they call it here) but I'm told I would need to retake my qualitifactions completely for that which sounds ridicuolus as the training for the qualitifcations back home are far more in depth compared to those here. So I started looking into it and its going to be about $8,000 in fees! Thats not something we can afford so obviously me going back into what I was doing before is not going to happen anytime soon now. Its really frustrating cos I did really well at my job back home and now its just gone.

But I have been focusing on something else instead... Since before our wedding I have been making handmade jewelery and hair accessories for brides and I now have a shop on Etsy (http://www.auroracollections.etsy.com) and am building a blog and everything. Its a hard slog but I hope it goes well come the new year.

I'm sorry about your situation but I totally know how you feel and my husband feels bad for me too, that I've had to give up my career. But maybe theres something else you can do?

I had my AOS interview yesterday which was tough but we got through it and I'm so proud to say, I'M APPROVED!!!!!

I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone on here that's given us advice and words of wisdom throughout the long process up until now! I truly don't know how we would have got through it without you all and this fantastic website!

All the best to everyone else with upcoming interviews!

I'm off now to write my interview review & get ready for an awesome thanksgiving with my wonderful husband! Ahhh...

I wondered if anyone can tell me, near the bottom of the interview notice, what 'original and copies of each supporting document that you submitted with your application' mean?

Do they want an entire copy of the AOS application - complete with I-485 forms and everything?